Cape Town Must Do's
Cape Town is so special and unlike any place I’ve been before. It’s a modern (Western) city with so much to offer. There’s history, wildlife, multiple cultures merging together and the most dramatic landscapes with everything from ocean to mountains to cliffs to beach to the gentle rolling hills and valleys. If you’re in Southern Africa for a safari, business or anything in between, you will not regret a trip down to Cape Town, South Africa.
Boulders Beach and Penguins
Seeing penguins in their natural habitat is one of the best parts of Cape Town. Many people think you have to travel to Antarctica to see penguins, but it’s not true – they also live on the tip of Africa at Simon’s Boulder Beach. The area has a boardwalk down to where the penguins live so you don’t disrupt them. The penguins do get quite close to the tourists so don’ forget to take a selfie with a penguin!
Great White Shark Cage Diving at Seal Island
Sharks and open water are my biggest fears in life. So when my husband wanted to go cage diving, I was skeptical. But as our boat got closer to Seal Island I knew I had to do it or I’d regret missing the opportunity. So, I suited up (wetsuit) and jumped in the cage. Since the sharks pass by the cage pretty fast, you don’t need scuba or snorkel gear. The guides alerted us when a shark was coming and we held our breath and went underwater. We were in the cage for about 45 minutes and saw at least 5 shark sightings. If you’re seeking a combination of adventure and wildlife, this will be your thing.
Spend a day in wine country
I suggest signing up for a tour. You can find several using trip advisor but we had the best time with Cape Fusion Tours; I highly recommend booking your tours with them. Our first time to Cape Town, we did a tour with 6 other people; we visited 4 wineries and had a delicious lunch with a fantastic view.
On our second visit, we visited 3 wineries, had a fantastic lunch at Delaire and stopped for a couple shopping trips in between. You can’t miss going out to Stellenbosch and Franschhoek for a day trip. The area is breathtaking and the wine and food delicious.
Snorkel with Seals – My favorite
I know what you’re thinking, “Wait, aren’t there Great Whites in those waters?!” Well, yes, BUT this area hasn’t seen a great white in over 25 years. And there are a few things working in our favor - long story short – kelp, super cold water, too shallow. Now that you’re totally not worried about sharks, snorkeling with seals was INCREDIBLE; one of the best animal experiences I’ve had. The tour company has everything you need – wetsuits, good quality snorkel gear and warm hot chocolate when you get out of the water; they even have go pros you can borrow if you forget yours! If you’re in Cape Town and enjoy seeing animals up close and personal, GO SNORKEL WITH SEALS. Don’t think twice, just go.
Hike Table Mountain
Or take the cable car up! You can drive right up to the cable car ticketing office, grab a ticket and hop in line; we were a little short on time so we took the cable car option. The ride up is only 8 minutes and the cable car rotates so everyone gets a great view. Once you reach the top, there are 3 paved walking trails to choose from to get gorgeous views in all directions.
We chose the shortest walk and still spent a good hour on top snapping photos and enjoying the views. The views are something that shouldn’t be missed while you’re in Cape Town. Take a few hours and take it all in from over 1,000 meters high.
Eat at The Codfather
If you like fish, you MUST eat here. We stopped in on a Tuesday for lunch and had the place to ourselves for the first half of our lunch. The seafood is as fresh as it gets and absolutely delicious. There are no menus – to order, you walk up to the fish counter and the waiter weighs out exactly how much seafood you want cooked. We had snoek, tuna and calamari. Everything is brought to the table family style with sides of grilled veggies, French fries, rice and salad. The sushi bar is amazing as well; we grabbed a few plates as an appetizer. Our only regret is not eating here earlier and more often during our stay.
Shop & Dine at V&A Waterfront
The V&A Waterfront is a great touristy place to spend a day. We’ve been to Cape Town twice and spent a day there each time. It’s a great place for all your shopping and dining. The Watershed has dozens of awesome shops and is great for picking up that one-of-a-kind African souvenir. They have everything from wood carvings to handmade clothes to painting. There’s also great food everywhere; whether you want to eat at a nice restaurant overlooking the water or just grab a snack outside. The combination of shopping and food is complimented with a beautiful view of Table Mountain.
Ride the City Sightseeing Hop on Hop off Bus
We typically use these buses when visiting a new city and did the same in Cape Town on our first full day. It’s a great way to see all the major areas of interest and get around for the day. It’s extra convenient since you can get off at different stops, take a look around and get back on when you’re ready to continue the tour. One of the route options even takes you around to a few wineries so you can hop off and do some wine tasting. Depending on what your plans are, it might be worth it to buy the two-day pass so you can use the bus like a taxi after you do a full route to see everything.
After enjoying Cape Town, venture North to Botswana to enjoy time with the Meerkats!
