Contents
Introduction
When someone asks me question: What things can we do with kids in Cape Town, I usually end up talking for at least 20 minutes. There are SO many places to visit in Cape Town with kids. It is very hard to cover them all. Rosie and I are always looking out for fun things to do in Cape Town. The Cape Town Tourism industry is booming and family travel is definitely on the rise with more and more fun activities.
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Our Top things to Do in Cape Town South Africa
We are very fortunate that we live in the Atlantic Seaboard which is really the perfect area for a lot of the favorite Cape Town Activities:
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The Seapoint Promenade
This is not only a beautiful spot to just go for a walk but along the promenade you can find all kinds of Cape Town attractions. The most well known and iconic one would be the Seapoint swimming pool. It MUST be one of the most beautifully located public pools in the world and the whole of Cape Town can enjoy this amazing place. Rosie and I often go here after school for quick dip and to cool off from a warm Summer day. Besides the public pool there are many play parks, you can rent bikes, have a delicious ice cream or watch the sunset from the beautiful Winchester Mansions Hotel. It is also fun to watch the paragliders land here. They jump off Lion’s Head or Signal Hill and land on the grass on the promenade. Rosie loves watching them.
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The V&A Waterfront
The most popular and most visited Cape Town point of interest is the V&A Waterfront. I don’t think anyone visits Cape Town without visiting the V&A. The Cape Town Sightseeing bus departs from here. I can highly recommend this very informative tour which to me is one of the best things to do in Cape Town. In fact, in each new city I visit, I look out for the big red bus and take a tour to get an orientation of the city. Cape Town’s version is fantastic, can’t recommend it enough. The V&A Waterfront has many, many shops. I’m not a big shopper but since The Watershed has opened, that has slightly changed. What an amazing space of beautiful South African designer items. I really have to stop myself from going crazy in here so I don’t go to often. If you visit the V&A with your children, you will find quite a few play areas. There’s one next to the amphitheater and one next to the Red Clock Tower near the Nelson Mandela Gateway from where you can take the boat to Robben Island (please book your tickets via www.webtickets.co.za to avoid disappointment). Take a boat ride, visit the Rugby Museum, go on the Hamley train or the Aquarium with smaller children. If you like history, please pop into the Jetty 1 Museum. This was the spot from where the political prisoners were taken to Robben Island. If you’re lucky you might run into a former political prisoner who will be very happy to share his story with you.
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Camps Bay Tidal Pools
One of the nice things to do with kids in Cape Town is of course swimming. Although the ocean is quite cold, somehow kids never notice it. The current and waves can be quite strong but luckily the city has many tidal pools around the coast line and the Camps Bay Tidal Pools are very easy accessible and super safe. We love going there, take a picnic and enjoy. Next to the pools is also a jungle gym in a shady spot so you can spend a good time here and the kids will enjoy. For awesome pizza, go across the road and go to Colcacchio’s. The kids can bake their own cookies while waiting or their pizza. Ocean Basket also has very good play area.
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The Greenpoint Urban Park
Another top thing to do in Cape Town is a visit to the Greenpoint Urban park. WHAT an amazing space. This lovely place of peace and quiet features 2 different play areas. One for the very little ones and one for the bigger kids. There are public toilets, there’s a Tea Room and picnic tables can be found in different areas. There’s also a great outdoor gym to get your kids (and yourself) active and busy. Another wonderful thing to do with slightly older children is the Biodiversity Walk which is super informative. We love going to this park, have a picnic with friends and on my morning walk I always make sure to walk through here.
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The Company’s Gardens
This is another must-visit in Cape Town with children. First of all there are tons of squirrels so it is fun to feed them. Peanut sellers will approach you. There are some fun ‘weaverbird nests’ to play in for the kids and the restaurant is fantastic. There are quite a few museums that you can find in the Gardens like the National Gallery, The Jewish Museum and the Planetarium. Especially this last one is a lot of fun with children. They’re recently build the Digital Dome which is an amazing 360 degrees cinema with reclining chairs. Once a day they show a fun kiddies movie so check online to see the program. But if you just want to stay in the garden, you will not be bored. Find the oldest planted tree in Africa or what about a Fynbos Tasting with the Cape Town Heritage Trust (bookings essential).
Things to do in Cape Town in the weekend
Breakfast at one of the many weekend markets is a great way to start a fantastic weekend in Cape Town. We live close to the Oranjezicht Farmer’s Market which is held each Saturday from 9 – 2pm at The Lookout next to the V&A Waterfront so you can mostly find us there. The most well known market is the Biscuit Mill market in Woodstock. It is really a very cool place but with a small child it gets a bit cramped. In case the weather is not playing along there are 2 very nice covered markets. The one is at The Palms Centre also in Woodstock and the other one is in Hope Street in the City Centre. Both markets are kidsfriendly and offer a wide range of different foods. The Oranjezicht Farmer’s Market features an actual fruit and veggie market which makes it a favorite place for doing your organic grocery shopping.
Visiting a church in South Africa can be a fantastic celebration to start your Sunday morning. I would definitely recommend you visit the Baptist Church in Langa for one of their services on a Sunday morning. You will be welcomed with open arms and will be blown away by the amazing gospel choir and band and leave in high spirits. From the N2 take the Langa exit, follow the signs to the police station and turn left into Sandile Road, the parking lot for the church is right on the corner.
As you can read, Cape Town has some amazing things to do for children so please do take them along and they will have the trip of a lifetime.
If you’re looking for a fantastic hotel to stay with your family, read our experience of the One &Only Hotel Cape Town HERE
