My family and I were walking down the jetty at Kalk Bay when a couple of seals decided to put on an unexpected synchronised swimming display. Two of them twirled several corkscrews in the clear water before diving deep in perfect unison. Then – much to our surprise – one jumped onto the boardwalk in front of us, preening like a prom queen as a quickly forming crowd observed from a safe distance.
It was just one of the myriad of kid-friendly encounters we experienced during a week in Cape Town . My father grew up there, and I’ve been visiting since I was small myself, so I know it works well for children despite its less-than-perfect reputation . Large and well-located enough to have a rare mix of top-notch galleries and museums, sweeping beaches, cute historic neighbourhoods and plenty of opportunities to meet the local wildlife, it’s also small enough to navigate easily by car. Here’s how to plan your own family-friendly trip.
All creatures great and small
Though Big Five safaris are doable from Cape Town ( Aquila Private Game Reserve is less than two hours from the city), they take valuable time out of a stay. For shorter breaks, there’s ample opportunity for less scheduled encounters around the city.
If you’re very lucky (as we were), you can spot elusive caracals darting across the paths at Kirstenbosch botanical garden – 1,300 acres of forest trails, alien-like proteas and fragrant fynbos (mountain greenery) at the foot of Table Mountain (adults, £11.20pp; children, £1.80pp). Kids love the Treetop Walkway, which slithers through its canopy, too.
About 45 minutes away by car in Simonstown, Boulders Beach is known for its African penguin colony. Book a ticket and wander a boardwalk towards mums and dads building burrow-like nests (penguins mate for life) and tufty babies toddling between the waves and their parents. They’re not the only animals on the beach, though: Look out for dassies, cartoonish little furry creatures like crosses between capybaras and guinea pigs (adults, £11pp; children, £5.50pp).
Life’s a beach
Boulders Beach is on False Bay, with its string of white-sand beaches where the water is calm and warm. Among the balmiest is the wide stretch at Fish Hoek, a favourite with families thanks to its lifeguards (on the lookout for sharks) and its no-nonsense beachside caff, selling ice cream and waffles with a side serving of playground.
A short drive along the coast, Kalk Bay, with its surfy shops and vintage markets, is a good place to break up a day on the sand. Eat at Kalky’s , a cash-only institution in a hut on the harbour wall that’s been vending snoek (snake mackerel) and chips for 30 years.
At the other end of the spectrum (and the other side of Cape Town on the Atlantic), Llandudno is among the Cape’s most impressive stretches of sand, backed by designer villas, strewn with giant boulders and pounded by crashing waves. It’s not the place for a leisurely swim, but kids love playing in the pools away from the shoreline and watching surfers as they ride its meringue-like wave peaks.
The next town along is Camps Bay, renowned for its strip of bars and restaurants. Some are surprisingly kid-friendly: Try Mantra Café , where the waiters create off-menu mocktails for the under-18s and local produce is transformed into world-class meals. Time your visit just before sunset, and kids can run wild on the sand across the road as the sky turns tangerine.
Village voice
It’s true that there are some no-go neighbourhoods in Cape Town – but far less well-publicised are the safe, walkable ones. Among these, Newlands in the leafy Southern Suburbs is great for family stays with a pretty centre among lanes of bougainvillea-topped villas.
Here, The Vineyard Hotel has been open since 1894 and has its own wildlife to spot: a troupe of rescue tortoises that trundle around grounds that also house forest paths and a slice of the Liesbeek river. Look out for hadada ibis too, known locally for their ugly squawks but comically exotic-looking to English kids.
Stay here and Vineyard Car Hire can deliver a vehicle to the hotel car park, saving guests the nail-biting drive from the airport (the hotel can arrange transfers instead). You’ll need a car to get around the wider city, but not for Newlands: a five-minute stroll away, a little parade has a pizzeria, a fun noodle bar and an ice-cream parlour that’s a local teen hangout. Meanwhile, back at the hotel, a poolside restaurant does sushi and lollies for between-swim snacking by what may be the best-situated pool in town, with a postcard-worthy view of Table Mountain.
Speaking of the mountain, there are a couple of ways to get to the top. Adventurous teens may want to climb it, which can be done in half a day (book with a well-regarded guide and never attempt it alone). For smaller kids, the aerial cableway is an adventure in itself, whisking passengers to the top in five minutes (from about £13).
History lesson
First-timers should tick off the touristy V&A Waterfront area as a matter of course. There are attractions for kids, including the Two Oceans Aquarium and Cape Wheel (the city’s version of the London Eye) and boat trips too, although for less hectic dolphin-spotting cruises, try Captain Jacks in Hout Bay.
A five-minute stroll from the water is Zeitz Mocaa , an excellent modern art museum in an ingeniously converted grain silo. It tackles the country’s problematic past through tapestries, photographs and video installations that make it easier for children to comprehend (adults, £11.90pp; kids, free).
If that prompts questions, head to the District Six Museum , which tells the tragic story of the 60,000 people removed from the area and forced to settle on the Cape Flats during apartheid (£2.70). It’s near the rainbow streets of Bo-Kaap, a predominantly Muslim neighbourhood where kids can get acquainted with delicately spiced local curries at Biesmiellah.
No trip to Cape Town should omit a visit to a wine estate, and the city has plenty of unstuffy, fun options for kids. Have a picnic on the lawns at Buitenverwachting or let them run wild among the playgrounds and peacocks of the Tokara delicatessen, a drive into the country at Stellenbosch.
Essentials
Both Virgin Atlantic and British Airways fly direct to Cape Town from Heathrow, from around £600pp return. The Vineyard Hotel has two- and three-bedroom apartments that are good for families, from around £4,500 a week B&B.
It’s understandable to be nervous about driving, especially since the FCDO has issued specific advice about the route from Cape Town’s airport to the city. Avoid using a car at night, keep your windows closed and doors locked at junctions, and steer clear of non-tourist areas and minor roads. If you’re really worried, use Uber: Cars are cheap and plentiful.
