Day Trips From Cape Town the Whole Family Will Love

Sep 22

Cape Town is one of the few cities where, within about an hour's drive, you can be walking among penguins, watching whales from a clifftop, feeding goats at a Winelands farm or digging for fossils five million years old. Here's how locals plan a family day out, grouped by direction so you can pick one and point the car.

The Peninsula loop: penguins, lighthouses and the most beautiful road in Africa

Full day · roughly 150km round trip

If you only do one day trip, make it this one. Head south along the False Bay coast to Boulders Beach in Simon's Town. Elevated boardwalks take you right into the African penguin colony at Foxy Beach, and they're stroller-friendly, so even toddlers get a front-row view of chicks and adults waddling past. Next door, the separate Boulders swimming beach has calm, sheltered water where penguins sometimes wander through while the kids splash. It opens at 8am (7am in midsummer), and getting there early means you'll have the boardwalk mostly to yourselves. SA residents pay R50 per adult and R25 per child. International visitors pay R215 and R105.

From there, carry on to Cape Point, in the Cape of Good Hope section of Table Mountain National Park. Ride the Flying Dutchman Funicular up to the old lighthouse. It reopened on 1 September after its annual maintenance, and a return trip costs R115 for adults and R60 for children. On the way through the reserve, keep an eye out for ostriches, bontebok and eland on the roadside. Entry is R110 for SA adults and R55 for children (R515 and R250 for international visitors). Pack your own snacks, and keep them in the car: the baboons here are bold.

Loop back via Imhoff Farm in Kommetjie for a late lunch. It has a farmyard of animals, horse riding, jungle gyms and several restaurants, so everyone gets what they want. Finish on Chapman's Peak Drive, nine kilometres of road cut into the cliffs above the Atlantic. Stop at the lookouts and the kids will remember it. Rockfalls and bad weather close the road from time to time, so check its status on the morning you go.

Closer to town: a half-day without the long drive

Table Mountain Aerial Cableway. The rotating cable car takes about five minutes, and the flat summit is easy to walk with children. The cableway reopened on 10 August after its annual maintenance. Strong wind still shuts it down at short notice, so check the live status before you leave. SA residents ride free in their birthday month.

Kirstenbosch and the Boomslang. The Tree Canopy Walkway at Kirstenbosch curves 130 metres through the treetops, rising to 12 metres off the ground, and kids love it. It's included in your garden entry. Bring a picnic, let them run on the lawns, and time it for the mid-morning light.

Seal Island from Hout Bay. Circe Launches runs 45-minute glass-bottomed boat trips out to the Cape fur seal colony, departing daily at 9:00, 9:45 and 10:30, with extra afternoon sailings on weekends. The trip is short, the seals are guaranteed, and Hout Bay harbour has plenty of fish and chips afterwards.

The Winelands: farm animals and a lot of space

45 minutes to an hour from the city

Soetmelksvlei at Babylonstoren. This recreated 19th-century farmstead is one of the best family days in the Cape. There are ox-wagon rides, kraal tours, "cow connections", and blacksmithing and carpentry demonstrations. An indoor playhouse in the Old Cellar covers you if the weather turns. Allow three to four hours, book entry online and take the shuttle in from the main ticket office. It's open Wednesday to Sunday. Book lunch separately at the Old Stables Restaurant.

Fairview, Paarl. This family farm has been famous for its goat tower for generations: goats cross an elevated bridge and climb a spiral turret to rest at the top. The adults get a cheese tasting (and wine), and the kids spend the whole visit watching the goats. It's well loved, with more than 1,100 reviews averaging 4.4.

Giraffe House, Stellenbosch. Standard entry (around R90) includes feeding the goats, llamas and ostriches, plus a creepy-crawly encounter. Private giraffe encounters are available for an extra fee. It's unpretentious and genuinely hands-on, and there's a café for the grown-ups.

Vredenheim Big Cats Park, Stellenbosch. You'll see lions (including two white lions), tigers and a black leopard up close. Guided feedings run daily at 11am and 3pm. Entry is R130 for adults and R85 for children under 13, and under-threes go free. No booking is needed and the park is cashless.

The Whale Coast: the best of spring

Around 90 minutes to two hours east

Take the coastal Clarence Drive out of Gordon's Bay, which rivals Chapman's Peak for views. Stop first at Stony Point in Betty's Bay, home to the third-largest African penguin breeding colony in the world. It's quieter than Boulders and much cheaper, at R45 for adults and R30 for children. The boardwalk also passes cormorants, dassies and the ruins of an old whaling station.

Then carry on to Hermanus, which WWF ranks among the 12 best whale-watching destinations in the world. Southern right whales arrive from July to November, and September to November is close to guaranteed. You don't need a boat: the 12km Cliff Path has spots like Gearing's Point and Siever's Point where whales sometimes come within a few metres of the rocks. For something more memorable, book a boat trip with one of the licensed operators.

The West Coast: flowers, fossils and a story older than all of it

One hour to 90 minutes north

West Coast National Park. Every spring the Postberg section turns into one of the world's great wildflower displays. This year Postberg is open until 30 September 2026, so there's still just time. Go on a sunny day between late morning and mid-afternoon, when the flowers are fully open. Outside flower season, the Langebaan lagoon and its quiet beaches still make a good day out.

West Coast Fossil Park. About 90 minutes from the city, this is an active dig site where saber-toothed cats and short-necked giraffes roamed five million years ago. It has a new exhibition hall and a restaurant, and it's a hit with any child going through a dinosaur phase.

!Khwa ttu, Yzerfontein. This San heritage centre is about an hour from Cape Town. Tours are led by San guides and explore language, tracking, plant knowledge and history, and there are fynbos trails and a very good restaurant. It's rated 4.6 on more than 600 reviews and holds a 2026 Travellers' Choice award. It's a meaningful day, and older children in particular come away talking about it.

Before you go

Get a Wild Card. If you're visiting several national parks (Boulders, Cape Point, West Coast), a SANParks Wild Card can pay for itself within a few days.
Check the morning of. The cableway and Chapman's Peak both close at short notice for wind and rockfalls. A quick check before you leave saves a wasted drive.
Pace it. One region a day is plenty with children. The Peninsula loop alone fills a day comfortably, and everyone enjoys it more when there's time to stop.