What Are the Best Things to Do in Cape Town?

The best things to do in Cape Town are Table Mountain, the Boulders Beach penguins, Cape Point, the V&A Waterfront, Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, Chapman's Peak Drive, the city beaches, a Winelands tasting, and the peninsula's small harbours and tidal pools. Group them sensibly and the city rewards every kind of traveller.

We are biased toward the False Bay side, since we host at Aqua Terra in Simon's Town, so this list is grouped the way we would plan it for friends.

The icons

• Table Mountain: ride the rotating cableway or hike Platteklip Gorge. Go early or late for softer light and shorter queues, and check that it is open, the cableway closes in strong wind. See our cable car ticket guide.
• V&A Waterfront: shopping, harbour views, boat trips and Robben Island ferries. Book Robben Island well ahead.
• Kirstenbosch: one of the world's great botanical gardens, with the Boomslang walkway floating through the canopy.
• Clifton and Camps Bay: white sand, big boulders and sunset culture.

The peninsula: Cape Town's wild side

• Boulders Beach penguins: African penguins at arm's length from the boardwalks. Go early. Our penguin guide has the details.
• Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope: dramatic cliffs, lighthouse walks, ostriches and baboons. Our scenic route guide strings the stops together.
• Simon's Town: naval history, a working harbour, artisan shops and excellent fish and chips. Pair it with our dining guide.
• Tidal pools: sheltered seawater swimming at spots like Miller's Point and Glencairn, described in our tidal pool guide.

Rainy day options

Cape Town has front-of-mind museums and galleries, from the Zeitz MOCAA art museum to the District Six Museum, plus indoor markets, the Two Oceans Aquarium at the Waterfront and cosy wine tasting in Constantia. Winter fronts usually pass within a day, leaving the air scrubbed clean for the next hike.

How many of these fit in one trip?

On a five-day visit you can comfortably cover the icons and the peninsula without rushing, especially if you sleep on the peninsula rather than driving out and back each day. Browse the activities and attractions we recommend, or read the Simon's Town Knowledge Hub for the full local picture.

Come see for yourself: choose your suite and let False Bay do the rest.