An Ultimate Guide to the Best Things to Do In Cape Town
- An Ultimate Guide to the Best Things to Do In Cape Town
- PUBLISHED October 11, 2025
- Africa
by Mike O’Brien
Back in January, Time Out readers voted Cape Town, South Africa, the best city in the world. Having been there, I totally get it. Read on to learn about awesome things to do in Cape Town for every type of traveler.
My wife’s family is from South Africa. Because her cousin got married in Cape Town four months after we did, we decided to center our honeymoon around that destination wedding. We spent five days with the family before heading off to wine country and eventually, a safari.
Cape Town has everything. It’s this big cosmopolitan city, most of which is nestled between the mountains and the water. In addition to the dramatic mountainscapes and idyllic beaches, there are also lush forests and amazing vineyards.
It feels like all of California condensed into a single city.
Things to Do in Cape Town, South Africa. But First.. Where to Stay?
There are so, so many cool areas. The City Bowl area, close to the beautiful Victoria and Albert Waterfront and the iconic Kloof Street for nightlife, is like the equivalent of downtown.
Camps Bay is like a postcard, nestled between the beach and the mountains. Kalk Bay and Fish Hoek also have beaches, but with fewer tourists and a more local feel. That’s where we stayed. It’s a bit off the beaten path — about 40 minutes to the City Bowl area — but Ubers are pretty cheap in Cape Town.
Things to Know Beforehand: How Far, How Hot, How Much
Something to keep in mind is, Africa isn’t drawn to scale on most maps. It’s much larger than it looks so unless you’re traveling from Botswana, Cape Town is far. A direct flight from New York City is about 15 hours. Keep that in mind when you’re deciding how long to visit. The good news is, jetlag isn’t too bad. Cape Town is in the same time zone as Western European countries like Spain, France, and Italy.
Cape Town has a similar Mediterranean climate, too. The temperature is pretty consistent throughout the year, warm but not humid enough to be unpleasant. Remember that South Africa is in the southern hemisphere, though, so the seasons are opposite of those in the U.S. We went in January, which is prime summer.
While Cape Town is the most expensive city in South Africa, the dollar is far stronger than the South African rand. Food and fun things to do in Cape Town is comparable to Memphis, Tennessee, price-wise.
Things to Do in Cape Town, South Africa
“What are some things to do in Cape Town?” The better question is, what isn’t there to do?
Things to Do in Cape Town for… Animal Lovers
How cool would it be to swim with sharks? To observe them in their natural habitat from the safety of a metal cage? These are rhetorical questions. I couldn’t tell you. Our shark swim got cancelled because of choppy waters.
Luckily for us, there are other creatures in the sea. We swam with seals instead, thanks to Pisces Divers in Simon’s Bay. Seals are not intimidated by people, nor are they aggressive, so you can get within feet of them!
Things to Do in Cape Town for… Beach Rats
Cape Town has no shortage of beaches, each with its own individual vibes. Camps Bay has the white sand and crystalline beaches of the Caribbean, with mountains in the background. Colorful Muizenberg is where the surfers hang out.
If you’re a beach rat and an animal lover, head to Boulders Beach. Boulders Beach is home to one of the more unique things to do in Cape Town: hang out with penguins. This is the only place in the world where you can swim with African penguins in their natural habitat. The colony is most active in the morning, especially during the summer.
Things to Do in Cape Town for… Adventurers
One of my favorite things to do in Cape Town or any other city is to get as high as I can and take in the views. If you fly into Cape Town, I highly recommend a window seat. As you’re landing, you’ll notice two mountains: one with a flat top (Table Mountain) and one that looks kind of like a thumb (Lion’s Head). You can hike to the top of both of them for stunning panoramic views of the city.
Lion’s Head is a much shorter mountain, but both hikes are pretty strenuous. You’ll have to climb over boulders and go up ladders that are bolted into the rock. But if you prefer your views without a sweat, Table Mountain has a cable car. Whichever one you do, be sure to go early and bring lots of water because it gets hot, fast. And avoid the baboons!
Things to Do in Cape Town for… History Buffs
For about 300 years, Robben Island housed political prisoners. The most famous of them all, Nelson Mandela, was imprisoned there for the first 18 years of what was supposed to be a life sentence before the fall of apartheid — and his presidency. Visiting his cell is a staple of any Robben Island visit.
The Cape of Good Hope is another highlight for history buffs. Rounding the cape, late 1400s explorers realized there was a much quicker path from Europe to India. Because the Cape of Good Hope is where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet (it’s actually not, but the explorers thought it was), it was an important place during the Age of Exploration.
Things to Do in Cape Town for… Shopaholics
Kloof Street is for the fashionistas. There are lots of trendy boutiques and it’s a stone’s throw from the vibrant (read: Instagrammable) alleys of Bo-Kaap.
If artisan markets are more your jam, you’re in luck because Cape Town has tons of them. We loved the Old Biscuit Mill, which is lively on Saturdays. My favorite part was seeing the incredible creativity and craftsmanship that went into turning everyday materials into art. How cool is this elephant made out of a Coke can?
Wait, What About Safaris?
Come on, it’s South Africa. Of course, I had to mention safaris. If you have more time, safaris are an incredible, bucket-list-worthy experience. They’re not cheap, but there are definitely budget-friendly options.
The Logistics
The list of top things to do in Cape Town doesn’t include a safari. While Tthere are 42 game reserves all over South Africa, including a few right outside the city, . A few are right outside Cape Town, but you won’t see any of the “Big 5” there. The closest place to see, say, lions and elephants is Aquila, about two and a half hours away by car.
Kruger National Park is the biggest one of all. It’s in the northeastern part of the country, a very long and not entirely safe, drive. There are airports, but they’re tiny, which can make the logistics tricky. We booked our safari through a travel agent called Acqua Travels and couldn’t recommend them enough.
The Experience
Every morning and evening (animals aren’t active during the day; too hot!), we’d pile into the jeep and spend a few hours driving aimlessly around Karongwe, a private game reserve in the Limpopo province. Because I grew up watching The Lion King, I imagined spotting animals from 200 yards away in a wide-open savanna.
Kargonwe was much greener and lush than I imagined — very Garden of Eden. Because it was so thick with trees, we couldn’t see anything from afar. Instead, we’d turn a corner and boom, there they were: elephants, giraffes, zebras, lions, hyenas, water buffalo, impalas, rhinos, you name it. Just doing their thing in the wild while you’re lucky enough to watch them.
The cheetahs were my favorite highlight. Cheetahs are smaller and more docile than you’d think, which makes them competition for the more aggressive lions, leopards, and hyenas. They tend to stay out of the way. I get it. I also make a point to steer clear of hyenas.
Driving around, our jeep came to a sudden stop. One of our guides got out and disappeared into the bush. He came back about fifteen minutes later and motioned for us to follow. It was exhilarating to be out in the open, but also a little scary. Where are we going? Do hyenas hang out here?
The guide stopped us when we got to our final destination: a grassy plain where three cheetahs were hanging out about twenty feet away. We were lucky enough to hang out with them.
South Africa Highlights
There You Have It
Cape Town is one of the coolest, most special places I’d ever visited. It’s got all the trappings of a world-class city, but mixed in with the incredible nature for which Africa is known. There are so many things to do in Cape Town and five days wasn’t nearly enough time. I need to go back, hopefully when the ocean is less choppy so I can swim with the sharks.
Have you planned your trip to Cape Town yet? Just book it!
About Mike O’Brien
Mike O’Brien is a writer, B2B content marketer, and in his spare time, a world traveler.
He was first bitten by the travel bug at 15, when his aunt took him on a two-week trip to China after winning an office raffle. Since then, Mike has driven across the U.S. twice and visited 27 more countries. Or 28 if you count Bosnia and Herzegovina, where he spent approximately half an hour while traveling through Croatia by bus.
About The Author
Michael O'Brien
