Cape Town's kids-friendly assets for your next family trip

You know these journeys that you dream about for years, that people tell you about and that have been arousing your curiosity for a long time? And yet it doesn't come down to booking those tickets. That was Cape Town (South Africa actually) for us. That's right, because by now we've experienced that the city can only be described with superlatives. It is the most beautiful, adventurous, breathtaking and surprising city you can imagine. Her assets are described below. Kids-friendly travel in South Africa often starts in Cape Town.

 VIEWS FROM SIGNAL HILL

Signal Hill owes its name to its function as 'Signal Hill' in colonial times. No wonder you have a fantastic view over the Atlantic Ocean from here. Signal Hill is easy to reach via the road M62. That road brings you all the way to the top, you park your car on the (free) parking and you can walk around here and enjoy the view. There are even picnic benches. Ideal to experience the perfect sunset with picnic during your holiday. Also if you want to climb Lion's Head, Signal Hill is often the starting point.

perfect MUST DO WITH kids: TABLE MOUNTAIN

If you're in Cape Town, you can't help but climb Table Mountain, for good reason it was proclaimed one of the 7 new wonders of the world. It can be climbed on foot, there are several routes, but it is not recommended for kids under the age of 10. Don't panic, you just take the cable car that takes you in 5 minutes to the top of the mountain, that's how we did it. Tickets are best ordered in advance via this link so that you don't have to queue too long on the spot. If you feel like an adventurous activity during your holiday, you can also opt for a scooter tour. We didn't do that ourselves, but we got that tip (afterwards) from a friendly travel agent. You can find all information about this here. It will probably be one of the highlights of your trip in South Africa.

SPOTTING PENGUINS ON BOULDERS BEACH

When you say: spotting wild animals in South Africa, you certainly don't think about penguins. Still, our visit to Boulders beach in Simon’s Town was one of the highlights for the kids. This is the habitat of a colony of penguins and you can admire them from very close by. Sometimes the animals themselves are curious and then they squeak. Bas had that luck when he suddenly was in the middle of a penguin family. You park in the parking 'Seaforth Beach'. The indicators tell you to follow the street to the right, but we went straight on, the shortest way to the beach. If you follow to the right, you will come to the entrance of the Visitor Center. Apart from the fact that you have to pay the entrance fee and you can take some leaflets with you, there is really no more to see.
You can continue walking (past the Visitor Center) via the wooden jetty that has been built there. This footpath also gives you a good view over the bay.

BEACH LIFE IN MUIZENBERG

We think a (spring) afternoon on the beach is one of the nicest things you can do as a family when you travel. It's the perfect place to relax and have fun during your holiday. The Cape Peninsula literally has 2 different coastal strips. One gives out on the Indian Ocean and the other on the Atlantic. Near the Cape of Good Hope these two merge into one another. Why you should know that is rather important: the water of the Atlantic Ocean on the west coast of the peninsula is a lot colder than the warm ocean current of the Indian Ocean on the east coast. Muizenberg was just perfect because of the idyllic beach houses (because of the colours it looks so nice to do with kids) and the blissful location of the beach. What we had to take into account was the presence of sharks. On the beach there are signs everywhere to warn for their presence. Also when we were there, we witnessed the 'Shark alarm'. You can take that alarm very literally; it sounds like the alarm signals you hear in films about the WW to warn people about an air raid. It does make some impression!
However, you don't have to worry too much about sharks if you do go into the water, the Coast Guard monitors the situation all the time. Because of the high waves, however, it was enough for us with the kids to play in low water.
You just park your car on the side of the street. Often you see parking attendants (in yellow shirts) who show you a place. These are the men who keep an eye on your car and it is appropriate to give them a small tip (in advance). 10 ZAR (about €0.60) is already a nice tip. In South Africa there is a lot of creative job creation that we don't immediately know in Belgium, often by and for the poorer people. Parking attendants are a good example.

NATURAL BEAUTY OF KIRSTENBOSCH

If you ask about one of the biggest surprises in Cape Town, it was during our visit to Kirstenbosch. To be very honest: botanical gardens are not exactly what we would visit if we travel and certainly not in a country like South Africa where the beauty of nature can be found everywhere. But on the explicit advice of others, we took a shot. With success! Kirstenbosch lies on the eastern flank of Table Mountain and is surrounded by gigantic, green peaks. We walked over a suspension bridge that meanders between the treetops and in the shade of gigantic trees. After the walk you take the family picnic out of the car and find yourself a spot on the grass. There are plenty of them. Don't worry if you haven't brought your picnic with you: there's also a restaurant! During the African summer months (November-April) you can attend concerts. Bring a blanket, something to eat or drink and you're off for a blissful holiday/summer evening. It's also child-friendly, because the concerts are also open to families!

BUCKETLIST MATERIAL CAPE OF GOOD HOPE

Cape Of Good Hope is where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet. You don't notice much of it, except that the sea is rather turbulent. Foaming bars, sometimes meters high waves and a lot of wind. It's one of the places you want to tick off your bucket list.
To enter the park you have to pay around €10. You can follow the road to the Cape of Good Hope, but you can also spend a whole afternoon exploring the area with its many footpaths, beaches and bays. Besides Cape of Good Hope, you can also visit Cape Point. There is a famous lighthouse from where you also have a beautiful view over the ocean. You can have lunch in the Two Oceans restaurant, near Cape Point. If you like walking, you can go up the mountain on the left side of the sign and after about 40 minutes walking you will reach Cape Point. A large part of the road consists of a solid wooden footpath (so child friendly). You can stop at Diaz Beach, a quiet, golden sand beach that offers an excellent stop if you are travelling with kids.

CHAPMAN'S PEAK

If you drive from Cape of Good Hope back to Cape Town, it is best to do so around sunset along the western coastline of the peninsula. If you follow it, you'll be driving one of the most iconic ocean drives in South Africa, even in the world. The road winds between the mountains on one side and the ferocious waves of the Atlantic Ocean on the other. The road is 15km long and fortunately there are plenty of view points where you can park your car on the side of the road to literally take a moment to contemplate the beauty of nature you are in the middle of. Travelling has never been so idyllic, but we have to be fair; the kids liked playing on the beach, meeting the penguins and walking around Kirstenbosch more. We, on the other hand, intensely enjoyed our ride over Chapman's Peak and found it a super fun family moment to see the sun set. At the beginning of the road you have to pay a small toll (under €3), but it is more than worth it.

SHOPPING, EATING AND PLAYING IN THE V&A WATERFRONT 

Between Robben Island and Table Mountain you find the tourist center of Cape Town, the Victoria&Alfred Waterfront where you can shop and the terraces are crowded on beautiful days. We chose the street food of the Food Hall, both for breakfast and in the evening. Each of us chose what he wanted and then we ate it outside, with view on Table Mountain. South Africa doesn't get any more iconic than that!
The children loved the platform where the seal families often lie resting. The Watershed, a covered market opposite the Food Hall, is also fun to stroll through. You will find a lot of nice shops and the atmosphere is soooo relaxed!
There are also V&A playgrounds, a Ferris wheel and lots of music. There is absolutely no lack of ambiance, for us perfect for the first steps on Cape soil!

HOTEL MORE QUARTERS

Where best to spend the night? In terms of location, we have no preferences. We would advise you to rent a car anyway, with children it's really an added value. We stayed in hotel More Quarters and we can only recommend that, perfect if you travel with your family! The hotels of the More Collection can be found all over South Africa and they combine luxury with child-friendly travel. By the way, our room was not a room, but a duplex apartment (more like a small house). You can cook and eat yourself on the terrace on the 1st floor. There are 2 bathrooms, 1 with a shower and 1 with a bath and you can use the (small) swimming pool of the hotel across the street. That doesn't sound too bad for your holiday, does it?