There's no doubt that Cape Town is a beautiful city but what is there to do around here? Can you ride a water bike here? How about mountain ziplining? Can you also hike up a mountain or take a wine tour here? The answer to all those questions is yes, you can! Whether you want to see amazing sights or experience something new and thrilling, you can do all sorts of things in Cape Town. Even if you only have one day to spend here. And rest assured that those 24 hours will be memorable! So much so that you'll definitely want to go back here again.
The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront, or “V&A Waterfront,” is among the liveliest and most exciting
neighborhoods in Cape Town. This coastal district is all about having fun, with so many attractions to visit, you wouldn't know where to start. One of the more popular ones is the
Two Oceans Aquarium, which houses a whopping 8,000 different species of underwater life. Steamboat Vicky is another popular attraction despite its size. This adorable boat will take you and the entire family on a whirlwind tour of the harbor. And of course, you can't forget about the Cape Wheel! It's the best place to see the entire waterfront in all its bustling glory.
Visit The Penguins at Boulders Beach
Out of the millions of animals in South Africa, the penguin was probably the last one you'd expect, wasn't it? You're in Cape Town, after all, not the north or south poles. Why would you ever expect to see penguins in this sunny city? But s far-fetched as it may seem, there are, in fact, penguins in Cape Town. Specifically on Boulders Beach. Located on the coast of Simon's Town, you'll see these adorable flightless birds waddling about on the sandy shore. You can even watch them glide to the sea as if they were launched missiles. And yes, you can also walk among the penguins provided that you don't harm them.
Ride a Water Bike
While there are plenty of mountains and nature trails that you can cycle on, Cape Town offers a more unique biking experience—water biking! It's sort of like riding a jetski but in fact, you're riding on state-of-the-art bicycles that float on water. You also paddle them as you would ordinary two-wheelers on land. With the added pressure of water, cycling becomes a more challenging but also more exciting activity in Cape Town. And you can do this in various areas, such as Boulders Beach—with the penguins, of course!—and the V&A Waterfront, among many others.
Hike Up Table Mountain
Hiking up a mountain isn't all that unique to Cape Town, is it? You can do it in other places like
Crete island in Greece, for instance. Or even the iconic Grand Canyon in Arizona, USA. What makes hiking up a mountain in Cape Town different from all the rest? Well, if you choose to go up Table Mountain, for instance, it's a whole other story. After all, this is what's regarded as the oldest mountain in the world. Said to be around 240 million years old—with many rocks here as old as 600 million years old—it's definitely a must-see in the city. And if you hike up Table Mountain, you can claim that you've climbed the oldest mountain in the world!
Go Mountain Ziplining
Since you're already hiking up mountains, don't miss out on the ones in the Hottentots-Holland Nature Reserve on Elgin Valley. Why? Because it's here where you can zipline through its natural wonders. And it's as thrilling as it sounds! With 11 ziplines to go on (the longest of which is 320 meters), you can bask in Mother Earth's magnificence all day long. You'll get to see sights that literally not a lot of people can. Not to mention feel the wind brush up against your face as you zoom through this stunning wilderness.
Hop On a Steam Locomotive
Before you go ziplining through mountains at the Hottentots-Holland Nature Reserve, how do you even get there? The Elgin Valley is a fair distance away from the city center of Cape Town, after all. It's not exactly reachable via public transport. Or is it? There is one transit system that can get you there: the
Ceres Rail steam locomotives. And yes, it's as novel and nostalgic as it sounds! It's not every day you get to ride a train that originated a few centuries ago. The ride alone is a great idea to spend quality time with your family too!
Take a Wine Tour
And finally, especially for all you honeymooning couples getting all lovey-dovey in Cape Town, you can always go on a wine tour! The Western Cape is known for its long stretch of vineyards, regarded as the longest wine road in the world. With so much wine to offer, why not spend the entire day going from one vineyard to the next and sampling their work? Not to mention enjoying the incredible views too! Though they're far from the
vineyards in Italy, France, and the like, they're just as stunning nonetheless!
One day in Cape Town is enough for you to have the time of your life! There are plenty of things to do in this city that you won't be able to do in many other popular places around the world. It's no wonder Cape Town is such a popular destination!
