I visited Cape Town for a week in November (South Africa’s spring season), and it was one of my favorite trips ever! Every day in Cape Town was sunny, windy, and low humid, which was great for me coming from the east coast, where winter weather had already begun. As a solo traveler, I felt very safe and experienced no problems. If you’ve never visited Cape Town, I highly encourage you to do so and use my guide to plan your itinerary. For those who have been to Cape Town, I encourage you to use this guide to visit places that you may have missed during your last trip. There are many things to do in Cape Town! Here are some suggestions below on what you can do during your visit. Enjoy!

Cape Peninsula Tour

In Cape Town, you’ll find tons of Cape Peninsula tours to choose from unless you plan to rent a car and explore. Because I am unaccustomed to driving on the opposite side of the road, I decided to book a tour through Air B&B Experiences with a group called Local Knowledge. We met at the Nourish’d Cafe in Green Point for an optional breakfast or coffee (at your own expense) and a brief meet and greet with your fellow travelers for the tour. My group consisted of 7 people, including myself and the guide. I found that exploring the Cape Peninsula in a small group was not only comfortable but allowed us to get to know each other and alter the itinerary to our liking. Additionally, it was nice to socialize with a great group of people and connect with them to exchange world travel experiences, information, and suggestions on other things to do in Cape Town. This tour with Local Knowledge made me feel like I was hanging out with a group of friends and less like a tour, which I enjoyed.

I highly suggest this tour for anyone looking to tour the Cape Peninsula in a small group and or socialize and meet with other solo travelers, couples, etc. Places visited on this tour include Cape Point (lighthouse and nature reserve), Boulder’s Beach, Muizenberg Beach, Buffles Bay, Simon’s Town, Penguin Colony, Cape of Good Hope, Khalk Bay, kombucha, local beer sampling, and secret location to toast and watch the sunset.

Table Mountain

If you are looking for great views of the city, then look no further than Table Mountain! Accessible by funicular or hiking, Table Mountain allows you to see the Robben Island, V&A Waterfront, DHL Stadium, City Bowl (which is the shape of the area), Camps Bay, Clifton Beach (1-4), from one side, and the Indian Ocean, False Bay and on the other side. I highly suggest you buy your ticket in advance (on your phone) before arriving as the queue is long for ticket holders, and it is best not to waste any time. Once you have reached the top, you can spend as much time as you’d like. It is best to walk around to get different views of the city, beaches, Indian and Atlantic Oceans.

The Old Biscuit Mill (Neighbourgoods Market)

Old Biscuit Mill (Neighbourgoods Market), located in the Woodstock neighborhood of Cape Town, is open on Saturdays and Sundays starting at 9 AM rain or shine (I got the latter 😁). The market is filled with many vendors inside and outside selling food, smoothies, arts, and crafts, clothes, socks, cannabis products, and many other things! You name it they have it! It’s a one-stop shop. Another great feature of this market is the DJ who plays music throughout the day and there is a space where people can dance and socialize, making it feel like one big day party. If you’re looking to try a new restaurant, the market has plenty. Each restaurant offers a variety options for all dietary preferences. The Old Biscuit Mill/Neighborhoods Market is family-friendly, but if you prefer to avoid crows, it is probably best to visit earlier in the day before it gets crowded. Overall, if you are looking for a good time, this is where you want to be on Saturday or Sunday starting around noon. Arriving and departing via Uber is convenient, as security will help you cross the street. I found this very helpful because traffic can get hectic at peak hours.

Kirstenbosch Gardens

Along the Hop on Hop Off red route is Kirstenbosch Gardens. From the Seapoint area, it took about 30 minutes to ride via Uber costing around $13 USD. When I asked for a map of the park to get around, the desk attendant suggested taking a picture of the map or buying a map which I thought was crazy because it’s not like the gardens are easy to navigate. Honestly with or without a map you’ll have to trace your steps and remember landmarks (flowers, signs, etc) to figure out where you are on the map. Even then, sometimes the signs are few far and in between and you’ll just keep walking until you see a sign that might be helpful or pointing you to another area in which you had no interest.

One of your first stops in the garden should be the canopy bridge. The canopy bridge will be the easiest to find since there are signs everywhere pointing visitors to it. A popular Instagrammable spot, the canopy bridge offers views of Table Mountain in the background, but can get really crowded. Thus, it’s best to go early or on an unpopular day, during the week. Although there were flowers in bloom, many were not fully bloomed. Not a deterrent for visiting in the spring, but probably best to view some of these flowers during the summer season.

If you plan to spend a day in the gardens, there are three restaurants for visitors to choose from Moyo, Vida e Caffè, and Fynkos. All have vegan options. Additionally, it would be helpful to bring a hat and a water bottle to use while walking around the gardens as some areas have no shade and the sun in Cape Town is really strong.

Cocktail and Mixology Tour

Because I had a great experience with Local Knowledge on their Peninsula Tour, I decided to sign up for their Cocktail and Mixology Tour, via Air B&B Experiences. I was a bit hesitant to book initially because I didn’t see anyone else sign up, but I spoke to the guide (from the peninsula tour) who assured me that people were signed up for the tour and I should go ahead and sign up. So, if you’re a solo traveler like me, with friends, married, or dating, then this is the tour for you/yall! You’ll definitely meet like-minded travelers who probably travel as much as you do! Also, a great way to make new friends if that is what you seek.

This tour is available on Saturdays, but depending on the season it’s also available on Fridays too. I found that this tour was a safe and or more comfortable way to explore the bars/night life in Cape Town with others than on your own. Met a great group of 7 people that easily geled together We stopped by 4 places including a speakeasy. The guide drove us around to each location, explained the history of each bar we visited, and recommended a club/lounge for us to visit after the tour was over, which we did and had the best night. I highly recommend doing this experience!

Wine Tour

There are many wine tours to choose from in Cape Town. I specifically chose the Stellenbosch and Franschhoek 20 Wine Tasting & Lunch Shared Tour, booked via TripAdvisor, because I wanted to visit Fairview (for their vegan cheese board and products), and Delaire Gaff (which we ran out of time and never visited which, to say the least, was disappointing but visiting Delheim (my favorite) made me forget all about it. Below are my experiences at each winery visited.

Fairview Winery

A winery that is often on the list of stops for many wine tours, Fairview is one of the oldest wineries in South Africa. Fairview, located in the Paarl region, offers a selection of different cheeses to pair with various wines (a vegan option is available!). Although I was not particularly wowed by the wine, except for the Fairview Viognier (white) and Fairview Extraño (red) were pretty good, I really appreciated the vegan cheese board. For the vegans you can request on-site and they’ll prepare one especially for you. Outside you will find cute goats climbing up a mini lighthouse and either peeking out or coming down. In addition to wine, Fairview also sells vegan cheese and ice cream, as well as eggs, dairy products, breads, and jams.

Tokara

Located in the Stellenbosch region, Tokara is best known for its Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc, olive oil, and the modern design of its winery. Unfortunately for me, this was not my favorite winery. All of the wines that I sampled were dry, and if you like dry wines then this is a must-visit on your list. Additionally, their wine tasting did not include a cheese pairing like Fairview. If this is your first wine stop, you might want to eat before arriving or if possible, sample while eating at their restaurant.

Although I wasn’t too wowed by the taste of their wines, I was amazed by the design of the winery and the picturesque view of the vineyard from inside the winery. If you want to visit the winery for its views, then it is worth it, especially if you plan to have lunch or dinner there. If you’re a vegan, they have vegan options on the lunch menu and a separate vegan dinner menu. Despite not liking wine, I would revisit for lunch or dinner as the menu options looked really good. Also, I wouldn’t mind seeing the vineyard again because it was breathtaking!

Delheim

My favorite winery of the three we visited! Located in the Stellenbosch region, Delheim Winery offers vegan-friendly wines, amongst many others. The wine tasting takes place in their restaurant, where visitors can not only sample wine and eat a meal but can walk around to view the cute little garden adjacent to the restaurant or stand and gaze at the beautiful Simonsberg Mountain range.

What I enjoyed the most about this winery/wine tasting was the ability to sample at least 6-7 wines while eating lunch. This experience made it easier to consume the wine and listen to the sommelier’s explanation of each wine sampled. The sommelier allowed us to alternate between red and white wines or stick with one only. Of course, the dessert wine was fabulous (as most are) and provided a great ending to the meal.

Everyone in my group rated Delheim as #1 for our winery tour. We all enjoyed not only the wine but the food too! For vegans, be mindful that you will have to thoughtfully customize (remove items, etc.) from your meal selection as they are not vegan as presented on the menu. The winery will cater to your requests. Again, this was my favorite winery out of the three. I wish I bought wine before leaving as shipping back to the U.S. and Europe is pricey.

Sea Point Promenade

A great place to run, walk, cycle, rollerblade, or watch the sunset. Additionally, a beach is nearby, not so much for swimming (rocky beach) but more for sunbathing.

You’ll see people along the promenade, which extends from Sea Point to Green Point, throughout the day on this path, which is very flat. While on the promenade, you can enjoy great views of Lion’s Head, Signal Hill, and Table Mountain on one side, and the ocean on the other.

Beaches

If you’re visiting Cape Town during the spring or the summer, bring your swimwear and head to the beach! Beware that the water is very cold! Even though this is the Atlantic Ocean, which is warm for those of us who live on the East Coast in the U.S. things are different here. The cooler water is coming from the Benguela Current. On the other side of Cape Town lies the Indian Ocean, with warmer water that most of us are used to when visiting any beach during spring and or summer.

I went for a walk along the water and got splashed by a little wave, and my feet and ankles felt numb. I’m sure one can adjust to the temperature after the first shock, as I saw people in the water bending down to chest level. However, I reached my limit after the first splash and then got splashed again by a big wave. The most popular and closest beaches to Cape Town are Clifton Beaches (named one, two, three, and four) each with their own unique crowd, Camps Bay Beach (most popular), and Glen Beach. If you like to surf, then Muizenberg Beach, amongst many others, is a great place, especially for beginners.

Bo Kaap

A frequently photographed neighborhood, Bo-Kaap is one of the oldest neighborhoods in Cape Town. Bo-Kaap, formerly known as the Malay Quarter, was once a racially segregated area that became home to freed Malaysian (Malay) slaves and Muslims in the 1700s when Dutch colonizers built and rented these houses out to them. Currently, Bo-Kaap remains home to many different ethnicities. When Malay slaves became owners of these houses, they each painted the houses a bright color as a symbol of freedom. There is a museum you can visit while in the area. A free tour of Bo-Kaap is also offered through the Hop On Hop Off Bus or through Cape Town Free Walking Tours. For those looking for an Instagram-worthy background for photo shoots, this is the place to be but it is also worth learning about the history of the area to appreciate it so much more.

V&A Waterfront

The V&A Waterfront is great for shopping, harbour cruises (sunrise, sunset, or 1 hour), riding the Ferris wheel, watching locals perform, and or trying out new and familiar chain restaurants. It’s also a great place to hang out at night for pubs and bars. Security is present all day at the waterfront so you do not have to worry about your safety.

While Ubers and Taxis can drop off anywhere, there is only one designated area (across from the Ferris wheel) for Uber and Taxi pickups. Although it is not difficult to find, you should wait until you arrive in the pickup area before calling an Uber. Reminder, Uber is very cheap and costs anywhere from $2-$7 USD to get around, while longer distances (30 minutes) cost me $13 USD. Much better than the prices for the length of the trip in an Uber than in the U.S.

Have you visited Cape Town? What places would you recommend for first time visitors? Comment below.