In a nutshell
- Cape Town has some fantastic things to do with kids, including the Two Oceans Aquarium, the Science Centre, and Table Mountain.
- Particularly great for kids are the Cape Peninsula with its penguins and Imhoff Farm with its petting zoo.
- Our top hotel pick for families is the Latitude Aparthotel in Sea Point — modern, spacious, and in a great location.
- Honestly, we’d recommend spending just a few days in Cape Town with kids and devoting more time to the rest of the country. The Garden Route with kids, for example, is absolutely fantastic.
The Best Activities and Attractions with Kids in Cape Town
Cape Town has become a popular travel destination for families with children. There are some seriously cool things to do with kids that you can build into your South Africa trip. These are our top 10 family activities in Cape Town.
V&A Waterfront: Great for Kids and Adults
- Perfect for: Kids of all ages
- How much time to plan: 1 full day
- Cost: none
The V&A Waterfront is one of the top highlights in Cape Town. The former harbor area is now an entertainment district and has plenty to offer for kids in particular.
The entire Waterfront is a pedestrian zone — which is especially great with young children, since they can roam and run around much more freely here than in most other parts of Cape Town.
There are also two playgrounds to burn off some energy. During peak season, little ones can even get their faces painted there.
A small train, the Hamley’s Express Train, runs right in front of the playground. The ride takes about 15 minutes and loops through the entire neighborhood.
At the V&A Waterfront, you can easily spend a whole day with your kids. And the next three kid-friendly spots in Cape Town are all located here too.
Marvel at Fish at the Two Oceans Aquarium
- Perfect for: Kids of all ages
- How much time to plan: 2 hours
- Cost: 220 Rand, children ages 4 and up: 105 Rand
An aquarium is always a hit with kids — and the Two Oceans Aquarium at the Waterfront is no exception.
You can marvel at sharks, rays, sea turtles, and loads of colorful fish together with your kids. There’s also a small playground in the basement.
Let Loose at the Playdate Superpark
- Perfect for: ages 3 and up
- How much time to plan: 1–2 hours
- Cost: 1 hour: 95 Rand, 2 hours: 170 Rand
Hit every playground already? Or did you get stuck with a rainy day? Head to the indoor playground.
Inside the Watershed market hall at the Waterfront, you’ll find the Playdate Superpark — a little tucked away, but well signposted.
Kids can really let loose here. There’s also a small climbing course where they can tackle obstacles with a safety harness — that was our son’s absolute favorite part.
For younger siblings, there’s a separate play area designed for very small children too.
Get Messy with Paint at Artjamming
- Perfect for: ages 3 and up
- How much time to plan: 1–2 hours
- Cost: from 200 Rand for the smallest canvas
This is one of our favorite under-the-radar picks for families in Cape Town. At Artjamming, kids get to paint — but not just any old way.
You buy a canvas, get a smock to protect against splatters, and then there are tons of colors to choose from — and the kids are off. Our son had an absolute blast.
Leave the nice Sunday clothes at home — better not to pack them in your kids’ suitcase. That goes for the parents too.
Also keep in mind that you’ll be leaving with a canvas in your luggage. We did this on one of our first days and then hauled our son’s masterpiece around South Africa for three months.
Artjamming is somewhat hidden above the Toy Kingdom toy store on Breakwater Boulevard.
Take the Cable Car up Table Mountain
- Perfect for: Kids of all ages
- How much time to plan: 3–4 hours
- Cost: from 340 Rand, children ages 4 and up: 170 Rand (round trip)
Table Mountain is Cape Town’s most famous attraction — and the view from the top is spectacular. The best part? Table Mountain is a real highlight for kids too.
It starts with the ride up. The steep cable car rotates a full 360 degrees on the way, which is genuinely fascinating — and not just for the little ones.
At the top, there are plenty of trails where kids can run and scramble over rocks while you soak in the views.
You can buy tickets online in advance here: Table Mountain Cableway Tickets.
Can you hike up Table Mountain with kids?
There are various hiking trails up Table Mountain, including some with a lower difficulty level. That said, all of them are fairly long and can easily take three to four hours with a toddler. If that’s no problem for your kids, you can absolutely hike up.
Read our tips for visiting Table Mountain too:
Discover How the World Works at the Science Centre
- Perfect for: Kids ages 3 and up
- How much time to plan: 3–4 hours
- Cost: 80 Rand
Whenever we go on vacation with kids in a new city, the first thing we look for is a science museum. These are often wonderful places where kids can try all kinds of things hands-on. And sure enough — Cape Town has one.
The Science Centre is located a bit outside the city center but is easy to reach by car, with a parking lot right out front.
There are lots of little experiments and some great interactive elements, like slides and a construction site where kids can play builder for a while.
The Science Centre is relatively small and can’t quite compare to other science museums we’ve visited — if you’re curious, check out our articles on Lisbon with Kids or Valencia with Kids.
Still, it’s well worth a visit. Our son enjoyed it so much that we went twice.
Watch Penguins at Boulders Beach
- Perfect for: all ages
- How much time to plan: 1–2 hours
- Cost: 176 Rand, children ages 2 and up: 88 Rand
The penguins at Boulders Beach are an absolute must when visiting Cape Town with kids. The beach is located in Simon’s Town on the Cape Peninsula.
There are two entrances — you pay admission once, which gets you through both.
At the northern entrance, you can watch the penguins from a wooden boardwalk. At the southern entrance, you get access to the beach itself and can watch the penguins among the rocks and in the water — or even swim alongside them.
For that, come early in the morning at low tide, when the beach is still quiet and the water isn’t too high. As it gets busier, the penguins tend to move away, and at high tide the water usually rises too high to squeeze between the large rocks, leaving only a small section of beach accessible.
The two entrances are connected by a wooden boardwalk that’s also stroller-accessible. There are parking lots at both entrances.
Our tip: Near Hermanus is Betty’s Bay, which has another penguin colony that’s great for kids. You can find more information in our article Hermanus with Kids.
Watch Seals at Duiker Island
- Perfect for: all ages
- How much time to plan: 1 hour
- Cost: 100 Rand, children: 50 Rand
If penguins aren’t quite enough, we’ve got a few thousand seals to offer. They gather on the small Duiker Island.
Small excursion boats regularly depart from the harbor in Hout Bay for a round trip out to Duiker Island. The trip takes about 30 to 40 minutes — a great outing that isn’t too long, especially with younger kids.
You’ll also get a great view of Hout Bay and Chapman’s Peak Drive on the way.
Feed Animals at Imhoff Farm
- Perfect for: toddlers
- How much time to plan: 2–3 hours
- Cost: 20 Rand
Imhoff Farm on the Cape Peninsula is a wonderful outing for the whole family. Parents get some nice restaurants and shops; kids get several playgrounds and a small petting and feeding zoo.
You can buy feed on-site — bring cash! — which the kids can give to rabbits, goats, ostriches, or ducks. A true toddler paradise.
Zip Around Cape Town on the Hop-on Hop-off Bus
- Perfect for: Kids of all ages
- How much time to plan: one day or more
- Cost: from approx. 14 euros, children ages 4 and up half price
Getting around Cape Town is unfortunately a challenge — you really need your own car to get from A to B. Uber is normally the best option without a car, but with kids that’s tricky due to the lack of car seats. If car safety is important to you, you could bring travel car seats along on your trip.
A great alternative with kids is the hop-on hop-off bus. It stops at all the well-known things to see in Cape Town, and the ride on an open-top double-decker bus alone is a highlight for many kids.
These buses are generally fantastic for city trips with kids. You can buy tickets at the V&A Waterfront, where all bus lines depart — or book online.
Hop-on Hop-off Bus Ticket incl. Table Mountain Cable Car
Family Hotels in Cape Town
The selection of hotels in Cape Town is relatively large, though many places to stay for families aren’t particularly well suited.
There are some genuinely family-friendly options, though — here are our favorites.
Our Personal Hotel Pick with Kids in Cape Town
We stayed at the Latitude Aparthotel in Cape Town and found it perfect for families. The location right in the middle of Sea Point is ideal.
Restaurants, shops, supermarkets, and the ocean are practically at your doorstep. It’s also an excellent base for sightseeing, and there are even two playgrounds within walking distance along the beachfront promenade.
The rooms are very spacious, with two separate bedrooms and a well-equipped kitchen. On the rooftop there’s a restaurant serving a good breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus two small pools for a refreshing cool-down.
The hotel is on the pricier side, at least during peak season — but the value for money is solid.
Check availability at the Latitude Aparthotel
Even More Recommended Family Hotels in Cape Town
51 on Vlei: A very affordable option for families with up to two children. The location is quiet and safe, but not central. Family-run.
Stadium Guest House: A charming, small hotel in an ideal location right in Green Point. Many highlights are even within walking distance. The studio with a queen-size bed also has a pull-out sofa that sleeps two children.
Altona Lodge: Also a really lovely, homey place to stay in a great location in Green Point. There is a family room with space for up to four people.
Purple House Accommodations: Here you’re not just getting a hotel room — you get an entire townhouse in a central location for you and your family. Beautifully furnished, but also a bit pricier.
The Alternative: Staying on the Cape Peninsula
If you’d rather not stay right in the city with your kids, we’d suggest a place to stay on the Cape Peninsula.
You’re still right on Cape Town’s doorstep, but the surroundings are much quieter and greener. Several kid-friendly spots — like the penguins and Imhoff Farm — are also located directly on the peninsula.
On the Cape Peninsula, there are only a few hotels — mostly vacation homes. For families, that’s often the better choice anyway.
Which towns on the Cape Peninsula are best for families?
For an overnight stay on the Cape Peninsula, we recommend Scarborough, Kommetjie, Noordhoek, or Simon’s Town.
If you want to stay as close as possible to central Cape Town, go for a place in Hout Bay — it’s the last town before the Cape Peninsula.
Where is the best place to stay if you don’t have much time in Cape Town?
For just a few days, our choice would definitely be Hout Bay.
If you have more time and want to spend some of it on the Cape Peninsula as well, we recommend Kommetjie and Scarborough.
Scarborough in particular has captured our hearts — but it only makes sense if you have extra time and want to add a few days on the Cape Peninsula to your Cape Town trip. From there, it’s about 15 minutes to Kommetjie or Noordhoek and about 45 minutes to central Cape Town.
Vacation Homes in Simon’s Town
Frequently Asked Questions about Cape Town with Kids
Is Cape Town a good destination for families with kids?
South Africa is definitely a great place to travel with kids. Cape Town, however, is a bit of a mixed bag. There are some fantastic attractions for children that are absolutely worth it — but overall, the city isn’t as well-suited for families as the rest of the country.
That’s mainly because you almost always have to drive everywhere, since Cape Town doesn’t have a reliable public transit system.
A few days in the city are perfectly fine. But honestly, we were always glad when it was time to head back out into the countryside.
How safe is Cape Town with children?
Safety is always a concern in South Africa, and even more so when traveling with kids. That said, we always felt safe in Cape Town. If you stick to the tourist areas and follow the general common-sense rules, Cape Town with children isn’t much more dangerous than major European cities.
And after dark, you’re rarely out and about with young children anyway.
Read our article on the topic of safety in South Africa:
Which attractions in Cape Town are not suitable for children?
Some of Cape Town’s classic highlights unfortunately aren’t that well suited for children. We’re mainly talking about younger kids — with teenagers, everything is pretty much doable.
Here’s which ones they are and why:
- Lion’s Head: The hike up Lion’s Head is relatively difficult and includes sections where you need to do some climbing. With young children, this is definitely not safe — we’d strongly advise against it.
- Robben Island: Normally a must-see, but for small children it’s simply too hard to understand. You can certainly bring them along, but they’ll probably get bored.
- Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden: This one is oddly often recommended for children. Our kids found it extremely boring. If your children enjoy long strolls through park grounds, it might be a different story — ours just aren’t into that.
- Township Tour: We wouldn’t recommend a township tour with young children. As with Robben Island, it really depends on age. With older kids, it’s certainly a different experience.
Can you get around Cape Town easily with a stroller or baby carriage?
Cape Town is partly accessible with a travel stroller or regular stroller — but unfortunately not for all attractions.
Here’s a quick rundown of Cape Town’s top highlights so you know what’s stroller-friendly and what isn’t.
Cape Town attractions that are suitable for a travel stroller:
- V&A Waterfront
- Table Mountain
- Signal Hill
- Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden
- all museums
Cape Town attractions that are not suitable for a travel stroller:
- Lion’s Head
- Bo Kaap (partially doable, but there are lots of high curbs and cobblestone streets throughout)
- Oranjezicht Market (too crowded and bark mulch on the ground)
- Neighborgoods Market (partially doable, but also quite crowded)
Are there many playgrounds in Cape Town?
There are some playgrounds in Cape Town, but don’t expect one on every corner. A few we particularly enjoyed:
- V&A Waterfront in front of the Victoria Wharf Shopping Centre
- Pavilion Rotary Park in Sea Point (nothing spectacular, but there’s shade)
- Earthworx Playpark in Hout Bay (great playground with a good restaurant next door — 15 Rand entry fee)
- Noordhoek Farm Village (large playground next to an excellent restaurant)
Can you find good restaurants for kids in Cape Town?
With kids, you can eat out well throughout South Africa. Restaurants are set up for children — high chairs are almost always available, and there’s usually a separate kids’ menu too. Cape Town is no exception.
