Garden Route with Kids: Best Activities & Family Tips

5 Reasons to Visit the Garden Route with Kids

The Garden Route is, in our opinion, the best region in all of South Africa to explore with children on a South Africa road trip.

Why?

These 5 reasons make the Garden Route great for kids:

1. The Garden Route is one of the safest regions in South Africa.
2. The distances between individual highlights are relatively short — which makes the whole trip so much more relaxed.
3. The Garden Route is malaria-free and medical care is excellent.
4. There are many family-friendly accommodations, restaurants, and activities.
5. With young children, you can even do a safari on the Garden Route.

We spent an entire month with two young children (ages one and four) exploring the Garden Route ourselves, and we’ve written up all our tips here so your trip planning can be easy and stress-free.

The Best Activities with Kids on the Garden Route

The Garden Route has some seriously cool things to do with children. Here are our favorites.

We’ve listed the activities in the order they appear along the Garden Route starting from Cape Town.

Canoeing in Wilderness

Canoeing is a blast — and totally doable with kids. In Wilderness, you can rent canoes — life jackets included, of course.

Children are welcome from age two onwards. There are several routes to paddle along, most of them through calm water that’s safe even with little ones.

You can rent canoes from Eden Adventures right on-site. You’ll find all the details and current prices on their website.

Visit the Eden Adventures Website

A Beach Day in Wilderness

Wilderness sits right on one of the most beautiful beaches on the Garden Route. Wilderness Beach is long, wide, and sandy — the water is shallow and there are supervised spots where swimming is safe.

Kids will definitely have a blast here. The only downside: there’s virtually no shade anywhere.

Another great beach for families is Victoria Bay Beach, about a ten-minute drive from Wilderness. It’s supervised and even offers a little shade — plus there’s a restaurant and an ice cream truck. Everything you need for a perfect beach day.

Playing and Climbing at Timberlake Village

If you’re in Wilderness with kids, you absolutely need to plan a visit to Timberlake Village. It’s a small artists’ village with a handful of shops and restaurants — and a lot to keep kids entertained.

There’s a large playground and, for older kids, a really cool adventure climbing park. You could easily spend half a day here.

Visit the Timberlake Village Website

Petting Alpacas at the Heritage Bakery

Almost directly across from Timberlake Village, you’ll find another great family-friendly stop on the Garden Route.

The Heritage Bakery is home to two adorable alpacas that you can pet and feed with food purchased on-site. Our son loved it — his little sister was more into the free-roaming chickens.

And there’s something for the parents too: great coffee and delicious cake. Just like that, the whole family is happy.

A Day Trip to Oudtshoorn

Oudtshoorn is not directly on the Garden Route, but from Wilderness it’s only an hour’s drive away — and there are several great things to do here with kids.

The star attraction is the Cango Caves, considered among the most beautiful caves in the world. The largest chamber alone is 90 meters wide and up to 18 meters high — genuinely jaw-dropping, not just for kids.

You can’t just walk in, though. You’ll need to book a tour in advance on the Cango Caves website. With young children, we recommend the Heritage Tour. With older kids, the Adventure Tour is way more fun — though it involves climbing and squeezing through narrow rock crevices.

For lunch, you have to check out Smitswinkel Restaurant — hands down the most eccentric place we’ve ever eaten. There’s an old airplane in the garden that kids can clamber all over, plus a large adventure climbing course. It’s not exactly risk-free — everything is pretty old — so keep a close eye on younger kids.

To round out the day, visit one of Oudtshoorn’s ostrich farms. We’d recommend the Highgate Ostrich Farm or the Safari Ostrich Farm — a guided tour teaches you everything there is to know about these fascinating birds.

Our tip: Ostrich farms aren’t exclusive to Oudtshoorn. There’s also a small farm on the Cape Peninsula, right at the entrance to Cape Point, that also offers guided tours. So if you run short on time during your day trip, that’s a solid backup option.

Meeting Elephants at Knysna Elephant Park

The Knysna Elephant Park is a private wildlife park home to five elephants and a few zebras — and it’s one of the most exciting stops for families on the Garden Route with kids.

On the roughly one-hour tour, kids can get up close to the elephants and even feed them. It’s not comparable to a real national park — think of it more as a modern petting zoo — but kids absolutely love it.

Not sure if it’s right for your family? Check out our detailed review of the Knysna Elephant Park.

Knysna Elephant Park: Our Full Review

Watching Monkeys and Birds at Monkeyland and Birds of Eden

Animals are always a hit with kids. And while monkeys might not be quite as exciting as elephants, they’re not far behind.

At Monkeyland, near Plettenberg Bay, you can observe monkeys up close on a guided tour lasting about an hour. Some of the monkeys come very close, while others stay high up in the trees.

Right next door is Birds of Eden — the world’s largest free-flight aviary, home to more than 3,500 birds. Our kids really loved it, and there are some truly remarkable species to see.

Doing both together is absolutely worth it — a combo ticket is cheaper than buying two separate tickets. Book online and select English for the combo ticket option.

Get Tickets for Monkeyland and Birds of Eden

Hiking with Kids in Robberg Nature Reserve

The Robberg Nature Reserve is one of the top highlights of the Garden Route — whether you have kids or not. This is one you absolutely cannot skip.

We were honestly unsure whether to tackle a hike through the reserve with two young children (ages one and four). We went for it, and it was totally worth it — even though it was quite exhausting.

There are three hiking trails through the nature reserve:

• The Gap (2.1 km)
• Witsand (5.5 km)
• The Point (9.2 km)

Especially with young children, don’t underestimate the difficulty. Some sections are quite steep and small kids will need to scramble. We hiked the middle Witsand trail and it took us about three hours.

Our four-year-old walked the entire route on his own, while we carried the one-year-old in a carrier. It was right at the edge of our limits — but also a real adventure.

Trust your instincts on whether this is right for your kids. With older children, it shouldn’t be a problem at all. The highlights are the massive Witsand dune and the view over a huge seal colony.

Wildlife Watching at Plettenberg Game Reserve

The Plettenberg Bay Game Reserve is one of our absolute favorite recommendations for garden route family travel.

Game drives in South Africa often have a minimum age requirement of six or older — but not here. At the Plettenberg Bay Game Reserve, children of any age are welcome on safari.

Game drives last two hours, which is very manageable even with toddlers. You’ll see rhinos, lions, giraffes, elephants, and zebras. It’s not comparable to Kruger, but it’s a really cool experience, especially for kids.

Make sure to book online in advance — you can’t enter the property without a reservation.

Book at Plettenberg Game Reserve

A Day in Tsitsikamma National Park with Kids

Tsitsikamma National Park is one of the top attractions on the Garden Route — and it’s fantastic with kids too. We’d recommend setting aside at least one full day here.

Just before the park entrance, the first highlight is already waiting: the Bloukrans Bridge. This is where brave (or perhaps slightly crazy) people take the plunge on the world’s highest bungee jump. You can watch from a viewing point — our son was absolutely fascinated.

Inside the park, here are the two things we’d recommend for families:
#1 The Suspension Bridge: Actually a series of three suspension bridges over the Storms River. A trail leads from the parking lot to the bridge — the round trip is 2 km and easy to manage with young children.

#2 Ziplining: A seriously awesome activity for kids ages five and up. You zip through the treetops at heights of up to 30 meters. Absolutely thrilling!

Book Ziplining Online

After the Garden Route: Addo Elephant Park

One of the absolute standouts of South Africa with kids is waiting for you just after the Garden Route ends: Addo Elephant Park.

Unlike the Knysna Elephant Park or the Plettenberg Bay Game Reserve, this is a real national park where more than 600 elephants live. You can also spot zebras, buffalo, wildebeest, kudus, antelopes, and with a bit of luck, even lions.

You drive through the park in your own car, which means it works really well with young children too.

We can’t recommend this detour highly enough. Standing just a few meters from massive herds of elephants and watching these animals in the wild was genuinely breathtaking.

The one downside is the drive: from Plettenberg Bay, it’s just under four hours to Addo — and you have to get back too.

For us, it was worth every mile. Depending on how well your kids handle long car rides, we’d strongly suggest making the trip.

A family-friendly place to stay very close to the park entrance is the Stellenhof Guesthouse. There’s a family room, a pool, and a trampoline. It was perfect for us.

Our Suggested Route for the Garden Route with Kids

What’s the ideal itinerary with children along the Garden Route? Here’s our suggestion! For each stop, we’ve included how long we’d recommend staying — with a minimum and a maximum, since everyone has a different amount of time.

Cape Town

You’ll start in Cape Town. It’s not technically part of the Garden Route, but it’s the starting point for most travelers. If it’s your end point instead, just reverse the route.

There’s tons to do in Cape Town with kids — we’ve written up all our tips in our Cape Town articles.

Hermanus

On the way to the Garden Route, make sure to stop in Hermanus. During whale season from July to November, it’s an absolute must — but even outside of whale season, Hermanus is a really great place to visit with kids.

Wilderness and Surroundings

The Garden Route officially begins in Mossel Bay, but that town doesn’t have a whole lot going for it. Things really get interesting from George onwards. Just past George is the small town of Wilderness — we recommend finding accommodation in this area.

There’s plenty to do, and you can also take day trips, for example to Oudtshoorn.

Plettenberg Bay and Surroundings

After a few days in Wilderness, we recommend driving straight to Plettenberg Bay and basing yourself there. On the way to “Plett,” you’ll pass through Knysna, which in our opinion doesn’t have as much to offer for kids. We wouldn’t overnight there — instead, we’d do a day trip from Plettenberg Bay.

There are a ton of kid-friendly things to do around Plettenberg Bay. Depending on whether you prefer something more urban or a nature setting, you can look for accommodation right in town or in the surrounding area.

Addo Elephant Park

To wrap things up, we recommend Addo Elephant Park. It’s not technically on the Garden Route anymore, but it pairs perfectly as a final stop and is a wonderful attraction for families. Two full days in the park is plenty.

Where to Go After the Garden Route?

At the end, you have a few different options.

#1 Back Along the Garden Route

You can drive back along the Garden Route — this gives you the chance to spend more time at places you particularly enjoyed on the way out. Works especially well if you have plenty of time.

#2 Back Through the Interior

Alternatively, head back through the interior if you’d rather not retrace the same route. You can take Route 62 and make a final stop in Oudtshoorn.

Another option is driving through the semi-desert Karoo. This is the route we chose — from Addo, we drove to Prince Albert. It’s very beautiful, though not particularly exciting for kids. From there, you can drive over the Swartberg Pass to Oudtshoorn.

#3 Fly Out of Port Elizabeth

If you’re short on time, you can continue to Port Elizabeth after the Garden Route and fly onward from there.

Family-Friendly Accommodations on the Garden Route

Along the Garden Route, you’ll find a wide selection of family-friendly places to stay. As outlined in our suggested route, we recommend overnighting in Wilderness and in Plettenberg Bay.

For both areas, we’ve picked out three really great options for families.

Family-Friendly Accommodations in Wilderness and Surroundings

Oakhurst Farm Cottages – We stayed at Oakhurst for nearly a week and can highly recommend it. The sprawling farm is about ten minutes from Wilderness and is perfect for families. You can go horseback riding, go canoeing, splash around in the pool, or run wild on one of two playgrounds. There’s even some toys in the rooms. Our kids absolutely loved it.

Moontide Riverside Lodge – A charming little lodge right on the river. Some of the bungalows have four beds. Not ideal for very young children since it’s literally right on the water — but great for older kids, and free canoes are available too.

Beach Villa Wilderness – A beautiful, modern property right on the ocean. Excellent breakfast, a small pool, and an honor bar. There’s a large family room that accommodates up to four guests. It’s not cheap, but it’s truly wonderful.

Vacation Rentals in Wilderness and Surroundings – Alternatively, a vacation rental is a great option. The selection is huge and there are many houses that work really well for families.

Family-Friendly Accommodations in Plettenberg Bay and Surroundings

Sunshowers Plett – A wonderful property right on a lagoon. Perfect even for younger children, since the water is calm and shallow with no waves. Rooms have four beds and a kitchen, plus there’s a pool.

TNiqua Stable Inn & Lodge – An absolutely perfect place to stay with kids. There are horses and ponies, and children are welcome to ride them. Very kid-friendly staff and a great breakfast. Located a bit outside of Plettenberg Bay and wonderfully peaceful.

Moon Shine on Whiskey Creek – A really sweet property between Plettenberg Bay and Tsitsikamma National Park. Colorful bungalows with a playground and pool. Great for kids.

Vacation Rentals in Plettenberg Bay and Surroundings – There are also plenty of vacation rentals here that are a fantastic fit for families.

Family-Friendly Restaurants on the Garden Route

In South Africa, and especially on the Garden Route, almost all restaurants are set up to accommodate children. High chairs and a kids’ menu are standard at nearly every place you’ll eat.

That said, here are a few restaurants that really stood out to us:
Redberry Farm in George – A strawberry farm with several restaurants and cafés. For kids there are playgrounds, a really cool maze, and a little train. You could easily spend half a day here.Caspita Family Restaurant in George – Pizza and pasta right next to a huge playground directly beside the tables.Woodville Trading Store in Wilderness – A local favorite near Oakhurst Farm. A second-hand store with a playground and a café serving really great coffee and cake.East Head Café in Knysna – Has a large outdoor play area. The food is good and the views are phenomenal.Ice Dream Land in Plettenberg Bay – The restaurant comes with a large playground. And they serve really good pizza. And ice cream. Three reasons to make both kids and parents happy.Thyme & Again in Plettenberg Bay – A charming restaurant with a farm shop and a large playground.Old Nick Village in Plettenberg Bay – A solid restaurant with some shops nearby and a playground for kids.Moss and Maple Restaurant and Farmstall – A really cool farm restaurant between Plettenberg Bay and Tsitsikamma. A huge playground, a craft corner, and pony rides for kids — this place has it all.