Recommendations: Outside Cape Town

This is the second of two posts that correspond with recommendations in Cape Town.  The city and surrounding area has so much to offer that it would have been too much for one post.  Here are some recs for some things to do outside of the actual city.  Much of this can be done in a day trip from Cape Town or you could also choose to spend a few nights in selective areas. 

Wine country outside of Cape Town

Where to Stay:  

• Kalk Bay: We were driving along the coast from wine country to the cape of good hope and went through a number of different beach side towns. One of the towns that caught my eye was Kalk Bay.  It's a small fishing town right on the beach that reminds me of a beach town you would stumble upon in California. 

False Bay behind Samantha and I 

• Wine Country: Visiting wine country is a popular thing to do in Cape Town but I would recommend staying a night or two if your schedule allows.  It's one of the more beautiful countrysides I've stayed in so if you can manage it, you should.   We stayed at Delaire Graff which was stunning but there are a number of different options you can also look into. 

Cheetah statues overlooking the vineyards of Delaire Graff

Where to Eat: 

• Le Petite Femer: Located in Franschoeck, this restaurant is only open for lunch but you should try to make plans to visit it (perfect to pair with a day of wine tastings).  It was one of the best meals we had on our entire trip and the views of the Franschoeck valley are incredible. 

View from Le Petite Fermer 

• Le Petite Colombe: Also located in Franschoeck, this is the sister restaurant of Le Colombe.  Known for its gastronomic style, it has a few different tasting menus and of course our eyes were bigger than our stomach and we did the 9 course option. 
• Delaire Graff: If you don't stay at Delaire, it's worth stopping at for a tasting and a meal.  We ate dinner in the Delaire restaurant but their lunch time restaurant and other dinner spot, Indochine, is also supposed to be exceptional. 
• Dunes in Hout Bay: This is a perfect pit stop after driving Chapmans Peak Drive.  It's a casual spot right on the beach that serves up cold beers, mussels and can't miss fish and chips.  

Fish and Chips at Dunes 

What to Do: 

• Drive Champans Peak Drive: If you are heading down to the Cape of Good Hope,from Cape Town, you are bound to drive on Chapman's Peak Drive.  That said, the drive alone is worth a trip as there are gorgeous views all along the way.  It's only about 30 minutes away from Cape Town and is not longer than 15 - 20 minutes. 

View from Chapman's Peak Drive

• Cape of Good Hope: I debated doing the COGH for months leading up to our trip and I'm so glad we decided to do it.  For one, there is history associated with it but on top of that, it's incredibly beautiful.  Pending the logistics, I would get dropped off at the bottom portion of the Cape of Good Hope where the famous sign is and then hike up towards the parking lot by the lighthouse (you can only do that if you have a driver or want to do the reverse on the way back).  The pro move would be to pack a lunch and stop at the desolate Diaz Beach which is about half way up the hike (total hike is about an hour). 

Hiking at the Cape of Good Hope 

• Boulders Beach: Near the Cape of Good Hope is the famed Boulders Beach which is home to a colony of penguins.  It's not the highlight of the Cape area but is worth stopping at for about an hour as there are hundreds of penguins. 

Samantha with the colony of penguins in the background

• Wine Tasting: No trip to the Cape area is complete without visiting the winelands.  The drive from Cape Town proper is only about 45 minutes.  There are a number of vineyards to go to and the two most popular towns are Stellenbosch and Franschoeck.  Again, Delaire Graff is a great vineyard to stop at but we also visited Boschendal and Anthonij Rupert. 

Wine tasting at Anhonji Rupert

• Visit Muzenberg: Outside of Cape Town are a number of beach towns all along the coast.  One of the more picturesque ones we drove through was Muzenberg that seemed like a great place to go for a day trip or to stay for a night or two.  The beaches in Cape Town are on the Atlantic so the water is freezing which make the beaches around Muzenberg more desirable given the warmer water. 

Diaz Beach at the Cape of Good Hope