With its wealth of historical sites, cafes, diverse cuisines, lively nightlife, and little surf suburbs, I am reminded every day why I am so lucky to call Cape Town my home away from home. There’s so much to see and do, from swimming with penguins to wine tasting to scenic helicopter tours.
Summer weather in Cape Town typically runs from November through February!
And during those summer months, Cape Town has some beautiful weather—you’ll never want to stay indoors because there’s so much to see and do!
Here are my top things to do in Cape Town in the summer!
Lion's Head
Hike Up Lion’s Head
Lion’s Head is one of the most popular hikes in Cape Town. From the summit, you’ll get beautiful views of the city bowl, the Twelve Apostles, Table Mountain and the ocean below.
Hike up at sunrise, sunset or during the full moon!
Read More: The Ultimate Cape Town Travel Guide
Table Mountain
Go Up Table Mountain
If you don’t feel like making the 4-hour hike up Table Mountain, opt to take the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway. It’s one of the best spots to watch the sunset—plus it’s cheaper to visit in the afternoon instead of the morning. The entrance fee is R290.00 from 8am-1pm, and drops to R275.00 from 1pm-8:30pm.
Pack a picnic and a bottle of bubbly and watch the day go out in style!
Boulder's Beach
Visit Boulder’s Beach
Spend a picture-perfect summer’s day in Cape Town by hanging out with the penguins at Boulder’s Beach. There’s a protected enclave that’s rarely crowded where you can set down your towel, work on your tan and cool off in the calm crystal clear water. The entrance fee is just R152 per adult.
Old Biscuit Mill
Grab Brunch at the Food Markets
Cape Town doesn’t mess around when it comes to food. With a wide variety of weekend markets, you can always find fresh fruit and veggies, organic dairy products, sandwiches, salads, desserts, and more.
My personal favorites are the Old Biscuit Mill and Oranjezicht City Farm Market.
Read More: Where to Find the Best Food in Cape Town
Muizenberg Beach
Spend the Day at Muizenberg Beach
“Muizies” (as the locals call it) is a jam-packed beachfront that’s the perfect place to spend a hot summer’s day in Cape Town. Go swimming in the water, relax on the beach or take surf lessons from one of the many surf schools.
There’s also a row of beautiful Insta-worthy rainbow-colored beach houses!
If you’re interested in taking a photography tour of Cape Town and getting the perfect Instagram shots while you’re visiting, check out my TBA Escapes Tours!
Read More: Driving the Cape Peninsula in a Day
Constantia
Go Wine Tasting
No trip to Cape Town would be complete without a visit to the wine farms around the Cape Winelands. Throughout the surrounding regions, like Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, there are so many beautiful and historical wine farms and wine to be tasted! There are also plenty of tours that can take you around if no one wants to be the designated driver.
Read More: The Best Wineries in South Africa’s Cape Winelands
Why South Africa May Be the World’s Best Wine Region
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens
Attend a Kirstenbosch Summer Concert
Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens is located at the foot of the Table Mountain. During Cape Town’s summer months, you can attend sunset concerts featuring some of South Africa’s top local artists.
Before you go, look up the line-up online and see who’s visiting while you’re on vacation!
Read More: How to Travel Cape Town on a Budget
Cape Town
Scenic Helicopter Tour of Cape Town
There’s no better way to see the Mother City than to do it from the sky! It’s one of my favorite things to do in Cape Town when I host my TBA Escapes Tour.
You’ll get to see the full peninsula, Robben Island and the incredible Table Mountain National Park from a whole new perspective!
Woodstock
Street Art Tour in Woodstock
Woodstock started as a seaside resort and semi-industrial area and has recently seen a change into a hip, creative neighborhood. What was once a crime-ridden area has now become a vibrant community with street art playing a significant role in its transformation.
Go on a tour of the neighborhood and learn about the artists and the meaning behind each artwork.
Bo-Kaap
Visit the Colorful Bo-Kaap
The Bo-Kaap neighborhood dates back to the 1760s when numerous rental houses were built and leased to slaves. When slavery ended, the slaves were allowed to buy the properties, and they painted them bright colors in celebration of their freedom.
Visit the picturesque neighborhood of the Bo-Kaap and learn about the history of the area from locals while sampling the delicious Cape Malay cuisine.
Overall
There is no shortage of things to do in Cape Town in the summer. Whether you’re looking to escape the city and conquer one of the many hiking trails or indulge your inner foodie – there’s something for everyone!
What are some of your top things to do in Cape Town in the summer? Let me know in the comments below!
Incredible photos of beautiful CapeTown. In addition to the beaches and beauty, there is also the deep cultural ties and historical points to explore. Can’t wait to see Cape Town!
I’m excited for you to explore my second home 🙂
And arent there any specific celebrations during winter involving Christmas or New Year celebrations? I think that it would be the most shocking thing for most of us European… A warm Christmas! Loved all the ideas, although I think I would specially enjoy the helicopter trip! Thanks for sharing!
Hey babe! Due to the high diversity of cultures in South Africa, there aren’t really any specific celebrations. During Christmas, you’ll see trees and lights up at malls and outside houses like you would in Europe -but it’s definitely on a much smaller scale 🙂 For New Years, people will either go out to a party at a club, attend a music festival or stay at home and have a house party with their friends.