Rain or sunshine, the Mother City will always welcome you with open arms. There will always be something to do (and enjoy), regardless of the season. So look at some of the best things you can do in Cape Town in winter.
Planning a trip to Cape Town? Check out these pages below:
Things for all to do in winter
1. Shop at Mojo Market
Mojo Market is the place to be if you want to escape the winter cold. Mojo Market is not only one of the top markets in Cape Town, but it is also indoors. Treat your ears to the finest live music while you shop till you drop! With an overall fantastic atmosphere, you can warm up with a hearty meal. Other loved indoor markets include Big Harbour Market and The Bluebird Market.
Address: 30 Regent Road, Sea Point
Operating hours: Sunday – Monday (8 am – 12 am)
2. Learn more at the Bo-Kaap Museum
If you’re forced to be inside anyway, why not choose to be caught between walls of knowledge? Head to the Iziko Bo-Kaap Museum and be enlightened on the formerly racially-segregated area once known as the Cape Malay Quarter. Other Iziko museums include The South African Museum and the Slave Lodge.
Address: 71 Wale Street, Schotsche Kloof
Operating hours: Monday – Saturday (9:30 am – 3:30 pm)
3. Hit a strike at Grandwest
Challenge your family to a bowling championship at Grandwest Casino & Entertainment World! The Ten Pin Bowling centre’s glow-in-the-dark features will shine a light on a gloomy winter’s day. You can also host your match at Let’s Go Bowling in Claremont!
Address: 1 Jakes Gerwel Drive, Goodwood
Operating hours: Sunday (10 am – 11 pm), Monday – Thursday (1 pm – 11 pm) and Friday & Saturday (10 am – 12 am)
4. Read a book at the Centre for the Book
Centre for the Book is an outreach project by the National Library of South Africa that promotes a healthy reading culture – so you will find books at your disposal! Other libraries in the city that offer shelter from the cold are Kalk Bay Books, The Norval Foundation and The Book Lounge.
Address: 62 Queen Victoria Street, Cape Town City Centre
Operating hours: Monday – Friday (8 am – 4 pm)
5. Marvel at the fish at Two Oceans
Visiting the Two Oceans Aquarium is one of the best things to do to forget about winter in Cape Town because setting foot here will immediately transport you to the underwater world!
Address: Dock Road, Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
Operating hours: Sunday & Saturday (9 am – 6 pm) and Monday – Friday (9:30 am – 6 pm)
6. Watch a live show at Baxter Theatre
Get your cultural injection at Baxter Theatre while you get lost in an epic dance, music or family-friendly drama performance. Other staples of Cape Town’s theatre scene include Artscape Theatre Centre and Theatre on the Bay.
Address: Main Road, Rondebosch
Operating hours: Monday – Saturday (8 am – 10 pm)
7. Warm up at Truth Coffee Roasting
Photo courtesy of Truth Coffee Cape Town
Truth Coffee Roasting is serving some of the best cups of coffee in Cape Town, which is probably the best way to keep warm in the winter cold! They serve fine blends of tea, too. Other coffee shops to check out would be Kamili Coffee, Espresso Lab Microroasters and Origin Coffee Roasting.
Address: 36 Buitenkant Street, Cape Town City Centre
Operating hours: Sunday (8 am – 4 pm) and Monday – Saturday (7 am – 6 pm)
8. Take up arts & crafts at Montebello Design Centre
The well-renowned Montebello Design Centre offers arts and crafts classes to kids and grown-ups alike, so why not consider this one of the things to do in Cape Town in winter? Our favourite offering is the Art Party for children and adults respectively. You can also do ceramic painting and pottery creations at Clay Cafe.
Address: 31 Newlands Avenue, Newlands
Operating hours: Sunday (9 am – 3 pm), Monday – Friday (9 am – 5 pm) and Saturday (9 am – 4 pm)
9. Zip and zap to the circus
Photo courtesy of Zip Zap Circus
Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, Zip Zap Circus is here to meet your wildest expectations with the craziest acts. Spoil the kids with unmatched entertainment while you are transfixed, too. The popcorn is waiting!
Address: 10 Jan Smuts Street, Cape Town City Centre
Operating hours: Monday – Saturday (8:30 am – 5:30 pm)
10. Stir crazy at a cooking class
It’s time to put the kids in front of the oven for once… but you can catch a few tips, too. Head to Stir Crazy Cooking School for any type of cuisine class – from international street food to kids’ classes! You can gain more knowledge on food-making at Food Jams and The Bo-Kaap Cooking Tour.
Address: 14 West Quay Road, Waterfront
Operating hours: Monday – Friday (7 am – 9:30 pm) and Saturday (7:30 am – 9:30 pm)
11. Appreciate the works at Hout Bay Gallery
Photo courtesy of Hout Bay Gallery
The whole family will enjoy a drive to Hout Bay with Hout Bay Gallery as their final destination. This gallery mainly portrays works of art created by South African artists. So get the patriotism rolling! You can also visit the popular Zeitz MOCAA or the South African National Gallery.
Address: 71 Victoria Avenue, Hout Bay
Operating hours: Sunday & Saturday (11 am – 5 pm) and Monday – Friday (10 am – 5 pm)
Some of our deals you can enjoy on rainy days:
Things for kids to do in winter
12. Play mini golf at Glowing Rooms
The fluorescence of the Glowing Rooms SA will warm your kids up during a game of mini-golf. This is a one-of-a-kind experience as this putt-putt game takes place in a glow-in-the-dark setting! You can also play this game at our following listing…
Address: 1 Turf Club Road, Milnerton
Operating hours: Sunday (10 am – 4 pm) and Saturday (10 am – 8 pm)
13. Scratch through the patch of stones
Photo courtesy of Scratch Patch
You can collect and take home some of the most appealing gemstones courtesy of Scratch Patch Mineral World and Cave Golf! This is one of the more unique things you can do in Cape Town during winter. Ready, set, scratch!
Address: Dock Road, V&A Waterfront or Dido Valley Road, Simon’s Town
Operating hours: Two locations with varying hours
14. Explore SenseVirtual Arcade
It’s time for virtual reality gaming! So make your way to SenseVirtual Virtual Reality & Gaming Arcade to give your kids the time of their life. The best part? We have a special price for this experience! For an arcade experience, you can head to The Magic Company at Grandwest or Wonderland at various locations like Canal Walk and N1 City.
Address: 19 – 33 Regent Road, Sea Point
Operating hours: Sunday (10 am – 5 pm), Monday – Thursday (11 am – 5 pm), Friday (11 am – 6 pm) and Saturday (10 am – 6 pm)
15. Have fun at Ipic Play
Photo courtesy of Ipic Play
Ipic Play Durbanville is the biggest indoor fun park in the Northern Suburbs. Have your kids explore its many facilities to have a boatload of fun! Other loved indoor fun parks include Freedom Adventure Park, RUSH and Bounce World.
Address: Corner of Burton & Aurora Street, Durbanville
Operating hours: Sunday (8 am – 7 pm), Monday – Thursday & Saturday (8 am – 6 pm) and Friday (8 am – 9 pm)
Things for adults to do in winter
16. Taste Pienaar & Son’s gin
Research has shown that the City Bowl is a hotspot for gin tasting! You can make a trip of this, starting at Pienaar & Son Distillery, where you will be taken on a tour to learn about the distillery’s technology. The tour will end with a tasting of two gins and one vodka. You can also go for a gin tasting at Cape Town Gin Company and The Gin Bar.
Address: The Cruise Terminal, V&A Waterfront
Operating hours: Sunday, Friday & Saturday (10 am – 7 pm) and Thursday (10 am – 5 pm)
17. Treat yourself at La Vita Spa
Receive a treatment or two at one of the top-performing spa franchises in the country! Of course, we’re talking about La Vita Spa – and we have an exceptional offer for you and someone special to be used at one of two specified venues (see addresses below). You can also get well-deserved spoils at O on Kloof Spa or Cayenne Spa.
Address: 273 Beach Road, Sea Point or 4 Kamp Street, Gardens
Operating hours: Two locations with varying hours
18. Whisky tasting at Mitchell’s Scottish Ale House
Whisky connoisseurs, we have your back. Sample up to 4 rich whiskies on a tasting tray courtesy of Mitchell’s Scottish Ale House. And get this – a tray is curated to fit your desires! You can also sample a few whiskies at The Whisky Bar at Umi and Bascule Bar (Cape Grace Hotel).
Address: Dock Road, V&A Waterfront
Operating hours: Sunday – Monday (9 am – 1 am)
19. Book a tour with Newlands Brewery
Photo courtesy of Trip Advisor
Established in 1820, imagine the wonder of learning about Newlands Brewery and how it has managed to operate to this day, all while maintaining its signature taste of beer. Book a tour through this brewery on a rainy day and reward yourself with a beer-tasting tray. You can also take a tour through Boston Breweries and Woodstock Brewery.
Address: 3 Main Road, Newlands
Operating hours: Tuesday – Friday (8:30 am – 4:30 pm)
20. Sample wine at Wine Concepts
Wine tasting can be enjoyed indoors, too. Go to the Wine Concepts stores to experience this for free! If you’re still longing for the wine farm excursion, you can do wine-tasting in a cave at Klein Roosboom Boutique Winery. That way, you will still be sheltered from the cold.
Address: Corner of Kildare Road & Main Street, Newlands or 50 Kloof Street, Gardens
Operating hours: Two locations with varying hours
