A fantastic way to enjoy the Cape Peninsula is to rent a convertible and drive down to Cape Point.
We suggest getting a relatively early start. Drive down the M3, past the University and through the leafy Southern Suburbs, to the east coast of the peninsula. Kalk Bay is a lovely seaside town, with a beautiful harbour and quite a few great little antique shops. We suggest stopping for a coffee or breakfast (Olympia Cafe is lovely) and taking a look at some of the art and antique stores there.
Boulders Beach is in Simon’s Town, not far after Kalk Bay, and it’s a lovely experience to visit the beach and see the penguins.
From Simon’s Town follow the coastal road (and the route of the famous Cape Town Cycle Tour) down to the Cape Point National Park. Cape Point National Park is large (7,750 hectares) and there is quite a lot to see. You can visit several spectacular beaches in the reserve, do some game spotting, or enjoy lunch at the Two Oceans Restaurant. The highlight of the trip is definitely Cape Point though, and it’s well worth hiking up to the lighthouse (or at least taking the funicular).
If you’re feeling extra energetic, you can hike down to the old lighthouse, which is a beautiful walk and usually has very few people making the effort.
Leaving the park you can now drive up the western side of the peninsula. This will take you through the small seaside towns of Scarborough, Misty Cliffs, Kommetjie and Noordehoek. There are plenty of nice places to stop for a bite to eat if you didn’t eat at Cape Point, but we’d probably recommend stopping at Noordhoek Farm Village; there are a few options there for a casual lunch (Cafe Roux or Village Sushi), or something a little nicer (The Foodbarn).
You can also stop at Long Beach in Noordehoek which is the largest beach in Cape Town.
This is truly one of the world’s most beautiful roads, and this is the part where driving a convertible makes a huge difference. It’s incredible seeing the cliffs stretch up above you, while you enjoy the winding curves and magnificent sea views. Stop at the top for the great viewpoint over Hout Bay.
Once you’re in Hout Bay, Chapmans Peak Hotel is well known for its calamari, or have a drink or coffee with the locals at Deus Cafe.
Please note that Chapman’s Peak is not always open and does close from time to time due to rock falls and maintenance. You can check the status of the road here.
This is the final leg of the drive and will bring you back to Camps Bay, and Cape Town proper. It’s another lovely stretch of road, and you will drive past Llandudno (which has another magnificent beach).