As South Africans have strong family units, most places you visit will have facilities for children. In most cases, don’t worry about taking the young ones along with you; very few places do not admit youngsters. Here are some of the special attractions in the city:

Ratanga Junction
Ratanga Junction is one of the most fun attractions for kids in Cape Town; an exciting theme park just outside the city centre. There are dozens of attractions here, including roller coaster rides and more sedentary train and boat rides, as well as snake and bird shows. Phone: +27 21 550 8504; website: www.ratanga.co.za.

Two Oceans Aquarium
There are more than 3,000 species of marine life in Cape Town’s brilliant Two Oceans Aquarium, in nine separate galleries. The Kelp Forest Exhibition is the most popular part of the aquarium with its sharks, turtles and variety of interesting fish, while the penguins and seals always put on a fine show. Kids will love the activity centre. Phone: +27 21 418 3823.

Scratch Patch Mineral World
Scratch Patch lets visitors scratch for gemstones that are scattered all over the floor. The experience is lots of fun while a tour of the factory shop will reveal how the gems are cut and polished before being fitted into jewellery and other products. You can buy gifts for friends and family at the souvenir shop. Phone: +27 21 786 2020.

Butterfly World
South Africa’s largest butterfly park is the perfect place to take kids. There are all types of butterfly in the park, which is essentially a huge enclosed garden where visitors walk among the insects. Butterfly World makes the perfect break from the city and beaches on a hot summer’s day and also comes with a restaurant and a craft shop. Phone: +27 21 875 5628.

Monkey Town Primate Sanctuary
This privately owned monkey sanctuary rescues and cares for many species of monkey and teaches kids all about them. There are monkeys indigenous to South Africa here as well as lemurs from Madagascar and species from Asia. Covered walkways let visitors get close to the animals and older kids can interact with some of the tamer monkeys. A children’s play area is also onsite. Phone: +27 21 858 1060.

Daytrips by Car
Cape Town lies on Cape Peninsular and there are great trips for the whole family to enjoy. You can spend the day at Boulders Beach, where there is a penguin colony. Or you could drive to Hout Bay along one of the world’s most scenic routes hugging Chapman’s Peak. Other daytrips that are fun include visits to Stellenbosch and the Winelands or a drive along the Indian Ocean coast to bustling little Gordon’s Bay harbor.

With influences from three world powers at one time or another—the Dutch, the French and the British—Cape Town has lots of history and cultural attractions to woo anyone. There are some great museums and galleries, including the renowned South African Museum, while a tour of the Cape Peninsular or the beautiful Winelands region will reveal the diversity of the Cape Town landscape.

South African Museum
Founded in 1825, the impressive South African Museum is the oldest museum on the continent and famously exhibits the only remaining preserved specimen of the extinct quagga, a zebra-like mammal. Also here are flashy dioramas and brilliant examples of rock art. Be sure to check out the whale skeletons, the aquarium and the adjoining planetarium. Phone: +27 21 426 4260; website: www.museums.org.za/sam.

South African National Gallery
The best art gallery in the country contains fine displays of South African art and art history during the apartheid years. There are also displays of works from artists all over the world in permanent and changing exhibits. You will find the museum in the Gardens area of Cape Town within walking distance of downtown. Phone: +27 21 465 1628; website: www.iziko.org.za/sang.

Bo Kaap Museum
Cape Town’s Bo Kaap Museum is one of the most interesting museums in the city and tells the story of the Muslim community here. Artefacts from the 18th century are exhibited and the educational resources are spellbinding. You will find the museum in the attractive Bo Kaap area of Cape Town in a restored house in the historic Cape Dutch style. Phone: +27 21 424 3846.

South African Jewish Museum
The Jewish Museum was originally built as a synagogue (the first in Cape Town) to be used by the original Jewish community of the region and you can learn all about them through many interesting exhibits and objects. Even if you’re not into religion, the building is worth a look in itself; a Byzantine-style edifice with a spectacular façade and dazzling interior. Phone: +27 21 465 1546; website: www.sajewishmuseum.co.za/home.

St George's Cathedral
Designed by renowned architects of the time, Sir Herbert Baker and Francis Masey, Cape Towns’ St George’s Cathedral is a striking example of colonial architecture in South Africa and is over 170 years old. This fine cathedral with its mighty nave can be found opposite the entrance to Company's Gardens. Phone: +27 21 424 7360.

District Six Museum
This is the area where the coloured (mixed-race) people were forcibly removed from. Many township tours stop here to explain the history of the pass laws. On a map of District Six, former residents have labelled where their homes were. There are reconstructions of home interiors, faded photographs and recordings. All staff members are former residents.

Winelands Tours
Those with a liking for wine might like to go on a wine tour of one of the wine estates in the nearby Constantia Valley and Cape Winelands. The most popular wineries include Groot Constantia, Klein Constantia and Constantia Uitsig in the valley, and Paarl, Franschhoek, and Stellenbosch in the Winelands. The latter, Stellenbosch, is an historical university town, while Franschhoek is also noted for its high class restaurants.

Visit Robben Island
Catch a boat from the V&A Waterfront to Robben Island and visit the cell where political leader Nelson Mandela was held for 27 years. On being freed he became President of the first united South Africa and is admired and loved by all South Africans today.

The Cape’s colourful past has resulted in a wide variety of different food. The Dutch and the Malay people probably had the largest influence on the cuisine, so you will find some very interesting dishes now regarded as national fare. The availability of fresh seafood also influences the recipes and local tastes. Local favourite dishes worth trying include potjjekos (casserole) and sosaties (kebab served with bread, potatoes or rice), while biltong is a popular, seasoned dried meat snack. For seafood try Cape salmon, kabeljou, linefish, and oysters from Namibia.

The V&A Waterfront has the best dining for tourists, with its local eateries and slew of international restaurants, while Long Street has many ethnic cafés and restaurants, De Waterkant is somewhat chic and Camps Bay is exclusive and up-market.

Cape Town has a number of huge shopping malls, but most tourists head for the V&A Waterfront. It has a great shopping atmosphere and most international designers and boutiques are represented. There are also a number of souvenir shops, although locals regard the prices as rather steep. To find some truly unique handicrafts, you can try one of the many open-air markets, such as the one at Greenmarket Square, or the many flea markets that pop up in parking lots and open spaces.

Jewellery, especially items featuring gold and diamonds, are very popular buys among visitors. Make sure you make your purchase from a reputable store. If the store is in one of the big malls, it should be alright. There are also a number of stores in the Adderley Street area.

Cape Town has an array of family-friendly attractions. With the mountains, the sea and a mild climate, the city is perfect for most outdoor activities. Here we highlight only a few of the popular ones:

Hot Air Ballooning
A number of companies offer the opportunity to take a trip in a hot air balloon in and around Cape Town. Most trips depart around daybreak and offer extraordinary views of Table Mountain or the Peninsula.

Boating and Fishing Trips
Spend an exhilarating day out on the ocean, either on a sightseeing trip or deep-sea fishing. You can buy tickets on organised trips or charter a boat for your friends and family. Most of the charters leave from Simon's Town or Hout Bay.

Diving
You can go scuba diving or opt for the latest extreme sport, diving with sharks! You don't risk that much as you are protected by a cage, but it's still hair-raising. There are a number of operators, a number leaving from Simon's Town. Diving often takes place around Seal Island.

Helicopter rides
Take a helicopter ride to see this amazing city from another perspective. Some trips depart from the V&A Waterfront and take you on a trip along the spectacular coastline.

Hiking
With one of the world’s most high profile mountain plateau’s in its midst, Table Mountain attracts hikers and climbers by the busload. There are several trails up the mountain, although you will need to contact the Mountain Club of South Africa for a permit before hiking it.

Swimming
Where you go says a lot about you. The rich, famous and beautiful head for Clifton, while well-heeled travellers who prefer a more relaxed atmosphere opt for Camps Bay or Llandudno. Family favourites are the beaches along False Bay or Blaauwberg Beach. And if you want to let it all hang out, you can head for Sandy Bay, a walk along the coast west of Llandudno.

Surfing
Cape Town has some of the biggest waves in the world and the renowned Sunset Beach offers the best of them, when it’s firing. The stretch of coast from Kommetjie to Cape Point is particularly popular with surfers and body-boarders. Keep an eye out for Longbeach, Kommetjie, Misty Cliffs, Outer Kom, Washing Machine, Dunes, and Hoek. Summertime has the best waves in Cape Town.

Kayaking
Take a kayak out for a few hours in placid False Bay. You can hire boats by the day or by the hour. Most operators can be found in Simon's Town.