Engagement Day Adventures

Corey planned the most incredible day for our engagement. Why am I sharing this on here? Well because he sent me on a scavenger hunt with one of my dear friends to some of our favorite places in Cape Town. Here is a recap of our day.

I woke up to a video on the iPad from Corey and my clothes laid out for the day. He recorded a video at every stop to explain why he picked this spot and why it was meaningful for us. My friend would then give me a photo of a vague shot of the next place we were going and I would have to guess where. The first stop was to my landlords house where a basket of food had been prepared for me for the day along with some of my favorite flowers.

The second stop was to Fish Hoek Sports Field. We first met playing soccer on this field and spent many days running around here. (They have an incredible park run here every Saturday morning.)

Next up was Kommetjie Lighthouse, which was one of our spots to go walk and chat about life. (Known as the tallest lighthouse in Cape Town at 33 meters high, this lighthouse is open to the public most days and we suggest going to climb it!)

Then we stopped by the Cape Point Vineyards to collect a bottle of wine and sit for a moment of reflection on the pond. This is a fond memory because we would go to the Cape Point Vineyard Market every Thursday that we had the chance to go.

Of course we had to go for breakfast at the Foodbarn Deli because it is our number one food spot 🙂

Noordhoek Beach was next on the list. I walked out onto the rocks and Corey had a friend give me a wooden frame of Africa with photos people who had made an impact on our relationship.

We drove Chapman’s Peak and stopped at the look out for a photo. This was the first spot that Corey wanted to kiss me at, but he didn’t. Don’t worry, we eventually redeemed that moment.

Making our way to the Clay Cafe , I got to sit and paint a piece of pottery. I chose to make a dish that we could put our wedding rings in.

The last stop was the best stop. I got to hike my favorite mountain, Lion’s Head, knowing that my man was waiting for me up at the top. It was actually the best because it gave me some time to reflect on our relationship, life, our future, and how amazing our God is during the hike up. I reached the top and made my way down to Corey who was standing there with roses and a ring in hand.

Corey knows I hate crowds, so he made sure I hiked down away from the people. However, if you look closely you can see some of the crowd of random people that waited to watch our proposal happen so we had to celebrate with them.

We finished the evening off with a delicious meal at The Conservatory at the Cellar in Constantia.

We have a love for Cape Town because this placed shaped us into who we are today. It is where we met and fell in love, and it is where we got engaged. We hope you love this place and the people as much as we do!

 

7 Days in Cape Town

 

We would highly suggest more than 7 days in Cape Town, but we have put together a road map of what we would do if we only had 7 days.

There is no time for jet lag when you have so little time! So grab some coffee and let’s get going. We suggest renting a car if you are comfortable with that because most things in Cape Town are pretty spread out! If not, Uber is a great option or there are a lot of companies that offer tour services- but you can’t be as flexible with these.

These are in no particular order. We encourage you to check out the weather because you do not want to get caught hiking during a windy or foggy day!

Day 1: Table Mountain and Bo-Kaap. We suggest hiking Table Mountain by either Platteklip Gorge (more direct and steep) or Skeleton’s Gorge (longer and more nature.) However, if you don’t have time to hike, then hit the cable car first thing in the morning and beat the crowds! Seriously, get there before it opens and buy tickets ahead of time to save yourself some time. Explore the top of Table Mountain and take it all in. Save time for photos at the top! Make sure you pack water! You will spend anywhere from 4-5 hours at Table Mountain.

Grab some food at a cafe on Long Street or Bree Street and then go for a stroll in the Company’s Garden before heading off to Bo-Kaap, the most colorful neighborhood of Cape Town (and probably the most instagrammed.) Spend some time walking the streets and exploring the history of the Malay Quarter. If you have time, you should hit up the District 6 Museum to learn some of the deep Cape Town history.

Day 2: The Cape Peninsula Tour. You can combing this day with the Noordhoek day and stay at an Air BNB in Kommetjie for the night! We suggest starting this day early for a coffee and some breakfast in either Muizenberg or Kalk bay and watch the surfers (catch a wave if you have time!) and browsing the shops.

From there you will drive through Simon’s Town (which is a historical Navy town with a lot of rich history if you are interested) and head to Boulders Beach to go hang out with the penguins for an hour or so. Grab a picnic lunch and head to Cape Point/Cape of Good Hope for the rest of the afternoon. You could seriously spend an entire day here. Make sure you climb up to the lighthouse and take a photo with the Cape of Good Hope sign. Be prepared for tourist and a lot of baboons (stay away! and don’t feed them!) End your night with a stay in Kommetjie to complete the rest of the Cape Tour tomorrow!

Day 3: Kommetjie, Noordhoek Farm Village, Chapman’s Peak. Wake up and watch some local surfers as you walk out to the Kommetjie lighthouse. From there head to the Noordhoek Farm Village for coffee, breakfast, and some shopping! (See our entire post on the Farm Village here– it more of a locals destination!) If you want more beach in your life then take a walk out onto Noorhoek beach after you leave the farm village. If not, head straight up Chapman’s Peak Drive lookout point! Be sure to stop for some photos!

**hiking option: Pack your hiking shoes if you want to hike Chapman’s Peak. We highly suggest this (as it is our 2nd favorite hike!) You will find the entrance to that path as soon as you leave the look out and head towards the toll gates. There will be a car turn out here for parking. Be sure to pack water! This hike will take about 2-3 hours depending on your level of experience and how long you want to sit at the top. Make sure you are down before the sunset! You can watch the sunset from the lookout point on the road- but we don’t suggest hiking after dark!

Day 4: Hike Lion’s head! For us, this is a must for any visitor in Cape Town (and is our favorite hike.) Be sure to pack water and even some snacks if you want to hang out at the top. We suggest doing a sunrise or sunset hike. Wear good hiking shoes. You will notice a lot of tourist walking in sandals and dresses- not okay! This can be an intense hike, so be prepared!

• Sunrise option: Hike Lion’s head for sunrise, hike back down and explore Wally’s Cave along the way down. Hit up Camps Bay for lunch and coffee and then head off to the beach. We suggest Clifton or Llandudno depending on what vibe you are going for.
• Sunset option: Start the morning off with a stroll around Camps Bay for breakfast and a coffee followed by the beach! Get an earlier start on hiking Lions Head to explore Wally’s Cave on the way up. Give yourself enough time to be at the top before the sunsets. You will want to spend at least 20-30 minutes just soaking in the view on top before you have to come back down.

Day 5: Constantia and Kirstenbosh. Start your day off with some breakfast at Chardonnay Deli in Constantia- they have the best cake and coffee! Or if you want to hit up a local winery, we suggest Groot Constanita. This place also has some of the best views! Make your way to Kirstenbosch Gardens and spend the afternoon frolicking in the beautiful botanical gardens. Be sure to check out the Boomslang. And if you happen to be visiting Cape Town in the summer months- plan this day for a Sunday and hit up the summer concerts!

Day 6: V&A Waterfront and Robben Island. The half day trip out to Robben Island is worth it even for the boat ride. You get to experience the Mother City from the water and get a view of Table Mountain that is breath taking. Make sure you book this tour well in advance. It is about 4 hours total with 30 minute ferry each way. It is place of history for South Africa. Once you return from the tour spend some time around the V&A Waterfront for food and shopping. Be sure to check out the Watershed Market and the V&A Foodmarket.

**For an added bonus, if you have time, rent a bike from Up Cycle and cruise down the Sea Promenade! This is one of our favorite dates. Or if you don’t like bicycles, just go for a walk and get some gelato at Gelato Mania!

Day 7: South Africa has some of the best wine in the world (at least we think so!) Plus it is filled with so much history thanks to the oldest wine route in SA located in Cape Town’s backyard. Over 200 wine farms are situated on the wine route. Even if you are not into wine, the drive out to Stellenbosch is worth it just for the views and countryside. Our favorite wineries include Waterford, Kannonkop, Simonsig, and Beyerskloof.

Side note: The question we get asked a lot about Cape Town is, “is it safe?” Well, that’s hard to answer with a yes or a no. We just encourage you to try to be safety-minded while traveling around Cape Town. Don’t leave your purse/handbag laying around. Keep it close to you and hold it at restaurants. Don’t leave things sitting in your car! Or you will have a busted window. Be aware that poverty is around and with that comes desperation. It’s never really safe to walk anywhere at night and don’t get caught hiking alone. Just trust your instincts.

We seriously love this place! Let us know if you have any questions! Check out our Cape Town Bucket List for more fun adventures to do while visiting the Mother City. This place has so much to offer!

The Farm Village

This guy will remember your name from the first time you introduce yourself to him. He is a great friend and has a contagious smile! Be sure to tell him hello!

Like we mentioned in our Cape Town Bucket List post, we are dedicating a whole post to the Farm Village because we love it that much. It’s like you are visiting an old friend.

From coffee, ice cream, pizza, sushi, tapas, juices, shopping, relaxing at the spa, and a place for your kids to run around…this place has it all!

Grab a coffee from the Village Roast and take a walk to the Noordhoek Common or go browse through the cute shops. Tenga Tenga has the most incredible local items that are great gifts for friends and family back home. Morgan’s favorite pottery is sold at Pandora’s box made by a local artist in Kommetjie. (We bought some to bring with us for our first wedding plates when we got married :))

Not a coffee drinker? That’s a-okay. Faithjuice is a super quirky juice bar located in the little brown hut when you enter the Farm Village. Delicious fruit and veg juices as well as smoothies are sold here from glass jars! Bring your own jar for a discount!

Need breakfast? Hit up the FoodBarn Deli. Open everyday from 8-4:30 you can dine early or come for brunch. They have the best freshly baked bread and croissants. There is even a little food market for any items you might need to pick up.

Lunch? We’ve spent one too many meals (no, not really, we want more meals here!) at the Toad. Craving a pizza? or burger? or steak? ribs? or just a nice cold beer? then this is the place to be. If you are craving sushi, then you can order from the Village Sushi and have it delivered to you at the Toad.

Dinner? TAPAS, TAPAS, TAPAS. Should we say it again? The food at the FoodBarn deli and tapas is to die for. Grab your bestie or partner and have a romantic dinner date here. Make sure to put in a reservation though because they fill up fast. Oh, and don’t forget the churros! We are guilty of just going for take away churros because they are that good!

Cafe Roux is known for it’s live music and delicious malva pudding that is South African original dessert.

If you happen to be in Cape Town on a Wednesday evening, then make sure you come to the Farm Village from 4pm-8pm for the market. It is a family friendly environment that everyone will enjoy!

This is a place of community, even if you are from out of town 🙂

You can visit their home page here ( https://www.thefarmvillage.co.za )