Sport
South Africa has an extremely vibrant sports following. Most popular are Rugby, Soccer, Cricket, athletic marathons, surfing and golf. Cape Town has three major sports stadiums that host major local and international sporting events. These stadiums are the new Cape Town Stadium, built for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Newlands Rugby Stadium and Newlands Cricket Grounds.
In terms of leisure sport, evidence of the outdoorsy lifestyle of the Cape and the Mediterranean climate can be seen in the popularity of outdoor activities. Camps Bay, Clifton and Llandudno are coveted beaches close to the city, and Muizenberg, Noordhoek, Kommetjie and Blaauberg are all popular surfing beaches. Cape Town has no less than 13 golf courses, including the impressive Steenberg Estate, Atlantic Beach Golf Course and the Erinvale Golf Course, designed by Gary Player.
The beautiful scenery in the Cape makes for a wonderful setting for hikes, walks and biking trails. The Table Mountain National Park stretches across much of the terrain in the Peninsula and has many of these trails.

Shopping
If there is one thing that Capetonians love, it’s retail therapy. Cape Town has a number of shopping malls, brimming with incredible shops and boutiques. Most notably, Canal Walk is a haven for shopping entertainment. The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront in the city is a favourite with foreign visitors and locals. There are many interesting shops such as the market inside the ‘red shed’ and lots of restaurants. Other malls include Cavendish Square in Claremont and Tygervalley Shopping Centre in Durbanville.

Culture
The Cape may have a relatively short history, but the area is not short on a rich cultural heritage. The roots of Cape Town include San, Xhosa, Dutch, Malay and Oriental, English and Afrikaans, a culture which grew from a mixture of the Dutch and French settlers.
In Cape Town today, the diverse population offers many cultural delights, which are a must-see. There are the regular attractions such as art galleries, theatres and quirky neighbourhoods with interesting coffee shops and book stores. However, these are often filled with the taste of local cultures.
There are many theatres in and around the City. The Artscape Theatre is home to many types of performances, both Western and local, as does the Baxter Theatre in Rondebosch. The local music scene is very much a popular part of life and bands and DJs regularly play at many trendy hangouts, such as the Purple Turtle, Obz Cafe, Fiction, the Assembly and La Med.
The city also has its fair share of museums. There is the Natural History Museum, with a large collection of all things historical, the Holocaust Museum and the District Six Museum, which tells the story of the vibrant society living in District 6, an area of Cape Town that is now vacant land due to forced removals during Apartheid. The Planetarium offers visitors the incredible experience of viewing various documentaries on space through a large, dome-shaped screen.
Other interesting cultural and historical spots in Cape Town include the Castle of Good Hope, the Company Gardens, Long Street and Kloof Street and the Malay Quarter in Bo Kaap.

Gay and Lesbian
Cape Town has a solid Gay community, especially in Green Point and Sea Point. The liberal atmosphere in these areas offers visitors many gau-friendly restaurants, coffee shops and clubs. Beefcakes, a relatively new venture in Green Point has a true American diner ‘feel’ to it, with a pink twist! Cafe Manhattan is arguably the gay community’s favourite spot for breakfast, lunch and coffee, and the Bronx is one of Cape Town’s longest running establishments, and a legendary gay bar and club. Just look for the Gay Pride rainbow flag to find gay-friendly spots in the city.

Attractions for kids
Cape Town would not be one of the World’s most popular tourist destinations if there were no activities to keep the youngsters happy! The Mother City offers a great variety of entertainment for kids.
Spier Wine Farm in Stellenbosch offers Eagle Encounters where children can experience the thrill of holding, releasing and catching an eagle. The farm also has a Cheetah Outreach Centre, where kids can view cheetah cubs and play with them.
Boulder’s Beach is located in Simons Town and is a sanctuary for a protected penguin colony. Children can swim in the clear-blue water alongside the Jackass penguins, which is always an extremely entertaining experience. The Two Oceans Aquarium at the Waterfront is a must-see for kids. The aquarium houses an incredible array of marine life including stingrays, sharks, dolphins, frogs and many more.
Ratanga Junction is a theme park located next to Canal Walk. Kids can enjoy the usual thrill experienced in theme parks such as roller coasters, log-flume rides and swinging ships. Next door, in Canal Walk, is the MTN Science Centre. Children can play with the interactive displays and activities while learning about science and having fun.

Other attractions available in Cape Town suited to children are ice skating at Grand West Casino, ten-pin bowling, Laser Quest, Paintballing, surfing and go carting.