Things to Do With Kids in Durbanville: Family Activities for a Great Day Out

Durbanville is better known for its wine farms than for family outings, yet it is one of the easier places to find family things to do in the northern suburbs of Cape Town. Parents who look a little closer will find enough things to do with kids to fill a whole day. Within a short drive of each other, you can combine a free forest walk, a toboggan ride or an indoor adventure park with a relaxed lunch where the children have their own menu.

The key is matching each stop to your children's ages, your budget and the weather. Majik Forest suits toddlers and picnics, Cool Runnings suits children aged 3 and up who want speed, and Ipic Play is the strongest backup when it rains. This guide covers what each option costs, who it suits and what to do when the weather changes, so you can choose family activities that work for everyone in the car.

Outdoor Thing to Do With Kids in Durbanville

The best outdoor family activities are Majik Forest and Tygerberg Nature Reserve, with two smaller City spaces for a short stop.

Majik Forest

Majik Forest is the easiest outdoor choice for young children. Cape Town Tourism describes lawns, picnic areas, a kids' play area and a dam, with a main loop of 2 to 5 kilometres that takes around 36 minutes to walk, so pack a picnic to enjoy on the lawns afterwards. Cyclists share the paths, so keep small children and dogs close so that no one gets hurt.

Tygerberg Nature Reserve

Tygerberg Nature Reserve suits children ready for a short hike, and its 800-metre Caracal Trail suits young children. Entry is R40 for adults and R20 for children aged 3 to 17, while children under 3 enter free, and the gates only accept card payments. Bring your own food to enjoy at the reserve's picnic areas. Our guide to hiking trails near Durbanville covers the steeper routes for older children.

Smaller Green Spaces

The six-hectare Durbanville Nature Reserve on Racecourse Road has short trails, picnic sites and tortoises. It is open on weekdays all year but on weekends only from September to April. The Durbanville Rose Garden on Durban Road is open from 07:00 to 18:00, and its roses are usually in bloom from October to May.

Adventure and Animal Experiences

For speed, Cool Runnings is the best choice among the more adventurous things to do with kids in Durbanville, and for a gentler morning, Anna Beulah Farm has farm animals.

Cool Runnings

Cool Runnings is a 1.25-kilometre downhill toboggan track with 17 corners and a tunnel, and riders control their own speed with a brake lever. A single ride costs R120 for adults and R110 for children aged 3 to 14. The track opens at 11:00 on weekdays and 09:00 on weekends and holidays, and closes at 18:00. There are a few rules on who can ride and how:

• Under 3: Children younger than 3 may not ride.

• Ages 3 to 7: These children must ride with someone aged 15 or older.

• Riding Alone: Riders need to be at least 1.35 metres tall.

A café serving boerie rolls, burgers and pizza, as well as a bar, sits beside the track. Booking online saves 10%, and the track closes when it rains.

Anna Beulah Farm

Anna Beulah Farm on Contermanskloof Road keeps horses, alpacas, donkeys and chickens and has a playground, a coffee shop and a deli with a kids' menu, according to Cape Town with Kids. Animal feeding is on Sundays at 11:00 and 14:00, with a feeding bucket costing R50.

Both work well as morning family activities, especially when followed by a slower stop.

Family-Friendly Wine Farm Experiences

Some Durbanville wine farms welcome children with play areas and kids' menus, while others are quieter spaces built around tastings. Before you book, it is worth asking whether there is a lawn near the tables where children can move around, checking the online menu for a kids' section, and confirming whether there is a play area and whether it is fenced.

Things to Do With Younger Kids

Children under 3 cannot ride at Cool Runnings, so toddlers do best at Majik Forest, the Rose Garden or Ipic Play's Toddler Town for ages 0 to 2. From age 3, children can join an adult on the toboggans.

Things to Do With Older Kids and Teenagers

Older children often prefer a challenge to a playground, and Durbanville has enough things to do to keep them busy. Ipic Play has seven climbing walls and a high ropes course with an R49 harness add-on, while Majik Forest has mountain biking trails with bridges and rocky sections. The free Rust-en-Vrede Gallery suits teenagers with an interest in art.

Free and Affordable Family Activities

Majik Forest, Durbanville Nature Reserve, the Rose Garden and Rust-en-Vrede Gallery are all free to enter. For the paid options, there are a few conscious choices that will help keep costs down:

• Tygerberg Season Ticket: The City's annual family ticket costs R300 for parents and up to four children.

• Shared Rides: Cool Runnings tickets can be split between riders, so one bundle covers a group.

• Non-Playing Adults: Ipic Play charges R19 for adults who come along without playing.

A free morning followed by one paid activity gives children enough activities to do without stretching the budget.

What to Do on a Rainy Day in Durbanville

If you are wondering what to do in Cape Town in the rain with children, Ipic Play is the main option in Durbanville for ages 0 to 18, with air-conditioned indoor trampolines, climbing walls and a Lego room. For a calmer hour, Rust-en-Vrede Gallery is another of the indoor things to do with kids in Durbanville.

Planning a Family Day in Durbanville

Whether you are planning things to do on the weekend or during the holidays, a smooth family day usually comes down to timing, food and weather. If you are asking yourself, "What must I do before we leave?", start by building the day around naps and mealtimes, as younger children tire quickly. Pack snacks, water, hats and sunscreen, since many outdoor spots have little shade and no food for sale, and check the forecast so you have an indoor backup ready if it rains. 

Opening hours vary between venues and seasons, and some places close on certain weekdays, so confirm times before you set off and book ahead during school holidays and for weekend lunches. If you are looking for stuff to do this weekend, two activities and a sit-down meal is a realistic day with young children, and starting early leaves the afternoon free for rest.

End Your Family Day Out at Groot Phesantekraal

We would love to welcome your family to Groot Phesantekraal on Klipheuwel Road. Our restaurant sits in the farm's restored 1767 stable, and meals are also served on a grassed terrace facing the Boland Mountains. We also offer a great kids' menu. Our restaurant is open Tuesday to Sunday from 08:30 to 16:00, with the kitchen closing at 15:30. Book your table conveniently online.

For more ideas, read our guide to lunch in Durbanville. Whichever things to do with kids you choose, a relaxed lunch together is a lovely way to end the day.