I don’t do bucket lists. I don’t like expectations, I find they keep me from keeping an open mind and inviting the unexpected. On any good trip there is no way to know what to expect. If you already know what is going to happen, what would be the use of going? That said, it is good to know what you want, especially when there is lots and lots to see and do and taste as there is in Cape Town. So I decided to make this bucket lists. Some of the things on it have already been marked off and it will probably become longer as I discover more.

• Nature:
  • Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point
  • Chapman’s Peak Drive, preferably in a ’72 VW Beetle without a windscreen
  • Kirstenbosch Gardens
  • Company’s Garden
  • Cape Agulhas, the most southern point of Africa
  • the Karoo
  • dive with the Seven-gill cowsharks off Millers point
  • say hi to the penguins at Boulder beach
• Hikes:
  • hike up Table Mountain via India Venster, have a beer and hike back down via Platteklip Gorge or take the cable cart
  • hike up Table Mountain via Skeleton Gorge and have a swim at the dam
  • hike up Devil’s Peak
  • hike up Lion’s Head, preferably at sunset/full moon
• Beaches:
  • chill on the beautiful beach at Llandudno
  • surf at Muizenberg Surfer’s Corner, the birthplace of surfing in SA
  • surf overlooking Table Mountain at Milnerton Beach (at the lighthouse)
  • surf Big Bay beach break (between Melkbos and Bloubergstrand)
  • swim between the penguins and big boulders at Boulders Beach (Simon’s Town)
  • watch the sunset at Clifton 4th Beach
  • watch the big wave surfers at Dungeons
  • more beaches, surf spots and local surf forecast
• Rock climbing:
  • Paarl Rock
  • the quarry’s on the slopes of Table Mountain
  • indoor climbing at CityRock
• Drink (beer/wine/coffee):
  • exquisite choice of wines at Publik
  • craft beers and local wine at &Union (free wine tastings on Tuesday and Thursday!)
  • local craft beers from Devil’s Peak CBC and Jack Black
  • Swartland Independent wines
  • amazing choice of beers (Piraat!), wine and liquors at Roeland Liquors
  • Truth supposedly “the best coffee shop in the world“, they sure have the coolest interior and cutest waitresses
  • best coffee in Cape Town comes from Deluxe Coffeeworks, who also have the best tunes and you can drink their coffee in all the best coffee shops in Cape Town
• Eat
  • hamburgers at Hudsons
  • Mexican at the Fat Cactus
  • get some meat and drink a coffee at Frankie Fenner Meat Merchants
  • eat a slappy jack with Belgian approved fries at Clarke’s
• Going out:
  • party at The Rooftop at 113 Loop Street, one of the mother city’s many rooftop bars
  • see Jack Parrow live in his home town
  • hang out with the crazy cool cats at The Bombay Bicycle Club
  • hang out with the locals at the bar at the Kimberly Hotel (at Roeland & Buitenkant)
  • hang out with the tourists on Long Street (The Waiting Room, The Slug & Letuce, Beerhouse)
  • hang out with the students and cool people at Obz, Lwr Main Rd (Obz Café, bolo’bolo, Obviously Armchair)
  • go for “just one” at The Shack and end up closing the place (beware of the Brandy Special)
  • check out the music (can be anything from dubstep to live bands) at Mercury Live
  • bust a move on the dance floor of Evol, trashy in a 90’s way
• Places:
  • District Six and the District Six Museum
  • Kaly’s fish and chips in Kalk Bay harbour
  • Brass Bell in Kalk Bay
  • V&A Waterfront, not for the up-scale shopping and restaurants, but for the 18th century maritime scenery
  • Riebeek-Kasteel and the Swartland
• Sport:
  • watch cricket at Newlands
  • watch Western Province play (rugby)

Thanks to Travelstart.co.za for some inspiration and lovely photo’s: 50 Photos of Cape Town that will make you want to live in the Mother City. More on CapeTownMagazine.com’s Must-Dos, Must-Sees & Must-Visits in Cape Town and Things to do for free in Cape Town.