Parks in Cape Town

Walk your dog, meet your friends for a picnic and enjoy a variety of flora

Last Update: February 14, 2017

Sun-kissed beaches aren’t the only public places in Cape Town to take advantage of; our pretty city has a plethora of parks, which are perfect for walking your dog, a picnic with friends, or simply stretching out with a newspaper and enjoying the beautiful plant life. Discover green spots for lunch in city parks, or overgrown suburban wonderlands for a romantic rendezvous. Parks are not only relaxing and fun, but also meeting points for likeminded folk, so get to know Cape Town’s parks.

The Company's Garden

Situated in the centre of the city, adjacent to the South African parliament, The Company’s Garden also allows access to key cultural attractions such as the SA Museum and the National Art Gallery. It features a historical city park, a rose garden, a fish pond, an aviary and numerous trees of botanical and historical significance.

Size: 8.5 hectares

Opening hours: daily: summer 7am – 7pm, winter 7am – 6pm

Queen Victoria Street (top end of Adderley Street) | City Centre | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 400 2521

De Waal Park
De Waal Park is located in the heart of the City Bowl, Cape Town. Originally noted for the wide variety of trees in the park, it is now known for the social interaction of dogs, owners and children. A cool retreat in summer, dogs delight in the pond around the Victorian fountain while the children enjoy themselves in the playground. Today De Waal Park serves a diverse community, providing a peaceful, relaxing environment within the bustle of city life.

Size: 11.7 hectares

Opening hours: daily 8am – 6pm

Upper Orange Road| Gardens| Cape Town  | +27 (0)21 400 2521

The Green Point Urban Park

Opened at the end of January 2011, it‘s a vibrant 'people's park'. From here you have stunning views of the Cape Town Stadium as well as Signal Hill. The park includes a fitness park for cycling, outdoor training and gym; a learning park for functions, seminars and arts training; a play park, a park for events, concerts, exhibitions and markets; an adventure park, a heritage park, a biodiversity nursery.

Size: 10.5 hectares

Opening hours: daily 7am – 7pm

Cape Town Stadium (can be accessed either from Beach Road (M6) or Bay Road, Moullie Point) | Green Point | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 401 4000

Trafalgar Park
This park is situated in Woodstock and is a safe place for children to play or nearby workers to take a leisurely stroll during a lunch break.

Size: 3.2 hectares

Opening hours: daily 8am – 6pm

Corner Victoria Road & Searle Streets | Woodstock | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 400 3031

Arderne Gardens
The Arderne Gardens, with its Japanese garden, shady glades and romantic nooks, conjures up happy memories for many Capetonians as a place to bring young children or take precious wedding photographs. The garden still contains one of the richest collections of exotic trees and shrubs in South Africa. In 2003, the Cape Horticultural Society’s Centenary Project made botanical labels for more than three hundred trees in the garden.

Size: 4 hectares

Opening hours: daily 9am – 4pm

Main Street | Claremont | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 689 4185

Rondebosch Park
This is an open park with big trees, and features a variety of flora. There are pathways for gentle walks and its lawns provide ample space for picnics. Benches offer a space to sit and relax. Often used for craft markets, carols by candle light, plays and more.

Size: 1.9 hectares

Opening hours: daily 8am – 6pm

Corner Campground Road & Sandown Roads | Rondebosch | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 689 4185

Maynardville Park
This district park features rolling expanses of lawn populated with trees and a vibrant eco-system of birds. The garden includes the famous Maynardville open-air theatre. There is also a water feature and children’s playground. The park is used to host a range of community activities throughout the year.

Size: 11 hectares

Opening hours: daily 8am – 6pm

Corner Church & Wolfe Street | Wynberg | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 689 4185

Wynberg Park
Wynberg Park is where the spring of the Krakeelwater River begins. This district park features a conifer garden, children’s playground, duck pond, lawns, and ideal for walking dogs, picnics and braais. Summer concerts and fun days are held here annually.

Size: 22.5 hectares

Opening hours: daily 8am – 6pm

Corner Klaassens & Trovato Link Roads | Wynberg | Cape Town | +27 (0)21 689 4185

Durbanville Rose Garden
This district park is a historical site, and is also home to numerous farm graves. It features 500 varieties of rose bushes. Visitors and tourists are invited to enjoy tea among the rose bushes at the park’s Tea Room on Sundays during flowering season.

Size: 1.5 hectares

Opening hours: daily 8am – 6pm

Durban Road | Durbanville | +27 (0)21 970 3129

Westridge Park
This community park, situated in the residential part of Mitchells Plain, features a variety of botanically significant flora, including the city’s indigenous Cape fynbos. There is a pathway for gentle walks, and the grassy areas provide ample space for picnics and taking wedding photographs. A skateboard ramp situated in the park attracts the younger section of the population, and is well-frequented. Community concerts and festive programmes are held here annually.

Size: 15.8 hectares

Opening hours: daily 8am – 6pm

Corner Morgenster & De Duin Avenue | Westridge | Mitchells Plain | +27 (0)21 371 3191

Khayelitsha Wetlands Park
This district park is a wetlands area with a growing eco-system populated by birds. As part of the city’s commitment to building people-friendly open spaces, there is a playground for children and African mosaic murals for older visitors.

Size: 3.3 hectares

Opening hours: daily 8am – 6pm

Makhaza (between Lansdowne & Hlanga Roads) | Khayelitsha | +27 (0)21 364 0960

Zandvlei Recreational Park
Zandvlei Park is an open water wetland, river system and estuary near Muizenberg on the False Bay coast. The park is bordered by Lakeside, Muizenberg and Marina da Gama residential areas. Zandvlei Park is used for a variety of recreational activities that include canoeing, sailing, windsurfing and fishing. Some of its shores are grassed areas, equipped in places with braai and picnic spots with ample space to relax and unwind. Zandvlei Park offers a fun outing for children and adults, water sport enthusiasts and nature lovers.

Size: 159 hectares

Opening hours: daily 8am – 6pm

Promenade Road | Muizenberg | +27 (0)21 701 1233

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Camping, live music and planting trees in the Platbos forest at the GreenPop Reforest Fest.

Cape Town is full of activities for both young and old. Visit our things to do section for a selection of things to do with your family and friends.

Have you heard about the My Green Card for the Table Mountain National Park? You get a year long chance to visit 12 great places for the price of one Cape Point entry.

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