Last week we took a short road trip up South Africa’s West Coast, and it was wonderful. I call it a mini-road trip because we left at 8 a.m. on Wednesday and were back home by about 6 p.m. on Thursday. My fiancé and I prefer trips like this: two full days on the road lets us see a lot without wasting time on extra hotels, and it’s a good way to save on meals and fuel. We’ve used this quick-trip approach for weekend getaways to Gauteng, a safari, a fast trip to Vancouver last year, and even to Victoria Falls when we managed to squeeze an extra night in. Remember when my fiancé proposed in Vegas? That was another rapid trip: a long weekend, a late Saturday flight, and a return flight early Tuesday so I could be back at work — exhausting, but totally worth it.
These short trips work great for us, especially since we want to take as many as possible before we start a family. Once babies arrive, spontaneous overnights like this will be much harder to pull off.
The key to a successful quick trip is a flexible but detailed itinerary. Flexible because plans change and you should be willing to drop or swap activities. Detailed because, with so little time, you want to fit in the best experiences without wasting hours deciding what to do next. If the goal is relaxation, by all means bring wine and stare at the ocean.
The drive out of Cape Town surprised me. After Paarl, civilization thinned quickly and the landscape opened up. A thunderstorm kept the drive dramatic — and reminded me how stressful South African driving can be: add heavy rain to winding roads and I turn into a nervous backseat driver until we’re safely parked.
Our first stop was Paradise Beach in Langebaan. My fiancé found it via Google Maps but didn’t do much more research, so we were surprised to discover the route goes through private casino grounds and a gated community. Security waved us through without question when we sheepishly told them we were there for the beach. The walk was worth the odd entrance: the beach was beautiful and completely empty. The storm hadn’t arrived yet, so we had time to wander and collect some of the prettiest shells I’ve ever found.
For lunch we chose Pearly’s, one of the area’s oldest beachside restaurants. We ate on a covered patio and watched fishermen and kite surfers while enjoying simple, fresh sandwiches. It felt relaxed and perfectly suited to the coastline.
Next we visited the West Coast Fossil Park. When we arrived it looked quiet and I worried the tours might be canceled, but that fear was unfounded. The guided tour was fascinating: we drove down to the actual dig site, stood beside a tented excavation pit full of bones, and learned about the area’s extinct creatures. There were remains of short-necked, long-horned giraffes, multi-tusked elephants, massive whale vertebrae, and even bones of an African bear — a species I didn’t realize once lived here.
Back at the lab, we sifted soil, examined fragments, and saw a Megalodon tooth up close. The museum room displayed skulls and fossils, including a sabre-tooth and various elephant and giraffe bones. The park offers a deeper and richer story than I can summarize here, so if you’re in the region it’s well worth stopping in to learn more firsthand.
We then checked into our room at Bavania Beach Lodge in Jacobsbaai. The layout was charming: a kitchen at the entry with the bedroom, living area, and bathroom lofted above, all looking out to the ocean. The views were stunning and the setting was wonderfully peaceful.
Jacobsbaai is quintessentially quaint, dotted with white, Cape Dutch-style cottages along the coast. The town has a small grab-and-go store and a single restaurant, owned by a well-known musician, which we naturally tried. The dining room overlooks the bay and the atmosphere is intimate. The staff greeted us in Afrikaans first, a reminder of the area’s local flavor; most people here are bilingual at minimum, which made me wish I’d paid more attention in language classes. The one annoying detail was that the menu was partially in English and partially in Afrikaans, with some dishes listed only in Afrikaans — it made choosing harder than it needed to be.
The next morning we drove a little further north to Paternoster and explored the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve. The reserve and its lighthouse are beautiful. Climbing the ladders to the lighthouse top was a bit nerve-wracking, but the views were worth it. Afterwards we walked down to a nearby beach — South African beaches never cease to amaze me with their dramatic beauty, from secluded rock-framed coves to long stretches of turquoise surf. They feel more vibrant and wild than many beaches I’ve seen elsewhere.
Before heading back to Cape Town we stopped at Blikkie Pizzeria, a charming restaurant built into an old tin fishing shed. Their wood-fired pizzas are excellent, and we enjoyed them outdoors with a perfect beach view and warm sunshine.
Overall it was a refreshing, memorable trip. With only three weeks until we leave for home, these moments make me both excited to see family and sad to be stepping away from a place that has become very dear to me. South Africa’s landscapes, wildlife, and people are uniquely vibrant, and Cape Town in particular has a way of staying in your heart long after you’ve left.
Expect to hear more about how much I love this country in the coming weeks — I already miss it and can’t help but gush about the experiences it offers.