Free things to do in Cape Town + Birthday Freebies in 2021

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I spent my first birthday in Cape Town this year as an official resident so I wanted to make it special. I went all out and made an entire itinerary! Yes, I know how dramatic that is, but moving to this city was one of the biggest Bucket List items so it was necessary!

I won’t make this post too long, so I will simply list the items and if you want more detail, head over to my YouTube channel where I vlogged every day of my special birthday weekend. So here it is:

FREE THINGS TO DO IN CAPE TOWN ON YOUR BIRTHDAY OR IN YOUR BIRTHDAY MONTH

Table Mountain Aerial Cable Way – Free ride in the month of your birthday
The Cape Wheel for Good – Waterfront – Free ride in you birthday month
The Galileo Open Air Movie – Free movie entry or a free birthday hamper in your birthday month
Canopy Tours – Free zipling tour to any of the Canopy tours you’ve already done (across country) within three days of your birthday
Two Oceans Aquarium – Free access within the month of your birthday
Krispy Kream – A dozen free Original glazed doughnuts with your (one dozen) order of their doughnuts
Cape Town Fish Market – R100 voucher within your birthday month
Sorbet Nail Bar – 50% discount on selected offers in your birthday month
Ster Kinekor – Club members get a free movie ticket within the week of your birthday
Mug n Bean – Free slice of Birthday cake on your birthday
City sightseeing (for kids) between 5-15 years old, travel free with two friends – valid in their birthday month
The Body Shop – If you’re part of the rewards programme, R50 voucher during the month of your birthday
The Clay Cafe – Free dessert on your birthday
Up Cycles – Free 1hour ride on your birthday

There is also a huge option for free desserts or discounts at most restaurants in Cape Town, so be sure to mention that it’s your birthday when dining out.

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Apart from these really fun birthday activities, there are also other ideas for a ‘SPEND FREE’ day in the best city in the world

Visit Muizenberg Beach (the beach with the colourful huts) where your furbies are welcome too
Enjoy the walk along the beach from Muizenberg to St James
Walk along the SeaPoint promenade
Take a stroll in the picturesque GreenPoint Park, which leads to the SeaPoint promenade
Watch the most romantic sunset from Signal Hill
Spend the twilight hours at any of the beautiful beaches of Cape Town, like the popular Camps bay or Clifton 4th or enjoy a picnic at one of the beaches
Visit one or the enchanting forests like Tokai forest, Cecilia forest or Newlands forest
Take a drive out along Chapman’s Peak and enjoy that most incredible views along the way
Visit the ever famous V&A Waterfront and grab a map and go on a self-guided tour
Explore the outdoor markets that is very popular in Cape Town like the Oranjezicht Flea Market, Greenmarket square or one of neighbourgoods markets like The Old Biscuit Mill
Enjoy a thrilling hike or trail running up some of Cape Towns biggest landmarks, like LionsHead or Table Mountain or join a Hiking Club (there are many) and you could enjoy weekly hikes, all free of charge
Join a Full Moon hike up Lionshead for an experience that would last you a lifetime
Parliament Tours in the city centre like Cape Town City Hall
Visit Simons Town and go window shopping
Spending the day at a plant nursery like Ferndale Nursery or the gardens like Ardene Garden or Company Gardens
Hout Bay Beach is a popular beach where you will find many locals and tourists, they often have Beach cleanups at Sentinal Ocean Aliance and a great eatery recommendation is Snookies.
Kalk Bay harbour is a definite must-see and do try to visit Fish on the Rocks as it is a very popular eatery.
Visit one of the most gorgeous beaches, Noordhoek Beach, famous for the white sands and blue waters and also for the horse-riding done on the beach
Visit BoKaap, one of the heritage sights for Capetonians and also the most beautiful colours houses which is a photographers dream. If you’re looking for dozens of opportunities for your social media feed, this is the place for you!
Museum visits are also a popular activity and easily accessible, great to explore and also get some photo ops, eg: Zeitz Mocca Museum
Take a scenic drive along the West coast to see the stunning blooms and get lost in the flower fields just before the spring time when the canola fields create a sea of bright yellow flowers! The stunning shades of nature is apparent in Melkbosrand, Philadelphia and the Overberg farm areas in the Western Cape
Build a snowman and have a snowball fight just outside of Cape Town, in the Matroosberg mountain, during the colder winter months up to the end of August where you can experience real snowfall just about a two-hour drive out of the city.
Enjoy some Outdoor gyming on the SeaPoint beach front while enjoy the views
Browse the factory outlets of some of your favorite brands for a nice little price discount at Access Park
Visit some of the secret beaches, like the one the one close to Boulders Beach called Water’s Edge where you can take your own snorkling or diving equipment and go exploring
See the showcase of talent in Woodstock where graffitti artist prettified what would be boring buildings in the area. Or visit the Woodstock exchange for some really cool, chilled vibes
Browse the chic shops along Long street or Kloof Street, SeaPoint and enjoy some of the prettiest coffee shops and restaurants with tons of local brands and flavours.
There are a number of Walking Tours available in the city as well, some of which are tip based.
Audio Tour of Groot Constantia- Free to enter, however there are various costs for meals.
The Noon Gun at Signal Hill
Join in on the First Thursdays activities, from cultural events and showcasing the wealth of talent in the city
Enjoy live music at the local markets like, Mojo Market, SeaPoint and Bay Harbour in Hout Bay where you can also support local
Explore Neighbourhoods like the Khayelitsha Craft Market or the station or the Guga Sthebe Arts and Culture Centre in Langa Township. They offer guided tours as well if you are worries about your safety
Spend the day at the Llandudno Beach for great surfing and sunsets or Bloubergstrand where there are loads of kite surfers and dogs however there are no designated lifeguards. The beach seems to be more popular for sunrises and sunsets and not so popular for swimming
Take a walk around the Spier Dam
Spend the day at the Carnival area at Weltevreden Estate
Take the kids to the hidden park in Paradise Road in Newlands
Join a moonlight meander in Muizenberg with the whole family
Walk a rescue animal with Tears, the non-profit rescue centre off Kommertjie Road
Cool down in a Tidal Pool at one of the many tidal pools in the city

These are some of the free items I found being in Cape Town, some recommendations I’ve received and some good ‘ol research I’ve been working on.

There are a ton of things you could still do in Cape Town if you have somewhat of a budget or if you have a great budget, but that will be shared in an upcoming blog post, so remember to keep an eye out for those.