{"id":1612,"date":"2022-02-04T14:22:23","date_gmt":"2022-02-04T14:22:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wandercapetown.com\/?p=1612"},"modified":"2023-08-07T14:06:29","modified_gmt":"2023-08-07T14:06:29","slug":"dog-friendly-activities","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wandercapetown.com\/tips\/dog-friendly-activities\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Dog-friendly activities in Cape Town"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Cape Town is a great city to have a dog. There are plenty of things to do here that your pup can join you on, from hiking and trail running<\/a> to cafe-going. As long as you\u2019ve trained your dog well and built up a good bond, you\u2019ll be able to take them out with you often!<\/p>

We\u2019ve got a collie-mix adopted from TEARS, and she\u2019s packed with energy and loves to be with her people wherever we go. So, we\u2019ve quickly learned where we can take her and what we can do so that she can always be a part of the adventure.<\/p>

Read on for a few fun ideas on dog-friendly activities in Cape Town – along with some information on doggy daycare and adoption centres!<\/p>

What to do with your dog in Cape Town<\/h2>

So, let\u2019s get to the most important list for most of us first! What can you do with your dog in the city?<\/p>

Take a hike<\/h3>

\"hiking<\/p>

This is a classic Cape Town activity, whether you have a pet or not. We have some beautiful hiking trails all over the city, but of course, Table Mountain<\/a> is the most central and the most beautiful of these options.<\/p>

Unfortunately, not all of Table Mountain and its routes are open to dogs. This is a helpful source<\/a> on which areas you can take them – but the Pipe Track, Kloof Corner<\/a>, or any of the contour paths are great options that will have you surrounded by nature without putting too much strain on you or your pup. They\u2019ll also meet a good few other dogs and humans on the route! We also enjoy the route up Signal Hill<\/a>, which ends with a beautiful view of Table Mountain, Lion\u2019s Head, and the sprawling city.<\/p>

Enjoy a meal at an outdoor cafe<\/h3>

\"\"<\/p>

Luna finding an enclosed place to chew in peace at Fabrica cafe in Sea Point<\/em><\/p>

Many cafes in Cape Town allow pups to come and sit with you, as long as they\u2019re well-behaved. But your best chance is an outdoor cafe, where there\u2019ll be no risk of peeing or barking indoors.<\/p>

If your dog is still young like ours, and not a peaceful old dog that doesn\u2019t even need a leash, here\u2019s a good trick to keeping them happy and calm. Bring a bone or a meat stick along for them to chew on while you eat, and be sure to bring along a bowl for water too! We also keep our little Luna on her leash and thread a chair leg through the loop so that she can\u2019t roam beyond our area. She quickly figures out it’s better to lay down and have a gnaw.<\/p>

Bring them to De Waal Park<\/h3>

\"De<\/p>

De Waal is one of the absolute best places to bring your pup! It\u2019s one of the city\u2019s few closed-in parks. All the doggies can run around freely, meeting humans and dogs and doing lots of sniffing. You\u2019ll have a few new dogs running after every ball you throw, and often see a good few swimming and splashing about in the central fountain.<\/p>

You can also bring your kids here, and there\u2019s a lovely children’s play park to one side of the park. This makes it a perfect place to get your doggo used to children – or alternatively, to get your kids used to dogs! You might even see some folk slacklining<\/a> amongst the trees.<\/p>

De Waal was a five-minute walk away from our Gardens apartment during lockdown, long before we had Luna. We found it a bit of a lifesaver, to have a beautiful park where we could see loads of happy dogs running amok. I\u2019d highly recommend it!<\/p>

Have a swim at a dog-friendly beach<\/h3>

\"\"<\/p>

Many of Cape Town\u2019s beaches<\/a> are not dog-friendly – particularly in summer. But if you check the \u2018No dogs allowed\u2019 sign at your nearest beach, you\u2019ll often see in the fine print that they are <\/em>allowed before 9 am and after 6 pm in summer, and in winter they\u2019re allowed at any time.<\/p>

Still, even in summer you\u2019ll find a good few beaches where dogs are allowed off-leash all year and all day! These are beaches where local wildlife and their nesting habits won\u2019t be negatively impacted, and where beachgoers won\u2019t be overly disturbed by an inquisitive and playful pup.<\/p>

Here\u2019s a quick list of all the free-roaming beaches in Cape Town:<\/strong><\/p>