mgn2000

Visit this site http://www.citysightseeing.co.za/compare-tours
It will help you in planning your trip. It stops at many attractions.
Buy the Red line and Blue Line Pass, good for 2 days.

TDCumm16

DW and I spent a week at the Westin Cape Town without a car in November and never once felt the need for it. You'll be fine without one - not worth the hassle.

You can do a guided tour to get you out to the Winelands (who wants to worry about drinking & driving anyway?). I'd also recommend a guided tour for Cape Pointe and the drive along the coast - gorgeous.

DW & I are walkers - if you don't mind a few mile walk you'll be within an easy distance of the V&A Waterfront, Sea Pointe Promenade, and a walk through downtown to check out some of the shops / food on Long Street. We even walked from the Westin to Lion's Head base and then did the hike up & down. In retrospect we probably should have cabbed that one

As mgn2000 pointed out the Red & Blue bus passes are great. You can get around and see most of "must sees" in Cape Town on those 2 bus lines (Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch Gardens, etc). Definitely worth picking up the pass there - we really enjoyed that and found it invaluable to get out to some of the sites. The busses have pickups right outside the Westin. The 2 day pass can also include a Sunset Ride up to Signal Hill - we caught that on a perfect day and had a gorgeous sunset - if the weather cooperates consider that as well.

We also rented bikes one day from the V&A to help get around. We used the bikes to get the ~5 miles out to Camps Bay, spend some time at the beach, and eat lunch / happy hour at some of the restaurants with great views there. Make sure to make it around Camps Bay & Clifton.

Hope you enjoy your time in Cape Town! Very gorgeous city - one of my favorites

dbuckho

I was at the Westin for 5 days in January. We arrived by car from Stellenbosch after 2 days there (and had the car for more than a week driving from Port Elizabeth). When we arrived I dropped my family off and returned the car to Hertz which was a 10 minute walk (safe during daylight).

We did fine without the car for a couple days, but did end renting a car for 2 of our days there (this time from Avis - same 10 minute walk). We were able to get to the V&A Waterfront several times using the hotel shuttle (and walked back once, again during daylight). So first day was mainly spent down there at the aquarium and shopping. And second day we saw most of the main city sites on the Hop On/Hop Off bus mentioned above - which was great. Was not missing a car.

But after that we wanted to drive around the Cape including visiting the penguins in Boulder's Beach and driving Chapman's Peak and it just seemed easiest to have our own car. Plus on the day we did the bus, Table Mountain was closed - so having the car to go there first thing in the next morning vs. having to buy another pass or hire a taxi (especially if getting the car anyways) fit our needs. Then on the last day we used the car to go back to Camps Bay for beach time and then head out to World of Birds and Kirstenbosch Gardens. This would have been doable on the blue bus line, but having the car let us go the opposite direction and be on our own time.

For ease would have preferred to use the Europecar in the hotel, but could not get anywhere close to my corporate rate at Avis so made the walk up the hill. In general I think you can do fine without a car, but I found driving around Cape Town quite easy and having one for a few days can enhance your experience as well.

rwSEA

You don't NEED a car per se, but it will make your experience better. I spent one week at the hotel and did the hop-on/hop off bus the first couple of days without a car. That helped me tick off all the city sights (District 6, Camps Bay, Table Mountain, etc.). Then, I rented a car for a few days and drove around Constantia, back to Camp's bay, and to the Cape Peninsula. I thought this was a good mix of driving when it was easy/necessary and not having a car when I didn't need it.

Driving is pretty easy in Cape Town as the city is small, and the Westin is right at the end of the highway into town. Good signage everywhere too.

IB6825

That is absolute rubbish. There is no problem walking around the city centre even the train station is fine during daylight, as well as it is no problem walking around in the Atlantic Seaboard, the Southern and Northern Sububrs and many other areas.

I have lived 1.5 years in Green Point and never have I ever felt unsafe. Just don't walk around with your camera hanging around your neck or similar stuff that immediately identifies you as a tourist. Don't walk around in the city centre at night and be careful at Long street. Never take your whole wallet with when you go clubbing. Just enough cash for drinks and the taxi back home. And I would advise you not to go to Woodstock and Observatory at night unless you go there by taxi or rental car and you know exactly where the restaurant or place is where you need to be.

It is definitely much nicer to have a rental car in Cape Town. The MyCiti bus is still in its early stages although most of the new bus stations are almost finished. For most of the activities one does not need a guide in my opinion. And without a car it is difficult and very time consuming to get to places such as the Cape of Good Hope, Clifton, Camps Bay, Kirstenbosch and the Winelands.

Driving is easy even for people who are used to drive on the right side. Most South Africans cannot drive so you will be fine.
After 2 hours you will be used to drive on the left and if not there will mostly be a car in front of you at least in the city.

MrNagy

Hello. Does anyone have a private driver they could pm me the info for? Thanks and much appreciated!

allbrosca

Sent you a pm.

Paulchili

We are going there next February and would appreciate a private driver's name as well in a PM.
TIA

SFO_Chad

May I be so bold as to ask for the information as well? If you are not comfortable sharing with so many people, I totally understand.

My husband and I are heading to CPT in Sept for 4 days and are looking into options for a day trip to wine country. I would prefer a driver for all the obvious reasons.

Thank you in advance.
Chad

allbrosca

No problem. Sent you a pm. I hope he works out for everyone!

WaterLilinyc

Land-of-Miles

Would definitely recommend Luhambo Tours.

i think for most practical purposes Uber Black is much easier than attempting to drive given how cheap it is. We took tours to further afield places (Cape of good hope, penguins, Hermanus, Stellenbosch, Paarl etc.) and uber to camps bay and more locally.