Cape Town is one of those cities that can experience four seasons on a single day. You can sweat with only shorts one day and can shiver even with your furriest sweater the next day. Cape Town’s rain is heavy and just as unpredictable as the heat and wind routines. It can be a mood-killer, especially if you planned to do activities in nature like hiking or surfing. However, you don’t have to worry about wasting your day because of the heavy rain since Cape Town also offers numerous indoor activities that are surprisingly amusing. Here are a few recommendations.
LabiaTheater
Cape Town has a thing for vintage cinema, with the open-air cinema experiences for summer nights and the famous Labia Theater. This small venue has a delicate art-deco design straight out of the 60s. The movie schedule adds to this nostalgic vibe, with a collection of old and recent movies. If there are local or international movie festivals, such as Rocky Horror Show on Halloween, or a Brazilian Film Night, Labia is the place to be. The venue has four screens, and a cozy coffee shop that sells delicious pastry and glugi-hot wine. Not only is Labia Theater affordable, but it also offers many specials that combine movie tickets and dinner at one of the restaurants nearby.
South African Observatory
If you like star-gazing and space, look no further! South Africa’s original observatory was established in Cape Town to look out for approaching ships. With the arrival of distinguished astrophysicists from England, the place quickly turned into a research facility. Today, the main observatory is in Sutherland 4 hours from Cape Town, but the one in Cape Town still features artifacts of the first studies. It also hosts exciting and enlightening seminars every weekend, after which you can join guided tours of the place. On a clear day, you can get a close look at the Moon’s surface and do star-gazing with the massive telescope.
Planetarium
Cape Town’s city center has lots of interactive museums, but none of them is as visually stunning as the Planetarium. This dome-shaped structure gives visitors an extraordinary space experience. It starts with a documentary on the hollow screen on the ceiling that creates a 3D feeling. Then, a space trip follows, where the guide takes you through the Solar System beyond the Milky Way. Thanks to its central location, you can combine your visit with the other museums, such as Iziko Slave Lodge and the National Art Gallery.
Grand West Casino
Don’t let the word casino put you off; this massive entertainment complex will bring out your inner child. It is an indoor amusement park offering several attractions, from a big ice rink to a bowling hall, from laser tag to an arcade game saloon. Gambling is indeed an option, and you shouldn’t be surprised to see lots of Capetownians trying their luck. For gourmets, the place provides lots of fine dining options, as well as budget restaurants. You will not want to leave once you enter.
Truth Coffee
Very few cities in the world can compete with Cape Town when it comes to third-generation coffee culture. Ranked by Telegraph UK as the best coffee shop in the world in 2014, Truth Coffee in District 6 is the most significant proof of this argument. From its steam-punk themed interior to the smell of exotic coffee beans, Truth Coffee is irresistible for anyone who visits District 6. It can even inspire you to learn to make your own coffee. Lucky for you, they have barista workshops that teach you everything from the history of coffee to drawing funny faces on the Mochaccino foam.
Honest Chocolate And Secret Gin Bar
Right in between Bo Kaap and Long Street, this central place is a chocolate patisserie by day and a gin bar by night. The owners have dedicated their lives to the art of chocolate by getting certified training in London to make chocolate and pastry without any additives. With a cozy backyard featuring a soothing pond, it is an excellent place to stop over and recharge yourself. On the other hand, it turns into the most demanded spot in town thanks to its secret gin bar in the backyard. The bar has a selection of nutritious gin and tonics infused with therapeutic herbs, so you should give it a try.
Rock Climbing
Just because it’s raining in Cape Town doesn’t mean you can’t keep up the physical work. Cape Town has several gyms with indoor rock-climbing facilities, but City Rock in Paarden Eiland is the closest to the city center. As if the vastness of the bouldering walls is not enough to make your heart explode, the management changes the bouldering routes every two weeks to bring in an element of surprise. Don’t worry if you don’t fancy rock climbing, the facility has the whole package of a high-quality gym, with rooms for Pilates, spinning, Zumba, and yoga. With a drop off rate of 70 ZAR, you can spend as long as you like and rent shoes.
Rush
Have you ever wanted to go back to your childhood to climb on that trampoline in your backyard again? As Cape Town’s indoor trampoline park, Rush guarantees to bring back the future nostalgia. The building features a massive trampoline covering 1700 square meters from wall to wall, foam pits, basketball hoops, dodge-ball courts, and other unique games that are hard to find elsewhere. The management is quite ambitious to add to the current features, so you never know what to expect. The venue hosts various events from corporate functions to weddings and birthdays, which gives you an idea of Capetownian’s quirky sense of amusement.
