We were excited to find family friendly wineries in Stellenbosch! When it came time for our amazing safari experience to end, we hopped a plane back to the Western Cape and continued on with our South African adventure. These top 2 wineries to visit in Stellenbosch with kids are ones not to miss!
After we saw all the sights in Cape Town and enjoyed all the wild animals in the bush, we were ready to relax a little before heading back to Germany.
And what better place than the winelands just outside of Cape Town! Think the Margaret River region in Australia or Sonoma, California...only with these gorgeous mountain tops as our background.
There are various wineries which are kid-friendly and a few even have a play center to drop off the littles while you sample all the vino until your heart is content. The ones with play centers are generally an all-around more expensive experience, though.
We decided to see the kids with us and go with the wineries which had lots of outdoor space or a playground attached. One specific winery had a water feature the kids fell in love with. More on that in a bit...
Deciding to have small children accompany you to one of these delightful places is an entirely different experience than making it an adult's only venture. If you are in the market for a tour or day trip around the winelands sans children, then I highly recommend checking out Trip Advisor's list.
As I mentioned earlier- we did our research on the best wineries to visit in Stellenbosch with kids, and we were not disappointed with the two options we chose. They featured playgrounds, kid-friendly picnic options, and lots of green space.
Spier Wines was our first winery visit -
R310 Baden Powell Road, Stellenbosch
We chose to book a picnic for our family and purchased a bottle of this deliciousness to enjoy while there.
The kids mainly relished the freedom of no longer being boxed up in the car.
I mean, who truly needs a playground when you have nature to climb?
For The Kids: If you make a visit to the Spier wine farm, children get three grape juices to taste and a coloring activity sheet about insects in the vineyard. This should keep them entertained for a bit while sampling their two sparkling grape juices and one still. Your children will enjoy being included in the "wine tastings."
If you are looking for a hearty meal after a light picnic in Stellies (Stellenbosch to the locals), be sure to make a stop at Tiger's Milk. They have several locations around the Cape, but we put this on our list while out and about in the wineland region. It's a great spot to visit in Stellenbosch with kids! Fab selection of burgers, pizza, and other grilled bites. Their tagline says it all "Dude Food Made Real Good." The outside seating is a plus for the kids, not to mention enjoying a refreshing pint on the porch as well.
Warwick Wine Estate was our second winery visit -
On the R44 between Stellenbosch and Klapmuts
GPS Co-ordinates - 33 50 27 S - 18 51 54 E
This was our favorite discovery! We booked a picnic here as well, but the kids had their own unique boxes filled with yummy eats and treats, like homemade marshmallows and popsicles.
Side Note: if you notice the architecture atop the main buildings, it is reminiscent of Dutch design. As a former history teacher, I find it fascinating to see Dutch influence even in the historic construction of the vineyard buildings. A few vineyards in Australia are the same way- plus the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas. Fun facts, but I digress...
The cushy lawn pillows under the umbrella were my favorite. Perfect for lounging with a chilled glass.
There was a playground, splash pad, and fountain which the staff encouraged the littles to enjoy. We didn't bring swimsuits, but this is where it comes in handy to always have a change of clothes in the car...or a simple pair of athletic shorts, because it was summertime in South Africa after all!
And if I'm being completely transparent, we wanted to check out Leopards Leap because we read it was super kid-friendly and had two massive jungle gyms. Well, we went in and they clearly did not want our business. The tasting room was sparsely full and no one was on the grounds outside. Still unsure why they refused our business, but a heads up if looking into Leopards Leap. The area of Franschhoek where the winery is located is breathtaking, but our short experience was embarrassing and disheartening. Nevertheless...onwards!
Much more to see, taste, and experience in the wineland region of South Africa.
Chef's Warehouse at Maison
Travel to Franschhoek on the R45.
GPS CO-ORDINATES:
-33.886172,19.077948
This place caught our attention from the road, and it was calling our name for dinner. So glad we made the decision to pump our brakes! The incredible dinner view from the porch and sunset stroll through the vineyard afterwards made it worth the stop.
Bonus: It's no secret we are full-on lovers of AirBnB's for SO many reasons. But this one took the cake when traveling with little kids. It had a massive play room open to a beautiful deck, safety gated swimming pool with a large variety of floats and toys, plus a tree house complete with swing and slide. A sandbox and assortment of lawn toys could be found underneath.
Let me know if you are interested, and I'll happily pass along the info! It was a gem, and the owners were top-notch as well. Hubby and I were happy to come back here every evening to fully relax. The early mornings were amazing as well. We didn't have to worry about them escaping, drowning, or hurting themselves. Win! Win! Win!
If you find yourself planning a trip to South Africa, definitely don't miss out on the winelands or think you need to skip it because you have babes in tow. I hope you enjoyed my review of the Top 2 Wineries to Visit in Stellenbosch with Kids. Let me know if you have questions about planning, and be sure to save this post for later!
Want details of our next trip? Sign up below!
About
