Camps Bay Beach, Cape Town

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I avoid it like the plague but even so, Camps Bay Beach Cape Town is far more than a magnificent sweep of sand backed by the Twelve Apostles mountains. And it's fairly family-friendly too.

Why am I not a fan? Probably 'cos I'm an African bush baby at heart and prefer to avoid bling and crowds ;). And I hate trawling for a parking spot.

Despite that, there's no shortage of wide-open space once on the Camps Bay beach! It is superbly spacious and of course there's all that world-class eating and drinking to be done!

What's the Camps Bay beach Cape Town vibe?

Alongside its Atlantic Seaboard sisters at Clifton, this is the place to strut your stuff ;).

If you have teens who are into the tan and beach scene (as opposed to surfing), they will likely vote with their feet day after day - Camps Bay is the place to talent watch!

Locals and visitors alike love the lifestyle aspect of it - laid-back beaching within reach of world-class coffee, wine bars and cafes. And that's before we investigate any of the serious restaurant options!

This is about THE most sought after accommodation spot for visitors, along with the V & A Waterfront.

Downsides (if any?) to the beach itself

• it's on the Atlantic side so colder water
• parking can be a jostling affair in season
• it's busy - if you have kids you need to be on the look out for them

Obvious Upsides...

• plenty of room to move
• lots of human action to watch
• great waves and a tidal pool at the southern end
• loads of coffee bars, cocktail bars, bistros and restaurants right on the beach stretch
• very vibey with plenty of bling

It's close enough to the City Centre to be convenient yet has this beachfront vibe. And it's packed full of eating and drinking options within strolling distance.

Unfortunately, I don't rate it for young-family-friendly because many of the restaurants are sidewalk-cafe-style which means a nightmare with smaller children. Once your kids are over the contant supervision stage it's fine :)

Camps Bay is a top accommodation choice for many because it is so convenient for the City centre and attractions like Table Mountain, the Waterfront and Robben Island but it feels totally out-of-the-hustle.