10 Mother City Resolutions to Make

Ditch the 'become a better you' list and resolve to better acquaint yourself with our city instead!

You’ve eaten all the mince pies, made merry with friends and family, pulled all the crackers and already secretly passed along the countless socks and soaps-on-a-rope you received in your stocking to other more grateful recipients. Now it’s time to set your sights on the New Year, and that all important little listicle of impossible resolutions you secretly have no intention of keeping beyond January.

Yes, you’ll go to the gym, cut out sugar, take up a new hobby, pay your bills on time, get a cat, invest in a proper serving platter, write to your aunt Mildred and start crocheting a new duvet for a week, but after that, the poor kitty is likely to be rehomed with your mom as you watch series on repeat with a doughnut guiltily in hand, and your crochet needles being used as a makeshift teaspoon to stir your tea. This year, ditch the list of improving pointers for a ‘new you’ and try some of these Cape Town oriented goals instead. If you’re feeling extra ambitious, you may even want to tackle this ultimate Mother City bucket list, which features 50 of the top CT to-dos.

1. Climb that mountain! If you’ve lived in the Mother City your whole life and have yet to ascend the behemoth that is the Table, it’s time to suck it up, lace up your takkies and get your game face on. This year, it’s your moment to ascend our mountain. There are countless routes to the top, so pick one that fits your fitness levels, gather your hiking clan, and bring plenty of water and snacks to get you through the ordeal. It’s really not that bad, especially if you head up the Constantia Nek trail to Bridle Path. If the Table seems a bit ambitious, there’s always Lion’s Head…

2. Try some new Cape Town cuisine: We just so happen to live in one of the top gastronomic gems in the world, so find your inner foodie and sample something new. Whether you finally succumb to that giant Gatsby with all the trimmings or learn to make curry in a hurry with a cooking lesson in the Bo Kaap, there’s plenty of top-notch titbits to whet your appetite.

3. Go on a road trip: We’re so spoilt in this city that often we just don’t leave it. This year, make a point of going on more road trips, whether you’re just heading out to Stellenbosch for a day of wine tasting or venture further afield to the likes of Robertson and McGregor. You don’t even need to leave the Cape Peninsula – there’s Kalk Bay, Simon’s Town and other sweet little spots to see, all within a 30 to 40 minute driving distance.

4. Get fit, Mother City style: Before you groan, check out this list of unusual ways to get fit in Cape Town. If keeping in shape is a resolution must for you, then you might as well try to enjoy it at the same time. This means ditching the treadmill in favour of more uncommon kinds of exercise, such as laughter yoga (before you laugh, try it), pole dancing (actually, an excellent way of staying slim), and roller skating (relive your childhood).

5. Try some rocking rooftop bars: It’s a bar on a roof – need more be said? Embrace your inner sophisticate, sip sensational cocktails, and gaze out at magnificent views of Table Mountain. This one should not be a hard one to tick off your city resolution list.

6. Watch a movie under the stars: Another one for the list, this classy activity is a favourite summer time must-do. The Galileo Open Air Cinema hosts daily movie screenings at myriad outdoor venues across Cape Town and the winelands. Simply check what’s screening when and where, book your seat and get ready to cuddle up under the light of the moon (such romance).

7. Make a new friend: Cape Town is notoriously cliquey, so play your part in breaking this stereotype by sidling up to someone new. Even if you just say hi, or help out a lost-looking tourist, a simple smile can go a mile to breaching our somewhat sad reputation (it’s cliché but true).

8. Don’t go to any of the major tourist hot spots – find their hidden equivalents instead: Go on, we dare you. Say sayonara to the busyness of Camps Bay and wave a breezy goodbye to the Sea Point promenade in favour of some lesser-known alternatives. Why not drive out to Witsand Beach for a surf, sneak off to Hout Bay for a walk along the coast or head to Vredehoek for a trendy coffee break?

9. Go to one of our galleries and museums: How long has it been since you last visited one of our city’s gorgeous art galleries? Or popped in to say hi to the dinosaurs at the Iziko South African Museum? Get reacquainted with your culture-loving self and make a beeline for one of the myriad historical and arty institutions on offer; extra points if you wear fake glasses and pretend to make intelligent unintelligible remarks whilst viewing the works.

10. Grow a beard or a top-knot. Just kidding. Please don’t; this city is already over-saturated with hipsters. In fact, make a point this year of not being a hipster. Ironically.

And there you have it friends; a list of easily achievable Mother City resolutions that we hope you’ll be able to keep! If you can think of any that we’ve missed out on, Tweet us @CapeTownMag.

By Samantha Corbett

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Interested in trying other super-cool Cape Town activities? Try to conquer this list of 11 Mother City to-do's you've probably never attempted before. 

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