Published: 23/08/2010 by Alison Beere

Are you going to be caught short by the September school holidays again? Yes, they are nearly upon us and our family feels ready for a weekend getaway near Cape Town! What about yours?

Spring Break – with no Spring
The problem with September here in the Western Cape is that it is not yet totally Spring. This year may be different - although right now winter seems to be taking a last punch at us - but there's no guarantee that it will be totally warm by the end of next month. Camp sites make for a chilly holiday getaway option unless you are a hardy soul. And then there's the other problem…

No leave available - bah!
Yes, the other snag thing is that it's a short break. Which means taking leave and going away during the week is not such a priority. What to do to escape cabin fever and make the most of the time available?

Weekend getaways to the rescue :)
A change is as good as a holiday and a country getaway is a great way to blow the cobwebs away. Fortunately around the Cape there are plenty of places that offer a change of scene to prepare yourself for the manic 4th term to come. What are the top spots?

Festivals abound
Top of the pops for vibe and accessibility has to be the Hermanus Whale Festival, and there are loads of holiday cottage options from basic to fancy that will make a great home away from home for the weekend. However, if you don't want to get that far out of town, you could be a tourist in your own city?

Simons Town and the deep South
Our personal favourite places to stay are down towards Cape Point. Simonstown, Scarborough, Kommetjie and Noordhoek are all far enough away to feel like a total break, but less driving than actually leaving the city :).

Just beyond city limits
And a perfect happy medium between 'stay home' and 'travel far' is the West Coast or Winelands where you can find a farm cottage and settle down amongst the flowers or vines to watch the countryside come back to life around you.

You're just in time to start planning
No time to lose! Get cracking and you'll have it all sorted without the last minute scramble.