Skilpadvlei Wine Estate / Stellenbosch

The Wine Estate is in the hands of the Joubert family since 1917 and the farm name originates from a colony of turtles that once roamed the land. Today, Skilpadvlei is home to a lovely restaurant, a tasting room and guest cottages.

The restaurant offers breath-taking views of the Stellenbosch Hills and surrounding mountains. But the best part for families is the huge play area that is directly attached to the outside seating area. It is split in two different play areas: the toddler zone and a bigger jungle gym and trampoline for older children.

The toddler area features a smaller jungle gym as well as soft play toys and a sand pit.

The other part of the area features a much bigger jungle gym with slides, swings, a see-saw, climbing walls and a trampoline.

The entire play area is fenced so that the children can play safely and always in sight of the parents who can sit down, enjoy a breakfast or lunch along with some fabulous Skilpadvlei wines. You can check the restaurant menu here: MENU

In case you would like to enjoy a tasting experience, you can take a seat at the designated tasting area which is tastefully decorated and even features a small shop with jewellery and some fashion items. When it comes to the tasting, you have the choice between a standard tasting (4 wines) or a tasting with a cheesecake pairing. The kids can join in on the fun as they even offer a special Kiddies Tasting with 3 different drinks (juices and milkshake) along with biltong, popcorn and a chocolate bar. The kids will absolutely love it!

Our Experience

When we visited the wine farm for the first time, we were surprised by the size of the playground that is attached to the restaurant as well as the great variety of things to do there. The best part for us though: when we did the wine tasting, the kiddies got their own tasting experience as well which was super cute to watch and they were so proud that they could join in on the fun. The cheesecake that comes with the pairing is seriously one of the best cheesecakes I’ve had so far in South Africa. So definitely go for that option if you have a sweet tooth.

The wine was really really good. They only do 4 different varieties, but they all tasted delicious and we took home two of their Rose wines. The kids didn’t want to leave the playground and we all had a pretty fantastic time at the Wine Estate. We didn’t eat at the restaurant though, so we cannot commend on the quality of food. But from what we saw on the plates, it all looked very yummy.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Checklist

Opening Times: Mon – Sat 08:00 – 21:00, Sun 08:00 – 17:00
Age Group: 0 – 99
Prices: Wine Tasting (4 wines) = R40, Wine Tasting with Cheesecake Pairing = R100, Kiddies Tasting = R55
Baby Changing Facilities: Yes
Kids Menu: Yes
Fun Factor: 5/5
Free WIFI: Yes