Vacation rentals in Stanford

The countryside village of Stanford sits on the banks of the Klein River in the heart of Western Cape’s Overberg District in South Africa. The beautifully preserved town is known for its Edwardian and Cape Victorian architecture, and you’ll discover plenty of green open spaces around the community, as well as a lovely square that hosts food markets stocked with local, organic produce. The region is known for its vineyards, which produce cool-weather sauvignon blanc and shiraz, as well as an award-winning microbrewery.

Beyond the town, you’ll find a variety of scenic hiking and mountain-biking trails that will take you through the forests, mountain fynbos, and rivers surrounding the area. The Stanford Walking Trail runs along the edge of the Klein River and provides birdwatchers the chance to observe blue cranes and Cape eagle owls. You may also want to drive through the Akkedisberg Pass, 10 miles east of town, for fantastic panoramas and hiking the scenic trails of the Walker Bay Nature Reserve. If you head to the coast, you may even spot whales and dolphins in the distance.

This section of the Western Cape sees relatively consistent, and temperate, weather conditions over the course of the year — its warmest days are rarely scorching, and its winters never see ice or snow. Stanford’s driest, warmest months occur in fall (April to May) and spring (October to December). December through February, Stanford sets up a monthly country market in the market square that teems with visitors and locals. The winter months of June and July are the wettest, most humid times of year, when you’ll want to have rain jackets and umbrellas on hand. Nevertheless, you’ll still find plenty of art galleries, historical attractions, and museums open if you visit during this time.

Walker Bay Nature Reserve

Just over a half hour west of Stanford is the Walker Bay Nature Reserve, nearly 2,500 acres of white-sand beaches, limestone outcrops, and miles of hiking trails along coastline and through fynbos-lined landscapes. This is one of the best places on the cape for whale watching from land, as hundreds of southern right whales gather in the bay to breed and calve every August through November. The Klipgat Cave, accessible via boardwalk at the De Kelders Gate, is the site of archaeological findings from the Middle and Late Stone Ages that have shown that humans have been dwelling in this area for hundreds of thousands of years.

Harold Porter Botanical Gardens

Harold Porter Botanical Gardens is along Route 44, a beautiful coastal road between Betty’s Bay and Gordon’s Bay. The gardens lie at the foot of the mountains beside the sea, and beneath the mountain slopes and adjacent to deep gorges, you will find forests, fynbos, wetlands, and coastal dunes. Over 60 bird species, including the orange-breasted sunbird and the Cape sugarbird, call the area home. It’s a fabulous place if you’re looking for somewhere peaceful and serene. You’ll find picnic places and, during summer, the gardens host sunset concerts.

Hermanus

The coastal town of Hermanus, a 30-minute drive west of Stanford, offers some of the best hiking trails in the area, including the 7-mile Hermanus Cliff Path, which leads up the face of rocky cliffs and descends to Grotto Beach, offering views of Stanford to one side and the sea on the other. The town itself is home to galleries, boutiques, and jewelry shops, as well as landmark restaurants. The town’s farmers’ market, held every Saturday, will equip you with fresh produce and homemade goodies, and monthly markets offer handmade crafts, artwork, and clothing.