January is not about rushing back. It’s about finding your footing again.

After December, many of us are craving something softer. Less pressure. Fewer demands. More moments that help us ease into the year with confidence and calm. At the V&A Waterfront, that feeling comes naturally.

In our neighbourhood, summer doesn’t end when the calendar turns. It lingers in the harbour light, in warm evenings that stretch on, in the way people move a little more slowly and breathe a little more deeply. January is where Summer meets Reset.

The sun is still warm.
The breeze is still soft.
The evenings are still golden.

Life may be gently nudging us back toward new rhythms, easing kids into school mode, returning to work, settling back into wellness routines. But here, January doesn’t arrive with urgency.

It arrives gently.
Light. Simple. Joyful.
A soft landing into a beautiful year.

This is our Summer soft landing.
And this is your Ultimate Summer Reset Guide, the V&A way.

Begin with water and space
Everything in our neighbourhood starts with water and space.

A gentle walk along the quays as boats drift in and out of the harbour. Time at Battery Park while kids run free and parents pause for a moment. The steady presence of the ocean, quietly reminding us there’s no need to rush.

Take a ride on the Cape Wheel for a fresh view of the city and the bay, or step onto a harbour cruise or sunset boat ride as the day softens into evening. These are easy rituals. The kind that reset you without asking for anything in return.

Put joy first, especially for kids
January is about emotional readiness, not just school bags and stationery.

Parents are looking for ways to help children transition back with confidence, creativity and joy. In our neighbourhood, back-to-school becomes a summer adventure.

Start with creativity kits and school essentials from Yokico, PNA and Exclusive Books, then make the first day feel special with outfits from Country Road Kids, Woolworths, Naartjie, Keedos, Koco Bino and Cotton On.

Keep things light with summer haircuts at Mr Cobbs, Partners Hair Design, Edge and Carlton Hair, and balance the admin with joy: ice-cream rituals at Crumbs & Cream, Gelato Mania and Marcel’s, followed by outdoor play at Battery Park, where kids can SUP, kayak or skate with Kayaking Cape Town and Board Hub.

From 15 to 25 January, the LEGO® F1 Roadshow adds hands-on imagination to summer days, inviting kids to build, explore and create while parents relax into the moment.

And for curious explorers, the V&A Mini Explorers Club turns January into a passport-powered journey filled with food adventures, gemstone discoveries, marine fun and painting parties: experiences designed to build confidence through curiosity and play.

Let summer soften the transition. Begin with joy, not pressure.

Ease back into work, with summer still present
Work may be calling, but January at the Waterfront allows you to return gently.

Lighten the mood with breezy workwear from Woolworths, H&M and Fields, reset your space with desk essentials from Typo, and upgrade the tools you rely on every day at iStore and Incredible Connection.

Most of all, it’s about the pauses.

A slow morning coffee in the sun at Vida Café, Woolworths Café, Mugg & Bean, Shift Espresso or Pure Good Café.

A moment before the inbox takes over.
A reminder that summer still belongs in the working day.

Start the year refreshed, with sunshine still woven into the rhythm.

Move with the breeze
January is movement season, and our neighbourhood is your gym.

Wellness here isn’t about extremes. It’s about moving in ways that feel natural and sustainable.

Pick up activewear staples from Adidas, Burnt Studios and Athlete’s Foot, then walk, run or cycle along the scenic waterfront routes. Stretch, train or practise yoga in Battery Park’s outdoor spaces, with the harbour, mountain and city as your backdrop.

Stock up on supplements and wellness essentials at Faithful to Nature and Wellness Warehouse, and ease your way back into routine.

Keep it light. Keep it sunny.

Refresh your style, quietly
January is the perfect moment for a subtle style reset.

Discover summer-ready looks and newly opened stores across the neighbourhood : Old School for streetwear energy, Springbok Retail for proud rugby fans, Scene Eyewear for sunshine-ready frames and Atelier de Lunettes for refined luxury eyewear.

Add Summer Sale finds across the precinct, and a refresh begins to feel effortless rather than rushed.

No pressure. No urgency. Just what feels right for the year ahead.

Eat well, linger longer
Good food has a way of grounding us.

Begin your weekend at the Oranjezicht City Farm Market, now in its new home at the Waterfront, where fresh produce, local flavours and easy conversation set the tone for the day.

Then settle in for something special. Le Bistrot de Jan, now open in Cape Town, brings a new layer of culinary excitement to our neighbourhood. It’s the kind of place that invites you to slow down for a leisurely lunch, a sunset dinner, a table worth staying at.

Add to that favourites like Sevruga and Marble, and January meals naturally stretch into afternoons and evenings.

Coffee in the sun. Shared plates. Long conversations.

This is how January should taste.

Keep summer alive
Even as the year begins, summer is very much alive here.

Harbour lights flicker on at dusk. Boats return quietly to the quay. Public spaces remain open, social and welcoming.

A short visit after work.
A weekend wander.
An hour that turns into an afternoon.

These are low-commitment outings that still feel special. Ordinary days that still feel like summer.

In our neighbourhood, summer doesn’t rush you out.

Reset with purpose.
January is also a time to give back.

For the month, every Kids Passport sold supports the Shoebox Legacy School Build, turning small summer joys into something that reaches far beyond the season.

Purpose, gently woven into play.

Reset together
January is better when shared.

This January, start strong. Live lightly. Summer on!
Reset for what’s next. The V&A Way.