Old Mac Daddy is a luxury trailer park on an apple farm in the Elgin Valley. Each trailer is individually decorated with a specific theme and all are linked through boardwalks. Attached to each trailer is a bathroom, a living room with an awesome view and a sundeck with chairs. Really an awful lot of space! Elgin is only about an hour’s drive from Cape Town, so perfectly situated for a quick getaway. From the moment I heard of it, I wanted to take my future daughter there …
I adopted Rosie on 5 December and recently, we made the journey from Cape Town to Old Mac Daddy. Rosie slept like a rose the first night. They had put a camping cot in the living area. I found that a bit too far away from where I sleep in the trailer so during the night I picked up Rosie and put her next to me in bed. She babbled for a bit but then went on to sleep until 8am. We had breakfast in a lovely room with a view of the farmland. I’d prepared Rosie’s meal myself (banana, mango and yoghurt) because I wasn’t sure what they would have and I don’t want to give her any sweetened stuff.
Old Mac Daddy Farm is a cool place to go with a baby that doesn’t crawl or walk yet. Once they start crawling or walking I would be a bit nervous. I guess one would have to ask for one of the trailers that are situated a bit lower. Ours is quite high up and the boardwalk is not fenced so your kids need to be big enough to be safe. There are a few trailers situated next to the dam so that would be more convenient. Because I had decided on the spur of the moment to leave the city for two days, this was the only trailer that was still available. I’m exercising, walking up and down from the restaurant and pool area to our trailer (Rosie = 9 kg).
Relaxing by the pool with Rosie at Old Mac Daddy
I loved the fact that I could sit on the deck, in the morning shade, and write away with the most awesome view, and catch up on all the blogging I still wanted to do. Since having Rosie, I have not really had the time to blog. The days just fly by.
The restaurant at Old Mac Daddy offers breakfast, lunch and dinner so you don’t really need to leave the farm if you don’t feel like it. In the afternoon we went down to the pool area where we met other guests. Everybody was really chilled and just enjoying being in the countryside.
10 tips for staying at Old Mac Daddy as a single parent with a kid
1. Bring breakfast for your child because breakfast only starts at 8am. They were very accommodating in giving me a plate and bowl for the room. There’s mini bar fridge so you can stock it with your baby food.
2. Be specific about the location of the trailer when you make a booking.
3. Bring a play mat or blanket.
4. Don’t bother about bringing a pram, you can’t use it here.
5. Bring books for yourself, there’s no TV or other entertainment (which is GREAT).
6. Order a bottle of wine and take a glass or 2 each meal instead of ordering by the glass.
7. Bring a baby radio. Baby can sleep while you sip wine at the bar!
8. Take loads of pictures of your baby enjoying the fresh air, friendly staff and happy surroundings.
9. It’s a working farm so it’s not necessarily a quiet place. This morning we had tractors coming past, helicopters flying over and now there’s a truck delivering something and it’s only 10am (bit of a challenge to have Rosie take her morning nap…)
10. Bring two-pin adapters. I managed to get one from reception but they don’t have them in the rooms so you can’t charge anything.
Loved our quality time away from the city and am looking forward to our next road trip.
For more information, visit www.oldmacdaddy.co.za
Looking for accomodation in Elgin Valley? Checkout Getaway Accomodation.
Related: 10 summer weekend breaks from Cape Town
