Simon's Town is rich in historical significance. The settlement was founded in 1743 as a winter anchorage by the first governor of the Cape, Simon van der Stel and named after him.

After the British had taken over the Cape in 1806, the town became a base of the Royal Navy. In 1957 it became a South African navy base.

A special attraction is the colony of Jackass Penguins at Boulders Beach. For some years now, under the administration of Cape Nature Conservation these cute birds are quite friendly with humans, but they don't want to be touched.