The Garden Route National Park, which is managed by the South African National Parks organization, encompasses a stretch of land from Wilderness all the way to Tsitsikamma National Park straddling the Western and Eastern Capes.

Mossel Bay: The official start to the Garden Route, a sleepy coastal town with nice beaches and some cool things to do
Wilderness: A small coastal town with a long, wide stretch of beach, tons of hiking and outdoor-loving population
Wilderness National Park: A protected area of indigenous forests, various lakes and winding waterways between the larger towns of George and Knysna
Knysna: Most-visited stop along the Garden Route, Knysna features an island-dotted lagoon making it perfect for water sports and outdoor activities
Garden of Eden: A small oasis in Harkerville Forest with a 1 km boardwalk, just off the N2 between Knysna and Plett
Plettenberg Bay: A seaside town adjacent to the Robberg Nature Preserve peninsula with lots to do and explore
Nature’s Valley: A small resort town with a beach on the edge of Tsitsikamma National Park
Bloukrans Bridge: One of the tallest commercial bungy jumps in the world, standing at 216m above the Bloukrans River near Nature’s Valley
Storms River: Technically the last stop on the official South African Garden Route, first crossover into the Eastern Cape, and nearest town to Tsitsikamma National Park
Tsitsikamma National Park: Translating to “the place of much water” this protected area encompasses kilometers of rocky coastline at Storms River Mouth, reefs and other seascapes as well as temperate forests
Since many travelers are driving the Garden Route coming from either Cape Town or Gqberha (Port Elizabeth), there are a few other notable stops along the route that aren’t part of the Garden Route National Park, but are nonetheless still worth a stop if you can fit into your itinerary.

Hermanus: Seaside resort town known as a premiere destination for whale watching from June – September
L’Agulhas: A coastal resort town located on the southernmost tip of Africa on the mainland
Oudtshoorn: A town in the inland Klein Karoo area of the western Cape known for its ostrich farms and the Cango Caves system
Jeffreys Bay: A laid back surf town and mecca of sorts for surfers due to its right-hand point break
Addo Elephant National Park: A diverse wildlife conservation park near Gqberha that allows for self-drive safaris with a good chance or spotting elephants among other large African wildlife