At the eastern end of the Garden Route, P.E. (as it's commonly called) is an industrial city fringed with excellent beaches. Allow most of a day to take the Apple Express steam train to see the scenic landscape north of town, Fort Frederick (built in 1799) and Settler's Park.
Along the Humewood Beach waterfront is the large Bayworld complex that houses a museum, an oceanarium and a snake park. It makes a nice refuge if you're in town on an all-too-common blustery day.
Addo Elephant National Park (about an hour's drive north) has Eastern Cape elephants, black rhinos and other animals. Most visitors will find two nights in P.E. sufficient.
400 mi/650 km east of Cape Town.