Safari Ostrich Farm is one of the more straightforward places to understand why Oudtshoorn became the ostrich capital of South Africa. The tours show the birds up close, but they also explain the boom years when feathers paid for the town's ornate "feather palaces."
It is commercial, certainly, but it belongs to the local story rather than feeling like a generic roadside stop. Visit if you are curious about the industry behind Oudtshoorn's architecture, or if you are travelling with children who need a break from caves and long Karoo drives.