We might not be able to leave our province yet under the current lockdown restrictions, but inter-provincial travel is allowed – which doesn’t give Gauteng families many options (yes, Harties is close – but it’s in North West, but we’ve managed to scrape together four places you can go to just for a change of scenery.
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Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens
While picnicking in the gardens is not allowed yet, your toddler will love the big open space to run around. Take him to see the waterfall and grab something to drink at the restaurant on your way home.
Lion & Safari Park
Take a self-drive through the Lion & Safari Park. Not only will the kids be happy to get out of the house, they’ll love seeing the animals up close (after months of only seeing them on TV). They are now also allowed to do guided game drives if you’d like to splurge a little and really make the day fun. The restaurant is also open for sit-down meals and the kids can watch how the lions are fed.
Visit lionandsafaripark.com for more info.
Rietvlei Zoo Farm
The kids will love Rietvlei Zoo Farm in the south of Joburg. While picnicking isn’t allowed here, you can fish next to the dam and get some take-aways and snacks from the food vendors on the farm.
Visit rietvleilifestylecentre.co.za for more info.
Dinokeng Game Reserve
If you’ve been to the Lion & Safari Park and would prefer a change of scenery, take a drive to Dinokeng Game Reserve. Grab a Dinokeng Visitor’s Guide if you’re doing a self-drive – this will keep the kids interested and entertained during the drive. They’ll be so busy trying to see if they can spot the animals in the guide that they forget you’re actually in the car.
Visit dinokengreserve.co.za for more info.
Xanet is an award-winning journalist and Living and Loving’s digital editor. She has won numerous awards for her health and wellness articles and was a finalist for the Discovery Journalist of the Year in 2009 and again in 2011 for the Discovery Best Health Consumer Reporting and Feature Writing category. She is responsible for our online presence across social media channels and makes sure our moms have fresh and interesting articles to read every day. Learn more about Xanet Scheepers.
