Things to do and places to go in Jozi
If the price of petrol were not so high this article would have made a lot more sense. But spending a weekend loitering around Johannesburg and surrounds remains one of the most fun things to do, and even on a beer budget you can have some champagne fun.
On an east to west journey, across two cities but where every pothole knows your name, there are so many things to do, taste, touch and feel that bemoaning a nothing-to-do-weekend simply has your own lazy shade of winter to blame. Joburg has a lot to offer.
Pack your picnic blanket, your kids and your pooch and head northwest down Beyers Naude. Just a little beyond Randpark a hard -to-find dirt road leads to Walkhaven dog park.
Walkhaven is a giant expanse of land set aside for you and your pet to enjoy long scenic walks along its forever lawns or a stroll around the dam. And on a sunny winter’s day, share a picnic with your family in one of its many wide-open spots. Just do not forget to take your poop scoop.
But there is more to Walkhaven. A restaurant with some great snackables is available as well as a pizza kiosk where generous toppings makes for a fresh off the coals, piece of Italian delicious. Walkhaven often hosts family events and is so much better than just taking to the streets for a brisk walk with Fido.
In its greater vicinity are the Sterkfontein caves, dubbed the Cradle of Humankind because our ancient ancestors lived here, too.
For a bit of history and quenching your paleoanthropological thirst, it is the goto for something a bit more educational but interesting.
The Cradle of Humankind really takes you back a step or two in time, and while some of the guided tours only touch information’s surface, it is well worth googling as much as possible before visiting and shaping your own picture of what life might have been like for Neanderthals.
On the opposite side of town, in Charlize Theron country, there is a lot to do, too. Benoni is home to Bunny Park, a great place for kids to play. It is also home to a multitude of dams and lakes, with some idyllic restaurants and markets.
Monkey Park is a small, standalone pet shop slap bang on the town’s rural outskirts.
But it is the backyard mini-zoo of monkeys, lizards, snakes and lemurs that make this an ideal kids’ party spot or a lekker twohour visit for the family.
Monkey Park also has a playground for kids and mom and dad can wind down with coffee or a soft drink and some oldschool corner-café style burgers.
A little further down is an exceptional little shopping centre called Uncle Tim’s Centre on High Road in Benoni.
Here, you will find the legendary Reliable Clocks, a retro-décor store filled with pop culture icons and opposite it an antique store.
Every first Sunday of the month Uncle Tim’s hosts an antiques fair.
Also, in the area there is strawberry and blueberry picking and Happy Land, the fun fair.