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Ten Things to Do Around Johannesburg South Africa

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The city of Johannesburg South Africa is an exciting place to visit. Be sure to check out these 10 things to do in this bustling city.

Monte Casino

Monte Casino is a casino, hotel and entertainment complex in Johannesburg. It offers a variety of dining options, entertainment options and shopping options. There are also accommodation options available at Monte Casino if you want to stay overnight after enjoying all the entertainment on offer there.

The casino offers a variety of games including roulette, blackjack, baccarat and poker. You can also enjoy live music at the Monte Casino’s many bars or watch a show at one of their entertainment venues.

The Palazzo Hotel at Monte Casino near Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.
Monte Casino near Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.
Monte Casino near Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.

Cradle of Humankind

The Cradle of Humankind is a World Heritage Site, which means it’s been recognized by UNESCO as having cultural significance. It’s one of the most important paleoanthropological sites in the world because it has fossils of hominids and other animals that lived in South Africa millions of years ago.

The site covers an area around 200km2 (80mi2) and includes many caves where our ancestors were found, including Sterkfontein Caves and Maropeng Visitor Centre (formerly known as “Wits Origins Centre”). The latter is located just outside Johannesburg on the way to Pretoria; you can visit it if you want to learn more about human evolution or get some great photos!

Cradle of Humankind (UNESCO World Heritage Site) near Johannesburg
Cradle of Humankind (UNESCO World Heritage Site) near Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.
Exhibit at Cradle of Humankind (UNESCO World Heritage Site) near Johannesburg, South Africa
Exhibit at Cradle of Humankind (UNESCO World Heritage Site) near Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.
Exhibit at Cradle of Humankind (UNESCO World Heritage Site) near Johannesburg, South Africa
Exhibit at Cradle of Humankind (UNESCO World Heritage Site) near Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.

Sandton City Shopping Centre

Sandton City is the largest shopping centre in Africa, and one of the largest in the world. It has over 400 shops and restaurants, a total floor area of 6 million square feet (1 million square meters).

Sandton City opened in 1973 as an enclosed mall with entrances on both sides of Rivonia Road–one facing Sandton Central, another facing Bryanston Drive. The centre was designed by architect Charles Nissen who also designed other famous buildings such as Sun City casino resort and Montecasino entertainment complex..

The mall has since expanded into neighbouring buildings, and was renamed Sandton City in 2006. The centre is now home to over 400 shops and restaurants, a total floor area of 6 million square feet (1 million square meters) and more than 70 parking bays. It also houses one of the largest food courts in Africa, with over 100 outlets offering a variety of cuisines from around the world.

Iconic Sandton City signage at the retail shopping centre in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.
Sandton City in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.
Sandton City
“Diamond Walk” at Sandton City in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.

Menlyn Mall Shopping Centre

The Menlyn Mall Shopping Centre is a large shopping centre in Pretoria, South Africa. It has over 300 shops and restaurants, as well as a movie theatre and bowling alley.

The mall is popular with locals on weekends when they go there to shop or have lunch at one of its many restaurants. If you’re looking for something fun to do on your weekend off from work or school then this might be the place for you!

The mall is open from 9am till late on weekdays, and 10am till late on weekends. There are also many other activities for people who have time to kill, such as the amusement arcade, movie theatre or the bowling alley.

MENLYN PARK EXTERIOR. PHOTO: ELOCATIONS
Menlyn Park
GRAND HALL UNDER THE TENSILE FABRIC ROOF. PHOTO: LEE RIVETT
GRAND HALL UNDER THE TENSILE FABRIC ROOF. PHOTO: LEE RIVETT

Voortrekker Monument

The Voortrekker Monument is a memorial to the Voortrekkers, who were Dutch-speaking settlers in South Africa during the 19th century. It was built in 1949 and is located in Pretoria, the administrative capital of South Africa.

The monument was designed by Rudolf Muhr and features three statues: a man on horseback with an ox wagon behind him; another man leading his oxen; and a woman nursing her baby while sitting on top of her wagon. The statues are set against an imposing granite hillside with bronze plaques illustrating important events from this period of history displayed along its base. The entire structure stands at about 30 meters high (98 feet) making it one of the largest statues worldwide!

Voortrekker Monument in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.
Voortrekker Monument in Johannesburg, South Africa
Voortrekker Monument in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.
Voortrekker Monument in Johannesburg, South Africa
Inside the Voortrekker Monument in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.
Voortrekker Monument in Johannesburg, South Africa
Voortrekker Monument in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.

Mustang Sally’s Pub & Diner, Pretoria

Mustang Sally’s is a fun place to go for lunch or dinner. The restaurant is designed with American diner memorabilia and the food portions are large. They’re known for their large and unusual dessert menu, which includes items like the “Chocolate Tornado” (a chocolate cake with ice cream) and “The Big Apple” (an apple pie).

Mustang Sally’s in Pretoria near Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.
Death by Chocolate Milkshake at Mustang Sally's
Death by Chocolate Milkshake at Mustang Sally’s in Pretoria near Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.

Guatrain Mass transportation system

The Gautrain is a rapid rail system that connects Johannesburg, Pretoria and OR Tambo International Airport. It has three lines: the Blue Line (Johannesburg – Pretoria), Red Line (Johannesburg – Sandton) and Green Line (Pretoria – Centurion). The Gautrain is convenient and efficient, with trains running every 15 minutes during peak hours and every 30 minutes during off-peak hours.

Guatrain Ticket Sales in Johannesburg, South Africa
Guatrain Ticket Sales in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.
Approaching train for the Guatrain system in Johannesburg, South Africa
Approaching train for the Guatrain system in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.
Guatrain seating in Johannesburg, South Africa
Guatrain seating in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.
Guatrain train system in Johannesburg, South Africa
Guatrain train system in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.

Lion & Safari Park, Johannesburg

Lion & Safari Park is the largest wildlife park in the world. The park was founded in 1974, and it currently houses over 2,000 animals from over 120 different species. It’s home to lions, giraffes and rhinos–to name just a few.

The Lion & Safari Park is located in the northern suburbs of Johannesburg (about 20 minutes away from Sandton). It’s open 365 days a year with hours varying depending on season: summer hours are between 9 am – 6 pm while winter hours are 8 am – 5 pm daily except Christmas Day where they open at 11 am instead!

Lion & Safari Park, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Lion & Safari Park, Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.
Lion & Safari Park, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Lion & Safari Park, Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.
Lion & Safari Park, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Tour vehicles at Lion & Safari Park, Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.

French Toast Coffee Cafe

French Toast Coffee Cafe is a unique venue that combines elements of both a coffee shop and art gallery. The building was originally built in 1912, but has since been renovated into what it is today. It was used as a film set for French Toast which was released on the 17th April 2018 and had its premiere at this venue!

The café has become known as “Bar Alexandre” within the film industry because it serves as one of the main settings where most scenes take place during production. A portion of this building has also been allocated as an art gallery where many pieces are displayed for sale by local artists – some of which appeared in French Toast!

French Toast Coffee Café offers not only delicious food options but also provides visitors with an experience unlike any other: during filming, certain elements were brought back from Paris so that people could enjoy them too (such as a 12m Eiffel tower). Other features include lock bridges where couples could seal their love forever through locks attached together with metal chains; these were also imported from France along with various other props used throughout filming process such as cars used by characters etcetera…

French Toast Koffie Kafee in Hartbeespoort near Johannesburg, South Africa
French Toast Koffie Kafee in Hartbeespoort near Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.
French Toast Koffie Kafee in Hartbeespoort near Johannesburg, South Africa
French Toast Koffie Kafee in Hartbeespoort near Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.
French Toast Koffie Kafee in Hartbeespoort near Johannesburg, South Africa
French Toast Koffie Kafee in Hartbeespoort near Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.

Saxon Hotel Afternoon Tea

If you’re looking for a place to have an afternoon tea, Saxon Hotel is the perfect spot. The hotel offers a great selection of teas, as well as delicious desserts and sandwiches. The Saxon Hotel is located in the city center and is popular for business meetings because of its convenient location near office buildings, banks, embassies and government departments. It’s also a great place to have lunch or dinner with friends or family–they even offer wedding services!

Saxon Hotel for Afternoon Tea in Johannesburg, South Africa
Saxon Hotel for Afternoon Tea in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.
Saxon Hotel for Afternoon Tea in Johannesburg, South Africa
Saxon Hotel for Afternoon Tea in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.
Saxon Hotel for Afternoon Tea in Johannesburg, South Africa. Photo: Lee Rivett.

Conclusion

We hope that you’ve enjoyed our list of things to do in Johannesburg South Africa. We know it can be a bit overwhelming when you’re first arriving in a new country and we wanted to make sure that this guide was as helpful as possible by providing you with some ideas for places where locals go for fun.

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