Contrary to popular belief Johannesburg has a lot to offer the vacationer/traveller. Being historically and currently the Gold Mining capital of Africa there is much more to do than visit the mining museums although they are very interesting. There is even a theme park, Gold Reef City, built around one of the oldest mines. A definite day visit for the whole family when vacationing in South Africa.
Johannesburg must have the most diverse cuisine in the country. You will find restaurants that represent every culture and corner of the earth. For the Arts and Crafts enthusiasts you are in for a treat. The Rooftop Market is one of the largest arts and crafts markets in Africa. You will find all the arts, crafts and souvenirs you would want for your trip to Africa here and then you could enjoy the rest of your holiday relaxing. For the husband and children who don’t want to shop there are a number of restaurants and activities in the immediate area while the shoppers negotiate prices.
An extremely popular visit is now a guided tour of Soweto. I stress a guided tour, do not try it on your own.
Be warned though, Johannesburg, is the busiest city in South Africa. However the street systems are as advanced as any “first world” country. Now get out of the Rat Race of Johannesburg. Fifteen to twenty kilometres north away from the hustle and bustle is the “Cradle of Humankind”, declared a world heritage site. The theory is that creation stemmed from the cradle of human kind and the oldest human fossil was found in the caves, “The Wonder Caves”, recently featured as part of the television reality show “The Amazing Race”. Adjacent to them is a couple of game parks, large enough to wet your appetite for the great Kruger National Park later in your vacation. Now that you are familiar with the area you should do the “Crocodile Ramble” on the weekend. This will take you further north with numerous local artist attractions on the route. You will end up in the Haartebeestport Dam area, a weekend retreat for the locals in Johannesburg, which offers a multitude of water sports, hiking, biking, relaxation and recreation.
This is just a short list of attractions Johanesburg has to offer the tourist. World-class accommodations abound here for the businessman to the family vacationers. South Africa is fast becoming the “first world” vacation destination. Already real estate prices have rocketed after the international investor discovered the relatively cheaper property prices.