School Holiday Getaway Spots Near The City

Short Getaways

African Pride Mount Grace Country House & Spa – Magaliesburg Nestled in the Magaliesburg, the African Pride Mount Grace Country House & Spa is the perfect place for a family escape. To keep the kids entertained, there’s the Kids Club, which caters to children of all ages over weekends (even the long ones) and school holidays. And while the kids are at the club, parents can indulge in a little alone time and get pampered at the award-winning Mount Grace Spa. Don’t forget to spend time as a family fly-fishing, mountain biking, and enjoying a meal at the Twist Restaurant. Gold Reef City – Ormonde Of all the places in Johannesburg, of course, Gold Reef City had to make it on the list of fun and exciting school holiday getaway spots. Who doesn’t want to vacay at The Gold Reef City Theme Park Hotel that’s located just metres away from a selection of rollercoasters, raging rapids, lazy boat rides, 4D Theatre experiences and a brand-new trampoline park? The theme park is a must for all ages. Kids and the young at heart will have a blast riding their choice of over 30 thrilling rides. There’s also Dr Doolittle's Animal Farmyard, a putt-putt course and a science exploratory area for those still too little to get onto the big rides. Emerald Resort & Casino – Vanderbijlpark Adventure awaits around every corner at Emerald Resort & Casino, making it a "funtastic" destination ideal for the entire family. There’s so much to do and so much to see, so make sure you make the most of it as a family these school holidays. Spend your days visiting Animal World, doing some fishing on the Vaal, reaching new heights while wall climbing, spotting animals on game drives, playing a few rounds of Adventure Golf or going for a strike at Pins Bowling Alley. And don’t forget your cozzies, towels, water wings and towels, because nothing will stop you from splashing around at the Aquadome (and for the winter months, aren’t heated pools and climate controls the best?). African Pride Irene County Lodge – Irene Want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and enjoy a country escape with your loved ones? Sounds like a fantastic idea, right? Well, then why not visit African Pride Irene Country Lodge these school holidays? For starters, it’s not too far from home (Pretoria), it offers a variety of outdoor activities to enjoy in the area (everything from angling, camping and game viewing tours to hiking and day or night game drives) and to top it all off, they offer loads of kids' activities and entertainment at the Kids Corner. Maropeng – Sterkfontein For some edutainment during the school holidays, why not head to Maropeng – the birthplace of humanity. Not only does this destination offer a relaxing and exciting getaway for the whole family, but it also has plenty of interesting and educational activities to explore. Book a room at the Maropeng Hotel and, once you’re settled, head out and take a tour through the interactive and enjoyable Maropeng Exhibition in the Tumulus building. A must-do while you’re in the area is the Sterkfontein Caves tours. You’ll have the opportunity to go deep into the caves, explore the exhibition filled with interesting information and fossils, and meet Mrs Ples, a skull from the over 2-million-year-old Australipethecus.

Day Trips

Acrobranch How about spending the afternoon swinging from tree to tree and tackling a few exciting, challenging and downright entertaining obstacles at Acrobranch? Not only is this a great way to get the kids away from the TV and all their gadgets, but it also gives parents the opportunity to join in on the fun with their little ones outdoors. There's even a Kids Course available for the young tots who cannot play on the big courses. Enjoy two hours of fun and adventure with Acrobranch – this is certainly a unique experience! BOUNCE Waterfall Not only great for exercise, BOUNCE Inc is just the place to have a blast jumping around as high as you can on a bunch of trampolines. Just think of a massive indoor trampoline park, complete with the "The Great Wall of Jozi", more than 100 interconnected trampolines and giant airbags with slam-dunk arenas, wall-running and dodgeball courts rolled in, there is no way anyone will be bored at this joint. Kids will get an adrenaline rush jumping high, doing a few aerial tricks, defying gravity and getting an awesome workout all in one. Montecasino Everyone who has been to Montecasino knows that there is plenty on offer to keep the young ones entertained during the school holidays. For starters, there's a Magic Company Game Arcade, filled with loads of cool gaming options to choose from (here's looking at you, Fruit Samurai and Dance Revolution). Next up is the Bird Gardens, complete with enchanted walkways, stunning gardens and a variety of colourful birds, mammals, reptiles and unusual animals from around the world. And for your viewing entertainment, head to Movies@Montecasino to catch the biggest and latest blockbuster movies from Hollywood, Bollywood as well as local films. It's easy to say that the kids will be entertained at this premier entertainment destination. Sci-Bono Discovery Centre Who says that learning has to be boring? Sci-Bono Discovery Centre in downtown Johannesburg is South Africa's largest science centre and offers both kids and parents loads of interesting and fun interactive exhibits to explore, touch, feel, press and play to their heart's content. And during the school holidays, there are exciting programmes to entertain the kids while keeping their minds active. Visit their site to find out what's in store for the kids with the next holiday programme. RollEgoli Get the kids away from their gadgets and out and about roller skating! RollEgoli is a great place for the kids to get active, have a blast and make new friends. There's nothing more entertaining than pulling on a pair of rollerskates, challenging friends to a roller rink race, or watching them try to get their bearings without falling. If skating isn't their cup of tea, there are other fun activities available, including a jungle gym, trampoline, zip line, and party areas. There's something fun for everyone. Remember that our “Top Picks” are not paid for and are compiled at the discretion of the journalist. We only write about what we love.