Millions of children across South Africa are getting ready to kick off their school shoes and cram Phineas and Ferb’s 104 days of summer vacation into their 9-day holiday. Whether you’re going away for the holidays or simply dreading the idea of your home turning into a live aquarium, we suggest you take the kids for a fun family day out! And with all the public holidays and extra school break coming up this April, you’ll want to keep this list handy:

JOHANNESBURG

1. Red Bus City Tour

Take advantage of the Citysightseeing Kids Special which runs over school holidays, public holidays, and weekends: Buy a 1-day Red Bus City adult ticket and get 2 free tickets for children under 18! PLUS, if you buy tickets online you’ll get a R20 discount. The red double-decker bus visits 11 exciting venues around Joburg, including Gold Reef City, Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, James Hall Transport Museum, and the Origins Centre.

Open: Daily with tours departing every 40 minutes between 9am and 5pm.
Cost: 1-day tickets cost R150 for adults and R70 for children aged 5 – 15. Kids under 5 are free.
Contact: 021 511 6000

2. Joburg Zoo

The Johannesburg Zoo is great to visit any day, but they have some special outdoor adventures lined up for the holidays!

• From 31 March – 4 April and 22 – 25 April, 9am – 1pm, kids aged 7 – 13 can enjoy animal feedings, crafts, and lots of games. Each day offers something different.
• On 24 April, from 10am – 12pm there will be a guided ferry tour for kids under 7 (accompanied by an adult) to see the animals.
• On 29 March and 24 April, the whole family is invited to a 90-minute Open Moonlight Tour to see the nocturnal animals at play. The tour starts at 5:15pm and costs R95 per person. Booking is essential.

Cost: Holiday activities cost R75.
Open: Daily from 8:30am to 5:30pm
Contact: 011 646 2000

3. Family Fun Zone

Situated inside the Kyalami Race Track, Family Fun Zone has a kiddies’ bike track, off road dirt track, giant indoor playgrounds, outdoor jungle gyms, mini soccer, volleyball, and a ski slope for tubing and bum boarding. Grown-ups can watch live sport in the lounge and bar area.

Open: Monday to Sunday, 8:30am till late
Cost: Free for parents and children under 1. From R50 for 1 hour for children aged 1 – 12.
Contact: 011 047 0129

CAPE TOWN

4. Visit the V&A Waterfront

There’s a reason why the V&A Waterfront is so popular: it easily has the highest concentration of things for families to do in 1 convenient spot. Aside from the Scratch Patch, Springbok Experience Rugby Museum, Galileo Open Air Cinema, and boat rides on the Jolly Roger Pirate Ship, you can look forward to the following holiday activities:

• From 31 March to 3 April at 3pm, kids and adults can enjoy a free show featuring the jaw-dropping acrobats and aerial acts of the Zip Zap Circus School.
• From 31 March to 5 April at 11am, kids can enjoy an free interactive show at the Cape Wheel and meet their mascot, Sam the Seagull.
• The Two Oceans Aquarium has guided tours, magic shows, face painting, puppet shows, arts and crafts, and more!

Contact: 021 408 7500

5. Butterfly World

Take a drive to Butterfly World in the Winelands and walk amongst colourful free-flying butterflies from as far as Costa Rice and Malaysia. You’ll also be able to interact with free-roaming parrots, marmoset monkeys, and blue duiker, as well as visit the reptile bay, indoor aviary, spider and aquatic room, and the outdoor section with meerkats and tortoises.

Open: Daily from 9am to 5pm
Cost: R58 for adults, R53 for students and pensioners, and R33 for children. Family tickets (2 adults and 2 children) cost R149.
Contact: 021 875 5628

 
6. Cool Runnings

This is Swiss Alps tobogganing South African style. Cool Runnings is Africa’s first summer toboggan track – a winding 1.2km steel half pipe on the grassy slopes of Tyger Valley. It’s an affordable way for the whole family to enjoy an outdoor adventure together as parking and entry is free and the single, multiple, and all-day unlimited rides are well priced.

Open: Tuesday to Friday from 11am to 8pm; and on weekends, public holidays, and school holidays from 9am to 6pm.
Cost: From R35 for children and from R40 for adults
Contact: 021 949 4439

Groupon is currently running a Cool Runnings special so book your ride today!

DURBAN

7. PheZulu Safari Park

PheZulu Safari Park offers an authentic African experience in the Valley of a Thousand Hills. Take a 1-hour game drive, learn about medicinal plants, visit the crocodile and snake park, watch the impressive Zulu dancing show, take a peek inside the beehive huts, and tuck into a traditional Zulu meal or crocodile steak at the Boma Restaurant.

Open: 8:30am – 4:30pm
Zulu dancing show times: 10am, 11:30am, 2pm, and 3:30pm
Cost: Game Drive costs R220 for adults and R110 for children under 12; Crocodile & Snake Park costs R45 for adults and R35 for children under 12; Zulu dancing show costs R100 for adults and R65 for children under 12.
Contact: 031 777 1000

8. Gateway

Gateway mall is unlike any other and you won’t have to drag the kids kicking and screaming. Littlies will enjoy the indoor carnival rides at Mr. Funtubbles Fabulous Family Funfairs, while bigger kids will have a blast with ten pin bowling, arcade games, dodgems, go kart racing, and paintball at Electric Avenue.  Then there’s still the XD Theatre, Science Centre, Wave House, and more!

Open: Individual activities vary between 9am and 11pm.
Contact: 031 514 0500

9. Duck ‘n Deck Animal Farm

If the house starts resembling a pig sty, take the kids to Duck ‘n Deck Animal Farm where they can touch and interact with the animals. They’ll have a blast running around with the exotic ducks and meeting “Alphie” the Alpaca and his farmyard friends.

Open: Tuesday to Sunday and public holidays from 9:30am to 4pm
Cost: R15 including a free packet of animal food. Children under 1 year are free.
Contact: 013 768 1029

ANYWHERE

10. Explore

Kids love adventure in all its disguises, so don’t for a second think that only big outings will impress them. Holidays are the perfect time to explore a part of your town or holiday destination that you’ve never seen before – or even visit an old favourite. Whether it’s a walk, hike, bike ride, family drive, train ride, picnic, swim at the beach, or visit to a museum; investing a little of your time and energy in your kids will help them discover more of the exciting world around us.

What family friendly outings do you recommend?