Johannesburg is a wonderfully colourful city and ideal for travelling to with children. Naturally you need to observe the necessary safety precautions (also have a look at my article on safety in Joburg), but with good planning Johannesburg is absolutely fantastic and your children will be grateful to you for the experience for a long time to come.
The mere fact that you don't have to spend a fortune on shopping trips and on the many delicious drinks and snacks already makes a big difference. I mean … where else can you still go to a theme park for less than 15 euros?
Family-friendly accommodation in Johannesburg
Johannesburg is a very child-friendly city. The residents love children, there is plenty to do and the hotels are charming and welcoming to their little guests.
Because safety was important to us, we chose a hotel in one of the safest neighbourhoods of Johannesburg: Rosebank Mall.
Another thing that mattered was child-friendliness. Johannesburg was the first stop after a journey of almost 24 hours, so we were looking for some comfort.
The Hyatt House Rosebank was ideal for us. Spacious family suites with separate bedrooms, a kitchen and a living area give you, as a family, the chance to find some peace in the evening. On the first evening we cooked for ourselves in the spacious kitchen, and at the end of our second day I could quickly do the laundry.
The hotel is a bit of a home away from home; you have all the comforts you have at home, but with hotel service.
So every morning we had a wonderful breakfast with a tasty vegetable omelette, barista coffees, juices, fresh vegetables and fruit, different kinds of bread, savoury and sweet toppings and cereals.
The restaurant also gives you that at-home feeling, with big cabinets and cosy little books displayed here and there.
Since we were back at the hotel fairly early in the evening, we also loved going for another swim at sunset or having a cocktail on the roof terrace.
There was also a secure car park and a receptionist ready with every tip imaginable.
Shopping in Johannesburg
With teenagers in the house, there's no escaping it. Shopping! We prefer to make it as enjoyable as possible with a bite to eat, a drink and pleasant surroundings.
So believe me when I say that the shopping malls in Johannesburg are worth it. They are big, modern and, apart from shops in every price range, they also offer loads of family-friendly entertainment and good food at reasonable prices.
As a bonus, they are also safe places to shop and have secure parking.
We went to Fourways Shopping Mall because they also have Adventure golf there.
Fourways is also the ideal place to shop for typically African items. The African Craft Market of Rosebank is one of the best places to buy traditional goods. What you buy there is genuinely traditional too.
If you're really after some shopping, the Sunday market in Rosebank is also a good place to go. It takes place on the roof of the Rosebank Shopping Mall and is a real market with stalls, but with a great view.
Getting around in Johannesburg
Taxis in Johannesburg are actually small minibuses. You see them driving around everywhere, the little white vans with a flashy drawing of the South African flag on them. Their safety is questionable.
We rented a car and simply drove around everywhere in our own hire car. Compared to Belgian roads, even the busy moments are pretty calm. Do bear in mind that you drive on the left, so that takes a bit of getting used to. In our experience a city is the perfect place to start driving, because there are lots of cars and you can ‘follow along’ a little.
Another safe way to get around in Johannesburg is by Uber, which is also cheap and easy to arrange and pay for via the app.
Walking is not recommended if you don't know the city. You could end up in the wrong neighbourhood and on foot you are more vulnerable than in a car anyway. If you do decide to walk, don't use your smartphone on the street. Go into a coffee shop to check the map and walk on with your phone put away.
There is also the train, which is perfectly usable. We didn't try this ourselves, though.
Township Soweto, a winner with children
Townships are a red flag for many visitors to South Africa, yet they can be visited safely if done the right way.
I had been told beforehand that a township is a great place to visit because it makes you stop and think about ‘the other side’. While I follow that reasoning, personally I don't feel comfortable with it. I love doing volunteer work, but simply visiting gives me personally the feeling of looking at people in little cages of poverty. In my view, these kinds of visits also feed more crime, because in the eyes of the people who live there, you have everything. That's also the reason we didn't go to the slums.
Soweto Heritage Walking Tours
We chose to visit an ordinary, pleasant neighbourhood in Soweto. Because we did want to be well informed about everyday life and the turbulent apartheid years, we opted for a local guide.
After some research online we found Soweto Heritage Walking Tours. The guide there took part in the Soweto Student Uprising herself, and Hector Pieterson, the little boy who was shot dead in cold blood, was her younger brother. The two events that were a significant step in ending Apartheid.
Many tours are run by students, some of whom even come from other countries. They certainly do a fine job, but a local guide shows you things in a way that has so much more depth.
So we met Toto, or Antoinette Sithole; she was a student herself during the Soweto Student Uprising and was there.
We also deliberately chose to highlight this part because it is the story of children between 6 and 16 years old. Young children who decided, behind their parents' backs, that it was time to end an era. Who ultimately rose up over the fact that they suddenly had to go to school in Afrikaans instead of Bantu, their own language.
Very confronting for my daughters … French is not their best subject, but imagine that it suddenly stopped being a subject and instead they had to do maths, science, history and so on in French. This would make it very hard to get their diploma and perhaps, unfairly, they wouldn't be able to do their dream job because of it.
Tours can be boring for young people, but by choosing a theme that is relatable to them, you make it more engaging.
Vilakazi Street
During the tour you also go to Vilakazi Street, where Nelson Mandela's house is. We were given a short tour inside the house. It was mainly the street itself that is fun for children. There are street artists at work everywhere, doing graffiti, there are tribal dances, guitarists, but also little shops, street food and DJs.
A winner with children!
Other winners with children in Johannesburg
Unfortunately time didn't allow us to explore more of Johannesburg, but we'll be back. Other winners still on our list are the A city after my own heart!
Johannesburg … it really is a vibe. We arrived here as ‘the scared white man’ and within two days were transformed into alert enjoyers. Despite the negative stories and precautions, you really can travel wonderfully with children here.
