Johannesburg, Jo’burg, Jozi, eGoli. Call it what you will, the reputation of South Africa’s biggest city won’t have passed you by. But high crime rates – now thankfully on the turn – aren’t the end of the city’s story.

Plus, as the site of the country’s primary international airport, there’s a good chance you’ll end up in Johannesburg at least overnight. It would be a real shame to waste that time locked up in a hotel in one of the city suburbs.

Born out of the discovery of gold in 1896, Johannesburg fell into decline with the ‘white flight’ of the transition between apartheid and multiparty democracy a hundred years later. As families moved out to the suburbs, undesirables moved in.

Now however, communities are taking back the streets, as demonstrated by redevelopment of Newtown and Maboneng. So while I do urge caution – as I do anywhere in the world – don’t let the headlines stop you checking out the current buzz around Johannesburg’s best things to do.

1. Apartheid Museum

Opened in late 2001, the Apartheid Museum is located midway between Johannesburg’s CBD (Central Business District) and Soweto. Part of the Gold Reef City amusement park, its prison-like structure houses the foremost study of the country’s former policies of racial segregation.

Both hard-hitting and touching, the realities of apartheid are brought to life through cleverly thought-out curation. This includes having two entrances, with visitors randomly split between them.

Inside, the exhibits and displays don’t shy away from 40 years of events, including the Sharpeville Massacre and Soweto Uprising, days that led to the deaths of hundreds of innocent civilians.

2. Johannesburg Art Gallery

Right at the heart of Jo’burg in Joubert Park, Johannesburg Art Gallery has a collection larger than any other similar museum in Africa. Containing 15 connected gallery spaces and a small sculpture garden, its exhibits range from 17th century Dutch works to modern homegrown art.

Although the gallery has its fair share of well-known names, including Rodin, Picasso, and Moore, the main reason to visit is to learn more about South African art. The gallery was the first in the country to purchase a work by a black artist – Gerard Sekoto’s Yellow Bricks in 1940. Additional names to look out for include Jacobus Pierneef, Sydney Kumalo, and Walter Battiss.

3. Newtown

Just south of Johannesburg’s main train station (the largest anywhere in Africa), Newtown isn’t all that new after all. Dating to the founding of the city in the late 1800s, and then known as Brickfields, it therefore has several historically important buildings, including Turbine Hall.

The pleasantly quiet streets of Newtown are known for their performance spaces, which range from The Market Theater to the Carfax live music venue. It’s also the location of the child-friendly Sci-Bono Discovery Center science museum and The Workers’ Museum.

4. Constitution Hill Human Rights Precinct

The seat of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, Constitution Hill is no dry courts complex. Instead, it’s a structure dating back to the earliest days of Johannesburg. A fort turned prison turned museum, it’s walls have incarcerated names including Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela.

Made up of three main buildings, the Old Fort, Women’s Jail (or Gaol), and Number Four (or Native Prison), the museum plays another important part in recording the devastating effects of apartheid. There’s a café filled with tasty treats, alongside a perpetual Flame of Democracy lit by Mandela on the fifteenth anniversary of South Africa’s new constitution in 2011.

5. Johannesburg Botanical Gardens

Covering an area of 81 hectares, Johannesburg Botanical Gardens wasn’t set up until 1969. Since then, an area of grasses used as a driving range for golfers has been converted into a much-loved recreation area.

Divided into a number of small gardens, visitors will find an arboretum of trees from around the world, a succulent garden of 85 species, and Shakespeare garden, with herbs mentioned in the bards plays. That’s in addition to a rose garden and reservoir created by the Emmarentia Dam.

6. Soweto

Soweto, once short for the South-West Townships, was created to house non-white Johannesburg residents outside of the city center. The scene of various anti-apartheid actions, including the Soweto Uprising of 1976, it today contains several important landmarks.

Best explored as part of an organized tour, Soweto’s landmarks start with Walter Sisulu Square. A wide grassed square, it acts as an open-air museum detailing the creation of the Freedom Charter – the principles put forward for a democratic South Africa. Elsewhere, there’s the Mandela House Museum, and the 33 story high Orlando Towers. Covered in bright murals, these former power station cooling towers now make for one of the world’s most exciting bungee jumping spots.

7. Origins Center

South Africa’s history isn’t limited to apartheid, or even European colonization from the 1650s onwards. At the Origins Center, it’s possible to step back more than two million years. Dedicated to the journey of human evolution, this museum helps to unravel not only our biological evolution, but also our development of art and culture.

Focusing on humans from southern Africa, the Origins Center protects an impressive array of rock art for future generations. Many belong to the San, the people who inhabited much of South Africa before the arrival of Europeans. Other exhibits include stone tools, all within an impressive state-of-the-art museum space.

8. Maboneng

Heralded as one of the most successful regeneration programs in the world, today’s Maboneng Precinct is awash with cool things to see, do, and taste. A destination par excellence for lovers of all things artistic, street art brightens the area’s thoroughfares while Art on Main is home to various studios.

Along with Main Street, its Fox Street which is the heart of the neighborhood, and it’s here you’ll find no shortage of trendy coffee shops and cafes. Nightclubs take up the slack from late evening onwards, particular on Saturday night, when Maboneng is undoubtedly the place to head for a good time. Stay awake long enough, and you can even turn your attention to Sunday’s Market on Main, at Art on Main.

9. Museum Africa

Taking up the whole of one side of Mary Fitzgerald Square, Museum Africa occupies a fruit and vegetable market building constructed in 1913. Its remit is to cover the cultures of the entire continent. It does this through its displays of musical instruments, masks, traditional clothing, and other items.

But Museum Africa also contains an image-based exhibition highlighting the changing face of Johannesburg over the ages. Additional exhibitions go into the Rivonia Trail which saw Mandela imprisoned for 27 years, and the history of photography in South Africa.

10. Gandhi Square

Situated in Marshalltown, an area of shining office blocks belonging to the big banks, Gandhi Square is a large plaza named after the Indian activist – a lawyer in Johannesburg early in his life. Once incredibly down at heal, the regeneration of the square has seen shops and cafes return to this important location.

It was here, when known as Government Square, that Afrikaner Boer forces surrendered to the British military to end the siege of the city in 1900. On the edge of the area a number of beautifully designed heritage buildings have avoided the onslaught of the modern tower blocks.

11. National Museum of Military History

This is a large museum consisting of indoor and outdoor exhibits detailing the role of the South African military throughout the country’s sometimes turbulent history. Its vast array of items on display include multiple tanks, and aircraft, including historic planes such as a Spitfire and Messerschmitt 109, both from World War Two.

Together with smaller objects, the collection records the involvement of the South African armed forces from the Anglo Boer Wars of the early 1900s to the free elections of 1994. Its grounds also contain the impressive Anglo Boer War Memorial designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

12. Braamfontein

With two major universities nearby, you can be sure there’s always something interesting going on in Braamfontein. A fashion and music hub, the weekend is usually the best time to visit this part of Johannesburg, since students are free of their lectures.

Things to do include the ‘Neighborgoods Market,’ which started in Cape Town before spreading to Jo’burg. Here visitors and locals alike can peruse two floors of clothing, food, and drink. The rooftop bar makes the most of the location. Not far away there are more traditional stores sharing the latest in cool, as well as a rooftop farm.

13. The Wilds

The Wilds is an inner-city park and nature reserve in the Houghton neighborhood of Johannesburg. Sixteen hectares in area, it encloses two koppies, or rocky hills, which provide attractive views back to the center of Jo’burg.

However, the main attraction of The Wilds is its artworks, largely comprising brightly-colored laser cut animals created by local artist James Delaney. They began with an owl forest, containing almost 70 of the birds. The various artworks can be seen thanks to eight kilometers of paths cutting through largely indigenous flora.

14. Hop-on Hop-off Bus

A regular sighting in cities the world over, Johannesburg’s hop-on hop-ff tourist buses shouldn’t be discounted. This is especially true given the size of the city if you’ve only got a few hours going spare.

They tend to run on two different routes, with one sticking to sights within the center of the city and the other going further afield. Commentary provides a little background to what you’re seeing – aim for seats on the open top deck if the weather is good.

If nothing else, these buses are a great way of getting to the Apartheid Museum without your own transport.

15. Wits Art Museum

The architecturally stylish Wits Art Museum came into being in 2012, making it one of Johannesburg’s newest attractions. Boasting 10,000 individual works of art, the gallery’s 5,000 square meters of exhibition space contains a tightly curated selection of both traditional artworks such as carvings, and contemporary creations.

The crisp white interior really makes each of the objects on display sing, whether that’s modern South African photography, fabrics, watercolors, or sculpture.

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Affectionately known as Bloem (pronounced ‘bloom’), Bloemfontein is one of South Africa’s three joint capitals, alongside Cape Town and Pretoria. The largest city in Free State, which occupies largely flat grasslands to the north and west of Lesotho, it may not be an obvious first tourist destination.

However, this spacious, cultured ‘city of roses’ has enough attractions to keep most visitors busy for a couple of days. Here then are the 15 best things to do in Bloemfontein.

1. Franklin Game Reserve

Get up close and personal with zebra, wildebeest, and giraffe without the bars of a zoo enclosure or even the protection of a safari vehicle at Franklin Game Reserve. A hilltop reserve completely surrounded by the city, it sits on Naval Hill. Covering 250 hectares, it’s been a unique protected space for nearly one hundred years.

Although traversable by car – its tracks are wide enough to do so – your best chances of encountering its wildlife are on foot. Bear in mind though that it will take at least an hour to circle the site, and tall grasses can limit viewing chances.

2. Oliewenhuis Art Museum

A manor house in the Cape Dutch style, the structure housing Oliewenhuis Art Museum was actually only built in 1935 although it looks much older. Becoming the residence of the Governor General of South Africa and then its presidents, it also played host to King George VI and princess Elizabeth – who become Queen Elizabeth II.

Converted into a museum in the 1980s, the first floor of the museum is dedicated to twentieth century artworks, largely by South African artists. Its grassy grounds contain several short walking trails, taking in a number of sculptures of various styles.

3. First Raadsaal

Located centrally on Saint George Street, and almost lost amid more recent buildings, the First Raadsaal is a simple stone and thatch building used as a museum to detail the history of the Orange Free State.

Constructed in 1849 with a pounded dung floor, it acted as the state’s first parliament building, or raadsaal. Now Bloemfontein’s oldest surviving building, its history also includes use as a church and as a school. While on Saint George Street, consider visiting the Wagon Museum next door too.

4. Maselspoort Resort

If you’re looking for a few days of rest and relaxation, Maselspoort Resort could be the place for you. Located approximately 30 minutes outside of Bloem, this tranquil area of bushveld has become a renowned place to unwind.

Overnight visitors are able to book one of the plain but comfortable chalets, while activities range from non-motorized water sports to tennis and walking trails. However, its fishing on the Modder River which is very much the order of the day.

5. National Museum

The National Museum offshoot in Bloemfontein is akin to a natural history museum, with collections centered around life on planet earth. Its large collection of fossils includes the Florisbad skull, which has been vital to scientists studying human evolution.

But its displays also cover archeology, ethnographic exhibits, grander themes including the creation of the solar system, and the recreation of a street scene depicting 1900s Bloem. Just in front of the museum is Hertzog Square, where there’s an impressive statue dedicated to General Hertzog, a key player in South Africa’s political history.

6. Waaihoek Wesleyan Church ANC Birthplace Museum

A humble red brick church behind the concrete cooling towers of a city’s power station isn’t usually a tourist attraction. A South African National Heritage Site since 2018, this church is recognized as the birthplace of the Native National Congress, which went on to become the ANC.

The party of Nelson Mandela, and which still governs South Africa, the ANC was founded at this church in 1912 through a meeting of representatives, chiefs, and leading black academics. As such, this church laid the ground work for decades of protest, eventually leading to multiparty elections in 1994.

7. Happy Valley

On the eastern edge of Bloem’s Westdene suburb, Happy Valley is a region of untouched natural landscapes used by hikers and off-road cyclists. A mix of hillside grasslands and wooded sections, its trails fall under the general category of challenging, although still easy enough for children as well as hardened walkers to enjoy.

At 2.7 kilometers in length, you don’t have to reserve a whole day to enjoy Happy Valley either. Most people can complete the main walk in around an hour. Although free of facilities, Oliewenhuis Art Museum isn’t all that far away, making a great two center morning or afternoon of attractions.

8. The Old Presidency

Impressively grandiose, the Old Presidency sits on President Brand Street right at the heart of Bloemfontein. Also known in Afrikaans as Ou Presidensie, it was built in the 1880s to act as the presidential residence of the Orange Free State – then an independent nation.

Costing £12,200 to build, it served as the official residence of three presidents before being taken over by the British. Eventually becoming a museum detailing the lives of Presidents Brand, Reitz, and Steyn, it’s worth exploring to discover what life was like in South Africa during this period of the country’s history.

9. National Women’s Memorial

The National Women’s Memorial is similar in scope to the Washington Monument in DC, primarily comprising of an obelisk of stone blocks. It was built to commemorate the estimated 27,000 civilian Boer women and children of the Orange Free State who perished in concentration camps put together by British forces during the Second Anglo Boer War between 1899 and 1902.

Partly paid for by public subscription, the monument also includes the final resting place of a British woman called Emily Hobhouse. She used her voice to speak out against the treatment of Boer women and called for human rights to be respected.

10. Rose Festival

Taking place annually in October, the Rose Festival is one of the biggest events of the year in Bloemfontein. Largely taking place at the Loch Logan Waterfront, which sits beside Kings Park Rose Garden, it sees garden lovers from across South Africa descend on ‘the city of roses.’

Besides displays of hundreds of roses, many grown by amateurs, the festival has expanded to include a High Tea, cycle road races of 26, 55, and 106 kilometers in length, and an expo focusing on sustainability.

11. Sand du Plessis Theatre

A work of art in and of itself, the Sand du Plessis Theatre is one of South Africa’s leading performance spaces. Decked out in marble and bathed in natural light thanks to massive windows, its crisp mid-century style foyer leads to a 1000 seat auditorium which has seen many of the world’s most famous names take to its stage.

Very much part of the community, skateboarders make use of its forms to practice their tricks on the weekends, while tours of the delightful interior can be made by appointment for anyone who isn’t in town when there’s a performance on.

12. War Museum of the Boer Republics

Better known in many guidebooks as the Anglo Boer War Museum, this is the world’s only museum dedicated to the two wars between Britain and the Boer Republics – Orange Free State and Transvaal.

Sited beside the National Women’s Memorial, the museum accounts the causes of the two wars, before going on to explain their main battles and outcomes. Quaintly old-fashioned in its use of dark wood exhibition cases, it is nonetheless an important stop for anyone interested in learning how South Africa came into being.

13. Twin-Spired Church

Tweetoring Kerk in Afrikaans, there’s something a little Disney princess castle about the exterior of the Twin-Spired Church. The slightly jarring form of the steeples comes from the collapse of one and fears for the other, leading to them being shortened in height.

Completed in 1880, it’s the only religious structure of its type in southern Africa, and belongs to the Dutch Reform Church which most Afrikaners adhere to. Now a national monument, the church witnessed the swearing in of the three Free State presidents who resided at the Old Presidency building.

14. Long Tom

Long Tom was the general name given to four large cannon-like guns bought from France by the Boer Republics to defend themselves against British forces. Originally used to protect the Boer capital, Pretoria, they became famous enough that replicas were created, including the one that can be seen on the outskirts of Bloemfontein.

Continue along the same road and you’ll come to the Anglo Boer War Block House. Another reconstruction, this building of stone and sheet iron was probably used to defend the railway line north of Bloemfontein, which continues to connect Johannesburg to Cape Town.

15. Johannes Stegmann Art Gallery

Part of the University of the Free State, the Johannes Stegmann Art Gallery combines a small permanent collection of South African masters with artworks by the so-called Bloemfontein group, and those from the town of Thaba’nchu, totaling around 150 pieces.

Come the end of the academic year, the gallery also hosts a temporary exhibition of final year student artworks. Who knows, you might find the next Monet or Picasso among them.

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Although now officially known as Gqeberha, most still know this Indian Ocean city as Port Elizabeth, or PE. It’s location on the broad Algoa Bay makes it an alternative choice to Durban for beach escapes. But there’s also plenty of culture and history to be had for those taking the time to get to know this noble lady of Eastern Cape Province, as we will see.

1. Donkin Reserve

Smack bang in the middle of Port Elizabeth’s Central Business District (CBD), the Donkin Reserve is a publicly-accessible open space combining native flora, historic structures, and fine views over the wider city.

Its lighthouse, dating to 1861, can usually be visited to enhance the views from Donkin’s Reserve further. Next to it is a 10 meter high stone pyramid dedicated to Elizabeth Markham. The wife of then governor Rufane Shaw Donkin, it’s from her the city got its name.

Bringing the Donkin Reserve into the modern era are brightly colored mosaics in part depicting the Portuguese ships which first rounded this part of the South African coast, and metal cutouts of Nelson Mandela, fist raised in celebration.

2. King’s Beach

Proudly flying a Blue Flag for cleanliness, King’s Beach is one of Port Elizabeth’s most popular stretches of sand. Its runs for 1.6 glorious kilometers from the harbor to Humewood, a beachside neighborhood with its own long history.

A good all-round beach, its sand is fine enough to ensure sand castles hold first, while warm Indian ocean waters lure visitors in to swim, bodyboard, and surf. Watched over the lifeguards, there’s also a nursery pool for toddlers, mini-golf, changing facilities, and refreshments. In fact, King’s Beach has all you need to spend a day soaking up Port Elizabeth’s sunny weather. Average daily temperatures don’t drop below 19°C at any time of year.

3. Route 67 walking trail

The city’s Route 67 trail consists of a piece of public art for each of the 67 years Nelson Mandela gave his life to ending racial segregation in South Africa under apartheid.

Starting at the Campanile, the city’s easy to spot clock and bell tower, it passes through Vuyisile Mini Market Square. Continuing onto St Mary’s Terrace and Donkin Reserve, it also takes it what’s reported to be the largest flag on the continent. Each of the artworks come with an information board to provide the wider context.

4. Splash Waterworld

The slides and rides behind King’s Beach belong to Splash Waterworld. Primarily aimed at children, this small waterpark nonetheless does its job of bringing smiles to the faces of those who visit. So prepare for a wet and wild time on attractions including the Super Tube, Lazy River, and Speed Slide, alongside a Kiddies Slide for younger patrons.

As you might expect, there are plenty of kiosks offering up drinks and snacks. More unusually, it’s also possible to take to the slides of Splash Waterworld after dark thanks to floodlights.

5. Fort Frederick

Fort Frederick was constructed in 1799 to avoid a French invasion of this part of Britain’s Cape Colony. Although this may sound like a baffling idea today, at the height of the Napoleonic Wars between the two countries, nothing seems to have been off the table.

Never having fired a shot from any of its guns, the two-story complex is square in form and sits on one bank of the Baakens River, overlooking the modern harbor. Said to be haunted by the ghosts of a Shakespeare play, behind its walls you’ll find a blockhouse, powder magazine, and small museum.

6. Addo Elephant National Park

Roughly 100 kilometers (1.5 hours) north of Port Elizabeth, Addo Elephant National Park makes for an easy day trip from the city. One of South Africa’s largest national parks, there’s no secret to what the big-ticket attractions are here.

There are around 600 elephants within the park, alongside several hundred buffalo, a pride of reintroduced lions, hyenas, Burchell’s zebra, kudu, eland, and bushbuck. Game drives are therefore the favorite past time, with 120 kilometers of track to choose between. Its lions and hyenas are most commonly spotted in the early morning or late evening.

My suggestion is to visit on a hotter day, which brings much of the action down to the waterhole.

7. Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Art Museum

Located within the grounds of Saint George’s Park, this gallery specializes in the art of South Africa’s Eastern Cape. Containing three main rooms, its artworks are regularly rehung to allow as much of its comprehensive collection to be seen as possible.

These works are enhanced by temporary exhibitions spanning from sculpture to quilting. In addition to artworks by colonial artists such as Thomas Baines and Frederick Timpson I’Ons, there’s a fascinating collection of beadworks by the Southern Nguni people, and a smattering of contemporary pieces too.

8. Bayworld

Opened in time for the new millennium, Bayworld is part natural history museum, part oceanarium, and part vivarium. Its museum exhibits are thoroughly modern, with plenty of interest for all ages.

Meanwhile, its outside areas include a dinosaur exhibit and oceanarium with live animal exhibits incorporating rescued turtles, seals, and penguins. Last but certainly not least, Bayworld has South Africa’s oldest snake park. Here visitors can get the lowdown on a myriad of local snakes, as well as crocs and tortoises.

9. Cape Recife Lighthouse

Cape Recife is the name given to Port Elizabeth’s southeasternmost point. The obvious location for an aid to navigation, its lighthouse was established in 1849 to guide ships around Thunderbolt reef, named after a British frigate which wasn’t so lucky.

Rising 24 meters and banded with black and white stripes, Cape Recife Lighthouse sits within a nature reserve offering hiking opportunities for all levels of fitness. Paths cut through the semi-tropical vegetation and over rocky outcrops to rockpools home to an impressive number of marine creatures.

10. Horse Memorial

Back in the center of Port Elizabeth lies its Horse Memorial. In approximate life size, it depicts a British solider kneeling in front of a horse and offering it a bucket of water. Designed by English sculpture Joseph Whitehead, it was unveiled in 1905 to honor the estimated 300,000 horses brought to South Africa during the Anglo Boer wars of 1899-1902. Most were brought to shore at Port Elizabeth.

Paid for by the public, it cost £800, equivalent to around £120,000 ($150,000) in today’s money, and was shipped all the way from London where the bronze was cast.

11. Amakhala Game Reserve

A private game reserve approximately 1.5 hours from Port Elizabeth by road, Amakhala has an area of 18,000 acres. Joining morning or evening game drives to explore them, visitors to Amakhala have a good chance of encountering all the Big Five species – lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, and Cape buffalo.

Amakhala ranges from bushveld to savanna, with areas covering five of South Africa’s seven biomes. This means other species to look out for on day trips from Port Elizabeth include giraffe, cheetah, zebra, wildebeest, antelope, and monkeys.

12. South End Museum

This museum is one of just a few attractions in Port Elizabeth which directly tackle the apartheid period. The South End neighborhood had been a multiracial one known for its cosmopolitan atmosphere, good schools, and host of successful local businesses.

But that all ended when its non-white tenants were forcibly relocated, an event which took place between 1965 and 1975. Its this history which South End Museum seeks to share. It does this through its blend of displays, historic photographs, and a walk-on map of the area.

13. The Campanile

This stand-alone clock and bell tower has a passing resemblance to its more famous cousin in Saint Mark’s Square, Venice, Italy. Built for the most part from red brick, it rises to a height of 50 meters.

Constructed to mark one hundred years since the first settlers arrived into what became Port Elizabeth, workmen remained on the site between 1920 and 1922. Their efforts included completing the 204 steps which reach up to the observation room at the Campanile’s top. That said, there’s now an elevator too, providing easier access to the 23 bells which make up one of the largest carillons (bells played like a piano) in South Africa.

14. Whale watching

Port Elizabeth’s coastal waters aren’t only of interest to beach goers. They’re also a draw to whales to such an extent that Algoa Bay has been declared the World Cetacean Alliance’s fifth Whale Heritage Site.

Joining a licensed whale watching tour from Port Elizabeth gives the opportunity to watch the antics of southern right and humpback whales. Both are known for breaching the water. Other whale species which can be encountered are minke and Bryde’s whales. Known as the ‘bottlenose dolphin capital of the world,’ taking to the waters of Algoa Bay promises plenty of action from these intelligent creatures as an added bonus.

15. South African Air Force Museum

One of Port Elizabeth’s smaller museum spaces, the South African Air Force Museum is located within the perimeter of the city’s airport. Its collection currently contains nine aircraft, including South Africa’s oldest jet, a supersonic fighter, and two helicopters.

Access to a restored World War Two era hangar allows visitors to see restoration work as it happens, while the walls of the main museum are packed with cabinets and imagery linked to the force, founded in 1920. However, the highlight has to be the onsite flight simulator.

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Although just 40 minutes from Johannesburg by Gautrain rail, South Africa’s ‘Jacaranda City’ is a very different beast. It’s certainly more conservative in outlook than Jozi, but also arguably more attractive to explore. Not only are there a slew of impressive buildings, but also some 50,000 purple-bloomed jacaranda trees. Even when they’re not in bloom (in October and November), there’s still plenty to delight. From parks to museums, these are the 15 best things to do in Pretoria.

1. Freedom Park Heritage Site & Museum

Named after the father of the first president of the former Transvaal Republic, Marthinus Pretorius, historic racial discrimination and the apartheid era looms large in Pretoria. Freedom Park was created as a way of honoring and remembering those involved in the struggle for democracy, alongside South Africans who died during the country’s wars.

The centerpiece of the park on Salvokop Hill is a simple ring of upstanding stones marking figures such as Steve Biko, killed by apartheid security agents in 1977. A peaceful place to ponder the beauty of Pretoria’s surrounding landscapes, Freedom Park also contains the ‘//hapo’ building. Here you’ll find a potted history covering no less than 3.6 billion years.

2. Union Buildings

The Union Buildings are situated on another hill, Meintjieskop, overlooking Pretoria’s central neighborhoods. The offices of the South African president, Nelson Mandela’s historic inauguration as president took place here in 1994.

Today, the great man is honored with a literally larger-than-life bronze statue in the wonderfully maintained gardens. Open to the public daily, the gardens are a much-loved part of the city, used by locals, visitors, and even the occasional visitor to the president. Their heritage and significance to the country’s history makes a visit to the Union Buildings unmissable.

3. Pretoria Art Museum

The sleek, single-story lines of Pretoria Art Museum are the perfect backdrop to discovering one of South Africa’s most important art collections. Founded in 1930, the early items obtained by the museum mainly comprised 17th century artworks from Europe, as was common at the time.

Now though, Pretoria Art Museum has expanded its collections to include many of South Africa’s leading artists. Look out for landscapes by Henk Pierneef, sculpture by Anton van Wouw, and canvases by once-exiled painter Gerard Sekoto.

4. Church Square

For the heart of historic Pretoria, make a beeline to Church Square (Kerkplein). A statue of another president of the Transvaal, Paul Kruger, sits on its central plinth. It was created by Anton von Wouw.

On the square’s edges stand a number of significant buildings, including the Palace of Justice, Ou Raadsaal, Tudor Chambers, and Old Netherlands Bank Building. The Palace of Justice is rich in Victorian detail, though the structure is perhaps best known for events inside. That’s because it was here that Nelson Mandela was tried during the Rivonia treason trial which led to his imprisonment for 27 years.

5. Pretoria National Botanical Garden

A short distance east of Church Square, this is one of nine national botanical gardens in South Africa. Comparatively small in stature, with an area of 76 hectares, it still manages to span a huge variety of landscapes, covering succulents, wetlands, grasslands, and medicinal gardens. There’s also an arboretum, artificial waterfall, and a restaurant.

One of the best ways to explore is by following the short Dassie Walking Trail. Sightings of these cute mammals isn’t guaranteed, but joining it for even a small distance will put you within touching distance of a multitude of natural wonders.

6. Voortrekker Monument

The Transvaal Republic formed after Dutch-speaking settlers to South Africa left Britain’s Cape Colony in the mid-1800s in order to live independently of Britain. Calling themselves voortrekkers (pioneers), but also known as Boers, their Great Trek is part of the founding story of South African colonization.

This huge monument, rising 40 meters, was built in the 1930s. Its interior includes the world’s largest marble frieze in the Hall of Heroes, which comprises 27 panels. There’s also a Cenotaph decorated with the flags of the Boer Republics, alongside artefacts from the Great Trek. Although this can all feel a little at odds with the modern rainbow nation, it’s a fascinating insight into the minds of these early European settlers all the same.

7. South African State Theater

Impressive in both size and scope, the South African State Theater is the largest complex of its kind in Africa. In a Brutalist architectural style of raw unfinished concrete, it contains six performance spaces, and is capable of seating 2,700 people.

The Theater’s long list of monthly shows and events is a who’s who of South African and international talent. Comprising everything from new plays to fringe festivals, it’s well worth checking out the latest schedules before arriving into Pretoria to see what’s on.

8. Ditsong National Museum of Natural History

This natural history museum has the sorts of displays of taxidermy animals and cases of insects you’re probably already expecting. What makes the Ditsong National Museum of Natural History stand out among similar attractions is its vast fossil exhibits.

These include incredibly important hominid fossils from several sites within the nearby Cradle of Humankind UNESCO World Heritage Site, including Sterkfontein, Kromdraai, and Swartkrans. The star of the entire museum is a fossil known as Mrs Ples – the most complete skull of Australopithecus africanus ever discovered. Mrs Ples has been dated to around 3.4 million years old, and even made it onto a list of Great South Africans.

9. Hartbeespoort Dam Elephant Sanctuary

Hartbeespoort Dam Elephant Sanctuary is approximately an hour from central Pretoria by road. It provides a home for elephants which wouldn’t survive in the wild in any of South Africa’s famed national parks.

The sanctuary’s elephants are instead looked after by a team of caretakers. Guides also lead visitors through the sanctuary on foot three times a day. An activity only otherwise available in a handful of national parks in Africa, it allows visitors to really get close to these mesmeric creatures.

My tip – head to Hartbeespoort in time for the 8 am tour. You’ll not only find the elephants at their most active in the cool of early morning, but also get to join the caretakers in brushing them down.

10. Fort Klapperkop

Fort Klapperkop was one of four defensive structures built to defend Pretoria against the British during the Anglo Boer Wars of the late 19th century. Dating to 1898, it’s one of the best preserved of Pretoria’s historic forts.

In addition to its long building and defensive bastions, Fort Klapperkop contains a dry moat and one of the large French-built guns known as Long Tom. Despite its perceived importance, the fort was only ever manned by 30 troops, and never fired a shot except in practice.

If you like your music as much as I do, Fort Schanskop might be the fortification for you, since it hosts an outdoor music festival at the end of most months.

11. Van Tilburg Collection

Housed in the Old Arts Building of the University of Pretoria, the Van Tilburg Collection spans a treasure trove of decorative arts. Alongside paintings, its collection includes furniture from the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as the largest collection of oriental ceramics in South Africa.

The latter includes vases from the personal collection of the Kangxi Emperor, who reigned from 1661 to 1722, and 550 pieces of Ming porcelain. Sadly, its small self-portrait of Rembrandt van Rijn was recently proven to be a fake.

12. Burgers Park

You’re unlikely to hear the words ‘do you want onions with that?’ at Burgers Park. Created in the 1870s, this historic green space is named after Thomas Francois Burgers, the fourth president of the Transvaal Republic.

Pretoria’s oldest public park, its wide lawns and curving paths weave between a smorgasbord of attractions, including a cast-iron bandstand, fish pond, and statue of Thomas Burgers. Just opposite is Melrose House, a museum with interiors detailing the shift between Victorian and Edwardian tastes. It also acted as the British military headquarters when Pretoria was occupied for 18 months from June 1900.

13. African Window

The African Window is the name given to the building housing the Ditsong National Museum of Cultural History (DNMCH). With one of the broadest missions of any of Pretoria’s museums, its displays cover everything from Stone Age axheads to early Apple Macs.

Exhibitions comprise a mix of permanent and temporary displays, and looks after an estimated three million artefacts belonging to South Africa’s mix of cultural groups. If you’re short of time, head straight for the galleries containing San rock art thousands of years old.

14. Groenkloof Nature Reserve

Open daily during daylight hours, Groenkloof protects the region’s endangered bankenveld flora. It’s located just 15 minutes south of central Pretoria, between the Fountains Valley resort and Waterkloof Golf Club.

Groenkloof boasts a range of typical South African animals, including kudu, blesbok, giraffe, and jackal. Free of any big cats, the reserve is popular with both cyclists and walkers. There’s a 20 kilometer off-road cycling route, and three hiking trails spanning 3.5 to 10.5 kilometers. That said, the short vehicle route is best for wildlife viewing.

15. Kruger House

Surrounded by modern tower blocks, Kruger House was the city residence of the Transvaal’s best-known president, Paul Kruger. One of the first buildings in Pretoria to get electricity, the house has been laid out with a blend of original and period furnishings, to show how the president would have lived.

The long partially-covered front veranda (or stoep) in particular was known as a spot Kruger liked to sit in. Exhibition halls depict his battle from freedom from the British of Cape Colony, while the grounds feature his presidential railway coach.

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When it comes to location, Durban has it made. Firmly positioned on South Africa’s east coast, this port city developed around a string of long and attractive sand beaches lapped by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean.

The region around Durban has been inhabited for at least 100,000 years. It only reached the attention of Europeans in 1497, when Portuguese golden age explorer Vasco da Gama sighted it on his way to India. It then passed through multiple hands until annexed by Britain in 1844.

Today, Durban is South Africa’s third-largest city. Alongside its beaches, it contains a blend of natural and manmade sights which range from exquisite cuisine to fascinating museums. Come for the sun, sea, and sand, but stay for the culture.

To provide you with a little helping hand, here are my pick of the 15 best things to do in Durban.

1. The Golden Mile

Durban isn’t the getaway of choice for South Africans for nothing. You won’t need much convincing that the city’s Golden Mile is the best place to head. It stretches out from the Central Business District (CBD) to form several beaches backed by an attractive promenade filled with cafes and restaurants.

Like most of the Golden Mile’s beaches, South Beach is watched over by lifeguards most of the year. It’s also protected by shark nets. Its slightly calmer atmosphere makes it a good choice for families looking to enjoy the sand or water temperatures of 22°C. Neighboring North Beach is best known for its waves, which attract surfers and bodyboarders from right around the world.

2. uShaka Marine World

When it’s time for a change from the sands of the Golden Mile, head to uShaka Marine World. Although primarily known as a water park, most agree that its slides don’t come anywhere near comparison with its aquaria, which total 4.6 million gallons and contain 10,000 distinct species of sea creature.

Putting rivals to shame, the aquaria at uShaka Marine World incorporate the largest single tank in the southern hemisphere. Its viewing windows run for 500 meters through four different ‘shipwrecks.’ Each offers insight into an alternative marine environment. Species you’re likely to encounter include sharks and manta rays, alongside turtles, seals, and even penguins.

3. Port Natal Maritime Museum

Just across the bay from uShaka Marine World is the Port Natal Maritime Museum. Maintaining the old name for the city – which was changed in 1835 – the museum has Durban’s elegant harbor as a backdrop. Its exhibitions span hundreds if not thousands of years of seafaring in the region.

The stars of any visit have to be the boats and ships which can be boarded and explored. It’s not just little kids who’ll enjoy pretending to be the captain of the minesweeper SAS Durban or NCS Challenger while discovering the tiny rooms which together made these ships function.

4. Umgeni River Bird Park

Once a water-filled quarry, Umgeni River Bird Park now has tropical flora spanning 3.5 hectares on the opposite bank of the Umgeni River to the city. It provides a home for approximately 800 birds belonging to 200 species, including the only examples of their kind in Africa.

Birds to look out for range from owls and hornbills to vultures and macaws. Many play a part in the daily shows which take place at the outdoor auditorium. Still more can be seen hatching and being raised by the park team, including increasingly rare wattled cranes.

5. The BAT Centre

Nothing to do with flight, the BAT Centre is a community arts project found on Durban’s Victoria Embankment. It consists of a clutch of individual brick buildings containing small independent art galleries, alongside a performance hall, places to grab a bite to eat, and stores selling a mix of traditional and contemporary art from KwaZulu-Natal province.

A not-for-profit center looking to celebrate the artistic heritage of the city, the BAT Centre is without doubt the best place in the city to discover the diversity of arts and crafts on offer.

Related reading: 15 Best Places to Visit in South Africa

6. Durban Botanic Gardens

Durban Botanic Gardens is the oldest formally laid out botanic gardens in South Africa, with a foundation date of 1849. A mix of local South African plants and exotics from around the world, it boasts specimens from a variety of floral kingdoms.

Among them are orchids, palms, and cycads (ferns). But covering 15 hectares, there’s also a sunken garden established in the English style and displaying a colorful array of flowers, a butterfly habitat garden, and a naturally-fed lake that’s the perfect spot for a picnic on any of Durban’s multitude of sunny days.

7. Mini Town

A knee-high version of the city beyond its perimeter walls, Mini Town is a retro (turning to kitsch but in a good way) attraction close to the beachfront at Snell Parade. Recreating Durban in miniature, Mini Town contains versions of all the city’s main buildings of note.

What makes Mini Town extra special is the attention given to the functioning railway, and its harbor. Complete with its own moving tug and ship, it contains over 200,000 liters of water.

8. KwaMuhle Museum

To my mind, the KwaMuhle Museum is the most important and most interesting of all Durban’s exhibition spaces.

This museum of apartheid, and its forerunner, the ‘Durban system,’ has been sensitively situated in the building once hated by non-white South Africans – the Department of Native Affairs. It was here that the passes which had to be carried by everyone entering the city were issued.

The museum details all this with its collection of documents, photographs, videos and items belonging to ordinary South Africans. Refusing to hide away from the horrors of the apartheid system, KwaMuhle Museum plays a vital role in educating the generations born after the release and election of Nelson Mandela as South Africa’s first black president.

9. Food

One of South Africa’s most ethnically diverse cities, Durban’s population is made up of Zulu people in addition to a significant number with British and Indian descent. Blending their cultures over decades, Durban has a culinary scene unlike any other city in South Africa. And you don’t have to spend big to enjoy it.

The city’s oceanic location means fish is always a good bet, whether it’s deep-fried in the British style or covered in flavorsome spices originating from the Indian subcontinent. For dishes specific to the city, look out for Bunny Chow – a curried mixed vegetable stew traditionally served in a hollowed-out loaf of bread.

10. Moses Mabhida Stadium

Built for the 2010 FIFA soccer world cup and named after a leading anti-apartheid politician, this stadium in Durban isn’t just for sports fans. As well as hosting soccer, cricket, and rugby union matches, the stadium doubles as a playground for adventure sports lovers.

The arch which spans the 55,000 seater arena incorporates a 550 step ‘adventure walk’ leading to a viewing platform 106 meters above the ground. There’s also a funicular to reach the top for those who don’t fancy the walk. Beyond the views of Durban and the Indian Ocean, the platform provides the perfect spot to watch daredevils fling themselves from the arch on the bungee swing which flings them 220 meters across the pitch.

11. Dick King Statue

The Dick King Statue is another remnant of Durban’s past located on Victoria Embankment. A bronze equestrian statue, it honors the actions of Richard Phillip King in raising the alarm over the possibility of the Boer attack on the city in the 1840s.

Riding for 10 days between Durban and Grahamstown, King covered around 125 kilometers a day, whilst so sick some days he couldn’t even ride. Reaching Grahamstown all the same, he was able to mobilize a British force which saved the city from attack and led King to become part of the history of Durban.

Also read: 15 Best Tours in South Africa

12. Durban Natural Science Museum

The grand columned exterior of the Durban Natural Science Museum should be enough to attract most visitors to its doors – part of Durban City Hall. Entering through a wide stone staircase lined with thick red carpeting, the museum’s displays are no less impressive.

Focusing on the living planet, the museum is a treasure-trove of animals stuffed in former years, from birds and mammals to insects and reptiles. Its displays extend as far as ancient Egypt, with the mummy known as Peter Amen, and one of the most complete skeletons of a dodo there is anywhere.

13. Sports

Know anything about South Africa and you’ll know its people love sports. The city of Durban certainly isn’t any different, making attendance at one of its major sporting events a great way of getting under the skin of the city.

Kings Park Stadium is the home ground of the Sharks rugby union team, with most games in the domestic league taking place during the country’s winter months (June to September). At other times of year, there’s also the chance to catch cricket at Kingsmead Ground, and soccer at Moses Madhiba Stadium.

14. Old Court House Museum

This museum occupies one of the oldest remaining structures in central Durban, with its ironwork veranda and cream-yellow stone windowsills making for an intriguing addition to the surrounding office blocks.

Built in the 1860s, inside visitors will find a collection totaling some 10,000 individual items. Together, they help tell the story of the area and its people through good times and bad. Further interest is provided through the fact that the building was regularly frequented by Mahatma Gandhi while he acted as a lawyer in the city.

15. Phoenix Settlement

Durban’s connections with one of the greatest men of the twentieth century don’t stop with Old Court House Museum. The Phoenix Settlement, a few miles north of the CBD, was bought by Gandhi in 1904. It was here that he began the switch from lawyer to freedom fighter.

The settlement acted as a test bed for a series of ideas, from communal living to the policy of non-violence which would see Gandhi nominated (unsuccessfully) for a Nobel Peace Prize on more than one occasion. The house where Gandhi lived during this time has been fully restored, and can be visited as part of the Inanda Heritage Trail.

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This body of water is still part of Boston’s backup water supply, and there’s a five-mile trail through Southborough tracing the shore and the Wachusett Aqueduct that feeds it. There’s no shortage of inspiration for outdoor recreation in Southborough, with two state parks nearby, and pastoral conservation lands connected by the likes of the 33-mile Boroughs Loop Trail.

1. Southborough Center Historic District

Dating back some 300 years, Southborough has an exceedingly quaint village center, added to the National Register of Historic Places as recently as 2021.

The crowning glory and landmark at the top of the slope is the fine Southborough Town House, constructed in the Italianate style in 1870.

The same architect, Alexander Esty, designed the Gothic Revival St Mark’s Episcopal Church (1863). On the other side of the Town House stands the Pilgrim Church (1806).

Originally the Unitarian Church, this is on the site of Southborough’s first meetinghouse, and in 1857 was purchased by the breakaway Pilgrim Congregational Church.

Down the slope the little common is centered on a Veterans Memorial from 1866, and edged by a row of elegant houses from the 18th and 19th century.

2. Sudbury Reservoir Trail

The dominant feature of Southborough’s townscape is the 5,000-acre Sudbury Reservoir, which was excavated in the 1890s.

Still active as an emergency backup water supply for Boston, the reservoir is part of an interlinked system along the Sudbury River.

Water was delivered into the reservoir from the west via the Wachusett Aqueduct, and then sent along the Western Aqueduct to the Weston Reservoir several miles to the east.

Starting by the causeway along Framingham Road, you can follow five miles of the reservoir’s shores and the Wachusett Aqueduct in Southborough, heading west as far as the line with Westborough.

Historical markers point out landmarks like the Burnett House (1849), while there’s a gorgeous wooded stretch between White Bagley Rd and Cordaville Rd.

As the reservoir is still active, no dogs are allowed, but there are plenty of designated fishing spots on the trail.

3. Boroughs Loop Trail

The hiking networks in Southborough, Westborough, Northborough and Marlborough are in the process of being linked up to create a 33-mile loop.

Using sidewalks, bike paths, woodland cart paths, and aqueduct trails, this is a fantastic way to appreciate the abundance of natural beauty in these towns’ backyards.

In Southborough the trail incorporates a big section of the Sudbury Reservoir Trail, as well as paths at Chestnut Hill Farm and the Beals Preserve.

Starting in the northwest of Southborough, there’s also a beautiful section taking you into the Cedar Hill and Sawink Farm preserve, in the care of the Sudbury Valley Trustees.

4. Chestnut Hill Farm

About a mile west of Southborough Center there’s a working farm, one of the last of its kind in Southborough.

This beautiful tract of pastures, upland forest, all traced by old stone walls, has been preserved thanks to the efforts of a local family in the 1960s, as well as the citizens of Southborough who voted to purchase a Conservation Restriction here in 2006.

A cart path skirts past fields growing vegetables, alfalfa and hay, and climbs into a forest of white pine, red maple and oak. Chestnut Hill Farm runs a CSA program, but also has a seasonal farmstand selling homegrown produce.

5. Beals Preserve

A local couple donated this lovely 55-acre tract of land sitting by the open channel of the Wachusett Aqueduct.

Beals Preserve is managed by the Southborough Open Land Foundation, and has a web of trails in woods, over meadows, next to a pond and across the aqueduct.

The trails here connect with the Sudbury Reservoir Trail and with it the Boroughs Loop Trail. The best time to be here is in the summer, when the preserve hosts the Art on the Trails event, with engaging installations turning the landscape into a sculpture park.

6. Breakneck Hill Conservation Area

This 90-acre sweep of rolling open land is owned by the town and open to the public for passive recreation.

Breakneck Hill is a joy in summer when the meadows are scattered with wildflowers. Come on a clear day and the views reach out for miles.

You can even see as far as Mount Wachusett if the conditions are right. The hilly topography presents some stiff climbs, and there’s a 1.4-mile looping trail beginning at the parking lot in the southwest corner of the reservation on Breakneck Hill Road.

7. Callahan State Park

A small piece of the 950-acre Callahan State Park is on Southborough’s northeastern nook. Mostly in Framingham and Marlborough, the park opened to the public in 1970, with inviting expenses of woodlands and open fields, surrounding Beebe Pond and Eagle Pond.

Callahan State Park is another local attraction on the Bay Circuit Trail, and has seven miles of marked trails for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing after snow.

The area around Eagle Pond in the southernmost section is an unofficial dog park, as a favored place to exercise pups off leash.

8. Eastleigh Farm

Dating back to the turn of the 20th century, this historic farm was purchased by its current owner to avoid it being redeveloped.

Over the last 20 years Eastleigh Farm has returned to its roots as a dairy farm, but has also opened up to the public for seasonal events.

On an average day, the main reason to visit is for the ice cream, which is made on site. Black Raspberry, Cookie Monster, Maple Walnut and Chocolate Peanut Butter are a few of the great flavors.

You can also take a leisurely walk around the property, or book a wagon ride to see the cattle herd. On weekends you can call in at a multi-vendor vintage store, as well as an antique dealer, housed in a barn.

9. Trombetta’s Farm

This ice cream stand in nearby Marlborough is situated close to the northern tip of the Sudbury Reservoir.

Going back to 1978, Trombetta’s Farm is one of those rare ice cream shops that stays open all year, with reduced hours (weekends) in the winter months.

There are 40 flavors of homemade, old-fashioned ice cream to choose from. These are made daily to ensure a creamy texture and taste, and there’s also a choice of sherbets, soft serve, sorbets, sugar-free flavors and frozen yogurt.

Trombetta’s Farm has an 18-hole golf course on the property, housed in a converted 450-foot greenhouse.

The garden center here predates the ice cream operation, and offers an abundance of annuals, perennials, succulents, houseplants, hanging plants, garden ornaments and accessories.

10. Southborough Golf Club

This reasonably priced 9-hole course is open to the public at all times. Southborough Golf Club is in an attractive spot, bounded to the south by the Sudbury Reservoir, with the trail skirting the edge of the course.

The holes are laid out on undulating terrain, with glacial erratics hiding in the woods and views east to the Southborough Rural Cemetery, dating back to the mid-19th century.

The whole course has undergone an update in the last few years, renovating all of the cart paths, tees, and bunkers.

11. Hopkinton State Park

The main parking lot for this popular state park is a stone’s throw from Southborough rail station, just over the line in Hopkinton.

Founded in 1947, Hopkinton State Park’s main attraction is an inactive, spring-fed reservoir, formerly part of Boston’s water supply.

There are two swimming beaches on the shore, and during the season you can rent kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards courtesy of Boating in Boston, which also offers sailing courses here.

You’ll find multiple picnic areas with grills around the shoreline where you can enjoy a family cookout, while the surrounding woods and wetlands can be discovered on a tangle of trails.

12. Bay Circuit Trail

A stretch of newly completed connecting trail, by the Sudbury Reservoir in the east of Southborough is part of an epic, 230-mile trail weaving through Boston’s outer suburbs.

On its journey from Newburyport in the north to Duxbury in the south, the Bay Circuit Trail uses existing infrastructure and properties, from sidewalks on quiet roads to conservation lands, trails and public parks.

In Southborough you could use the trail to visit an enormous sequence of interconnected natural spaces in Framingham and Sudbury.

After the Sudbury Reservoir Trail you’ll enter Callahan State Park, and from there you’ll move onto Henry’s Hill and Wayside Forest, maintained by the Sudbury Valley Trustees.

13. Southborough Golf-Learning Center

Another place to fine-tune your golf game is this driving range off Route 9. Something going for the Southborough Golf-Learning Center is the location, as the range is draped over a wooded hillside with nothing but trees bordering targets.

The range is floodlit, and there’s a choice between grass and artificial tees. You can work on your swing in the winter thanks to a set of heated bays.

There are a couple of pros based at the center offering private and group lessons, with video analysis, and you’ve also got a full-service club repair business here.

14. Fayville Park

In Southborough’s Fayville village there’s a well-equipped public park, laid out on the slope overlooking the reservoir.

Fayville Park shines most of all as a place to bring children. There’s a fantastic playground here, with separate climbing structures and swings for kids aged 1-5 and 5-12.

A few steps away there’s a picnic shelter with plentiful shade and clear lines of sight of both the playground and the reservoir. Fayville Park also has a single-hoop basketball court, and a baseball/softball diamond.

15. Heritage Day

For half a century now, Southborough has marked the fall season in October with a big annual get together.

Mostly anchored by St. Mark’s Field, at the corner of Routes 85 and 30, Heritage Day packs a lot into just a few hours.

For a brief summary, there’s a parade, dozens of food and craft vendors, free demonstrations by local clubs and businesses, and a host of child-friendly attractions and activities.

Some of the groups and services taking part in the parade include veterans, the fire department, police, school marching bands, scouts and youth sports teams.

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Yep, there’s no doubt about it: The home of tacos, tequila, and tamales is one of the best surf destinations on the globe. It’s got epic point breaks, monstrous XXL waves, peeling cruisers, and everything in between, just as this guide to the eight best surf spots in Mexico reveals.

I’ve been on the mother of all surf trips through Mexico. It took me to the fabled beach breaks of Puerto Escondido and the palm-fringed surf bays of Sayulita alike. I still consider this one of the best places on the planet to wax the board and paddle out. Here’s my pick of the eight best surf spots in Mexico…

1. Sayulita

All hail Sayulita. There’s surely no more famous a surf spot in Mexico than this. The town – the fun-brimming, cantina-filled town – is one of the country’s fabled Pueblo Mágicos, a ‘Magic Village’ noted for its unique charms and pretty looks. It sits on a hook-shaped bend of golden sand that’s kissed by two very regular surf breaks…

The first is the Sayulita Sandbar. Once upon a time, someone, somewhere noticed that this mellow little number was just about perfect for starting surfing. It’s mellow, soft, has powder underfoot, and makes bailing as comfy as bailing can be. Just up the playa from that is the Sayulita Right, which pops up where the river enters the ocean and offers shorter, sharper, but still cruisy longboard trimmers; it’s great for when you progress.

The upshot? What you’ve got in Sayulita is just about the perfect cocktail of learner spots. There’s a place to begin at, and another to graduate to later on. Even later again, you can venture to the wealth of wedges that await around the Punta Mita headland, from the fat A-frames of La Lancha to the punchy shore breaks of San Pancho.

Accordingly, Sayulita has emerged as the hub of surf camps in Mexico and its got the moxie to show for it. Margaritas are the order of the day at the beachfront cantinas, there are oodles of great hotels brushing the shore, and there are parties that go on all night long if you want them.

2. Todos Santos

The Bahia de Todos Santos is the huge, gaping cleft in the northern Baja Peninsula that plays host to the beach town of Ensenada. Welcome to one of the original surfer escapes for Cali exiles. Sat just 1.5 hour’s drive south of the international border with the USA, it’s been, for some decades now, a go-to for Americana board riders keen to leave behind the busy spots of San Diego.

Now, if you thought that close proximity to the legendary cobblestone point breaks of Southern California means that this has something similar, then you’d be right. The highlights of the Bahia are the peeling right handers of Salsipuedes, which mimics Lower Trestles on its good days, and San Miguel, a glassy set of take offs that’s credited with kick-starting the sport of surfing in Mexico back in the day.

There’s also the sleeping giant of the Isla Todos Santos to contend with here. And only the most serious daredevils will do that contending. It rises, Nazare-esque, off the side of a rock out in the open Pacific, hitting heights of 30 feet or more on storm days. Yikes!

3. Cabo San Lucas

Crack open the tequila, sizzle up the fish tacos, and squirt the sunscreen, Cabo – as it’s known to the huge cohorts of loyal followers – is the R&R mecca of the Baja Peninsula. Perched just shy of Land’s End at the very tip of said peninsula, it’s been drawing spring breakers, party lovers, and A-list celebs for decades.

But, when the summer swells from the south start kicking around May time, it’s also a haven for surfers. The main reason for that is the whole run of shoreline that spreads east from town, up onto the doorstep of the Sea of Cortez.

As waves push headlong into those from the roaring 40s and the winds switch east and north, things can look very pretty. Very pretty indeed. I’m talking long, peeling right walls at Costa Azul that host elegant longboarders on the nose. I’m talking lippy wedges at Bahia Chileno and all the whitewash a total novice could want along the sands of Cerritos Beach.

Cabo certainly favors regular-footed riders because of the abundance of right-hand point breaks. Staying somewhere in the Hotel Corridor (the strip of resorts to the east of the center) is the best way to go since that gets you closer to the waves.

4. Puerto Escondido

No list of the most iconic surf spots in Mexico could possibly be complete without a nod to Puerto Escondido. Known as the Mexican Pipeline, the main playa at Zicatela is a factory for one of the gnarliest beach tubes on the planet. When huge summer south swells start rumbling, it churns out 40-footer walls that demand daring drop ins straight into a backdoor pit. It lasts seconds but will be the ride of your life.

Of course, most folks wouldn’t even consider trying that. Most only get as close as the sands, where crowds gather with cold cerveza and lime to watch the pros doing their thing. Thankfully, there are beaches for all levels in Puerto Escondido. There’s La Punta, a point break with nice right shoulders for intermediates. There’s Carrizalillo, a well-sheltered beginner bay that works good in the low season.

One of the things I consider the best about Puerto Escondido is that it’s the gateway to the whole of the Oaxaca coast. That’s got to be some of the most unchartered surf territory in the land of tacos and tequila. Some say there are strings of epic right points that go off like clockwork in May, June, and July down there. But shh!

5. San Pancho

For a real Mexicana experience, San Pancho is a top choice. This sleepy little surf town is the sort of place where cowboys trot down the street in the morning and mariachi bands strike up tunes in the taquerias. It’s got cobbled streets crisscrossing each other this way and that, cafes that spill onto the sidewalks, and just an all-round great vibe.

The surf happens along the main beachfront – Playa San Pancho. It’s not exactly the best array of peaks around but it is consistent. You’ll get short left and right rides off of punchy walls that pop up on the reef beds. They only work on certain sections of the beach, though the south end is generally more reliable in my opinion.

San Pancho stands out because it’s a chilled version of Sayulita with a foot in the very same epic surf region: The Riviera Nayarit. The surf schools on the main street – Tercer Mundo Avenue – offer trips out to La Lancha and Punta Mita that include board rental and lessons. Choose those when San Pancho itself is flat or blown out.

6. Mazatlan

Mazatlán is the premier beach resort of the State of Sinaloa. Yep, that’s the same Sinaloa that gave the world El Chapo et al, but don’t worry too much because the designated tourist zones of the Malecón and the recently renovated old town (more on that below) are generally considered safe for visitors in 2023.

A whopping 21 kilometers of shoreline stretches up the western half of town. It encompasses long runs of golden sand and rocky bays alike. Each hosts their own unique sort of break. The main acts I’d consider are Rucos, where the crowds spread along multiple peaks that are good for all levels, and Playa Bruja, a left-right frame with very fun shortboard rides in the offing.

Now, let’s return to that aforementioned old town. The Centro area of Mazatlán has just completed 10 years of meticulous restoration. It’s got a sort of Havana feel to it, which some have dubbed “tropical Neoclassicism”. There’s no denying it’s a moody place, with colorful buildings lining tree-sprouting alleys, gilded balconies jutting overhead, and pretty plazas shaded by jacarandas.

7. Troncones

If you’re the sort that likes to stray off the beaten path to beaches unknown and waves unsurfed, then Troncones could be the place for you. It’s one of the sole surf towns in the state of Guerrero, which I still think is strange considering just how much exposure this land has to all those consistent southerly swell channels in the Pacific.

Anyway, Troncones sort of creeps out of the jungles between the sturdy rows of coconut palms some 30 minutes’ drive north of Zihuatanejo. It’s got a main playa that’s peak after peak of all-level surfing, though it can get big and beefy on solid summer swells. North of that is La Salidita, which is the rising star of the region…

Yep, La Salidita is a trim-fest of a river mouth wave. It begins where some water snakes into the sea from a small creek to the south of the hamlet (and it really is a hamlet) of the same name, proceeding to lap around a cobblestone headland and into a wide bay. It tends to stay nice and small thanks to a shallow shelf of silt and mud at the estuary, making it perfecto for longboarders no matter the season.

8. Punta Mita

Punta Mita has cut its teeth on luxury vacationing at the bottom end of the Riviera Nayarit. The name of both a headland and a town, which juts out along the Bahia de Banderas north of Puerto Vallarta, it’s packed with five-star hotels and lux resorts with views of the frothing Pacific Ocean.

There are two coasts to play with here. The first faces west. That picks up decent winter swells and mimics the likes of Sayulita and San Pancho with a series of beach breaks that can be okay, can be epic – it all depends on how the sandbanks align.

Then there’s the south side of Punta Mita. It’s where the goldeen spots awaits, in the form of some well-protected beachfronts and points that love those summer SW pulses. I’m talking the likes of La Lancha, arguably the most enjoyable A-frame beachy in the country, and Stinky’s, a top-to-bottom wave with long rides close to the main harbor.

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Scores of cranberry bogs, many of which are now retired, make up a big slice of Hanson’s countryside.

At the Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area you can see where the state intervened in 2002 to preserve a network of old bogs and natural wetlands.

Now, Hanson is a low-key town, with a civic heart that backs onto a beautiful pond, and a number of conservation areas where you can wander in nature along miles of trails.

1. Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area

In 2002 the state purchased some 2,000 acres of retired cranberry bogs, cedar forest and swamps, preserving a rural landscape typical of the South Shore and Southeastern Massachusetts in the 20th century.

In Hanson and Halifax, The Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area is laced with wide and flat paths that used to service the bogs, making it easy to explore on foot or on a bike.

If you take your time you’ll become aware of the amazing variety of wildlife, from turtles to otters, amphibians, deer, herons and ospreys.

On the Hanson side you can walk the Indian Crossway, a section of an ancient trail walked by Native Americans and connecting the Taunton River and North River watersheds.

2. Wampatuck Pond

In the civic heart of Hanson, the Town Hall is on the northern shore of this manmade 64-acre pond along Indian Head Brook.

Named for Wompatuck (c. 1627-1669), the sachem of the Mattakeesett band of Massachusett Indians, Wampatuck Pond is a real emblem for the town.

Something remarkable is that the Town Hall is one of just a handful of buildings on the shoreline.

The remainder is town forest (more later), the Fern Hill Cemetery and a small residential subdivision on what used to be a youth camp.

There’s a little patch of waterfront parkland by the Town Hall’s parking lot, and you launch a boat here and on the west shore by the cemetery.

With almost no development on the shores, this is a lovely place to go for a paddle, and you can explore a small canal system dug to irrigate cranberry ponds off the southern shore.

3. Cranberry Cove

For people who have grown up in and near Hanson, the name Cranberry Cove will conjure memories of carefree summer days.

This beach on the shore of Maquan Pond has welcomed bathers since 1940, and features a nice patch of sand, a roped-off swimming area, and little piers that kids can jump from.

Cranberry Cove is part of the town-owned Camp Kiwanee, set on almost 70 acres and boasting a campground and function venue.

Most summers there are kayak and stand-up paddleboard rentals available at the beach, and you can also sign up for lessons if you want to improve your paddle skills.

4. Bay Circuit Trail (BCT)

A good way to see as much of Hanson’s nature as possible is to walk some of the Bay Circuit Trail, which passes through the town on its 230-mile course through Boston’s outlying suburbs.

The trail makes a giant arc from Plum Island in Newburyport down to Duxbury on the South Shore, and mostly uses existing sidewalks, conservation areas and public parks.

Heading west to east and marked with white blazes, the trail makes its way through Hanson’s Smith-Nawazelski Conservation Area, across Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area via the Indian Crossway.

You’ll pass along the lovely north shore of Wampatuck Pond via Liberty Street, before heading out towards Pembroke past retired cranberry ponds at the Alton. J. Smith Reserve.

5. Oldham Pond

Hanson’s eastern boundary includes some of the shoreline of this 235-acre natural pond, which is drained by Herring Brook, a tributary of the North River.

Along with Furnace Pond to the south, Herring Pond is the spawning ground for alewife herring, which make an epic journey upstream every spring.

You can witness this migration, which has really bounced back since the 20th century, at a few locations in neighboring Pembroke.

Oldham Pond is a hive of recreation in the summer, when people launch boats, flock to the beach area on the eastern shore, and cast a line for a variety of fish species.

6. The Blueberry Farm

A summer staple in Hanson, the Blueberry Farm opens to the public in July and August for pick-your-own blueberries.

There are hundreds of bushes on this spacious property, and you soon get into the rhythm of picking, with the help of a blue bucket that hangs from your neck.

As well as the satisfaction of picking one of the healthiest fruits you’ll get to enjoy the farm’s pastoral scenery on the bank of Poor Meadow Brook. Be sure to wear a hat on hot days, although the owners offer free cold water to all pickers.

7. Veterans Memorial Town Forest

The stand of hardwood and pine forest on the eastern shore of Wampatuck Pond was acquired by the town in 1938 to become its first conservation area.

Accessed via the trailhead opposite Indian Head School on Route 58, Veterans Memorial Town Forest is a blissful piece of nature within shouting distance of the town’s civic functions.

The mile-long warren of trails includes a stretch of the Bay Circuit Trail and takes you to the water’s edge for a gorgeous view later in the day when the sun starts to go down. One of the sights to check out during your walk here is a massive yellow birch tree.

8. Channell Homestead Family Farm

This farm is run by a couple who bought the property in 2014 and have gradually expanded to offer a variety of products, events and services.

The Channell Homestead raises Nigerian dwarf goats for milk and to sell, but also has an apiary, Wyandotte chickens, Swedish blue ducks, Flemish giant rabbits and more.

You can visit the farmstand for a wealth of products, from organic goats’ milk soaps, balms and lotions to bath bombs, room sprays and honey.

Usually in the warmer months you can also visit the property for ticketed events, such as goat yoga or the opportunity to pet newborn kid goats.

9. Rocky Run Conservation Area

There’s a small but spectacular conservation area in the far northeast of Hanson, where Rocky Run Brook flows into the Indian Head River.

The Rocky Run Conservation Area is one of a sequence of protected spaces allowing you to walk for miles along the banks of the Indian Head River in Hanson, Pembroke and Hanover.

What you’ll find on the Hanson side is a small network of trails, leading to rocky ledges for stirring views over the river.

These cliffs are completely unique in Hanson, and at the foot you’ll be standing at the lowest elevation in the town, at just 25 feet above sea level.

Away from the river old cart paths lead into the forest where you’ll discover the remnants of a stone and earthen dam, harking back to the area’s early industrial past.

10. Boston Skydive Company

Cranland Airport, in Hanson’s southeast corner, is home to the Boston Skydive Company, which specializes in tandem skydiving.

These jumps, in which you’re attached to an experienced and qualified instructor at four points, require no prior skydiving experience.

The company uses the most advanced tandem systems on the market (United Parachute Technologies SIGMA and Micro SIGMA), and performs its jumps from a trusty Cessna 182 jump, which is maintained to the highest standards.

For an additional fee you can order photos and/or video recordings of your jump. Including check-in, safety briefings and gearing-up, the entire experience will take about four hours.

11. Plymouth County Hospital Meadows

Finally demolished in the late 2010s, the Plymouth County Hospital (1919-1992) in South Hanson had been a prominent part of the town’s 20th-century history.

One of the first hospitals to have a modern heating system, this facility opened as a tuberculosis sanatorium, and evolved into a place for chronic care.

You can hike on the former property, starting at The Last Meadows, which were maintained as an agrarian farm by the hospital.

A trail, nearly a mile long, leads through woods before opening out onto a large meadow. Additional trails take you around the old grounds of the hospital, past a cranberry pond and swamp, both of which are privately owned.

12. Smith-Nawazelski Conservation Area

Another parcel of nature that is crossed by the Bay Circuit Trail, the Smith-Nawazelski Conservation Area is just west of the Burrage Pond Wildlife Management Area.

Purchased by the town in 1989, this swath of old farmland is in fact the largest conservation property in Hanson, covering more than 100 acres.

There are about two miles of trails in woods made up of pine, oak, beech, cedar, maple, and blueberry.

One beautiful feature is a flourishing stand of holly, while there’s also red maple swamp, several large glacial erratics, and vernal pools that brim with wildlife in spring.

13. Heidi’s Hollow Farm

Up to 2020 this cherished seasonal ice cream stand in Hanson had been run by the same couple for more than 30 years.

Now enjoying a well-earned retirement, the founders Tony and Lynda Quigley have passed the business over to new owners.

A quintessential New England ice cream shop, Heidi’s Hollow Farm is open April to October, serving some 40 flavors of Richardon’s ice cream, along with soft serve, fro-yo and sherbet. There’s also a lineup of sundaes, and you’re free to come up with your own sundae creation.

14. Hanson Bowladrome

The Hanson Athletic Association runs this candlepin bowling alley, one of the oldest and best facilities of its kind for miles around.

If you’re new to candlepin bowling, it’s a variation on ten pin bowling that broke through in Worcester in the 1880s.

The pins are longer, narrower and, partly thanks to a smaller ball, they are more difficult to knock down.

Strikes are very rare in candlepin bowling, but you do get three rolls each time. Generations of bowlers have learned the ropes at the Hanson Bowladrome, which has 12 lanes and still uses manual scoring.

15. Old South Hanson Station

Next to the current MBTA commuter rail on Main Street in South Hanson there’s a fascinating remnant from the mid-19th century in the form of the old South Hanson station.

This was built in 1845, the same year the Old Colony Railroad started operations, and has been out of service since the line shut down in 1959.

Even in its abandoned state, with some windows boarded up, it’s a beautiful building, with large eaves, carved corbels and sash windows.

There has been plenty of debate about the future of the station, but when we wrote this article the building was unused.

The post 15 Best Things to Do in Hanson (MA) appeared first on The Crazy Tourist.

Downtown Asheville is like a time capsule, with a big quantity of early Art Deco architecture that has made it intact to the present day, all setting the scene for shopping, dining and live entertainment.

In fact, Asheville’s irresistible sense of creativity is everywhere you look, from the traditional Southern Appalachian crafts at the The Folk Art Center, to the open studios at the River Arts District, and outdoor fairs and performances at Pack Square Park.

1. Biltmore Estate

George Washington Vanderbilt II (1862-1914) fell for the natural beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and so in 1889 he commissioned this humble abode on the French Broad River in the south of Asheville.

The Biltmore House is officially the largest privately owned house in the United States, with 250 rooms and four acres of floor space.

Every inch of this Châteauesque mansion is lavishly decorated, with tapestries, family portraits, European masterpieces, original furnishings, and intricate architectural details.

Among the major rooms are the library, with 10,000 volumes, and the Banquet Hall, with ceilings rising 70 feet.

The house is the crowning glory, but also just one element of an 8,000-acre estate. You’ll see gardens designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, a conservatory with a model railroad, natural landscapes with 22 miles of trails, and a winery with complimentary wine tasting.

2. The North Carolina Arboretum

The Southern Appalachian Mountains have a degree of biodiversity that is off the charts, so Asheville had always been a perfect candidate for a major arboretum.

A century after it was mooted by Frederick Law Olmsted, this was finally planted in the late 1980s, on 434 acres off Milepost 393.6 of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

As these institutions go, the North Carolina Arboretum is relatively young, and is still being developed some 40 years later.

Still, you’ll be wowed by the size of some of the specimens, especially by the stand of metasequoias, rising to more than 100 feet, making them the tallest in the South.

There are 65 acres of cultivated gardens awaiting you, with more than 100 specimens on show in the Bonsai Collection, and uplifting spring color thanks to the National Native Azalea Collection and dozens of species of native wildflowers scattered across the property.

I definitely recommend visiting when you’re in Asheville around Christmas for the walk-through Winter Lights display, featuring a 50-foot lighted tree.

3. River Arts District (RAD)

Starting in the mid-19th century an open patch of land on the east side of the French Broad River became an industrial area.

This growth was accelerated when the railroad arrived in 1879, and soon the river was hugged by a line of factories, mills, and warehouses.

These hulking buildings were slowly abandoned in the 20th century, which made the area ripe for a transformation when artists came in search of cheap rents and ample space to let their ideas take flight.

Now the River Arts District is a true community, with hundreds of artists happy to show off their skills to the world.

Enticing food and drink options make this somewhere you could spend an entire trip, hopping from studio to studio and gallery to gallery. If you happen to be here on a Second Saturday the district is a mass of demonstrations, workshops, live performance and fresh culinary experiences.

4. The Folk Art Center

Eight miles from downtown Asheville at Milepost 382 on the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Folk Art Center is dedicated to Southern Appalachian craft and culture, both traditional and contemporary.

This is the home of the Southern Highland Craft Guild, with three galleries displaying examples of workmanship passed down the generations to the present day.

To see these skills in action you can check out daily craft demonstrations in the lobby from March to December.

And if you want to pick out a piece to call your own, the center is home to the Allanstand Craft Shop, established in 1895 and officially the oldest craft shop in America, with work by more than 400 members of the Southern Highland Craft Guild.

The center has its own nature trail, while Milepost 382 is also an access point on North Carolina’s 1,200-mile Mountains-to-Sea trail.

5. Biltmore Village

Near the main entrance to the Biltmore Estate, George Vanderbilt built this idyllic village in the 1890s as a company town for the estate’s small army of workers.

With Tudor-style half-timbering, Biltmore Village was designed to resemble an English country village, complete with a parish church, the Cathedral of All Souls.

Now the village’s cottages and leafy cobblestone streets are the canvas for a quaint commercial district, with a mix of small businesses and national brands.

You can hunt for antiques, browse galleries, try some local craft beer, and try to choose from a menu of cuisines.

6. Downtown Asheville

In a curious twist of fate, a long period of hardship has helped make downtown Asheville so enthralling. The Great Depression was cruel to the city, which elected to pay off its debts over the course of more than half a century.

The upside is that very little development happened, which meant that one of America’s finest and largest arrays of Art Deco buildings has made it to the 21st century intact.

At a time when downtown Asheville is on top of its game, that exquisite architecture is allied with upscale shopping at more than 200 locally owned stores and boutiques.

You’ve got dining for all tastes, contemporary art and culture, and so many events that there will always be something happening when you’re in town. Pack Square Park, at the foot of several Art Deco wonders, is where many of the free festivals and events take place.

Be sure to also check out my guide on Downtown Asheville!

7. Thomas Wolfe Memorial

The novelist Thomas Wolfe (1900-1938), one of the great American literary figures of the 20th century, was born and grew up in Asheville.

His childhood home downtown became the setting for his first novel, Look Homeward, Angel (1929), as “Dixieland”, and is preserved as an historic house museum.

This two-story Queen Anne house dates to 1883, and is presented as it was when Wolfe was growing up, when a changing cast of boarders would spend the summer at what was then called “Old Kentucky Home”.

The rooms are sprinkled with snippets of Wolfe’s writing, and give you a taste of early 20th-century Asheville as a summer health resort.

8. Water Adventures on the French Broad River

Flowing at a gentle pace through Asheville from south to north, the French Broad River is thought by some to be the third oldest river on the planet.

Almost half of the river’s total length is an official paddle trail, and there’s a big choice of access points in and around Asheville, whether you’re kayaking, paddleboarding or tubing.

At the drop of a hat you can set off on your own self-guided trip, with the help of a roster of local adventure companies like French Broad Outfitters, The Outpost, Wai Mauna Asheville SUP Tours, and Asheville Adventure Co.

To mix nature with sightseeing you can start a little way south of the Biltmore Estate and see that magnificent house cresting over the treeline from the river.

If you like some adventure I suggest having a look at this French Broad Whitewater River Rafting Experience

9. Grove Arcade

One of the first indoor shopping malls in America was built on a full city block in Asheville in the late 1920s. If you’re wondering about the peculiar profile of the Grove Arcade from the street on Battery Hill, this is actually the base for a skyscraper that was never constructed.

The architecture fits in well downtown, with Late Gothic stonework and a Parisian feel along the corridors, illuminated by skylights.

Since 2002 the building has become a tasteful lifestyle destination, with galleries, specialty shops and lots of enticing places to eat, many with seating on the sidewalks outside.

Off the Battery Park end you can see what catches your eye at the outdoor Makers Market, with a dozen stalls for artisans selling art, jewelry, local farm products and more.

10. Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center

Asheville shines on its own, but there are many reminders that the city can be a key component in long-distance adventures.

And it doesn’t get much longer than the Blue Ridge Parkway, which is the longest linear park in the United States at 469 miles.

No unit in the National Park System receives more visitors, and that isn’t too surprising given the awesome scenery along the spine of the Blue Ridge Mountains, where waterfalls and soaring peaks await you.

The headquarters and visitor center for the parkway are on the eastern edge of town, and this is the place to go to plot every detail of your journey and get excited about the things you can see and do along the way.

11. Craggy Gardens

Another place you have to visit on the Blue Ridge Parkway is this set of natural summit meadows about 14 miles northeast of downtown.

Much higher than Asheville, Craggy Gardens are posted more than a mile above sea level, and the absence of tree cover at the highest points gives you epic panoramas like something from a fantasy movie.

The scenery is jaw-dropping at any time of year, but takes on an ethereal quality in June when the sea of pink and purple Catawba rhododendrons are in flower.

The hike of choice here is the Craggy Pinnacle Trail, leading through wind-sculpted hardwood forest with rare or endangered species up to a high overlook, with the peaks of Pisgah National Forest zigzagging for miles.

Temperatures here are up 20° cooler than downtown Asheville, so this is a great place to come for a little respite in summer.

12. Basilica of Saint Lawrence

The Spanish building engineer, Rafael Guastavino (1842-1908), spent the last part of his career in Asheville, working on the Vanderbilt House, but also on this stately minor basilica downtown.

In the Spanish Renaissance style, the Basilica of Saint Lawrence was ready in 1909 and is one of Asheville’s great landmarks.

The most celebrated feature, and the reason you have to go inside, is the dome. This measures 58 feet x 82 feet, which makes it the largest freestanding elliptical dome in the country.

The highly detailed stained glass windows are also a delight, and there’s a wealth of statuary carved in Italy.

13. The Orange Peel

Opened in 2002 during downtown Asheville’s transformation, The Orange Peel remains the pick of the city’s many live music venues.

The building dates back to 1950 and was a roller skating rink and then a nightclub where the likes of The Bar-Kays and The Commodores played. After a long abandonment, the Orange Peel has rebounded as the place to catch your favorite live act.

A few performers over the last 20+ years are Bob Dylan, Lauryn Hill, Sonic Youth, The Flaming Lips, Smashing Pumpkins, Queens of the Stone Age, and Kings of Leon.

The venue holds 1,100 and has been listed among the Top Five Rock Clubs in the Country” by Rolling Stone.

14. Woolworth Walk

How much more Asheville can you get than an art gallery in a converted Art Deco department store?

Woolworth Walk is in a former Woolworth branch, built in 1938 and staying open until 1989. A lot happened here in that time, including sit-ins at the lunch counter during the Civil Rights movement.

The origins of the gallery go back to downtown’s revival in the early 00s, and the meticulous restoration work at that time earned the owners two Griffin Awards.

This is officially the largest gallery in the city, but what makes it such a destination is its focus on local artists.

There’s photography, painting, woodwork, pottery, glass, digital art, metal work, and more, along with an old-school soda fountain, in full working order.

15. Western North Carolina Nature Center

A zoo with a sense of place, the Western North Carolina Nature Center shows off the wildlife of the Southern Appalachian Mountain region.

This attraction goes back decades, but has made some big changes since the late 1990s, focusing on regional species and designing a variety of award-winning habitats as part of a long-term masterplan.

Local faces include American river otters, turkey vultures, great horned owls, gray foxes, cougars, eastern mud turtles, American red wolves, and black bears.

These are a few of the 60+ species at the center, matched with interesting natural history facts, and set on winding wooded trails by the Swannanoa River. All through the park, restless kids can stretch their legs at a series of play stations.

16. Asheville Art Museum

At Pack Place downtown, the Asheville Art Museum reopened in 2019 after a $24 million expansion and renovation project.

There are up to 20 important exhibitions in these galleries every year, and one of the great things about the expansion is that the museum can now receive major traveling exhibitions from the country’s top institutions.

The permanent collection specializes in American art from the 20th and 21st century, but is also steeped in the traditions and eclectic cultures of Western North Carolina and Southern Appalachia.

There’s a rooftop sculpture terrace over Pack Square, with the Blue Mountains in the distance, while the first thing you’ll see when you arrive is Henry Richardson’s Reflections on Unity, a two-ton glass sphere at the entrance.

17. Gray Line Trolley Tours

A good first port of call in Asheville is the Visitor Center, which has an information desk, brochures and a store stocked with goodies from across Western North Carolina.

This is also the departure point for Gray Line’s hop-on, hop-off trolley tours around the city. Setting off every half an hour, these trips last 90 minutes and wrap up many of Asheville’s highlights in a neat package, with a lot of riveting anecdotes on the way.

You’ll see downtown’s Art Deco wonders, the River Arts District, the famed Omni Grove Park Inn, and the stately residences of the Montford Area Historic District, with more than 600 buildings from the turn of the 20th century. If you’re in town for 2 days I suggest getting 2-Day Pass.

18. Grovewood Village

This historic campus next to Omni Grove Park Inn once housed Biltmore Industries’ woodworking and weaving operations, producing crafts and textiles of the finest quality.

That tradition continues into the 21st century, as the picturesque complex has been revived as an arts and crafts hub. Grovewood Village has working artist studios, home to specialists in anything from ceramic art to metalwork.

You can shop for exceptional crafts at the gallery, see these skills in practice at the studios, and find out about the village’s craft heritage on a guided history tour.

Also take time to explore the Biltmore Industries Homespun Museum, and the Estes-Winn Antique Car Museum, with a set of gleaming vintage cars in the old weaving shop.

19. McCormick Field

If you love quirky old ballparks, the 4,000-capacity home of MiLB’s Asheville Tourists is a treat. McCormick Field is one of the oldest minor league stadiums still in use, and has a setting that is typical Asheville, resting on a small plateau halfway up a wooded hillside.

The stadium has been here since 1923, and was being updated when we wrote this article. The Tourists meanwhile date right back to 1897, and have bounced around a long list of classes and leagues since then. When we went to press they were the High-A affiliate for the Houston Astros.

Here as much as anywhere else, food and drink are part of the experience, and there’s a good choice of vegetarian options, local craft beers, and specials on hot dogs on Fridays.

20. Fine Arts Theatre

In downtown’s contingent of sleek Art Deco buildings there’s a movie theater that opened in 1946. With an understated cream facade featuring a stepped gable and two narrow strips of block glass, this spot opened in 1946 and was originally the Strand Theatre.

Since then a second screen has opened on the former balcony, and both auditoriums went digital in 2012. The Fine Arts Theatre is the only operating movie theater downtown, and is devoted to independent, foreign and classic movies.

Both screens have working curtains, which may come as a shock to younger audiences, while this is one of those rare theaters where you can sip on a glass of wine or beer as you watch.

21. Asheville Community Theatre (ACT)

We know what you’re thinking. But, rest assured, the Asheville Community Theatre is no ordinary community theatre. Founded in 1946, this is one of the oldest still operating in the United States.

More than that, the legendary actor Charlton Heston and his wife Lydia Clarke were in charge for a season in 1947. It was here that Clarke decided to get into acting full time, while Heston’s career in Broadway started soon after.

It’s easy to be swept along by these shows, because everything is on point, from the performances to costume, direction and sets. The mainstage auditorium downtown is named for Heston, with all-volunteer shows for all tastes throughout the season.

22. Appalachian Trail

The trail to end all trails passes close to Asheville, along the North Carolina/Tennessee border. On its 2,200-mile path from Springer Mountain, GA, to Mount Katahdin, ME, the trail cuts through the scenic town of Hot Springs, about 30 miles north of Asheville.

This is a good on-ramp for a day hike, for a shorter out-and-back adventure for a taste of what those hardy thru-hikers have to endure.

Within a mile you’ll get to a breathtaking lookout at Lovers Leap. Another stunning location within reach of Asheville is Max Patch, a bald mountain summit, freckled with wildflowers, and with views that scroll out for miles in all directions.

23. Barley’s Taproom

If you’re into craft beer I highly recommend a visit to Barley’s Taproom. Asheville has a craft beer scene to be reckoned with, and it was spearheaded by this local icon on Biltmore Avenue downtown.

Barley’s Taproom opened in 1994, in a converted appliance store from the 1920s. With the taproom came Highland Brewing, which operated in the basement as the first brewery in Asheville since Prohibition and has since moved to larger premises.

You can try Highland’s signatures, Oatmeal Porter and Gaelic Ale, which are poured along with dozens of other local and regional craft beers.

There are 28 taps in the main bar, another 28 upstairs, along with a billiards room, and a food menu dominated by Barley’s famous sourdough pizza.

24. Botanical Gardens at Asheville

You don’t need to stride out onto the Appalachian Trail to see the region’s rich flora. There’s a more manageable showcase by the University of North Carolina at Asheville campus, a mile or so north of downtown.

Free to enter, the Botanical Gardens at Asheville present the plants and habitats of the Southern Appalachians, and were planted on ten acres of abandoned timberland in the early 1960s.

There are more than 650 species of trees, grasses, herbs, ferns, and wildflowers growing here, a proportion of which are seldom found in the wild. Although there’s color to be found at any time of year, the gardens are a joy during wildflower season in spring.

25. Festivals

If there’s a city that knows how to have fun it’s Asheville, where there’s something going on all year round, and often with an artsy twist.

Take the Craft Fair of the Southern Highlands in July, when close to 200 artists and crafters from the region descend on Asheville. You’ve got a weekly dose of free mountain music at Pack Square Park for Shindig on the Green all through July.

Then in August AVL Fest is a four-day medley of music and art, filling a host of venues around the city. Fall means Blue Ridge Pride, and Asheville Art in the Park, when Pack Square Park becomes a giant art fair on consecutive Saturdays in October.

The Biltmore Estate welcomes its fair share of action, with heartwarming displays in the holiday season, and 130,000+ flowers for Biltmore Blooms in spring.

You may also like some of the other posts I wrote on Asheville and North Carolina:

• Best Day Trips from Asheville
• Neigborhoods & Area Guide of Asheville
• The best hotels in Asheville
• 15 Best Small Towns to Visit in North Carolina

The post 25 Best Things to Do in Asheville (NC) appeared first on The Crazy Tourist.

The most successful enterprise to spring up at that time was the Converse Toy & Woodenware Company, making everything from hobby horses to doll furniture, and giving Winchendon the nickname Toy Town, which has stuck to this day.

A rocking horse appears on the town’s official seal, and you can see this emblematic horse, Clyde II, in the center of town under a pavilion.

If you’re yearning for the great outdoors, Winchendon will oblige, with thousands of acres of state forest and wildlife management areas, woven with some 50 miles of trails.

1. Lake Dennison State Recreation Area

A natural body of water, Lake Dennison is part of a giant flood management project by the US Army Corps of Engineers, initiated with the construction of the Birch Hill a couple of miles up the Millers River in 1940.

Most of the surrounding landscape is leased to the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), which is the origin of Lake Dennison as a hub for recreation.

The lake has a swimming beach, open from late May to early September, as well as a boat ramp (non-motorized), a pavilion, and picnic areas on the tranquil shoreline.

There’s a campground close by with 150 sites, while the recreation area is embedded in a vast area of public land, with access to more than 50 miles of trails for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, and cross-country skiing.

2. Winchendon History & Cultural Center

The Winchendon Historical Society was founded in 1930 and began a new era in 2000 when the palatial Murdock-Whitney House (c. 1850) was gifted to it.

That original house had been shifted in from Front Street at the turn of the 20th century, and was enlarged at that time into a 22-room mansion.

The interiors abound with carved oak and cherry, along with mirrored mantles and leaded stained glass.

As well as being the main depository for the society’s collections, the house also fascinates fans of the paranormal and welcomes ghost hunts several times a year.

Also part of the Winchendon History & Cultural Center is the Isaac Morse House (135 Front St), where you can browse the range of toys manufactured in Winchendon by the Converse Toy & Woodenware Company between 1887 and 1934.

3. Downtown Winchendon

If you haven’t visited Winchendon’s central commercial area for a while you might be shocked by just how much things have changed for the better.

In the early 2020s the town received state grants to make the arterial Central Street ADA compliant, and there are now new sidewalks, curbing, crosswalks, streetlights, and a bus shelter.

Backed by the steep wooded sides of the Millers River valley, there’s a small but spirited community of local-owned stores and service businesses.

You can shop here for furniture, homewares, antiques, fabrics, flowers and handmade gifts. In October this is the setting for the Winchendon Fall Festival, which we’ll cover in more detail below.

Close by on Whitney Pond, the Winchendon Community Park is a new space for outdoor events. In a pavilion at 226 Front St, you can check out Clyde II, a 1988 replica of a giant rocking horse carved by Morton Converse in 1912.

4. Otter River State Forest

Lake Dennison is just one element in a massive swath of protected public nature, encompassing the southwest of Winchendon, parts of Royalston and Templeton, and bordering the Birch Hill State Wildlife Management Area, which we’ll talk about below.

Otter River State Forest was the first property to be acquired by the State Forest Commission in 1915, and the day-use area was developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) during the Great Depression.

You can access more than 50 miles of trails here, discovering huge stands of pine, northern hardwood forest and oak-hickory forest.

There’s wonderful paddling too, along the Millers River, while the day-use facilities are centered on Beaman Pond, where there’s a beach, picnicking areas, pavilion and ballfield.

5. North Central Pathway (Winchendon Rail Trail)

At the end of Summer Drive in downtown Winchendon you can get onto a paved trail that will one day link this town with downtown Gardner 16 miles to the south.

North North Central Pathway is along a former railroad right-of-way, and in Winchendon there’s some beautiful scenery to appreciate.

The trail passes by the south shore of Whitney Pond, and continues southeast through the Millers River valley, twice crossing the river and ending at a picturesque spot by N Ashburnham Rd.

You can pick up the next section from the parking area on Old Gardner Rd, and this stretch leads south through remote woods, parallel to Route 140 as the northern edge of Crystal Lake near downtown Gardner.

6. Winchendon Fall Festival

On a Saturday in October, this lively festival brings thousands of people downtown, closing down a long stretch of Central Street.

The Winchendon Fall Festival was first launched in the 2010s, but has already become a big success, with upwards of 200 vendors setting up along Central Street each year.

This is a showcase for local organizations, clubs, service, as well as small businesses, so there’s a choice of great food and handmade crafts.

You can enjoy some live music, fun contests, and a demonstration by the Winchendon Fire Department, while there’s a host of activities for wee ones, including a tram ride.

7. Monadnock Recreational Rail Trail

Extending the Fitchburg Railroad into New Hampshire, the Monadnock Railroad was initially completed in 1870 connecting Winchendon with Jaffrey, NH. Later part of the Boston and Maine Railroad, the line was finally abandoned in 1972.

Today you can walk or ride for almost ten miles along the railbed through a secluded wooded corridor, from the edge of downtown Winchendon to Jaffrey.

Contrary to some maps, the trail can be accessed from a spur at the end of Poland Avenue. For most of its route the Monadnock Recreational Rail Trail is unpaved or laid with crushed stone, so conditions can be tricky after heavy rain.

8. Birch Hill State Wildlife Management Area

Spread across several parcels, there’s more than 4,500 acres of conserved land open to the public at this WMA on the west side of Winchendon, as well parts of Templeton and Royalston.

The Birch Hill State Wildlife Management Area is composed of wetlands, hardwood and softwood forests, shrublands, as well as historic orchards long reclaimed by nature. You’ll travel across these landscapes on a system of unmarked trails and maintenance roads.

The largest section in Winchendon is on the Millers River, and is a paradise for birding, home to American woodcocks, great blue herons, eastern whip-poor-wills, ruffed grouse, prairie warblers and many more.

9. Toy Town Stained Glass

Just off Route 202 in the northeast of Winchendon there’s a studio specializing in stained glass and fused glass.

If you’re based in the area you can sign up for stained glass or fused glass classes. The main course for beginners lasts several weeks, during which you’ll work on your own project, which comes to life as you develop skills like cutting, grinding, foiling, soldering, framing and polishing.

If you’re just passing by there’s a wonderful gift shop selling a wealth of finished stained glass with all kinds of forms and functions.

10. Beals Memorial Library

Rooted in the Winchendon Scientific and Literary Association in the mid-19th century, Winchendon has had a public library since 1867.

The library bounced around a few locations in the town before moving into a handsome permanent home at 50 Pleasant St in 1913.

Partly funded by Andrew Carnegie and local businessman George L. Beals, this Beaux-Arts building was constructed from Indiana limestone with granite trim.

There’s an auditorium inside with a Chickering grand piano that was donated by Beals in 1914.

A long-term project to make the library fully accessible was completed in 2018, and this amenity continues to shine as a free and open environment, fostering literacy, growth and curiosity. For visitors to the town, one useful service is the free Wi-Fi.

11. Winchendon Community Park

Over the last few years, this park on the east side of downtown Winchendon has gradually taken shape as a top-notch community asset.

On the north shore of Whitney Pond, Winchendon Community Park covers land that belonged to the Winchendon School until late 2016.

You can stroll along a small web of trails, admire the views and enjoy a picnic in a tranquil spot so close to downtown.

The park is intended as a public gathering space, with outdoor performances hosted by the WCP Performing Arts Amphitheater, which was under construction when we compiled this list.

12. Winchendon Farmers’ Market

Winchendon has a contingent of small-scale farmers, makers, gardeners, and more, selling their wares downtown in the summer.

The farmers’ market takes place on Saturday mornings and Thursday afternoons, May through October.

For a sense of what you might find there’s organic seasonal fresh produce, from garlic to corn to zucchini, along with fresh herbs, homemade pickles, jams, teas, and baked goods.

In terms of crafts you can browse knitted items, handmade soaps and lotions, jewelry, home decorations, and a lot more.

13. Lickity Splitz

This seasonal, family-run ice cream stand has been a staple of the summer in Winchendon since 1998.

All of Lickity Splitz’s ice cream is made on site, and this place is regularly listed among the top ice cream shops in the state.

For a small cross-section of the flavors you’ve got frozen pudding, banana chip, black raspberry, rum raisin, blueberry cheesecake, almond joy, butter pecan and peanut butter cup.

There’s a choice of soft serve, sugar-free options, sundaes, parfaits, and flurries, as well as a lineup of savory food. On that side of the menu, a few specialties include the footlong hot dog, the onion rings, and the haddock sandwich.

14. Gardner Municipal Golf Course

The closest public golf course to Winchendon is little more than ten minutes from Lake Dennison in Gardner.

This 18-hole facility dates back to 1936, and has a relatively open layout, with boundless views of the hilly scenery and the stunning Crystal Lake to the south.

There are four sets of tees, so the course can accommodate players of all abilities, and despite the open layout, careful shot placement is always rewarded.

If you need to get into the swing of things there’s a driving range here, along with a putting green, while the clubhouse has a restaurant with a second-story deck overlooking the last few holes.

15. Winchendon Music Festival

In 2016 the composer and multi-instrumentalist, Andrew Arceci launched a concert series in Winchendon, in memory of his father Robert J. Arceci (1950-2015), who had a love for the arts.

The festival consists of live performances in a variety of genres including classical, jazz, folk, world music and period performance.

These involve soloists, small ensembles and chamber orchestras, and take place at evocative venues like the First Congregational Church on Winchendon’s Old Centre Common, and the salon at the Winchen History & Cultural Center.

All Winchendon Music Festival concerts are free to the public.

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