Guidebook for Berea
Food Scene
Olive and Oil at the Westville Country club has a pleasant outdoor play area for kids. Items on the kids menu include build your own pizza that is always popular. Adult menu is really nice for a kid friendly place. Booking recommended over weekends. www.tripadvisor.co.za/Restaurant_Review-g1028280-d6885275-Reviews-O_O_Cafe-Westville_Durban_KwaZulu_Natal.html
7 locals recommend
Westville Country Club
1 Link RdOlive and Oil at the Westville Country club has a pleasant outdoor play area for kids. Items on the kids menu include build your own pizza that is always popular. Adult menu is really nice for a kid friendly place. Booking recommended over weekends. www.tripadvisor.co.za/Restaurant_Review-g1028280-d6885275-Reviews-O_O_Cafe-Westville_Durban_KwaZulu_Natal.html
One of the best jungle gym's (and free) in Durban with a nice little coffee shop. Jungle gyms for various ages. You can take nice family shots with the iconic stadium in the background. Chips, chocolate cake and coffee :) /www.tripadvisor.co.za/Attraction_Review-g312595-d7107161-Reviews-People_s_Park-Durban_KwaZulu_Natal.html
11 locals recommend
People's Park Café
44 Isaiah Ntshangase RdOne of the best jungle gym's (and free) in Durban with a nice little coffee shop. Jungle gyms for various ages. You can take nice family shots with the iconic stadium in the background. Chips, chocolate cake and coffee :) /www.tripadvisor.co.za/Attraction_Review-g312595-d7107161-Reviews-People_s_Park-Durban_KwaZulu_Natal.html
The best indoor play area in Durban. Good for rainy days. Affordable burgers and yummy pizza's. Super value for children's meals. The play area is divided according to age. We like that! www.facebook.com/PalletJacksFamilyRestaurant/
Pallet Jacks
9 Old Main RdThe best indoor play area in Durban. Good for rainy days. Affordable burgers and yummy pizza's. Super value for children's meals. The play area is divided according to age. We like that! www.facebook.com/PalletJacksFamilyRestaurant/
Sweet local coffee shop with a small wooden jungle gym, next to an art gallery with one of my favourite curio/local art shops. Please note they are closed on Mondays. http://www.kznsagallery.co.za/
47 locals recommend
KwaZulu Natal Society of Arts
166 Bulwer RdSweet local coffee shop with a small wooden jungle gym, next to an art gallery with one of my favourite curio/local art shops. Please note they are closed on Mondays. http://www.kznsagallery.co.za/
Fabulous cake, luscious breakfasts and tables set in the sand on the beach. There's also a small jungle gym inside. Pop in at the skate park next door, go swim in the sea or rent a bike and ride on the promenade. http://www.circuscircus.co.za/beachcafe/
33 locals recommend
Circus Circus Beach Cafe
1 Snell ParadeFabulous cake, luscious breakfasts and tables set in the sand on the beach. There's also a small jungle gym inside. Pop in at the skate park next door, go swim in the sea or rent a bike and ride on the promenade. http://www.circuscircus.co.za/beachcafe/
Parks & Nature
Not the cheapest outing, but really worthwhile. Our highlights are the bird shows and being able to feed the birds by hand. There is a coffee shop and snacks on sale. Please note that most of it is outdoors, so not suitable for rainy weather.
70 locals recommend
Umgeni River Bird Park
Riverside RoadNot the cheapest outing, but really worthwhile. Our highlights are the bird shows and being able to feed the birds by hand. There is a coffee shop and snacks on sale. Please note that most of it is outdoors, so not suitable for rainy weather.
This small zoo is next to Blue zoo Restaurant. This park has been a hit with children for the last 40 years. You can easily spend an hour or two here. Entrance last time I checked was around R10 per person. Cash only. Stop at the Blue Zoo for coffee and cake afterwards. www.tripadvisor.co.za/Attraction_Review-g312595-d480869-Reviews-Mitchell_Park-Durban_KwaZulu_Natal.html
51 locals recommend
Mitchell Park Zoo
10 Ferndale RdThis small zoo is next to Blue zoo Restaurant. This park has been a hit with children for the last 40 years. You can easily spend an hour or two here. Entrance last time I checked was around R10 per person. Cash only. Stop at the Blue Zoo for coffee and cake afterwards. www.tripadvisor.co.za/Attraction_Review-g312595-d480869-Reviews-Mitchell_Park-Durban_KwaZulu_Natal.html
Great mountain biking park. They have bikes for rent and tracks and trails for different abilities (even a little balance bike track!). Also some jungle gyms for the little ones. You can also hike here and I love to go for a walk towards the waterfall. Afro's chicken have opened a branch here so GREAT chicken and pretty good pizza for your meals and also soft serve cones. Entrance fee for cyclist and small entrance fee for non-cyclists :) www.gibagorge.co.za
45 locals recommend
Giba Gorge Mountain Bike Park
110 Stockville RdGreat mountain biking park. They have bikes for rent and tracks and trails for different abilities (even a little balance bike track!). Also some jungle gyms for the little ones. You can also hike here and I love to go for a walk towards the waterfall. Afro's chicken have opened a branch here so GREAT chicken and pretty good pizza for your meals and also soft serve cones. Entrance fee for cyclist and small entrance fee for non-cyclists :) www.gibagorge.co.za
Lovely gardens with a collection of plants from all over the world. Don't miss the cycads and the orchid collection. You often see pelicans in the lake and its a peaceful safe place to have a picnic or stop in for a snack at the tea garden. Free entrance.
13 locals recommend
Botanical gardens
9A John Zikhali RdLovely gardens with a collection of plants from all over the world. Don't miss the cycads and the orchid collection. You often see pelicans in the lake and its a peaceful safe place to have a picnic or stop in for a snack at the tea garden. Free entrance.
Arts & Culture
Cheap entry fee and interesting exhibits. It is in the harbour, which looks quite rundown, but its a fun outing to fill an hour or two. Please note that you climb on and off the boats, so not such a good idea in the rain, and remember shoes if its hot because the deck's get really hot in summer.
8 locals recommend
Port Natal Maritime Museum
Samora Machel StreetCheap entry fee and interesting exhibits. It is in the harbour, which looks quite rundown, but its a fun outing to fill an hour or two. Please note that you climb on and off the boats, so not such a good idea in the rain, and remember shoes if its hot because the deck's get really hot in summer.
Free museum with lovely dioramas in the old city hall in CBD. Lovely in rainy weather. There is a parking lot on Albany grove, next to the Playhouse theater, but you have to bring cash to pay for the parking. http://www.durban.gov.za/City_Services/ParksRecreation/museums/libraries/Pages/default.aspx
15 locals recommend
Natural Science Museum
234 Anton Lembede StFree museum with lovely dioramas in the old city hall in CBD. Lovely in rainy weather. There is a parking lot on Albany grove, next to the Playhouse theater, but you have to bring cash to pay for the parking. http://www.durban.gov.za/City_Services/ParksRecreation/museums/libraries/Pages/default.aspx
Entertainment & Activities
Absolutely amazing animal farm. Its unfortunately about a 40-50 min drive up the North Coast on the highway, but SO worth it. Set out at least 3-4 hours to go through this place. They have roaming goats for the kids to pet, iguana's that they bring out for them to pet, and all the usual farm things like cows, chickens, rabbits and pony and train rides. Also some awesome jungle gyms. http://flaganimalfarm.co.za/
146 locals recommend
Flag Animal Farm
Sheffield Beach RdAbsolutely amazing animal farm. Its unfortunately about a 40-50 min drive up the North Coast on the highway, but SO worth it. Set out at least 3-4 hours to go through this place. They have roaming goats for the kids to pet, iguana's that they bring out for them to pet, and all the usual farm things like cows, chickens, rabbits and pony and train rides. Also some awesome jungle gyms. http://flaganimalfarm.co.za/
Lovely feeding and interaction little animal farm about 30 min drive up into Hillcrest. Highlights are riding behind the tractor, the milking show and feeding all the animals. Its quite a peaceful farm feel and they do have a little coffee shop. http://www.animalfarmyard.co.za/
Animal Farmyard
3 Lello RoadLovely feeding and interaction little animal farm about 30 min drive up into Hillcrest. Highlights are riding behind the tractor, the milking show and feeding all the animals. Its quite a peaceful farm feel and they do have a little coffee shop. http://www.animalfarmyard.co.za/
The indoor aquarium is so fun and I highly recommend the feeding times. The water park is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays out of season. If you have small children, it might be worthwhile to go for a session early in the morning, take a break and then go back again in the afternoon. As long as you keep your bracelets on, you can go in again. If you go on a quiet day and pitch up 10 min early for the dolphin show, you might be lucky and get picked to go up and get splashed my a dolphin- you just have to go totally crazy and make a noise when they pick the volunteers!
525 locals recommend
uShaka Marine World
1 Signal RdThe indoor aquarium is so fun and I highly recommend the feeding times. The water park is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays out of season. If you have small children, it might be worthwhile to go for a session early in the morning, take a break and then go back again in the afternoon. As long as you keep your bracelets on, you can go in again. If you go on a quiet day and pitch up 10 min early for the dolphin show, you might be lucky and get picked to go up and get splashed my a dolphin- you just have to go totally crazy and make a noise when they pick the volunteers!