Things to do near
Pinelands
*Distances are shown as the crow flies and not necessarily the actual travelling
distance.
Golf Courses
in
Mowbray (1.9 km from Pinelands) Located just a short drive away from Cape Town's city centre, Rondebosch Golf Club is known as a must-play course among locals.
The 18-hole course was founded in 1911 and prides itself with a full 72 championship rating. Facilities include a pro shop, half-way house, and function hall.
Nature Reserves
in
Rondebosch (2.5 km from Pinelands) This public open space has many walking paths. The ever changing landscape and pretty seasonal endemic flowers, birds, butterflies and other creatures making it a great escape from rush-rush of everyday life. Dogs, children and their accompanying adults make it a great meeting place for the neighbourhood. The sunsets are stunning and in the winter mists you may see Blue Crane,and the natural ponds abound with tadpoles. It is 5 minutes walk from the guesthouse.
Golf Courses
in
Observatory (2.7 km from Pinelands) The River Club Golf is the lovely venue to practise your swing on a nicely maintained 9-hole mashie course.
The club features a fantastic driving range, chipping and putting practice areas, and a well-stocked pro shop if you require any golfing items. The course itself is fun and the perfect solution for a group activity. Bring your family around, hit a few balls and take a seat at the restaurant for a drink and bite to eat.
Galleries and Museums
in
Observatory (3.3 km from Pinelands) This all white minimalist space features innovative exhibitions showcasing some of South Africa's rising young talent as well as established artists. UCA Gallery regularly curates conceptual and visual artists in solo and group shows. Their dual focus is to promote Cape Town talent and bring in other vibrant artists from other parts of South Africa to the Mother City.Need to know? Gallery hours: Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm | Sat 9am - 1pm
Galleries and Museums
in
Observatory (3.4 km from Pinelands) A shooting star in Observatory These Four Walls gallery has risen out of its humble beginnings as a series of affordable art exhibitions operating out of a small flat in Woodstock. Thanks to the overwhelming success of these exhibitions, the owners came to realise that there was indeed a gap in the Cape Town art market for a space that offers inexpensive, desirable and beautiful artworks in a semi-informal atmosphere.Our vision is to bring to the buying public a gallery that excels at exhibiting artwork that people want to live with and can afford to own.These Four Walls creates a space that is not completely defined. It is a space that can change and adapt with and to a variety of art and exhibitions in which the overwhelming sense is of honesty and integrity. Two elements which tend to be forgotten in the cut-throat world of art.It is a place to visit, be welcomed, and enjoyed, even if only for a fleeting five minutes.
Galleries and Museums
in
Rosebank - CT (3.6 km from Pinelands) Irma Stern was a major South African artist who achieved national and international recognition in her lifetime.
Established in 1971, the museum is in fact the house of the late artist. The permanent collection at the Irma Stern Museum shows Irma Stern's development as an artist, with subject matter including exotic figures, portraits, lush landscapes and still lifes conveyed in a variety of media. Upstairs you'll find a collection of more commercial items by contemporary artists.
A temporary exhibition programme is arranged annually and visitors can enjoy the garden. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10:00 to 17:00.
Galleries and Museums
in
Rondebosch (3.6 km from Pinelands) The Baxter Theatre Centre provides an exciting forum for the celebration of life which is the essence of live theatre, music and dance. It is one of the major live theatre venues in Cape Town and has always been at the forefront of the performing arts both as a popular venue and as a leading producer.The Baxter Theatre Centre at the University of Cape Town endeavours to present and host the best of South African performing arts. The objective is to reflect the cultures of all the people of South Africa on our stages and in our galleries. The Baxter Theatre strives to present cutting-edge and major works from South Africa and masterpieces from the international repertoire. Since its opening in 1977 the complex has continued to provide a stage for all types of professional entertainment - music, drama, ballet, opera and intimate theatre. Even through the difficult years of racial segregation its doors remained open to everyone and it thrived, drawing on indigenous talent and creating a uniquely South African theatre tradition.
Village Marketplaces
in
Woodstock (4.6 km from Pinelands) The legendary Old Biscuit Mill is something of an institution in the Mother City.
It has the vibe of a warm-hearted country hamlet situated in the middle of the bustling suburb of Woodstock.
This vibrant spot is home to night and day markets, dynamic office spaces, workshops and designer stores, delicious farm-stalls, decadent cafes as well as an awesome line-up of festivals and events.
'The Mill' is also a place where people share, collaborate and show off their heart-felt passion. Explore the Mill and meet some of South Africa’s most talented designers, artists, photographers and connoisseurs of fine taste and décor.
Where? 373 - 375 Albert Road, Woodstock
Popular Attractions
in
Devils Peak (4.6 km from Pinelands) The multitude of Grecian-style columns and host of lion sculptures on the slope of Table Mountain is something of a curiosity.
This rather grand, shrine-like structure goes way beyond being a memorial to the imperialist Cecil John Rhodes but it’s a great place to go for tea and take in the magnificent view of bustling Cape Town towards the Helderberg and Hottentots Holland Mountains.
Built on the site where Rhodes liked to sit and ponder his future, it was a short ride on his horse from his home at Groote Schuur, where the famous hospital now lies. Rhodes Memorial Restaurant is open 9am to 5pm, 7 days a week.
Popular Attractions
in
Rondebosch (4.7 km from Pinelands) The University of Cape Town, fondly called UCT, presides over the southern suburbs and Cape Flats from its lofty position on the slopes of Devil’s Peak on Table Mountain. UCT's setting and beautiful historic buildings make it one of the most attractive universities in South Africa.Famous students who have walked its halls include Prof Christian Barnard, the heart transplant surgeon and three Nobel Prize laureates – the writer JM Coetzee, Prof Alan MacLeod Cormack and Sir Aaron Klug.Visitors often walk from UCT to Rhodes Memorial. Another popular spot is the ‘Jammie steps’ leading up to Jameson Hall. These steps used to be the hub of many heated political protests and debates during the Apartheid regime.
Hiking Trail
in
Table Mountain National Park (4.7 km from Pinelands) Park at Rhodes Memorial and take the path at the top left of the parking area. Head up the hill to the King’s Block House, a 1796 stone lookout post with commanding views of False Bay and the Castle. From here, the route follows the Contour Path, a trail that extends in both directions towards Kirstenbosch or the face of Table Mountain.
Continue for 2 – 3 hours along the Contour Path through to Newlands Forest and lovely sections of indigenous forest before eventually reaching Kirstenbosch. To maximize the trail experience, continue past Skeleton Gorge waterfall until you reach the Smuts Track and Yellowwood Trail junction. Continue down to Kirstenbosch from here.
Duration: 2.5 – 3 hours one way
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 6 km
Photo source: en.wikipedia.org
Fun Parks
in
Century City (4.9 km from Pinelands) Ratanga Junction, the 'Wildest Place in Africa', opened in 1998 and has been enthralling visitors ever since. Located at Century City in Cape Town, Ratanga offers more than 30 attractions ranging from kiddie and family rides to thrill rides guaranteed to satisfy the most avid adrenaline junkies.One of the most challenging rides is “The Cobra”, a suspended looping coaster which catapults riders from a height of 32m along 780m of track at up to four times the force of gravity and at speeds of close to 100km per hour. Adding to the thrill of the ride is the suspension of riders beneath the track, feet flying free. The ride is not for the faint hearted.Then there is the Slingshot, an ultimate thrill ride. This skycoaster combines elements from skydiving and bungie-jumping. Flying three abreast, riders are strapped into a full body harness which supports them in a prone position. They are then hoisted 10 storeys into the air to the top of the tower with nothing between them and the ground. The flight suits are connected to flight cables and on pulling their own rip cord, riders plunge in a 30m free fall at 80 to 90 km/h towards the ground before swinging upwards in a 180 degree arc and then straight down again.The white-knuckle thrills and spills, of which there are many, are just one element offered by Ratanga Junction. The other attractions are designed to entertain children, families, and those who prefer to take their thrills in more manageable doses. Visitors can also enjoy a variety of live entertainment which changes from season to season and eat at one of the many eateries around the beautifully landscaped park. If you’re looking for a great place to spend the whole day with friends, colleagues or family this is the place to be! The ride park operates seasonally during Western Cape school holidays however the function facilities are open year round for groups of 60 or more.Ratanga Junction also offers a large and unique variety of opportunities for corporate team building, incentive functions and events. Private function venues are available to accommodate groups of between 60 to 250 people and banqueting for up to 750, catering for product launches, corporate functions and other special events for up to 1 100 people seated and up to 7 000 people standing. Ratanga can host almost any function you can dream of from 60 to 7 000 guests.
Sports Stadiums Clubs
in
Newlands (4.9 km from Pinelands) Headquarters of the DHL Stormers and DHL Western Province Rugby squad, the grand old Newlands Rugby Stadium is one of the three oldest rugby stadiums in the world.
Set in the ultra-green suburb of Newlands, Newlands Rugby Stadium has a capacity of 51 000 with steeply elevated stands affording maximum visibility and electrifying viewpoints.
Cape Town's three Premier Soccer League clubs also utilize the facilities for their inter-club matches.
Galleries and Museums
in
Newlands (5 km from Pinelands) Have you ever wondered how the Mother City got flour for her daily bread? Visit the Josephine Mill Museum for a trip back to a bygone era. This darling of the Cape Town Historical Society was restored in 1988. The fine iron waterwheel turning once again supplying the surrounding community with freshly milled, stone ground flour, just as it had done, for so many years before. Today the Mill is a fun destination that not only honours a precious piece of Cape History, but also respects the traditions of the community, an awareness of natural and organic living and responsibility to the environment.Plans to turn the museum from a small display of recovered artefacts into a stimulating exhibition of the stone milling process are well underway. A major challenge is to recreate the original watercourses to supply the waterwheel and harness the power of the Liesbeek River. Mill pundits and scholars alike will be offered a rare insight into the methods and equipment devised to industrialise the production of flour. The Mill Museum will offer an intriguing exhibition of stone milling in process, and showpiece the history of power and its evolution from water to steam to electricity - and back again.
Sports Stadiums Clubs
in
Newlands (5.1 km from Pinelands) Fondly called Newlands Cricket Ground by locals, Sahara Park Newlands in the Southern Suburbs is something of an institution in the Mother City.
Considered one of the most stunning cricket venues on the globe, Sahara Park is home to the Cape Cobras and is a regular Test Match venue, carrying a seating capacity of 25 000.
The beautiful grounds neighbour Newlands Stadium and are backed by gorgeous views of Table Mountain and Devil's Peak.