Things to Do in Port Elizabeth
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PortElizabeth is a great little coastal city with loads of great things todo, and a whole host of fantastic…
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Golf Courses
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Mill Park Founded in 1890, the Port Elizabeth Golf Club is one of the oldest in South Africa. Over 100 years later many of the holes still have the same routing!
Today the 6121 metre layout features significant changes including bent grass greens, 25 strategically placed bunkers, and two nines of par 36 for a total par of 72.
Well established trees, palm trees, strelitzias and lush plantings line the fairways. The two signature holes, the 8th and 17th holes, feature distinctive water features.
The vibrant club house offers multi-functional lounges, bars and modern change room facilities with a sauna.
+27 (0) 41 374 3140
bookings@pegolf.co.za
Westview Drive, Mill Park, Port Elizabeth
Hiking Trail
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Port Elizabeth This day walk takes about three hours and is 3 km in length. It is an easy circular walk that passes through a portion of the forest and links up with the old wagon trail to a disused lead mine.
Bushbuck, blue duikers, porcupine and rodents, as well as a large variety of birds can be spotted. Hikers should take their own water, as the stream water is not drinkable. This trail is great for children. Information boxes and a small hall for conservation education is situated on the trail.
Beaches
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Maitlands At the mouth of the Maitland River lies a magnificent bathing beach backed by huge sand dunes stretching for about 5 km West from Beachview to beyond Blue Water Bay.
Kids love the dunes for tobogganing and sand boarding. Maitland River Beach is ideal for leisurely strolls along the waters edge where you can collect sand mussels.
Nature Reserves
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Port Elizabeth Known as the oldest park in Port Elizabeth, this is also the home of the second oldest cricket club in South Africa, which has hosted countless test matches to this day.
St George's Park also features the Port Elizabeth Bowls Club, founded on August 14, 1882, and known as "The Mother Club of Bowls in South Africa" as it was the first bowling club in the country. Other facilities include a swimming baths complex, the Mannville Open-Air Theatre, the Port Elizabeth Lawn Tennis Club, Prince Alfred's Guard Memorial, and the Pearson Conservatory.
Hiking Trail
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Bluewater Bay The Aloe Trail starts at the top of Tippers Creek Road between Amsterdamhoek and Bluewater Bay. The circular route is marked with red arrows and overlooks Amsterdamhoek and the Zwartkops estuary.
Vast numbers of aloes line the beginning of the trail, offering a blaze of colourful blooms during June and July and attracting numerous sunbirds. Keep following the red trail inland before returning to the ridge at a trig beacon. From here there are extensive views over the Zwartkops estuary, the saltpan and Zwartkops Nature Reserve.
Duration: 3 hours
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Distance: 7 km
Galleries and Museums
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New Brighton Looking for interesting and offbeat things to do in Port Elizabeth? Experience the sights and sounds of life in a traditional South African urban community during a half-day township tour.
Gugu's Township Tour will take you into the heart of New Brighton Township, one of Port Elizabeth's oldest and biggest townships, where you will experience authentic South African culture.
The guided tour includes a visit to the outstanding Red Location Apartheid Museum, a traditional Xhosa meal and mingling with locals at a shebeen (pub).
www.gugustownshiptours.co.za
Animal Parks
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Humewood Although Bayworld Oceanarium’s two dolphins, Dumisa and Domino, have winged it off to Hong Kong, the aquarium remains one of the star attractions in Nelson Mandela Bay.
Situated in the heart of the Port Elizabeth beachfront, Bayworld continually dishes up a feast of education and entertainment to thousands of visitors each year.
Kids love the little colony of rescued Cape fur and Sub Antarctic seals. These web-footed friends provide an up-close experience, giving visitors a chance to see them swimming and feeding. Interactions with their trainers and related stories present their amazing adaptations to the aquatic environment.
The African and rock-hopper penguins never fail to amuse with their awkward waddling on land but never fail to impress with their exceptional agility in the water.
Be thrilled by the adult ragged-tooth sharks displaying jagged jaws of eating tools as they cruise around the circular tank. There’s lots to see but don’t miss the tiny Knysna seahorses and the wily octopus.
Open 09:00 – 16:30 every day of the year, except on Christmas Day, 25 December.
Beaches
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Wells Estate Well’s Estate Beach is situated in the northern part of the Nelson Mandela Bay Precinct. This blue Flag Beach is great for kids and boasts well-maintained water slides and paddling pools. Facilities are excellent and lifeguards are on duty during the summer holiday peak season.
Galleries and Museums
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Port Elizabeth The St. Croix Motor Museum is located in St Georges Park. On display is a private collection of vintage and classic motor vehicles, dating as far back as 1901. Many of the vehicles are for sale. The museum was created by Eben de Vos and is housed in an airplane hangar beside Mill Park.
There are about 80 vehicles on display, ranging from the early 20's to the early 60's. Many artifacts related to the motor vehicle industry are also on display.
Animal Parks
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Kragga Kamma At Kragga Kamma Game Park just outside Port Elizabeth all the animals roam freely in natural surroundings. This owner-operated park allows no hunting or other disturbances and that means you can always get close-up views and great photo opportunities of the animals.Lush coastal bush and grassland is home to vast herds of African wildlife including white rhino, buffalo, cheetah, giraffe, zebra, nyala, bontebok, impala and many more species.Knysna loeries are plentiful and more than 200 species of wild birds and waterfowl have been documented.The Kragga Kamma Game Park is open every day from 08:00 to 17:00 for entry. Gates are locked at 19:00 in summer and 18:00 (from 1 April) in winter.Visitors are welcome to drive around on the well-maintained roads in their own vehicle or opt for a two hour game drive with a professional guide.Also on offer is an up-close interaction with Duma, the tame cheetah. Duma's pen is situated at The Bush Café, which serves light meals and beverages.Bush Café: +27 (0)41 379 5646
Beaches
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Humewood Kings Beach is the most well-known and safest beach on Port Elizabeth’s coastline. Boasting a 2 km white sandy stretch, surf lifesaving club, paddling pools, kids playground and fresh water pools. A power craft launch area covers 300 m of beach next to the launch strip.
The MacArthur's Baths Pool Complex is situated along the Kings Beach Promenade. Voluntary lifesavers are on duty over weekends during summer and professionals during the week. Facilities include public toilets, changing rooms, ample parking and beautiful gardens set between lush lawns.
Nature Reserves
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Port Elizabeth Van Staden's Wild Flower Reserve was established in 1951 and is situated 40 km from Port Elizabeth. It is one of the top places to see lowland fynbos, flowering proteas and a variety of other endemic fynbos. Visitors can see a large variety of vegetation in the various habitats of the escarpment. There is an abundance of succulents, ericas, leucadendrons, and other indigenous flora.
The reserve aims to protect the large variety of bird, plant and animal species within the area. Bird watchers can feast their eyes on more than 170 bird species and a number of raptors frolicking in their natural habitat along the rocky gorge. This includes the forest buzzard, jackal buzzard, booted eagle, African crowned eagle, peregrine falcon, black sparrowhawk, and lanner falcon. There is an indigenous coastal forest along the gorge of Van Staden's River. It is home to the Knysna turaco, the Knysna warbler, and the sombre greenbul, among many others.
There is also a nursery in the reserve which sells indigenous flora, and scenic picnic sites on the plateau that are perfect for relaxing over a meal. There are two hiking trails for those who want to explore the reserve. The River Walk is four kilometres long and the Forest Walk is six kilometres. Mountain bikers can explore the plateau section of the reserve, and there are easier sections which are ideal for families to cycle on.
Beaches
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Wells Estate St Georges Strand is Port Elizabeth's most northern beach stretching all the way up to the Coega Harbour breakwater. A long jetty heads out into the sea from the sand dunes. Although the water is blissfully warm, take care as surf conditions can be dangerous. Lifeguards are on duty during the summer holiday season. Be prepared to walk a fair distance to the beach from the parking area.
Beaches
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Sardinia Bay Sardinia Bay is easily one of Port Elizabeth’s most scenic beaches and best for long walks. It’s a popular surfing spot but is known to be dangerous for swimming due to strong rip tides. Dog walkers and horse riders also favour this spacious sandy beach. Picnic places, braai spots and ablution facilities are available so pack your picnic basket and spend an entire day chilling here with family and friends.
Animal Parks
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Humewood Fascinating but fearsome to some folk, reptiles are always a hit with kids. The Bayworld Snake Park has been around since 1919 and is home to numerous reptiles, many of which are indigenous to the Nelson Mandela Bay area.
The slithery and scaly collection includes the longest species of snake in the world, the deadliest snake in Africa and a cunning snake that pretends to be dead so as to avoid being attacked. There are also some of the common species which you might find in your back garden while staying in the Bay.
Informative signs help you identify the snakes so if you do happen to meet one of them, you’ll know whether it is dangerous or not. Along with the amazing snakes, you will also be able to see lizards, crocodiles, tortoises and terrapins.
Open 09:00 – 16:30 every day of the year, except on Christmas Day, 25 December.