The best weekend getaways from Johannesburg are the ones you can reach before Friday night turns into Saturday morning. Hartbeespoort, Magaliesburg, Dinokeng, Parys and Cullinan sit roughly an hour to an hour and a half away, Pilanesberg about two hours, and Dullstroom a little further up the N4. Below you will find what each place is good for, how to match it to your kind of weekend, and what to check before you pack the car.

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TL;DR

  • Under 90 minutes: Hartbeespoort, Magaliesburg, Dinokeng, Parys, Cullinan and Irene all work for a Friday-evening departure.
  • Couples: Dullstroom’s fireplaces and fly-fishing, or a quiet Magaliesburg lodge, suit a slow, romantic weekend.
  • Families: Hartbeespoort and Irene have child-friendly attractions, and Dinokeng is a malaria-free way to see the Big Five.
  • Budget: Fuel, park fees, meals and activities add up on top of the room rate, so price the whole weekend, not just the bed.
  • Before you go: Check the route, the season, gate times and whether the place is on the Gauteng side of the line or in another province.

Table of Contents

How to choose a getaway that fits your weekend

Johannesburg is a good starting point because so much lies within a few hours’ drive: bushveld, river, highland and farmland. The mistake most people make is picking a place by its photographs and then spending a quarter of the weekend in the car.

Two questions narrow things quickly.

How much driving can you stomach? If you finish work on Friday at five, a 45-minute to 90-minute drive means you can still arrive, eat and unwind the same evening. Anything beyond two hours is better saved for a Saturday morning start, or for a long weekend.

What do you actually want to do? A weekend of reading by a pool, a weekend of hiking, and a weekend of game drives call for three different destinations. Be honest about which you need.

The table below gives drive times from Johannesburg as reported by Getaway magazine, plus what each place suits best. Your actual time depends on where in the city you start and on traffic.

Destination Approx. drive from Joburg Best for
Hartbeespoort 45 minutes to 1 hour Families, markets, boat cruises
Magaliesburg 1 to 1½ hours Hiking, mountain biking, couples
Dinokeng Game Reserve 1 to 1½ hours Self-drive safari, malaria-free Big Five
Parys 1 to 1½ hours Fishing, rafting, galleries
Cullinan 1 to 1½ hours Heritage, short breaks
Pilanesberg About 2 hours Game drives, bigger safari weekend
Dullstroom Roughly 2½ to 3 hours Cold-weather romance, fly-fishing

Hartbeespoort: the easiest escape

At around 45 minutes to an hour from the city, Hartbeespoort is the one place on this list you can reach in less time than many Johannesburg commutes. That makes it ideal when you only decide on Saturday morning that you need to leave.

The dam and its surrounds offer a boat cruise, craft markets and a lively restaurant scene, all described in the Getaway round-up of weekend escapes. For families, Time Out Johannesburg recommends the Upside-Down House, Chameleon Village and the Hartbeespoort Aerial Cableway, which gives children plenty to look at without a long drive.

Cruise boat crossing Hartbeespoort Dam

The trade-off is that Harties is popular, so weekends can be busy. Arrive early for markets, or book your cableway outing for first thing.

Magaliesburg: hills, hiking and quiet

The Magaliesberg range is where Johannesburgers go when they want green without a long journey. It is about an hour to an hour and a half out, and the main draws are hiking and mountain biking on the ridges and valleys.

Guesthouses and lodges here range from simple self-catering cottages to places with spa treatments and restaurants, so it works for a solo reset, a couple’s weekend or a group of friends who want a braai and a long walk. Because options are plentiful, book a place with a clear view or garden rather than one on a busy road, and check whether meals are included.

Dinokeng Game Reserve: Big Five without the malaria

If you want a safari but not a long drive or malaria tablets, Dinokeng is the obvious answer. Getaway describes it as a malaria-free Big Five reserve about 1 to 1½ hours from Johannesburg, with more than 140 km of self-drive routes.

That self-drive element matters. You can go at your own pace, stop where you like and keep costs down, or book a guided game drive if you would rather someone else spot the lions. It is a particularly good first safari for children, since there is no need for a long transfer or for medication.

Giraffes beside a reserve safari track

Parys and the Vaal: water, galleries and slow afternoons

Parys, again around 1 to 1½ hours away, offers a different kind of weekend. The Vaal River is the draw: you can fish or raft, and the town itself has galleries and coffee shops worth wandering through, according to Getaway.

It suits groups with mixed interests, since one person can be on the water while another browses galleries. If you like the idea of combining art with a road trip, our guide to Johannesburg’s art galleries will help you warm up before you head out.

Cullinan and the Cradle of Humankind

Cullinan and the Cradle of Humankind are the best choice if you want your weekend to include something to learn. The Sterkfontein Caves and Maropeng are described by Getaway as a fascinating detour from the usual weekend activities, and both are within the 1 to 1½-hour range.

This is a good Saturday-plus-Sunday combination for people who like museums as much as scenery. If you want to build the habit locally first, our list of museums in Johannesburg covers ten options, from free entry upwards.

Irene: the 30-minute family break

Irene is only about 30 minutes from Johannesburg, which makes it more of a long lunch than a getaway, but families love it. Time Out Johannesburg points to Irene Farm’s playground, pony rides, petting farm and walking trail, plus a restaurant for the adults.

If you book a night nearby, you can turn it into a gentle overnight for toddlers who would not cope with a long drive.

Pilanesberg: the bigger safari weekend

Pilanesberg is roughly two hours from Johannesburg, per Getaway, and is the best option on this list for proper game drives. Visitors can drive themselves or join a guided drive, and the park sits in the North West province, so you cross a provincial line, which matters for park gate times and fees.

Because conservation fees are reviewed every year and differ for South African residents, SADC nationals and international visitors, check the park’s own tariff page before you set your budget. Take your ID with you if you are claiming the resident rate.

Dullstroom: for cold mornings and open fires

Dullstroom sits in the Mpumalanga highlands and takes roughly two and a half hours or more to reach, depending on your starting point and the N4 traffic. Getaway says its highland atmosphere, fly-fishing and cosy fireplaces make it suited to romantic or slow getaways.

Angler casting into a Dullstroom stream

Winter is its natural season, when the air is crisp and a log fire feels earned. In summer afternoon storms are common in the escarpment, so keep a flexible plan for outdoor activities. If you are leaving on Friday after work, expect to arrive after dark, so book somewhere with a late check-in or a restaurant that stays open.

The staycation option: Johannesburg itself

Sometimes the best getaway is not leaving. A weekend in your own city, planned like a trip, saves fuel and gives you a chance to see parts you normally rush past.

Romantic weekends: how to pick the right one

For couples, the question is not distance but atmosphere. Dullstroom wins on fireplaces and quiet. Magaliesburg wins on proximity, and you can arrive in time for dinner on Friday. Parys suits couples who like galleries and a river walk more than a spa.

A few practical points make a difference:

  1. Ask about noise. Some lodges host weddings and functions on weekends. Ask whether anything is booked for your dates.
  2. Check meals. Rural restaurants often close early on Sundays, so confirm dinner and breakfast arrangements.
  3. Choose privacy. A self-catering cottage with its own entrance often feels more romantic than a room in a busy guesthouse.
  4. Allow slack. Do not plan more than one activity a day. The point is to slow down.

If the idea of slowing down appeals, our piece on pool days and local culture as a travel combination is a good companion read.

Family weekends: keeping children (and adults) happy

For families, shorter is usually better. Hartbeespoort and Irene work because attractions are close together and drive times are short. Dinokeng works for older children who can sit through a game drive, and its malaria-free status removes one worry.

Tips that save weekends:

  • Pack snacks and water for the car, since rural stops can be far apart.
  • Leave at a sensible hour so children are not carsick or hungry on arrival.
  • Ask whether the lodge has fenced gardens, a pool or a play area, and whether cots or extra beds cost extra.
  • Choose a place with an alternative if it rains, such as a museum or indoor market.

What a weekend getaway really costs

Quoted accommodation prices are the start, not the total. A weekend budget normally includes the following.

Cost What to ask or check
Accommodation Is the price per person or per room? Per night or for the stay? Sharing or single?
Breakfast and dinner Included, optional or not available?
Park or reserve fees Daily conservation fees and vehicle fees at places like Pilanesberg
Activities Boat cruises, cableways, guided drives, fly-fishing permits
Fuel and tolls Round trip, including any detours
Extras Spa treatments, wine, souvenirs

A lot of lodge listings quote rates per person per night sharing, which means you should multiply by two for a couple and then again by the number of nights. Compare like with like: a self-catering cottage may look cheaper than a lodge until you add groceries, whereas a full-board lodge that includes meals and a game drive can turn out better value.

Also check cancellation terms. Peak weekends and school holidays tend to book out, and flexible bookings are worth a small premium if the weather is uncertain.

Before you set off: a short checklist

  1. Route. Check traffic and roadworks the night before. Friday afternoons on the main routes out of Johannesburg are slow.
  2. Season. Highland places like Dullstroom are cold in winter and wet on summer afternoons. Bushveld spots get hot in summer.
  3. Gate times. Parks and reserves close their gates at set times. Arriving late can mean being locked out or paying for extra services.
  4. Loadshedding and water. Ask your host whether they have backup power and water, especially for self-catering stays.
  5. Cash and signal. Some rural spots have patchy signal and card machines that fail. Carry a little cash.
  6. Safety. Drive in daylight where possible, keep valuables out of sight and keep a charged phone.
  7. Fuel. Fill up before you leave the city, and top up at larger towns.

For longer festive holidays, when everyone leaves at once, our note on tackling festive season anxiety offers sensible ideas for staying calm during the rush.

Our perspective

We cover Johannesburg’s fashion, art, food and travel every day, and one pattern keeps coming up: the readers who enjoy their weekends most are the ones who choose one thing and do it properly. They do not try to see three towns in two days.

Our advice is to match the place to the mood. If you need to switch off, choose somewhere with a pool and a view and leave the itinerary blank. If you want culture, pick a town with galleries, markets and a museum, and plan around opening days, since small-town schedules are not always what you expect.

We also encourage people to support local makers and small businesses when they travel. A farm stall, a craft market or an independent gallery is often where you find the best story of the trip, and it keeps money in the community. Even a getaway close to home can feel like a different world if you give it your attention.

— Chad

Plan your next weekend with Joburgstyle

We publish guides, event coverage and travel features that help you decide where to go, what to see and what to wear when you get there. If you are building a getaway around slow travel, our feature on slow travel activities on the KZN South Coast is a good next read for a longer break.

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FAQ

What is the closest weekend getaway to Johannesburg?

Hartbeespoort is around 45 minutes to an hour away, according to Getaway, and Irene is about 30 minutes away, per Time Out. Both are easy enough for a spontaneous trip. Magaliesburg, Dinokeng, Parys and Cullinan follow at about 1 to 1½ hours.

Where can I go for a romantic weekend near Johannesburg?

Dullstroom is the classic choice, with fireplaces and fly-fishing. Magaliesburg and Parys are closer and work well for couples who prefer less driving. Whichever you choose, ask about weekend events at the lodge so your stay stays quiet.

Which getaway is best for families?

Hartbeespoort and Irene have attractions aimed at children, including a cableway, an upside-down house, a petting farm and pony rides. Dinokeng is a good first safari because it is malaria-free and close. Keep drives short for younger children.

Do I need malaria tablets for a safari weekend near Johannesburg?

Not for Dinokeng, which Getaway lists as malaria-free. Pilanesberg is also in the same general region, but check current health guidance with your doctor or a travel clinic before you go, especially if you are pregnant or travelling with young children.

How much should I budget for a weekend away?

Add accommodation, meals, park fees, activities and fuel. Accommodation rates are often quoted per person per night sharing, so double the figure for a couple and multiply by the nights. Check whether meals and game drives are included before comparing places.

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