It is winter school holiday and luckily for residents of Drakenstein, there are plenty of local attractions to keep the young and curious minds busy but also entertained.
By visiting local attractions you are not only save on petrol money, but you are also supporting local businesses.
Here are some cool places to visit:. The Drakenstein Lion Park and Chimp Haven. Go visit the captive-born predators, which have been saved from very cruel circumstances. Here you will not only find the king of the wild, but also a strikingly beautiful rescued tiger. At Chimp Haven they house animals which needed to be rehoused after Tygerberg Zoo closed down. These include chimpanzees and tigers.
The Lion Sanctuary is open daily from 09:30 to 17:00 and Chimp Haven from 09:30 to 16:30. Lion feeding times are on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 16:00.
Admission for SA citizens is R80 for adults and R40 for children. . Exotic Animal World Klapmuts, previously known as Butterfly World, is also a favourite amongst the little ones. Here kids can see and learn more about exotic animals. At Exotic Animal World they care for over 700 donated animals.
They are open seven days a week from 09:00 until 17:00. There is a restaurant with a scrumptious menu and interesting gift shop as well. Entrance fee is R88 per adult, R49 for children.. Go and see the crocodiles at Le Bonheur farm just outside Paarl on the Simondium Road.
Le Bonheur is home to over 200 crocs with interactive guided tours every 45 minutes. They also have local and exotic snakes. There is also a restaurant, picnic area and they offer catch-and-release fishing. The farm is open seven days a week from 09:00 until 17:00. Guided croc pond tours cost R100 for adults and R65 for persons 18 and under.
. If you don’t mind a short drive, visit The Giraffe House Wildlife Awareness Centre on Old Paarl Road. They provide easy access to some wonderful wildlife and bird species. Focusing on African wildlife, Giraffe House aims to provide a place for people to enjoy a family picnic complemented by some fresh air, while experiencing and learning about animals and conservation. Daily animal encounters are very popular and are held at 11:00, 13:00 and 15:00. These give the visitor the opportunity to meet and hold some interesting creatures. Entrance fees are R80 for adults, R50 for children and pensioners pay R55. You can take with your own picnic basket.
. Garden tours at Babylonstoren will get children excited about going green, while the goat ambassadors at Fairview Wine and Cheese are absolutely irresistible.
. And for a picnic with the best view, visit the iconic Afrikaans Language Monument. You can also enjoy something to eat and drink at the ATM Koffiehuis which is open daily from 08:00-16:45. Entry for adults is R40 and R10 for kids.
. If you and your kids are just looking for a nice walk or ride on your bikes, visit the newly upgraded Paarl Arboretum.
You can even pack a picnic to enjoy. The Arboretum also boasts jungle gyms for the children.
. Take the kids to see the alpacas at the Alpaca Loom Coffee Shop & Weaving Studio. They are open daily from 09:30 – 17:30 with Alpaca Barn Tours daily on the hour every hour. The kids can feed the alpacas, there is a jungle gym and mom and dad can enjoy something from the coffee shop. For more details visit www.alpacas.co.za.
. Take the kids to Nederburg. Nederburg now not only offers fun for adults but they are making the kids feel at home too. Apart from the milk and cookie pairings, they offer cupcake decoration workshops and they arrange picnic boxes with a delicious collection of snacks you’d be happy to see them eating and drinking. There’s also Jenga and a range of lawn games, jungle gyms and a zip-line, tree house, swings and more to keep the children occupied. Booking, is essential. Menu items start at R65 for children, with the milk and cookie pairings and cupcake decorating priced at R95 each. For more on The Manor’s winetasting and wine pairing options, including its brand-new “The Brew” coffee-and-wine tasting, as well as for details of its winter menu, and to book, go to https://nederburg.com/the-manor-restaurant/.
The Manor opens at 08:30 to 11:30 for breakfast. Lunch is served from 12:30 till 16:00.
. For those who would like to sit back and relax, Minimax is the place to be. Grab your popcorn and enjoy movies like Top Gun, Elvis and more. From 1 July everything is turning yellow for the return of the minions in Minions: The rise of Gru.
Tickets cost R60 (Wednesdays – Sundays) and R30 on Mondays and Tuesdays. Follow Minimax on Facebook to make sure you don’t miss out on the newest movie on the big screen.
For all bookings, enquiries and credit card sales, call Minimax on 021 872 0714/5.
