Six kilometers (3 3/4 miles) south of the city center, Gold Reef City is built around the No. 14 Crown mine shaft that began operating in 1887 and, by the time of its closure in 1975, had produced over 1,400 tons of gold. A re-creation of the Victorian town of the gold-rush era, the “city” houses a variety of gold-related exhibits and museums, of which the most interesting is the 200m (656-ft.) descent into the old mine shaft, after which you can watch demonstrations of gold being poured and minted. Make sure you time your visit to coincide with a performance by the gumboot and traditional dancers - by far the best entertainment on offer (at least for adults). These take place two to three times a day; call for times.
Essentially, Gold Reef City is a theme park, and during the school holidays its target audience becomes apparent as teenagers jostle for space on rides like the Anaconda roller coaster and Tower of Terror, and toddlers screech as they trundle past on the Prospector Train. (At press time, however, the proprietors of Gold Reef City were in the process of litigating against an investigative television program for alleging that the rides here are on the verge of falling apart; do check with your Johannesburg hosts what the outcome is.) Adults can take an emotional roller-coaster ride in the adjacent casino, reached via a skybridge, or enjoy jazz along with African-fusion dining at Back O’ The Moon Restaurant. It’s plenty of fun for the family, but for a more exciting experience, visit a real mine.