Dominated by a vast shopping mall and adjoining hospital, the small suburb of Greenacres in Port Elizabeth is the ideal location for visitors seeking convenience. The suburb’s commercial section consists of office parks, small businesses, medical services and an excellent public transport network, while the residential area’s attractive homes are lined with wide, grassed sidewalks under shady trees. A large green lung runs through the suburb.
Port Elizabeth lies on the south eastern coastline of South Africa. It’s one of the largest cities in the country, however, it’s affectionately known as the 15-minute city, as all suburbs – including Greenacres – and beaches are within a short distance of the airport and city centre.
The Port Elizabeth Golf Club is separated from Greenacres to the south by the R102 highway which is also the most direct route to Port Elizabeth’s sunny beaches.
Top 6 reasons to visit Greenacres
1. Explore Port Elizabeth’s 3 Blue Flag appointed beaches. The Blue Flag is a European standard granted to beaches that meet the organisation’s high standards of safety, cleanliness and environmental awareness. The beaches are Humewood, Hobie and Kings Beach.
2. For best views of the city and Indian Ocean, climb the 200+ steps of the Campanile at the harbour. The Campanile was erected to commemorate the arrival of the 1820 settlers, around 4000 British citizens encouraged by their government to settle here.
3. There’s lots of fun to be had at the Boardwalk Casino and Entertainment World located on the beachfront. Apart from the casino, the resort has retail outlets, children’s entertainment, restaurants, bars, a luxury spa and a mini version of Las Vegas’ Bellagio fountain.
4. Bus into the city to see the places of interest such as the Donkin Reserve, the old lighthouse and the impressive City Hall. Walk along the esplanade for uninterrupted sea views and to people watch.
5. Check out the daily seal and penguin shows at Bayworld, wander through the fascinating Oceanarium, view the collection of live snakes and marvel at the exhibits on show at the natural and cultural museums in the complex.
6. Take a 30-minute tour of the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, erected to host football fixtures during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Designed to appear as the national flower – the Protea, the stadium has 6 levels and took 2.5 years to construct at a cost of R2 Billion. Tours happen on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Transport
The Port Elizabeth International Airport is located just outside the city, 8km from Greenacres. Several car rental agencies are based in Port Elizabeth and at the airport to hire a vehicle, or you could order a rental online. Many taxi companies operate in Port Elizabeth and Uber is due to start operating here in the near future. The city-managed bus service runs regularly between the city and Greenacres.
Did you know?
At one stage in its history, Port Elizabeth was called Delagoa Bay (Baia de Lagoa, meaning Lagoon Bay) by Portuguese Mariners. Locals refer to their hometown as the Bay or die Baai in Afrikaans or iBhayi in Xhosa.
The Greenacres Shopping Centre is Port Elizabeth’s largest mall with major outlets and movies, and parking facilities around the ring road that encircles the complex. Residents from other suburbs travel into Greenacres simply to shop.
