The suburb of Sunninghill incorporated into the Fourways district in Johannesburg is quintessential contemporary living, the area made popular by young professionals demanding all conveniences, including fibre to the home, laundry services, gyms, a vibrant restaurant scene, a greenbelt, safe cycling and to be within easy reach of their workplace.
Several office parks and shopping malls are scattered throughout the suburb and Sunninghill lies to the west of a crux of highways leading to all major centres.
Sunninghill community members rally together to keep the streets safe and clean, it’s a lively and modern suburb, buzzing with restaurants and nightlife, and well worth staying over on a visit to Johannesburg.
Top 8 reasons to visit Sunninghill
1. Head to the gym at Chilli Lane, followed by a tasteful haircut and early morning breakfast at one of the many eateries. Other malls in the area include The Core and The Square, a large strip mall. The Sunninghill Village has a greater retail selection with 75 stores.
2. Those requiring major retail therapy should best drive to nearby Sandton City, Johannesburg’s shopping mecca. One of Africa’s leading malls, Sandton City has over 300 luxury stores, top restaurants, regular entertainment and thousands of parking bays.
3. A major drawcard to the area is Montecasino, a casino and entertainment complex offering gaming facilities, movies, a theatre house that hosts regular international acts, restaurants, cocktail bars and a spa. For day visitors, a walk through the Bird Gardens is recommended. Stay for the Flight of Fantasy show.
4. Watch a polo match at the Waterfall Equestrian and Polo Estate. The estate has 3 polo fields and occasionally hosts cycling events, dog shows and new vehicle launches.
5. Get the most out of your Sunday by attending the SundayFunk event at OCD Nightclub at The Core Mall. The venue, decked out in all-white décor, stays open until 2am and patrons can party to the sounds of top DJs. Note: the club is currently undergoing renovations, phone before visiting.
6. Travel into Braamfontein and the Origins Centre at Wits University to see the amazing collection of Stone Age tools, the spectacular artwork on display and to learn more of mankind’s evolution and migration from Africa.
7. Take a fascinating tour of the Sterkfontein Caves at the Maropeng Centre, 50km west of Sunninghill. The caves are the site of the ‘Mrs Ples’ discovery and the tour passes the excavation site underground. There is a restaurant on the premises.
8. Have your host pack you a picnic basket and find a shady spot under the many trees bordering Emmarentia Dam. Hire a canoe for a lazy paddle on the water. A separate dog park keeps pooches away from picnickers.
Transport
OR Tambo International Airport is 40km from Sunninghill and domestic flights leave and depart from Lanseria Airport, 30km away. The nearest Gautrain (express rail service) station is at Midrand, roughly 12km from Sunninghill. There are a number of metered taxi and shuttle service companies operating around Sunninghill, otherwise register with Uber and order a ride via your mobile phone.
Did you know?
Mrs Ples is the name given to a pre-human skull discovered in 1947 in the Sterkfontein Caves. The adolescent skull was the most complete ever found in South Africa, however, dynamite was used to excavate the cave that caused the skull to split in two. Fortunately, the damage wasn’t too serious.
Avoid confusion by being familiar with the words Jozi, Joeys or Egoli, these are names that locals use to refer to their city of Johannesburg.
