Race weekends · By Dean Cothill
Run Your City Gqeberha: a runner’s weekend
Stays, food, supporters and a little more of the Bay. A practical race-weekend plan, with the five original Run Your City reports kept together.
Read the guideYour local city guide
Find your kind of Gqeberha.
Beaches, coffee, family days, wildlife and further journeys. Search our travel guides and local stories, then start planning a day that feels like you.
44 reads to explore
Start here · By Dean Cothill
Things to do in Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth): a local guide
Plan your Gqeberha visit with beaches, wildlife, local food, culture and family outings, plus practical guides to help you choose.
Read the guide
Safari planning · By Dean Cothill
Visiting Addo Elephant National Park from Gqeberha
My starting plan for an Addo day: Matyholweni or Main Camp, self-drive or a collected tour, dated fees and time to enjoy the wildlife without rushing.
Read the guideCity itinerary · By Dean Cothill
3 days in Gqeberha: a beach, city and safari itinerary
How I would arrange a first visit: the beachfront, a full day in Addo, then Sards and coffee or a guided city outing. Named stays and food stops along the way.
Read the guide
Places to stay · By Dean Cothill
Where to stay in Gqeberha: an area-by-area guide
The Beach Hotel, Boardwalk, No5, Wilmot Cottages, Paxton and Hacklewood: named stays, why I would compare them, and a family getaway from my own archive.
Read the guide
Road trips · By Dean Cothill
Cape Town to Gqeberha: a Garden Route road trip with safari
Plan a Cape Town-to-Gqeberha road trip with realistic overnight bases, Garden Route choices, Tsitsikamma and a separately arranged safari.
Read the guide
Visitor essentials · By Dean Cothill
Gqeberha travel guide for first-time visitors
Understand Gqeberha and Port Elizabeth, airport arrivals, transport, accommodation choices, payments and the essentials for a first visit.
Read the guide
Seasons & planning · By Dean Cothill
When is the best time to visit Gqeberha and the Eastern Cape?
Compare seasonal priorities for Gqeberha, safari, beaches, hiking and the wider Eastern Cape, with a practical month-by-month planning calendar.
Read the guide
Wildlife & safari · By Dean Cothill
Eastern Cape safari guide: Addo or a private game reserve?
Compare Addo self-drive, guided day safaris and private lodge stays, including family policies, transfers, inclusions and booking questions.
Read the guide
Beaches & coast · By Dean Cothill
The best beaches in Gqeberha: which one should you visit?
Hobie for a first look at the Bay, Sards for the landscape, and the coast beyond. A photographer and open-water swimmer’s guide to choosing your beach day.
Read the guide
Family days · By Dean Cothill
Things to do with kids in Gqeberha: a family planning guide
Plan Gqeberha family outings by age, weather and facilities, with wildlife, seabird conservation, indoor options and a clear Bayworld update.
Read the guide
Food & coffee · By Dean Cothill
Where to eat in Gqeberha: restaurants, coffee and markets
Coffee at Holiday or Mastertons, a casual beachfront meal, dinner at Muse and Xhosa heritage food at Café Riza. Named places, with a reason for each.
Read the guide
Regional itinerary · By Dean Cothill
7 days in the Eastern Cape: Gqeberha, Addo and the coast
A suggested seven-day Eastern Cape route with three bases: Gqeberha, Addo, Jeffreys Bay, St Francis and Tsitsikamma.
Read the guide
Days away · By Dean Cothill
Day trips from Gqeberha: choose a realistic outing
Compare Gqeberha day trips by direction and time commitment, including Addo, coastal outings, markets and places better given an overnight stay.
Read the guide
Forest & coast · By Dean Cothill
Tsitsikamma and Storms River: a first-time visitor's guide
Plan a Tsitsikamma stay with clear village and Mouth locations, current park-access links, forest permits and weather-dependent activity advice.
Read the guide
Coastal weekends · By Dean Cothill
Jeffreys Bay, St Francis Bay and Cape St Francis: a weekend guide
Plan two nights around Jeffreys Bay, St Francis Bay and Cape St Francis, with surfing, walks, lighthouse visits and practical booking questions.
Read the guide
Walking & nature · By Dean Cothill
Hiking in the Eastern Cape: coastal walks, forests and longer trails
Compare Gqeberha coastal walks, St Francis routes, Tsitsikamma access and the separately planned Otter Trail, with current official sources.
Read the guide
Ocean wildlife · By Dean Cothill
Algoa Bay wildlife: dolphins, whales, penguins and ocean tours
Plan an Algoa Bay marine outing with operator links, seasonal context, booking questions, protected-island care and a SANCCOB alternative.
Read the guide
Art & culture · By Dean Cothill
Gqeberha's history and culture: art, local voices and hosted visits
Plan a guided introduction to Gqeberha through Route 67, the Donkin Reserve, community-led experiences and Xhosa food traditions.
Read the guide
Karoo journeys · By Dean Cothill
Graaff-Reinet and the Valley of Desolation: a Karoo escape
Plan an inland Karoo stay from Gqeberha, with separate Camdeboo entrances, Valley viewpoint advice, overnight pacing and official park links.
Read the guide
Wild Coast journeys · By Dean Cothill
Planning a Wild Coast trip: Coffee Bay and Hole in the Wall
Plan a multi-night Wild Coast extension with Coffee Bay route advice, local guides, Hole in the Wall and sensible overnight breaks.
Read the guide
4 June 2024 · 2 min read
A night at Tiger’s Milk
From the June 2024 archive: a look back at the opening of Tiger’s Milk at Moffett on Main.
Read the story
25 March 2024 · 2 min read
A slower stay at Once Upon a Dome
A story from our 2024 archive about a forest escape, a family stay and the feeling of getting away without travelling far.
Read the story
9 August 2023 · 3 min read
A getaway at Nyosi Wildlife Reserve
Wildlife and a change of pace close to the city. A local story from the August 2023 archive.
Read the story
31 July 2023 · 4 min read
Early learning around Gqeberha
Welcome to GQEBERHA (Port Elizabeth), where you’ll find a wide variety of pre-schools and day care centres to meet the needs of your little ones.
Read the story
11 July 2023 · 3 min read
A Summerstrand stay at Wilmot Cottages
Meet Wilmot Cottages through our original 2023 accommodation feature, and contact the venue for current availability.
Read the story
30 January 2023 · 4 min read
A century of coffee at Mastertons
Who is Mastertons Coffee? The Coffee Legend Ronald John “Jock” Masterton The founder, Ronald John ‘Jock’ Masterton, came to South Africa from Scotland in 1920
Read the story
28 January 2023 · 1 min read
A burger at Crave
Asking for a friend: So where is the best burger in town? So we’ve covered pizzas at The Nose Pizza and we’ve covered Coffee at
Read the story
13 January 2023 · 2 min read
Pizza at The Nose
Asking for a friend… So @cityofgqeberha hit the social channels and asked for a friend, where can I get the best slice of pizza in
Read the story10 January 2023 · 1 min read
Five-a-side football around the Bay
Look no further than Callies Unite and Fairview Action 5-A-Side Soccer Arena. But what is Futsal or 5 a side soccer anyway? Five-a-side football or
Read the story
7 January 2023 · 2 min read
Kragga Kamma Game Park
An introduction from the archive to one of the area’s wildlife outings, with animals, open spaces and a family day in mind.
Read the story
21 December 2022 · 3 min read
A family evening at King’s Beach Playland
It was a classic City of Gqeberha summer evening, and my family and I decided to head to the local Playland at Kings Beach for
Read the story
21 December 2022 · 3 min read
A flat white at Holiday Coffee
A little coffee, a little conversation, and the people behind the counter. A local visit from our December 2022 archive.
Read the story
17 December 2022 · 9 min read
Family days around the bay
Animals, outdoor adventures, play spaces and rainy-day ideas. Our original family guide, with venue details to confirm before you go.
Read the story
15 December 2022 · 3 min read
Finding a CrossFit community
Where should I join a CrossFit Box in Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) In no particular order at all, these are the TOP 3 boxes to join
Read the story
10 November 2022 · 2 min read
Five-a-side at Fairview Action Arena
Ever wondered where you can play 5-a-side soccer in Port Elizabeth? Look no further than Fairview Action 5-A-Side Soccer Arena. Address: 91 Mimosa Road, Fairview (Along
Read the story10 October 2022 · 8 min read
Follow the colour along Route 67
Art, memory and heritage in the heart of the city. Explore the original guide to Route 67 and its public artworks.
Read the story
8 October 2022 · 1 min read
Walk the Sacramento Trail
Seascapes, wildflowers and the coastal paths between Schoenmakerskop and Sardinia Bay. A walk from the local archive.
Read the story
8 October 2022 · 1 min read
Sardinia Bay. Sards, to the locals.
A stretch of sand that stays with you. Read our original love letter to one of the bay’s best-known beaches.
Read the story3 October 2022 · 1 min read
An afternoon at the Donkin Reserve
A pyramid, a lighthouse and stories written into the city. Step inside our original guide to the Donkin Reserve.
Read the story
3 October 2022 · 1 min read
A visit to Bayworld
Looking for something to with the whole family that will cover all your bases, both for the kids and for mom and dad, then look
Read the story
2 October 2022 · 2 min read
A stay at Founders Lodge
Wanna see lions at sunset? I’ve been invited to Founders Lodge a few times now and every time it just get’s better and better, and
Read the story2 October 2022 · 2 min read
The wild edge of Cape Recife
A lighthouse, rocky shoreline, birdlife and wide-open views. Discover our original story from the edge of the city.
Read the story
30 September 2022 · 3 min read
Five places for a beer: from the archive
Summer is around the corner and that only means one thing, sundowners and a few beers with your mates. So if you find yourself in
Read the storyA little further afield?
Nothing here matches that search just yet. Try another word, or explore every story.
Travel guides are dated and linked to their planning sources. Older stories keep their original publication dates. Check changing details with the relevant provider before travelling.
For the people building something hereYour business belongs
Work with usYour business belongs
in the picture.
Local stories, thoughtful photography and partnerships with a little more heart. Let’s talk about what you’re making.