In celebration of Family Day, we asked some of the TravelGround and LekkeSlaap team to share memories of their favourite childhood hangouts. It may just inspire a special family outing or two…

Annelene, Establishment Support

We went to a farm in the Namaqualand every year. My grandfather taught us random facts about nature as there was no electricity or TVs on the farm. (Don’t you love mini-Annelene in our feature image?!)

Timo, Customer Service Manager

Growing up in the sleepy little town of Port Elizabeth, Knysna was our weekend hide-away. My fondest memories as a kid was playing on the lagoon sand during low tide, catching small fish in the puddles, and searching for shrimp. Lying in the warm water and chasing my younger sister around with slobbery seaweed created a bond between us that we share to this day.  It was also the half-way point for long weekends with our cousins from Cape Town and we went in search of tree faeries (or so we were made to believe) and hugged the (now famous) Big Tree.

Marcel, Director

We always used to spend holidays in Kleinmond. We’d ride our bikes to the harbour in the morning to watch the day’s catch come in, and spend our days swimming in the sea or the lagoon. Great memories!

Marosane, Chief Booking Support

My most memorable childhood holidays were in East London. We loved spending time at Orient Beach (not sure if it is still there) and of course the East London Water World.  We always used to have milkshakes at a little café called “Freezeland”.  So, if you are visiting East London, be sure to pop in there for the most delicious milkshakes in town!

Jono, Developer

One of my favourite childhood spots was up the Keurbooms River in Plett. My family used to stock up on picnic items and fishing rods and cruise up to one of the many quiet and sheltered beaches far up the river. These were always the best times as the water was warm and clean to swim in and you felt like you had travelled back in time when you sat on the beach surrounded by all the jungle-like vegetation and animal sounds.

Vinita, Booking Support

I have the fondest memories of picnics and hikes by Silvermine Dam and learning to surf at Muizenberg and Kommetjie.

Roseanna, Writer and Guest Relations

We used to do picnics on the lawn at Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and, while adults chatted, my brother and I would climb trees, play tag, do bollemakiesies down the slopes, splash in the streams, and play hide and seek. My favourite spot was under an old willow tree that had leaves going down to the ground – it formed a mini-tent that sunlight filtered into and turned the interior green. We would sit and tell stories about elves and the birds in the aviary.

Greg, Developer

I have very fond memories of Pearly Beach and using those round kiddies’ nets to catch the little fish in the rock pools at the beach. My brother and I would start out by digging some tunnels in the sand and fill them with water, before catching the fish and “relocating” them to our super cool new aquarium.

Peter, Online Marketing / Content Manager

Our family getaway was to a simple house in the southern Cederberg (no electricity). We would hurtle around the mountains in the dry heat, and dive into the icy rock pools when it got too hot. Hiking, biking, braai’ing, stargazing, reading, and racing leaf rafts in the river were among the daily activities. The specific dusty fynbos smell of the air here is still one of my favourite things in the world.

Lauren Morling, Writer

My favourite childhood spot is Kraalbaai beach on the Langebaan lagoon. We would launch our boat and boogie board across to the white sandy beach for a picnic. I loved splashing about in the cool waters, building sandcastles, and shrieking when the sand sharks I thought were the bottom of the lagoon moved suddenly from beneath my feet.

Zuhaa, Booking Support

I loved N1 road trips from Johannesburg to Cape Town and back. I was always mesmerised by the natural beauty of our land; the change from the dry hills in the north to the rocky and sometimes icy mountains of the west. We’d pass Three Sisters, the Huguenot Tunnel, all the trucks with heavy loads, and then the best was stopping at an Engen service station to stretch and have coffee.

Elana, Editorial Assistant

Walking on Strandfontein beach with my family was – and still is – one of my favourite things to do. I love the jokes and meaningful conversations we have with our feet in the shallow water. Just walking and chatting…so simple, yet so magical!

Perthenia, Graphic Designer

I remember the good old days of my family driving up to Ceres in winter. We played in the snow and built little snowmen on my dad’s old blue Ford Escort’s bonnet.

Desireé, Writer

I lived in the little dorpie of Middelburg, Mpumalanga, for a few years as a kid and loved our outings to Loskop Dam. We often went with our best family friends and even hauled the dogs along for the ride. We had a bright green canoe with a yellow “racing stripe” that we’d paddle on the water (I used to think I was paddling, but I’m pretty sure now that my dad did all the work) – dressed in our finest orange, chest-buffing lifejackets.

What are some of your favourite childhood hangouts?