Search the travel guide:

City Guide

• Overview
• The Basics
• Contacts
• Attractions
• Kids Attractions
• City Tours
• Excursions
• Events
• Restaurants
• Nightlife
• Shopping
• Airports
• Transport
• Climate
• Photos
• Hotels in Durban
• Flights to Durban

Maps

• 

Directory

• Hostels
• Tour Operators
• Cheap Airfares

Time

Things to see and do with kids in Durban

KwaZulu-Natal has always been a popular destination for both local and international families to holiday in, so it has quite a few attractions that make Durban great for children.

The famous Golden Mile beachfront offers gentle waves for kids to splash around in, and wading pools for those too little to venture deep. The Fun World Beachfront Amusement Park has carnival rides and an arcade, including a gondola ride that gives you a great view of the city and the ocean, but it's best to go there only during the day. Minitown in North Beach is another way to get a bird's eye view of the city, with miniaturised versions of buildings and landmarks to wander through.

uShaka Marine World gives children an exciting educational experience in its massive aquarium, and you can let them let loose in the Wet 'n Wild Water Park with its eight waterslides. Be sure to pack sunscreen though, as the Durban sun can be brutal, especially in the summer months.

Gateway Theatre of Shopping in Umhlanga has much to offer for children of all ages, and ensures there's a lot to do in Durban for kids and teenagers, with a massive indoor climbing wall, a skate park designed by Tony Hawk, and the Flowrider man-made wave at the Wavehouse. It also boasts an IMAX theatre, ten-pin bowling, video arcade, indoor carnival rides, and go-kart racing.

For a relaxed afternoon picnic, the Durban Botanic Gardens are a scenic oasis in the middle of town, or you can visit the manicured Mitchell Park, which has a restaurant and tea garden, a small and slightly dilapidated zoo, and a playground that features a special area specifically designed for handicapped children.

uShaka Marine World

In January 2004 Sea World closed its doors to the public and reopened as uShaka Marine World, which has become the largest marine theme park in Africa. The park is tastefully themed with African imagery and has five zones offering entertainment, dining, a variety...  see full details

Fun World Amusement Park

A place of nostalgia for the parents who bring their children here, the Fun World Amusement Park situated on Durban's bustling beachfront provides safe and secure family entertainment that kids of all ages will enjoy. Take the gondola ride to enjoy a scenic view...  see full details

Natal Sharks Board

For something fun and educational, take the kids to the Natal Sharks Board, just 9 miles (15km) north of Durban in Umhlanga, to learn about the marine life that lives off the shores of Durban's 'golden mile' as well as the shark nets...  see full details

Mini Town

This knee-high miniature replica of Durban makes a great outing for families and kids of all ages. Located on Durban's beachfront, Mini town is a popular and well-loved tourist attraction for kids and adults alike. It features moving models of planes and trains,...  see full details

Durban Natural Science Museum

The Durban Natural Science Museum is of the old school of museums, with diorama displays and stuffed specimens of extinct animals rather than interactive experiences. There's a dusty replica of a Tyrannosaurus Rex, and plasma screens showing natural history scenery. Still, the museum is...  see full details

Umgeni River Bird Park

The Umgeni River Bird Park has had a dramatic history in recent years, closed down by its owners due to unprofitability, then rescued by the municipality after an uproar from the community. The park, tucked away near an industrial section of Durban North...  see full details