Tired of spending your weekends mooching around the mall, fighting for your patch of green in an urban park, or slouching on the couch watching DVDs? Well then, pack your bags, grab your kids, haul out the binoculars, camera, fishing rod and perhaps even the dog, and take the first highway out of town. Gauteng may be South Africa’s smallest province, but it’s the ideal gateway to some of the best weekend destinations in the country. The variety on offer within the province and its neighbours, Mpumalanga, North West, Limpopo and Free State, is staggering – plush country hotels, intimate guesthouses, tranquil mountain retreats, serene spa lodges, wildlife sanctuaries, fishing estates, and cosy self-catering cottages beckon. Written in an entertaining style and packed with information highlighting the attractions of some 147 getaways, Weekends Away In and Around Gauteng is the perfect companion for just about everyone, from families and newlyweds (or those newly in love) to birders, fishers, adventure seekers, spa-lovers, game viewers and history buffs. To make it even more useful, this handy guide is uniquely organised by distance – between one and four hours from the cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria.