Randburg Waterfront, Johannesburg

One my my frustrations about the Johannesburg VT page is that the editing categories are confusingly inappropriate, and at least one of those categories (the 'Randburg Waterfront') doesn't exist anymore!

The 'Randburg Waterfront' was redeveloped in the mid 'noughties' and rebranded as 'Brightwater Commons'. The complex consists of shops (including Pick'n'Pay and Woolworths), a cinema, a skateboard park, Virgin Active gym and a whole range of restaurants. It's a complex that has struggled to really establish its identity and isn't really sure whether it wants to be a shopping mall or an entertainment complex, but it is a pleasant and secure place (with ample parking and lots of space for kids to run around) to spend a few hours if you live in Johannesburg or happen to be in the area, but probably isn't worth a special trip.

Perhaps its biggest attraction if you're travelling with children is that it has a skate park - Boogaloo's - which also allows you to hire equipment if you haven't got your own. Within an easy stroll of the skateboard park, you can take your pick of a dozen or so restaurants (from standard pizza and steakhouse options to more interesting Mediterranean fare): Scrooge's is particularly good value for money and all the restuarants are family-friendly. Alternatively, you could take yourself off to the excellent Nu Metro movie complex (which has half a dozen cinemas) or just laze around on the lawns or idly watch the fish in the landscaped 'river' that cuts through the Commons. Or go shopping: there is a medium sized Woolworths and a large Pick'n'Pay supermarket as well as a range of chain store outlets and a small (and to my mind, rather uninspiring) craft market.

Every so often, the Commons hosts special events: usually there's something on over Halloween, and there's an annual Oyster Festival (and last year, they even had a snow festival complete with fake ski slope!). Usually adverts appear in the local press and on billboards which are displayed on lamp posts, so keep your eyes open for these.