Port Elizabeth is a mix of laid-back vibes, beautiful ocean views, a thriving business community, value-for-money homes, and properties on some of the country’s best stretches of coastline.
Situated in the Eastern Cape, PE is also known as “The Friendly City” and/or “The Windy City” (depending on your experience of the place). It is one of the largest seaports in Africa and forms part of the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality, offering a fabulous lifestyle for those who want a combination of urban and outdoor life.
New homeowners and young adults are super keen to buy property in Port Elizabeth – a mix of affordability, outdoor living and opportunity make it a great option. For the more mature market, PE is a great place to retire and enjoy a gentler pace of life and there is a wide range of properties to choose from that offer excellent value for money. For professionals – it’s the perfect mix of business opportunity, urban life and seaside living, with a range of living options whether it’s a lock-up-and-go, a city apartment, or a snazzy townhouse with every convenience on tap.
Here are some of our reasons to love this city:
Laid-Back Ocean Vibes: Port Elizabeth is home to some of the finest Blue Flag beaches in South Africa (meaning they get the environmental nod of approval from an international environmental monitoring body). Humewood Beach, Hobie Beach, King’s Beach, Bluewater Bay and Blue Horizon Bay are just a few of many beaches worth a mention. The kids can swim and boogie board and long family walks along promenades and wind-swept beaches (whether summer or winter) are guaranteed.
Port Elizabeth has a great climate – despite its windy reputation – and this is a city where the beaches are not just for show; the residents really make the best out of some of the finest coastal living in the country.
Malls, Shopping & Entertainment: While Port Elizabeth is all about the great outdoors, you won’t feel short-changed when it comes to all those wonderful urban comforts like shopping malls, markets and entertainment. This city has fantastic infrastructure and a variety of places to shop, go to the movies, dine out and catch up with friends. Baywest Mall, Walmer Shopping Centre and Greenacres Shopping Centre are all fun places to entertain and be entertained. Funky places like Stanley Street (PE’s said answer to Joburg’s Maboneng) and various street markets add an interesting dimension to the city’s attractions.
And of course we can’t mention the word entertainment without talking about The Boardwalk Casino and Entertainment Centre, which is open 24 hours a day and has some fantastic restaurants.
Outdoor Heaven: You want the great outdoors, you have got it in PE! Whether it’s long walks on the Summerstrand boardwalk, surf school for the little nippers, hiking trails in Van Staden Flower Reserve, boating cruises along the Sundays River or horse-riding on the golden sands of Sardinia Bay. Why not take the 9km walk around the Cape Recife Reserve and lighthouse or test your courage by doing the longest dual zip-line adventure in Africa.
A Great Place For Kids: Port Elizabeth and its surrounding areas have so much on offer for the kids. For starters, there is BayWorld Oceanarium, which not only provides hours of entertainment for children but great learning opportunities too. Here they can view the skeleton of the legendary Algoasaurus (a close cousin of the more well-known Brontosaurus), said to have been discovered in 1903. There is also the opportunity to visit the Snake Park and a house museum at No. 7 Castle Hill. In addition to BayWorld, kids can also enjoy ice-skating at the relatively new Bay West Mall ice rink or enjoy a day in the sun at McArthur’s Pool & Leisure Centre (there are lifeguards and fantastic recreational facilities on offer).
A Big-Seven Destination: There are not many provinces that can brag about being a “Big Seven Destination”, but the Eastern Cape and the “Sunshine Coast” certainly can. For those who aren’t in the know, a Big Seven Destination has all of the Big 5 wildlife – lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino – as well as the great white shark and whale-watching! You are spoilt for choice when it comes to viewing wildlife in this part of the world. There is the Addo Elephant National Park with its majestic elephants and a firm commitment to conservation of wildlife in the area. Not too far from the city, you’ll find Kragga Kamma Game Park, and for those wanting to celebrate an extra-special occasion in the wild, the award-winning Shamwari Private Game Reserve is within reach.
History and Heritage: Port Elizabeth offers an eclectic mix of both colonial history and struggle heritage and it’s a good idea to take it all in. Visit the gorgeous Victorian Gothic building that is the public library. Another great building worth visiting is the Port Elizabeth Town Hall. There are a number of great museums to visit, including the Drostdy Museum, the South End Museum, and the South African Airforce Museum.
Dining Out: There are some excellent places to eat out in Port Elizabeth. The aforementioned Boardwalk Casino and Entertainment World has a host of restaurants from Greek and Italian to some great South African brand names. The Beer Yard in Richmond Hill is a good choice for some great ales and gastropub fare, and you can’t afford to miss some of the mighty fine places for fish and seafood in and around the city. Nothing like enjoying a plate of fresh prawns with a sea view!
Donkin Lighthouse: At times you might need to pause and take it all in. We suggest heading to the Donkin Lighthouse in the Donkin Reserve, where you will get great views of the city.
As those who live in Port Elizabeth will tell you, the quality of life in this part of the world is pretty outstanding, and Leadhome is proud to be represented in this vibrant city, where a warm and friendly welcome is simply part of everyday life.
