Gold Reef City is situated at the Crown Mines, only 8km south of the City Centre towards Braamfontein. This is a rather sanitised theme-park recreation of the early city in the late 19th century. Visitors are taken down Shaft 14, an old mineshaft 220 metres deep that was in use from 1887 to 1971, and can watch a recreation of the complete mining process from the extraction of the ore to the pouring of the molten gold into ingot-moulds.

Above ground, the rumbustious pioneer days of the "gold rush" have been recreated in the form of a Victorian funfair, an old brewery and pub, and an old fashioned apothecary.

A highlight of the tour is the ‘isicathulo’ or gumboot dance, the traditional dance of the migrant mineworkers. Their loose fitting gumboots were standard uniform issue and are used in the dance to create a rhythm.

Note: Gold reef City is rather kitsch and may not appeal to all adults.The actual mine tour is pretty authentic.Children love it.