Emmarentia Park

Emmarentia Park spreads around Emmarentia Dam in Johannesburg's northern suburbs, next to the Johannesburg Botanical Garden and its rose garden. Wide lawns, shaded walking trails and the dam itself draw joggers, picnicking families and rowers through the week. Several independent Johannesburg dog-walking guides single it out as one of the city's better off-leash spots, with dogs free to run the open grass and cool off in the dam. It reads as a busy, well-used park rather than a quiet corner.