Route 420 North: The Gauteng Green Corridor
From Midrand to Pretoria, discover Rolling Stoner Authenticated outlets, local stop-offs and the places that make the journey worth taking.
Writer: Andrew Macfarlane
If you haven’t thought about taking a road trip through Gauteng’s Green Corridor, covering Midrand, Centurion and Pretoria, we’re not surprised. It’s a new Rolling Stoner journey, and one we think is well worth taking.
Sure, you could find the closest spot, make your stop and head home. But why not make a little more of the day?
Between Midrand, Centurion and Pretoria, there are several Rolling Stoner Authenticated outlets worth visiting, along with some great places to eat, browse and explore along the way.
That is really what Route 420 is about.
The cannabis outlets might give you the reason to start the journey, but the places you discover in between are what turn it into an adventure.
So, whether you are searching Google for Midrand cannabis, planning to head north for some Pretoria cannabis culture, or travelling in from the Lanseria cannabis side of Gauteng, here is one route worth considering.
Start With Midrand Cannabis
Midrand is big enough to support several distinct Authenticated stops without them feeling like they’re all in the same neighbourhood.
Waterfall, Randjespark and Kyalami each offer their own atmosphere and vibe.
As a starting point, Midrand is also centrally located and gives travellers plenty of options to explore.
Before starting your journey properly, ease into the day with breakfast or coffee at Whippet Waterfall.
Located at Mushroom Farm Shopping Centre, Whippet is a popular all-day breakfast and brunch spot with a menu that could easily keep you hanging around a little longer than planned.
The Eggs Benedict and Big Farm Breakfast are particular favourites with diners, while the menu also includes everything from chilli feta scrambled eggs and French toast to breakfast dumplings and a salmon rösti breakfast.
So, grab a coffee, settle in for breakfast and fuel up properly before heading across to Spliff Cafe Midrand for the first Rolling Stoner Authenticated stop of the journey.
Stopping Off At The Café
From Whippet Waterfall, head across to Spliff Cafe Midrand in Randjespark.
Based at Corporate Park South Shopping Centre, Spliff Cafe has an easygoing atmosphere and is, in some respects, the polar opposite of the polished Waterfall establishment.
The Spliff Cafe brand has built itself around a relaxed, social approach to cannabis culture. Rolling Stoners can take advantage of a broad in-store selection of cannabis wellness products, edibles, vapes, rolling accessories and other members-only items, backed by staff who can help visitors navigate the range.
So, after breakfast at Whippet, give yourself a little time here.
Have a look around, chat to the team and settle into the first Authenticated stop of the journey before getting back on the road.
From Midrand To Mars Growers Club Valhalla
After exploring Midrand, it’s time to head north towards Centurion.
Centurion is easy to underestimate. Plenty of people know it as the place you pass through on the way between Johannesburg and Pretoria, but once you leave the highway, there is a lot more going on.
Irene is probably the best place to start.
The area has a slower, greener feel than much of Centurion, with Irene Farm offering restaurants, walking space, a farm shop and the slightly surreal pleasure of finding a working dairy farm in the middle of Gauteng.
You can grab lunch under the trees, stretch your legs, take a slow wander or simply enjoy the fact that the day has stopped feeling like a commute.
It's Time for the Club
Then, when you are ready to get moving again, head across to Mars Growers Club Valhalla.
Mars Growers has built a strong presence across Gauteng, and the Valhalla club gives you a relaxed Centurion stop before Pretoria starts pulling you further north.
It is the kind of place that works well on a road trip because you do not need to overthink it.
Drop in, have a look around, chat to the team and get a feel for the local scene before carrying on.
Centurion does not need to be the place you rush through.
Give it an hour or two, stop somewhere good, then let Mars Growers Club mark the point when it’s time to head to Pretoria.
Explore Pretoria Cannabis Through Green Gorilla And The Garden
Once you reach Pretoria East, the route opens up nicely.
This part of the city offers two very different Rolling Stoner Authenticated experiences: Green Gorilla in Hazelwood and The Garden in Equestria, with each bringing something different to the Pretoria cannabis scene.
Green Gorilla is the more polished lifestyle stop.
It feels more like a destination than a retail stop, which is exactly why it has been earmarked as one of the luxury departure lounges for Route 420.
From there, you can keep moving east towards The Garden.
Explore Pretoria Cannabis Through Green Gorilla And The Garden
The Garden leans more heavily into community, music and shared experiences. It hosts events, has strong connections with neighbouring businesses and has created a space where visitors are encouraged to spend time rather than rush through.
The contrast between these two establishments is striking, which makes them an interesting pair.
Green Gorilla gives you a more refined Hazelwood experience, while The Garden brings a looser, more community-driven Pretoria East atmosphere.
For anyone exploring Pretoria cannabis, the two venues show just how varied the local scene can be.
Cool Off At Safari Garden Centre
If the Gauteng heat is starting to win the argument, take a breather at Safari Garden Centre on Lynnwood Road.
Browse the nursery, wander through the garden centre, grab something cold to drink or stop for a bite before carrying on.
It is the kind of detour that works even if somebody travelling with you has no interest in cannabis at all.
A proper travel route should give everyone in the car a reason to enjoy the day.
And, yes, there is something pleasingly appropriate about stopping at Safari Garden Centre somewhere between Green Gorilla and The Garden.
Finish With Twakbok Lounge
From Pretoria East, head north towards Twakbok Lounge.
This is where the route picks up a very different Pretoria accent.
Twakbok feels unmistakably local. There is a relaxed, social energy to the place, but also a strong Afrikaans character running through the way it presents itself and the community it attracts.
It feels less polished for tourists and more like somewhere that belongs exactly where it is.
You get that familiar Pretoria mix of easy conversation, dry humour, local music, people who know each other and the sense that nobody is in any particular hurry to leave.
That is what makes Twakbok such a good final stop.
Ending the journey here feels properly local, as Twakbok Lounge encourages everyone to loosen up a little and embrace a bit more Afrikaans flavour.
And very definitely Pretoria.
How Long Should You Allow For Route 420 North?
This is not really a route to squeeze into a quick afternoon.
From breakfast in Waterfall to the final stop at Twakbok, you are looking at a full day on the road if you want to actually enjoy the places along the way rather than simply collect addresses.
A realistic schedule could look something like this:
Stop | Suggested time |
Breakfast at Whippet | 60–90 min |
Spliff Cafe | 30–45 min |
Drive + Irene Farm | 60–90 min |
Mars Valhalla | 30–45 min |
Green Gorilla | 45–60 min |
Safari Garden Centre | 45–60 min |
The Garden | 45–60 min |
Twakbok | 60+ min |
Driving | ~2–2½ hrs |
All told, the full Route 420 North experience is likely to take around 8–10 hours, and spans roughly 100 km. Also, when you factor in lunch, coffee, conversations, browsing and the inevitable Gauteng traffic, this trip will take the entire day.
However, the point is not to rush from one Rolling Stoner Authenticated outlet to the next.
Start with breakfast. Spend some time in Midrand. Slow things down in Irene. Explore Centurion. Wander through a nursery. Meet the people behind the Pretoria venues.
Then finish somewhere that feels completely different from where the day started.
Also, feel free to drop a Smoke Signal along the route so other Rolling Stoners can learn about hidden gems.
And remember, this is for adults only. Please consume responsibly, do not consume cannabis in public and never drive while impaired.