Known, locally, as South Africa's 'bread basket', the Free State is cultivated by more than 30 000 farms to produce over 70% of South Africa's grain consumption. It is also home to the most productive gold and diamond mines in the world.!

Major Tourist attractions:

The Free State has so much to offer the tourist who is searching for insight and adventure. As a result, various tourist routes have been suitably packaged to meet the needs of the on-the-road traveler.

• The Maluti Route
  This route follows the scenic Highlands of the Free State and over the border (passport essential) into the magnificent Maluti Mountains of Lesotho and ends at the Seekoelvlei Nature Reserve.
• The Goldfields Route
  Follow the fascinating history of the many gold mines of the Lejweleputswa area. Travel the mines and the area of Goldsfields Route in the Free State.
• BBT Heritage Route
  Bloemfontein, Botshabelo and Thaba Nchu are in close geographical relation to each other and, yet, have all have a different and diverse cultural and political heritage. This route offers the true indigenous heartland of the province.
• Diamond & Wine Route
  Follow the route of the diamond prospectors of the past and present. A man-made diamond hole at Jagersfonteing of 760m beats the better known Big Hole of Kimberley for size. Visit the wine cellars of Landzicht and Wilreza in the scenic Jacobsdal area for exceptional wine and wine tasting tours.
• N6 Route
  Take the N6 highway to either exit or enter the Free State from the south. This route goes through quaint Xhariep and Eastern Cape towns and continues on to East London, the Wild Coast and Garden Route.
• Steam Train Route
  Steam train enthusiasts can take a trip down memory lane, along the historic Bethlehem-Bloemfontein Railroad to destinations such as Maseru and Ladybrand.  Excursions are relatively short, allowing passengers to enjoy the scenery and facilities along the route.
• The Battlefield Route
  The province contains many historic sites related to the Anglo-Boer War, including 13 battlefield sites, 8 military monuments, 2 war museums and 3 war and concentration camp cemeteries.
• The Golden Gate Highlands National Park An area of highveld and montane grassland, covering 12 000 hectares is well-stocked with eland, red hartebeest, black wildebeest, blesbok and zebra.  This is one of the few places in the country where one stands a good chance of seeing the Lammergeier or Bearded Vulture.
• Clarens and the Mountains of Gold
  The beautiful town of Clarens lies just west of the Maluti mountain range and is the perfect country retreat. It is known as the `jewel of the Free State’, Clarens is very popular with the artistic community. Clarens can be found on the way to Golden Gate – where the famous ochre and gold sandstone outcrops offer up some of the most spectacular sceneries in the country.
• Fossil Hunting
  The Free State has rich deposits of fossils, and visitors to the Clarens area can go on  fossil-hunting expeditions. You will almost certainly find the fossils of smaller creatures dating back to well over 200 millions years.
• Rock Art
  Throughout the Maluti mountains, one can find caves and cracks where the San people took shelter in the past.  Countless examples of historic rock-art can be seen at Spitskop (Brandfort district), Sterkstroom (between Rouxville and Aliwal North), Stowlands (near Christiana), Tandjesberg (close to Clarens and Golden Gate), Sterkstroom (between Rouxville and Aliwal North) and at Stowlands (near Christiana).
• Watersports
  The Free State has three major watersports venues: the Vaal River (northern Free State); the Gariep Dam (the largest dam in the country) and the Sterkfontein Dam (near Harrismith). You can enjoy activities such as fishing, camping, and watersports which can be arranged on request at these amazing venues.