A TikTok content creator has opened up about what it was like growing up and living at the Sun City resort.
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Living at a luxury resort may sound like a dream, but for one South African content creator, it was simply everyday life.
TikTok creator Candice Barry has gone viral after sharing what it was like growing up at Sun City during the 1980s and 1990s.
Barry revealed that she lived in the resort’s staff village because her father worked at the iconic North West destination.
While her childhood came with unusual perks, it also had its challenges.
One of the biggest downsides, according to Barry, was the lack of a formal school at the resort. She explained that children living at Sun City had to travel daily to Rustenburg for school.
“Looking back, that was wild,” she said, reflecting on the two-hour daily commute.
Despite the long trips to school, Barry described her childhood as exciting and unique.
One of the highlights was having access to the resort’s popular attractions at discounted prices.
She revealed that children of staff members could spend weekends at the famous Valley Waves for just R5.
Growing up at the resort also meant regular encounters with celebrities and international stars.
“Late in the 90s, Sun City was a big hype with Michael Jackson and Westlife. I got to meet Westlife behind the scenes or backstage,” she shared.
Barry added that she often saw celebrities, including Oprah Winfrey, Black Eyed Peas and Sting while living at the resort.
According to Barry, many of the luxury experiences created for guests became normal parts of everyday life for children growing up there.
“All the resort stuff that was done for guests was basically our everyday life. So at Christmas, you could go to the amphitheatre, and they used to do eggnog and carols by candlelight; it was a lot of fun. We had these really cool things growing up,” she explained.
Now older, Barry says certain details still remind her of home.
“Casinos always had those big tropical carpets in Sun City, that feels like home. I walk into Sun International anywhere in this country, and I see those carpets, I feel at home,” she said.
Her nostalgic video sparked conversation online, with many South Africans reminiscing about childhoods spent outdoors before the rise of smartphones and social media.
One TikTok user, @mika’eel@hairmiks, commented: “Sounds like a good old South African upbringing, made you what we all hear and see today….well done.”
Another user, @TheDaddysaurusChronicles, wrote: “When kids were kids and fun time meant outdoors time and not screen time. Sounds like an awesome childhood.”
Others reflected on the golden era of Sun City during the late 1990s and early 2000s, with @ThabaMonateGameLodge commenting: “Ahhhh, the city late 90s early 2000s, those were the days. Omg, where has time gone?”