Pilgrim's Rest is a museum town, while Barberton boasts the first stock exchange established in the country. Botshabelo Mission Station near Middelburg is a romantic reminder of the days when European missionaries came to Africa to spread Christianity. Many upmarket, private game lodges cater to the tourist's every need. This is a summer rainfall area divided by the escarpment into a highveld region with cold frosty winters and a lowveld region with mild winters, and subtropical climate. The escarpment area sometimes experiences snow on high ground.
Thick mist is common during the hot humid summers.
Nelspruit is the second largest citrus-producing area in South Africa. It is responsible for one third of the country's export in oranges. The Research Institute for Citrus and Subtropical Fruits is at Nelspruit. The natural forests of the area could not supply enough timber for the burgeoning mining industry in the early days of gold mining in this area. Plantations of exotic trees, mainly pine, gum and Australian wattles, were established to supply the wood for the mine props.