The town and surrounds are popular holiday and weekend destinations for the residents of Johannesburg. With more than 100 accommodation venues and a great variety of activities, this small village at the foot of the Magalies Mountain is the ideal escape for city dwellers.

Magaliesburg is the home of the oldest mine in Gauteng. At The Blaauwbank mine, gold was discovered there more than 100 years ago. Besides tourism, the main income generating activity of Magaliesburg and the surrounding area is agriculture. Beef, maize, and large scale vegetable farming are most prevalent.

The village has become a very attractive option for city dwellers who wish to live closer to nature. Homesteading is popular with many individuals and families going out of their way to be as self-sufficient as they are able. As this is a very difficult goal for most, there are many Magaliesburgers who live in the area but commute to Johannesburg or Pretoria for income generating employment.