After going back and forth for a while self, wife and two little girls (7 & 4) will be making our first trip to South America. So far all we have done is booked our tickets arriving in Buenos Aries on April 4th and returning the 12th. I've reviewed the Q&A "stickies" but would welcome any suggestions. Especially areas to stay (I think there is a Hilton in BA, but not sure if the location is good) things to do that are kid friendly and "must sees". Any advice appreciated, thanks ^

After going back and forth for a while self, wife and two little girls (7 & 4) will be making our first trip to South America. So far all we have done is booked our tickets arriving in Buenos Aries on April 4th and returning the 12th. I've reviewed the Q&A "stickies" but would welcome any suggestions. Especially areas to stay (I think there is a Hilton in BA, but not sure if the location is good) things to do that are kid friendly and "must sees". Any advice appreciated, thanks ^

The Hilton in Buenos Aires is the hotel in Buenos Aires I stay at the most. It's located perfectly for me especially as cabs around Buenos Aires -- including from the safe, comfortable area of Puerto Madero (where Hilton is located) to all the main locations -- are a very cheap cab ride away at most. You could walk also, but with young children it may not be recommended if they aren't fans of long walks to begin with. Just make sure to request a room with the appropriate amount of bedding for your family in advance. The only real negative about the Hilton location is that the location may seem a bit too "sanitized" and boring from a kid's perspective; other than that it's enjoyable and some children like to be able to walk along the docks and look at the naval/port police.

What are things your children have liked to do on some other of your trips? El Parque de la Costa, a theme park, and the city's zoo are a good option for children in Buenos Aires. Chasing penguins in the south of Argentina (if you are planning to go beyond the immediate area of Buenos Aires) can be fun too, and going down near Tierra del Fuego to smell the stinking seals always is something kids remember as well. I don't know if it corresponds to your trip dates off the top of my head, but there's La Feria de los Chicos (the Fair of the Children) in the Palermo Viejo neighborhood that happened in April too. They may like that as well.

Edit: the Children's Fair is in May this year, so nix that.

GUWonder Good to see you over here :). Thanks for the information: the children are quite well travelled and enjoyed things like Disney Sea in Tokyo, various amusement parks and carousels in Paris etc. They also love museums; everything from seeing the terra cotta warrior's in Xian, China to the natural history museum in NYC to the Smithsonian's in DC. All-in-all quite well rounded in their interests :) . The Hilton sounds good so will see if they have a suite available (always easier with the two little ones)/ Will have to pick your brains when we finally decide to make our India trip ^ :)

GUWonder Good to see you over here :). Thanks for the information: the children are quite well travelled and enjoyed things like Disney Sea in Tokyo, various amusement parks and carousels in Paris etc. They also love museums; everything from seeing the terra cotta warrior's in Xian, China to the natural history museum in NYC to the Smithsonian's in DC. All-in-all quite well rounded in their interests :) . The Hilton sounds good so will see if they have a suite available (always easier with the two little ones)/ Will have to pick your brains when we finally decide to make our India trip ^ :)

I've been an FT advocate of Argentina before I posted much on here about India. :D

The Hilton Buenos Aires doesn't have many full suites available -- I've never gotten one comped as a Diamond -- and junior suites are few and far between and generally not given gratis to Diamonds either. So book early if available and wanting to stick to the Hilton like I usually do.

There are a great number of museums in Buenos Aires and a whole variety of stand alone contemporary galleries that are rather interesting to check out. For museums, start with the MALBA. Seeing that kids often like animals, I'd suggest a visit to some sort of ranch in the province as well.

The Recoleta cemetery children too find interesting as it's rather different than what is routinely found in cemeteries in the US. Tango shows are interesting, although perhaps the kids would be satisfied by watching the street performers do the tango or looking around the San Telmo antiques market with you two. Teatro Colon and a milonga should be checked out anyway.

Parque 3 de Febrero in Palermo is good too for taking a ride in an old-style buggy; and checking out Rosedal there may make sense too although I don't know how it'll be in April.

There's also heading to Colonia (over in Uruguay) on a ferry to check out what is a UNESCO world heritage site and a place that I think is worth checking out especially if you'll not get back to the area for certain again. (Most people who visit Argentine once want to visit often. :) )

There are loads of great things you can do.

Some options would be a trip to the Delta Argentina’s version of Venice. I am sure the kids would love a ride on the water taxi around this amazing area.

Tierra Santa is an interesting place. A theme park based on Jesus

Temaiken Park is a great zoo and aquarium.

Tour of the River Plate soccer stadium and a walk around La Casa Rosada (The Pink House of the President

Vaze-- have you considered renting an apartment? This option may be a plus with kids. Unless you must have things like 24 hour room service, an apartment may be a good option.

Temaiken is a must must see for the kids, its a real experience. Its a little far from the city (1 hour by car) but well worth it.

Thanks for all the advice guys ^

Vaze-- have you considered renting an apartment?

That's an excellent suggestion, we have rented apartments in London & Paris and it worked out very well for us. Can you recommend an agency and/or reputable resources to find one?

Thanks for all the advice guys ^



That's an excellent suggestion, we have rented apartments in London & Paris and it worked out very well for us. Can you recommend an agency and/or reputable resources to find one?

Some are using www.apartmentsba.com

Some are using www.apartmentsba.com

As usual, GUWonder is right on. Apartmentsba is the premiere short-term apartment rental company in Buenos Aires, their reputation is excellent... ^

Nice article on EZE in the Chicago Tribune. Didn't know whether to post it here or in the Ultimate Q&A Thread. Gaucho, if you want to stick the link in the other thread, go ahead and put it there. We hope to see you in EZE before Christmas.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/features/travelnews/sns-trvmain1-wk4,0,2075753.story

Nice article on EZE in the Chicago Tribune. Didn't know whether to post it here or in the Ultimate Q&A Thread. Gaucho, if you want to stick the link in the other thread, go ahead and put it there. We hope to see you in EZE before Christmas.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/travel/features/travelnews/sns-trvmain1-wk4,0,2075753.story

I noticed that the article thinks the Sheraton Libertador is much better than the Sheraton (Hotel & Convention Center) when it comes to catching a boat. Personally, I think the Sheraton Hotel & Convention Center is plenty convenient enough for the catchin the ferries at least.

Tour of the River Plate soccer stadium ...
Is there a tour for River Plate's stadium? I didn't know that. As a Boca Juniors fan I highly recommend the tour of our stadium ;) It has a museum, a guided tour plus you get to go out on the field.
All the other suggestions are excellent. I hope you have a great time in BA. I'll be there also from April 4th 'til the 10th, so if you want I can send you a PM with my dad's phone number in BA (i'll be staying there) in case you need anything or have any questions.
Have fun and enjoy as many steaks you can eat and as much wine you can drink!!

Angel

Stadium tours are OK, but IMO nothing special. Nothing beats the going to the game experience.... the only reason I can think of taking a stadium tour is if you somehow cant match your schedule to a game thats being played and you want to pick up some team merchandise. Else, I think that only super die-hard fans of soccer will find real interest in visiting an empty stadium.

BTW, I didnt know you could visit the stadiums when there isnt a game on... :o

I second the Colonia suggestion .. a really neat all day trip. However be aware of the ferry! The same company runs two ferries (and I think it is the same one you book the tours of Colonia thru). One is a ferry that takes upwards of 2 hours to get there. The other is a 'high speed' hydrofoil ferry that does the trip in under half the time (and has a surcharge). The 'normal' ferry is great since you go out on deck and enjoy the ride. The 'speed' ferry has no deck space and basically airline seats (maybe 40 abreast) in the cabin and minimal way of looking out (there also is a 'premium' section tho not sure what they get extra).

I took the slow boat in the morning (LOVED it) to connect to the tour and then the fast boat at night (it got me back).

The hotel suggest I book a 'hotel car' from the hotel to pier (very early morning departure) and for the return (a zoo of people trying to get cabs and meet people). It worked out well tho probably was more $$ than a cab .. I did feel much safer!

Also, consider a Gaucho BBQ day trip. While yes it is touristy .. I really enjoyed it (it was on my final day 9am - 6pm and then left for airport at 7pm for flight back to US). There may be several places that run this .. but the one I went to was great. You get to ride a horse or in a horse cart before . then served a great dinner and later watch the Gaucho's show off their horse skills.

Two companies (at least) run the tours. One is a large company that uses full size commercial buses. The other is a small company that uses like 15 pax mini-vans. I went with the small company and LOVED it as it was much more comfortable of a group and less a 'tour'. The ride is 2+ hours from the city each way but going out it is interesting and they make a stop or two and get to the ranch earlier so you can explore the house and grounds .. heading back I dozed (thanks to the wine) and they went nonstop.

I really LOVED EZE ... the Evita Balcony was less impressive than I expected but I really enjoyed the whole trip.

Vaze, did you finally get in touch with apartmentsba ?

Is there a tour for River Plate's stadium? I didn't know that. Angel

I did go for a tour through the Stadium but it was arranged for me by my Argentinean friend so I am not sure if it’s the norm. It was a good experience and there youth team was in a training session.

Agree Gaucho100K there is nothing like going to a game of Football in South America however on this trip I was unable to get to a game. Also a game may not be that safe for young children.

Thanks for all the advice guys ^



That's an excellent suggestion, we have rented apartments in London & Paris and it worked out very well for us. Can you recommend an agency and/or reputable resources to find one?

I rented an apt in Buenos Aires for 2 weeks from http://www.buenosaireshabitat.com/. The apartment was perfect and exactly like I saw it on line - down to the real fresh roses in the living room. I am going back again in October and will use them again. good luck.
I lived in Buenos Aires when I was a kid and going back now reminded me why my family totally loved Baires.

Vaze, did you finally get in touch with apartmentsba ?

I've looked at their site and they certainly seem to have what we are looking for. From what I've read Recoleta seems the best best bet area wise, for walking around etc, no?

I've looked at their site and they certainly seem to have what we are looking for. From what I've read Recoleta seems the best best bet area wise, for walking around etc, no?

For a first visit, I recommend you stick to Recoleta, Puerto Madero and Palermo.

Found a great two bedroom apartment in Recoleta we will be renting. How is public transportation for non Spanish speakers? i.e is the subway pretty easy to navigate without knowing the language? What about transportation to and from the airport; car service versus cab? thanks for all the information and suggestions thus far, it's very much appreciated ^

IMO, the subway is feasible for non-spanish speakers, but buses are somewhat tougher.

For airport pickup, I would use Manuel Tienda Leon.... but, may I ask which company you are renting from? I ask because some companies may have a virtual concierge desk that may be able to offer you related services - although these will usually be more expensive than Manuel Tienda Leon.

IMO, the subway is feasible for non-spanish speakers, but buses are somewhat tougher.


I'd say if you carry a system or local map, you can deal with the buses.. even
without knowing the local language. Just point the places on the map, and I'm
sure someone will be able to help you.

We didn't look through anyone other than ApartmentsBA as they had pretty much what we wanted (thanks for the recommendation by the way) they also have a "preferred vendor" for car service to and from the airport and apartment for US$35 so we'll probably just go with them. Seems like the subway is doable if we need to get around so all in all it looks like we have everything covered at this point! thank you everyone for your suggestions ^ :)

Found a great two bedroom apartment in Recoleta we will be renting. How is public transportation for non Spanish speakers? i.e is the subway pretty easy to navigate without knowing the language? What about transportation to and from the airport; car service versus cab? thanks for all the information and suggestions thus far, it's very much appreciated ^

I almost always stick to taking a cab, even for short distances, because of how cheap they are.

Some options would be a trip to the Delta Argentina’s version of Venice. I am sure the kids would love a ride on the water taxi around this amazing area.The tigre delta is definitely worth a trip. I really enjoyed it last August (even if was a bit cold at that time).
http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/8311/200608131tigresizedon7.jpg
http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/9932/200608132tigresizedbq6.jpg

Is there a tour for River Plate's stadium? I didn't know that. As a Boca Juniors fan I highly recommend the tour of our stadium ;) Boca Junior's stadium is nice, but I think you don't really have to do a guided tour.
http://img225.imageshack.us/img225/299/20060812bocajuniorspsizpa0.jpg

River plate stadium is not as nice (and the location is not as good), but when I attended a game, it was very nice atmosphere!
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/5457/20060813riverplatesizedso8.jpg
http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/8035/20060813riverplatesizedfp3.jpg

Have fun and enjoy as many steaks you can eat and as much wine you can drink!!I guess that is clear, isn't it?

If you have a lonely planet, don't follow the adivce to visit San Antonio del Alreco to "experience the real gaucho style". IMHO totally boring (http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/4271/20060811sanantoniodelarqp9.jpg)!

Enjoy your trip!

We didn't look through anyone other than ApartmentsBA as they had pretty much what we wanted (thanks for the recommendation by the way) they also have a "preferred vendor" for car service to and from the airport and apartment for US$35 so we'll probably just go with them. Seems like the subway is doable if we need to get around so all in all it looks like we have everything covered at this point! thank you everyone for your suggestions ^ :)

Vaze, how did you hear about their preferred vendor for the car service...? Was this on their website or did you get it as part of your rental information package?

Thanks.

Vaze, how did you hear about their preferred vendor for the car service...?

A note of it was included as part of my rental confirmation, the also listed an early check-in and late check-out option for additional fees as all flights from/to the US arrive early and depart late. In subsequent emails they listed a food pick-up service and included a link for a site to order things from that they would pick and deliver to the apartment prior to our arrival for a small fee.

If you have a lonely planet, don't follow the adivce to visit San Antonio del Alreco to "experience the real gaucho style"

We do have a lonely guide so this is good to know! ^

A note of it was included as part of my rental confirmation, the also listed an early check-in and late check-out option for additional fees as all flights from/to the US arrive early and depart late. In subsequent emails they listed a food pick-up service and included a link for a site to order things from that they would pick and deliver to the apartment prior to our arrival for a small fee.

I'd take a taxi.

Interesting to hear about the early check-in/late check-out aspect. None of the hotels in EZE have yet to give me an issue with early check-in (i.e., they don't charge me) when coming off an international flight in the 8 a.m. - 11 a.m. time frame; Nor have I had much issue with late check out (e.g., 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.) with hotels either.