Buenos Aires with Kids

22 noviembre, 2012 Sin categoría, Vacation Buenos Aires No comments

The Argentine capital has become a hugely popular tourist destination over the past few years and with so many travelers who have passed through this beautiful city, finding info and tips on what to do in Buenos Aires isn’t difficult.

However Buenos Aires, being a city famous for things like tangoand architecture, wine and cuisine, it seems like the perfect place for ‘grown-ups’ to visit, and you’d be forgiven for assuming that it might not be an ideal holiday destination for a family getaway with the little ones…Well, you couldn’t be more wrong! We’ve come up with a list of tips on traveling to Buenos Aires with kids; a range of exciting family activitiesin the city and its surroundings! We hope you – and the kids, enjoy!

Museo de los Niños (Children’s Museum)

Contradictory to its name, this “museum” is actually a miniature city that has been built on the entire upper floor of Buenos Aires’ Abasto Shopping centre. Your kids can pretend to be bus drivers, TV presenters and there’s a variety of toys for them to play with. Getting there is easy: Just hop on a taxi that will take you to the shopping mall, which lies close to the centre. Or take the subway line B (the red one) and get off at the Station Carlos Gardel, where escalators will take you straight up to the shopping centre. This is also a great way to keep the kids entertained, while you pop off to do some shopping, in one of Buenos Aires best shopping malls.

Openings hours: Tuesday to Sunday 1pm to 8pm // Entry Kids: A$ 55 (Sat &Sun A$ 60), Adults: A$ 20

Mueso de los Niños in Abasto Shopping.

Bosques de Palermo (Palermo Forest)

Here the general idea is to let your kids run free and burn off some of that excess energy. As well as visiting the beautiful Rosedal (rose garden) and the Botanic Gardens (two Buenos Aires classics), your kids can also enjoy the activities near the Planetarium, as at weekend you can rent rollerblades, bikes or pedal boats on the lake – a great activity for the whole family! Nearby you’ll also find the Buenos Aires Zoo, which is always a safe bet with the kids. However if you’re kids love animals, we have something even better in mind; the Zoo in Luján!

Zoológico de Luján (Lujan Zoo)

You might already have heard about Buenos Aires’ famous zoo, where they –literally! – let you get up close and personal with the animals. This zoo lies in Luján, a mere 68 km from the centre of Buenos Aires. You can pet lions, bottle feed baby tigers and even ride and elephant or a camel! Your kids will love it! You can get there by public transport; however the easiest way is to book a tour to Zoo Lujan, which also includes a city tour of the town of Lujan itself and a visit to its famous Basilica of the patron saint of Argentina.

Incredible close contact with the animals at Lujan Zoo.

Bioparque Temaikén (Temaiken Bio Park)

Another wildlife and animal adventure is a visit to the Temaiken Bio Park – highly recommended if you have some time to spare on your vacation in Buenos Aires! It’s so much more than just a zoo; it’s a foundation that was set up to protect specific animal species. There’s a huge range of activities within the park, which are ideal for the whole family. One of the main attractions is a huge aquarium, filled with a variety of exotic fish species – which the kids will adore! Again, the best way to get there is by booking a guided tour from Buenos Aires, like the Tigre and Temaiken Boat tour, which includes a beautiful boat ride to Tigre and the connecting bus transfer to the Eco Park Temaiken.

Stunning aquarium at the Bio Park Temaiken.

Parque de la Costa (Coastal Park)

This is the perfect activity for those who want to combine a visit to Tigre with an extra treat for the kids. Beside the dock where the boat departs for the Tigre Delta, lies the Parque de la Costa, Buenos Aires’ most famous amusement park.

We recommend you visit on a weekday, when there are less people and the entrance is cheaper. There are activities to keep kids of all ages happy – from carousels to rollercoasters! You can easily get to Tigre by train, from Buenos Aires Central Station Retiro.

Opening hours: Friday, Sat &Sun, 11am until 7pm // Entry approx. A$ 40

At Parque de la Costa, you’ll find activities to suit any age.

República de los Niños (Children’s republic)

This makes for a perfect Buenos Aires family day out for travelers with a little more time during their vacation in Buenos Aires, wanting to discover more of the Province of Buenos Aires. The Republica de los Niños lies in the city of La Plata (only about 55 km form the centre of Buenos Aires). We recommend – even though it’s close by – to put aside a whole day to visit this park, as it will keep your kids entertained for hours!

The park was created by the Argentine President Juan Domingo Peron in the 50s and it’s now administrated by the city council of La Plata – this is also why entrance is much cheaper than other central Buenos Aires activities. The park is a miniature version of Argentina (there’s mini replicas of important governmental buildings, for example). However there’s even a small version of the Taj Mahal. A kids’ favourite without a doubt is, the miniature farm, which even has llamas!

To get there you can take the bus to La Plata which leaves from Retiro’s bus terminal or take a train from Constitución train station.

Opening hours: Mon to Fri, 10am until 6pm // Entry: A$ 10

Republica de los Niños – an hours drive from Buenos Aires.

Museo Prohibido No Tocar (the Do Not NOT Touch Museum)

This science museum, as it name already suggests, is a fascinating interactive museum – ideal for curious kids! It’s in Recoleta, close to the famous cemetery.

Location: Centro Cultural de Recoleta // Opening hours: Tues to Fri, 12.30 pm until 7.30pm // Entry: A$ 25

Museu Argentino de Ciencias Naturales (Argentine Natural History Museum)

A little off the beaten tourist track, this museum is perfect for kids who love dinosaurs and all things pre-historic. If you visit the museum at the weekend, combine it with a trip to the nearby Parque Centenario. Getting there is easy; by taxi or walk roughly 5 blocks from the subway station Angel Gallardo, Line B (Red line).

Opening hours: Monday to Sunday 2pm until 7pm // Entry A$10

La Bombonera Stadium

This is perfect for older kids and football fanatics; a visit to Buenos Aires’ Boca Juniors stadium. There’s also a football museum within the stadium, which tells you about Boca Juniors past and legendary Argentine soccer playerssuch as Diego Maradona, that once played here.

Museo de la Pasion Boquense // Opening hours: Mon to Sun 10am to 6pm // Entry A$ 40 (including tour of Stadium A$ 55)

The statue of Mafalda

If your kids aren’t familiar yet with the famous Argentinean comic strip Mafalda, this could be the perfect way to introduce them to the charming comic books. Visit the famous statue of Mafalda sitting on a bench in the neighbourhood of San Telmo. The perfect opportunity for a great family photo as well.

The statue of Mafalda – a porteño classic.

Barbie Store

Contrary to its name this isn’t actually a Barbie shop, but is more like paradise for little girls who love Barbie. You can buy clothes for the dolls, play in the famous Barbie house, sit down for a snack in a barbie-pink cafeteria and even visit a beauty salon.

It’s in Palermo, on Avendia Scalabrini Ortiz 3170 (easy to get to by bus or taxi)

Opening hours: Mon to Sat, 10 am until 8pm, Sundays 1pm until 8pm

Mundo Discovery Kids (Kids Discovery World)

Similar to the Barbie Store, but more suited to an even younger audience and for both boys and girls. The Mundo Discovery Kids, has a huge playroom, coffee shops and also a store selling a variety of toys.

Tierra Santa (Holy Land)

If you are a religious family, you might be interested in a trip to Tierra Santa, which as a matter of fact isn’t very well known by tourists. There’s a replica of Jerusalem, various museums, other interesting things to visit. You can get there by taxi or even better combine it with a hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus tour (which stops off at Tierra Santa)

Tierra Santa – Mini Jerusalem in Palermo

As you can see, the list of things to do with your kids in Buenos Airesis endless! You won’t be short of activities on your family holiday in Buenos Aires. Your kids will love it!

Opening hours: Fri, 9am until 9pm, Sat & Sun. 12pm until 10pm //Entry: Kids A$ 25, Adults A$ 50.

For information about tours and activities in Buenos Aires, visit our site at BsAs4u.

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