Though the capital city, Buenos Aires, is the quintessential Argentine experience, there are many other beautiful and dramatic places in Argentina to explore. It is a very large country with a variety of geography and all types of adventures (city, beach, jungle, dessert, mountains, grasslands, and glaciers).
If you only have time for a short excursion outside the capital city, the River Delta would be a good choice, including the river town of Tigre. This is a popular weekend destination for residents of Buenos Aires. The Tren de la Costa (a train that travels along the shore line) provides transportation directly to a theme park (Parque de la Costa), to Tigre and the to the Delta. Tigre offers furniture stores, a fruit market, a crafts fair, and boat trips in the river.
Colonia, Uruguay is also in close proximity to Buenos Aires and would be a good day trip. It is an easy boat ride from the city’s port (Puerto Mardero). Colonia is a charming village to tour by foot with stone streets, colonial architecture, tiny alleyways, and stucco houses. There is a lighthouse, historic center (Casco Antiguo), beaches, forests, multiple museums, and several historic buildings.
Argentina is known for the massive area called the Pampas and for the Gaucho (the Argentine cowboy). The Pampas are the central part of the country and are vast stretches of primarily flat grassland, and home to the cattle that provide Argentina’s excellent beef and dairy products. Some parts of the Pampas are accessible from Buenos Aires, where it would be possible to visit an estancia (a large farm) for a tour or to attend a fiesta gaucha, including excellent appetizers and grilled meat, and costumed gauchos with reenactments of traditional dancing and horseback riding.
Also accessible from Buenos Aires is Mar del Plata, which is a popular beach town on the Atlantic Ocean. Many residents of Buenos Aires visit regularly for a vacation. Trains leave daily from the city (the ride is several hours long) and there are many affordable hotels and restaurants to chose from in Mar del Plata. Other activities include shopping, fishing and water sports.
Definitely a further reach from Buenos Aires, but Iguazu Falls is well-worth the travel time. It is in the northernmost part of Argentina, bordered by Paraguay and Brazil, and is a tropical paradise. The main attraction is a multitude of huge waterfalls in a rain forest setting. The falls are surrounded by a beautiful and large national park, including opportunities for canoing and kayaking.
Patagonia Andes is the south-westerly portion of the country, bordering Chile. It is home to dramatic panoramic views of pristine blue lakes and white-capped mountains. There are also plenty of forests and glaciers, and wildlife to observe (sea lions, elephant seals, Magellanic penguins, sea birds, and right whales). Argentina boasts some of the world’s best skiing, and the two most popular ski resorts are in Bariloche and Mendoza. The Mendoza Province is also a perfect spot for wine-tasting, as it is home to many of Argentina’s vineyards.
Tierra del Fuego is the most southern part of Patagonia, hosting Ushuaia, what is popularly known as the southernmost city of the world. Tierra del Fuego is divided from the mainland of Argentina by the Strait of Magellan, and from here you can take cruises to Antarctica.