Argentina with Kids

Child-Friendly CountryChildren are welcome almost everywhere in Argentina, even in restaurants in the evening. Families are often out late, and locals enjoy interacting with children. A child-friendly tradition is the afternoon Merienda with cakes and pastries; pizza and pasta are on almost every menu. Many museums and theaters offer reduced or free admission for children.Destinations for FamiliesBuenos Aires: the Bosques de Palermo with rowboats and a planetarium, the hands-on Museo Participativo de Ciencias in the Centro Cultural Recoleta.Iguazú: boardwalks, a park train, and with some luck, coatis and monkeys. Boat trips under the falls are only permitted from twelve years old.Península Valdés: whale watching from boats and penguin colonies; in nearby Trelew, the Museo Paleontológico Egidio Feruglio exhibits dinosaur finds.El Calafate: the Glaciarium as an introduction and the Perito Moreno Glacier with its boardwalks.Estancias: horseback riding with gauchos and plenty of space to run around.Practical TipsDistances are vast; long-distance bus journeys of twelve hours or more are strenuous for small children. It's better to fly and limit yourself to one or two regions.City sidewalks are often uneven; a baby carrier is more practical than a stroller.City traffic is hectic, keep children close at crossings.In the northwest, many destinations are over 2,500 meters. Clarify in advance with a doctor what needs to be considered for your child at high altitudes, and inquire about health matters with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.