Children
Travel with children will most definitely bring you into closer contact with Argentine families and individuals, and you may find officials tend to be more amenable where children are concerned. Everyone will be delighted if your child knows a little Spanish.
Travelling with children in Argentina is potentially safe, easy and a great adventure. The country is full of wonders that children can enjoy, and Argentine people are extremely affectionate to children. There's a real feeling here that children are part of society, not to be sent to be bed at 2000, and are often seen running around restaurants at 2300, or out with their parents in the evenings. This means that many family restaurants have play zones for kids with a climbing frame or soft play area, usually within sight of your table. And if you'd rather dine without your children, more expensive hotels provide a baby-sitter service. For more information see
Travel with Kids
, by William Gray published by Footprint, 2007.
Hotel accommodation in Argentina is good value for families; most places have rooms for 3, 4 or even 5 people, or 2 rooms with a connecting door. Many quite modest hotels have a suite, with 2 rooms and a bathroom, for families. If you're happy to be self-catering, look out for
cabañas
all over rural areas, like the Lake District. Prices start at around US$42 per night for a basic
cabaña
sleeping 4, US$55 in tourist areas where they're usually spacious and can be extremely luxurious.
Food is easy in Argentina, since most dishes aren't strongly seasoned, and easy meals like pasta, pizza and salads are of a high standard and are available everywhere. The meat is lean and portions are huge, so that if you order a steak in a restaurant there will generally be enough for you and a child (or 2 hungry children). However, children's meals are offered at most restaurants, and many establishments have highchairs. Argentine children tend to drink fizzy drinks, but freshly squeezed orange juice is widely available, and although the tap water is drinkable in many areas of the country, it's best to order mineral water. If your children have special dietary needs, it's worth learning the Spanish to explain.
TransportFor most tourist attractions, there are cheaper prices for children. However, on all long-distance buses you pay a fare for each seat, and there are no ½-fares if the children occupy a seat each. For shorter trips it is cheaper, if less comfortable, to seat small children on your knee. For long bus journeys, it's a good idea to bring water, fruit and biscuits, since the food provided may not be to your children's taste. There are toilets on all long-distance buses, and these are definitely improving, but they may not be clean or have water and toilet paper, so bring tissues. All bus stations have a
kiosko
, selling drinks, snacks and tissues. Bring games and perhaps music for them to listen to as the videos shown on most buses are generally action movies, not suitable for under 12s. On sightseeing tours you could try and bargain for a family rate - often children can go free. All civil airlines charge ½ for children under 12 but some military services don't have ½-fares, or have younger age limits.
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This is edited copy from Footprint Handbooks. For comprehensive details (incl address, tel no, directions, opening times and prices) please refer to book or individual chapter PDF
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