Costanera Sur/Ecological Reserve (Puerto Madero)
This huge reserve was created when nature decided to take over the leftover rubble from an overpass built in the 1970s. It’s a nice respite from the city, with its large ponds and gravel trails. You will need a stroller for smaller children, or else limit how far into the reserve you go. Entrance is free; you can rent bikes for about A$6 (US$2) per hour.
If you like bird watching, there are some unusual black-necked swans (with contrasting white bodies, very strange). However, the reserve lacks sheltered huts, and its viewing scopes don’t work very well, so bring your own binoculars if you have them.
The reserve is popular with joggers and cyclists, and the guards will start booting you out around 5:30 p.m. (it closes at 6 p.m.). Some people claim there are good river views, but I’ve never found them. The best route, especially with children who may need a rest, is the path closest to Puerto Madero (the western end), as there are more platforms jutting out into the water and benches to sit on.
Playgrounds to Explore
San Telmo: Parque Lezama (on Defensa from Brasil to Avenida Martin Garcia). Despite its run down appearance, this is a great park. It has trees with above the ground root systems that make excellent natural climbing frames. The playground area is well equipped for different age groups and there’s the ever popular carousel as well, which runs every afternoon, and rides are only A$2 (66 cents!). On the weekend, there’s a clown who shows up selling animal-shaped balloons (espada means sword, by far the most popular shape) for A$2, and there’s a Punch & Judy type puppet show where the entertainers come around to ask for donations at the end.
Palermo: Jardin Botanico (bordered by Sante Fe, Scalibrini Ortiz, and Avenida Las Heras). Beyond the botanical garden and its feral cats (not quite as healthy as Recoleta’s, but perfectly safe to pet), there is a good playground and some public restrooms (best avoided unless it’s an emergency). There are often dog walkers with up to 15 dogs (all on leashes) to marvel at as well.
Palermo Viejo: Plaza Palermo Viejo (Costa Rica and Malabia). It’s an average park but the only one in the near vicinity.
Puerto Madero: (the entrance is easy to miss, in the brush on the north side of Rosario Vera Peñaloza, just past Aime Paine). Aimed at kids over 6 years, there are some challenging rope bridges and a cool trapeze wire at the park in Puerto Madero. This neighborhood is very clean, with level pavements, an open fountain that the kids can play in, lots of restaurants and an absence of the dog poo that is omnipresent in the rest of Buenos Aires!
Shop—and Play—Until You Drop
The Argentineans have the right idea when it comes to kids and shopping—they have taken the sensible step of putting in play areas at the top floor of some of their shopping malls.
For example, Paseo Alcorta (Salguero 3172, Palermo) is probably the most pleasant shopping experience as it combines a good range of top brands, some children’s stores, four cinema screens, and an outdoor playground and carousel on the top floor.
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The Abasto is a converted market that had served as the central fruit and vegetable market in Argentina as early as 1893.
puroticorico
The Abasto shopping mall (Corrientes 3253, Almagro—just west of Palermo Viejo) offers the best value shopping of any of the malls, and has started offering free transport from hotels for tourists (tel. 5777-6027). Its 1930s façade is especially striking. The mall has a large food court, an indoor amusement park and the well-regarded children’s museum, Museo de los Niños. (Entrance fee is A$10 Tuesday to Friday and A$15 on the weekend. It's closed on Mondays.) It gets very crowded on the weekends, so is best avoided then if possible.
I Scream, You Scream … Ice Cream!
With all these free things to do, you will have more money to splurge on ice cream instead. Freddo is widely considered the best brand and has outlets in Palermo, Puerto Madero and many of the shopping malls. Especially in summer, any of the heladerias (ice cream shops) sporting excellent, artisenal Italian ice cream should not be missed.
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