Traveling anywhere new with a toddler can be both exhilarating and stressful. Our itinerary was jam-packed with stunning views, delicious food, and a few toddler meltdowns thrown in for good measure.
😅
Bariloche Itinerary Overview
Day 1: Travel & Explore Downtown Bariloche
Day 2: Circuito Grande & Ventisquero Negro
Day 3: Ruta De Los Siete Lagos, San Martín de los Andes
Day 4: Travel
Total Cost : $533 USD
Flights: $56,194 ARS ($146 USD)
Hotel: $50,412 ARS for 3 nights ($131 USD/$43 per night)
Rental Car: $50,000 ARS ($130 USD for 3 full days)
Food & Drinks: $40,000 ARS ($104 USD)
Taxi: $8,300 ARS ($22 USD)
Day 1: Travel & Downtown Bariloche
We kicked off our adventure with a two-hour flight from Buenos Aires to Bariloche. We chose this spot because it’s part of Patagonia and more kid-friendly. We rented a car to make exploring easy and checked into our hotel. It was nothing fancy, but it was clean, safe, and had a crib.
First stop: downtown Bariloche. This charming town reminded us of Switzerland with a Latin American twist, complete with chocolate shops on every corner. The town was on a steepish hill and the sidewalks weren’t always the easiest when using a stroller, but we managed
We checked out the Alpine-inspired Centro ívico Bariloche. It was a really cool building that was unfortunately plastered with graffiti in some places.
Day 2: Circuito Grande & Ventisquero Negro
On day two, we hit the road early to explore the Circuito Grande. Along the way, we stopped for some amazing photo opportunities and made our way to Ventisquero Negro, a stunning glacier surrounded by bright turquoise water.
Lunch was a traditional Argentine meal of Chicken Milanesa (Argentina’s signature chicken cutlet) at Albergue Pampa Linda which overlooked the glacier. Then we made our way back to downtown Bariloche.
We had a delicious dinner at Lo de Gabriel, an intimate Italian restaurant. Luke made it through dinner with only one little breakdown. 🙂
We ended our night with a sweet treat of Helado (Argentina’s version of ice cream). It was one of the most well-presented ice cream displays I had ever seen.
Day 3: Ruta De Los Siete Lagos, San Martín de los Andes
After breakfast, we headed north for the Ruta De Los Siete Lagos, or Seven Lakes Route. This scenic drive took us through mountains and around the lakes, ending at a stop in the charming town of San Martín de los Andes. We enjoyed Choripans (Argentina’s signature chorizo sandwich) for lunch right on Lake Lacar.
We took a different route back to our hotel after lunch, which had completely different, but equally beautiful scenery. We ended the day with burgers and beer at La Alpina Restaurante, complete with some lively entertainment from the locals.
Day 4: Homeward Bound
Our final day was all about travel. We took our time with breakfast, checked out of the hotel, and made our way back to the airport.
One tip for parents traveling to Buenos Aires with toddlers and without a car seat: Depending on which terminal you exit from, the taxi kiosks may claim they don’t have, one and don’t know anyone who does have a car seat. The TaxiEzeiza kiosk in the international arrivals area DOES have car seats. We walked there from domestic arrivals, and were able to get Luke safely back to our apartment in Buenos Aires in a car seat.
All in all, our Bariloche adventure with a toddler was a success!
