With the weather turning ever warmer as the days pass and the spring showers come and go, one thing can be guaranteed – it’s going to get hot, hot, HOT – real soon.  Although it’s fairly common for many Argentines to go to their summer homes in the country (suburbs) to trade their time away from the sticky city air in exchange for trees, a golf course and a swimming pool, even more people flood to the coast that stretches south of Buenos Aires.

Within the province of Buenos Aires that stretches down to Bahia Blanca, there are more than 700 kilometers (434 miles) of coastline to enjoy and explore.  All along the coastline there are many towns and cities worth investigating and there are several ways of reaching them. But when you think beach cities, please don’t have the expectations of places like Miami or Rio de Jaineiro – although these beaches are fun and warm the experiences are different because the cities along the Atlantic coast of Argentina are a lot smaller than other big cities.

How to get there:

Bus: Buses in Argentina aren’t as uncomfortable as in the United States – in fact, they’re quite spacious and affordable.  Buses that go to the Atlantic Coast leave frequently from the Retiro Station in Buenos Aires and tickets can be purchased from any of the official vendors at the station in advance of travel.

Train: The train company that stops at select coastal cities is called Ferrobaires.   Trains leave from the Constitucion Station and during peak travel season, there are two new first-class, non-stop services to Mar del Plata called the “Marplatense” and “Expreso del Atlantico”.

Car: As exciting as it sounds to just hit the National Route #2 straight to Mar del Plata, there’s an alternative route #11 that rides the coastline from just south of Buenos Aires to just south of Mar del Plata called Mar del Sur.  Driving your own car or renting a car for the trip is really worth it since you are at your leisure to stop and see and do and discover whatever you want. Plus, it’s probably the most economical way of getting around for a group of friends or a family.

Plane: Aerolineas Argentinas offers several flights per week going to Mar del Plata and Bahia Blanca.

Just two hours south of Buenos Aires by car is a cluster of small coastal towns including San Clemente del Tuyu, Santa Teresita, Mar del Tuyu, La Lucila del Mar and Mar de Ajo. These are all smaller villages and towns that pick up during the summer and come alive with lots of activities for everyone.  There are thermal springs, lots of beaches, good food, small concerts and asados in the parks where everyone is invited.  Some of these towns are kind of kitch and really can take you back to another era, however when you want to find yourself on the beach with few cares in the world, these small and relatively inexpensive towns can be a lot of fun.

About 50 kilometers (20 mi.) south of Mar de Ajo is the resort city of Pinamar.  It’s much larger than the previously mentioned towns with lots of activities from riding a 4×4 or sandboard down the dunes and golfing to art galleries, spas and shopping.   There are lots of nightclubs that book international DJs in the summer and the party moves to the beach after a long night out on the town.  Just south of Pinamar are Villa Gessel, and Carilo – worth mentioning for its lovely little town center (expensive, but quaint) and the Carilo Golf Club – one of the finest that I’ve seen in Argentina.

Moving about an hour south of here is the gem of the coastline – Mar del Plata.  Once considered the Riviera of Argentina, Mar del Plata (also known as “La Ciudad Feliz” – the happy city) is still home to one of Argentina’s largest casinos and several annual conventions and festivals (most famously the Mar del Plata film festival).

For me, the port is not the best place to go to get fresh seafood (for those of you living in Buenos Aires, remember what that is?? fresh fish – omg!).  Well, I’ve found a place that is just as comfortable as the food.  “La Taverna Baska” is located at  12 de Octubre, 3301 and is one of the most authentic restaurants that I’ve ever eaten in in Mardel.  I’ve had a number of dishes, but the fresh grilled tuna steak (bife de atun) or a Spanish tradition, squid in their own ink (chipirones en su tinta) slow baked with an almost risotto is so amazing that it’s like being in Spain.  You can surely find great ice cream, pastas and parillas as you would in Buenos Aires as well.  If you’re looking for casual dining in a bar like setting that is not pretentious yet has excellent food, check out the Almacen Condal on the corner of Garay and Alsina.  There you can find really well prepared food and some great drinks, pool tables and in general, really nice, normal people. There are also tons of trendy restaurants, cafes and bars along Guemes Street where you can find tons of people along this strip on most weekend nights – even in the winter.

When I stay in Mar del Plata, I tend to go to the Hotel Imperio – just because of its proximity to Playa Varese (my preferred beach) and Tio Curzio (my favorite cafe) with the best medialunas (spanish for croissants) in all of Argentina. Now here’s where it’s convenient to have a car: there is a ton of surfing in the beaches just north of the cliffs of Mar del Plata.

Hertz Rental Car has just started doing some vacation packages.  They offer a package for the rental car and a stay at the bed and breakfast / hostel, Casa del Balcon in Mar del Plata.  It’s a cute place, but kind of inconvenient since you have to drive all the way across town to go to the cool beaches or nice bars, restaurants and such. Plus, you’d probably want to not take a car out if you’re going to a restaurant or bar and plan on having a few drinks, anyway.

Sweets
One of the wonderful things about traveling the coast of Buenos Aires is not only seeing the diverse landscapes and going to the beach but also trying the many variations of sweets that the coast has to offer.  You may know about the infamous alfajore (pronounced alfa-hore, keep your jokes to yourself, please…) and consists of a thick layer or two of filling – usually dulce de leche or chocolate or fruity jam sandwiched between two cookies and coated with chocolate or powdered sugar.

The wonderful thing is that every town along the coast has their own version, their own specialty alfajore if you will… and each one is better than the next.  Havanna brand is one of the largest producers of alfajores in Argentina and is actually based out of Mar del Plata.. but near by (and just a short drive away) is Balcarce, a small town that has it’s own pastry and cake fair in the spring and a little closer to Bahia Blanca is a quaint little village called Sierra de la Ventana.  There’s lots of hiking and rock climbing, nature walks and all sorts of things to do where the hills lead pointing towards the Andes Mountain range.  But in this small village is a place called Sozzani – who makes the best alfajores in all of Argentina.  Believe me, I’ve tried to try them all…

Anyway, now you’re prepared for escaping the heat in the summer in Buenos Aires.

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