More Things to do in Buenos Aires
This time, we’ve got some ideas on where to play retro arcade games, how to dabble in watersports, and more
Back by popular demand, here’s our second round of things to do in Buenos Aires that veer away from the norm. This time, we’ve got some ideas on where to play retro arcade games, how to dabble in watersports, and more.
Get Nostalgic at Arcade Rooms
BA has a few places where you can play your favorite arcade games for any 70s and 80s kids out there or just those with a penchant for vintage SEGA and Nintendo vibes. The pick of the bunch is Clarck Flipper y Arcades (Añasco 2277), in the La Paternal neighborhood. Think Pac-man, Space Invaders, Street Fighter, Daytona USA, and a bunch of pinball machines. They even have games for sale if you live here and have enough space to store one.
For a true retro night out in Palermo, Bar El Destello (Gascon 1460) has a similar range to Clarck, albeit in a smaller venue. Tokens to play are handed out with food and drink purchases, so order your tipple and join the queue. Other combined drinking and gaming options include Perro Negro (Galicia 528) and Arcade Club Social (Serrano 75).
Visit a Legendary Bar Notable
Buenos Aires has 70 designated bares notables, which are historic cafes that have been recognized for their influence on city culture. Stepping inside many, including La Poesia (Chile 502) and Los Galgos (Av. Callao 501) is like journeying back to a golden age of cafes when poets and tango crooners would drop in to sip on cortados. Once a year, there’s even an entire night dedicated to the cafes.
One bar, however, stands out not so much for its timeless appeal but for its anything-can-happen and everyone-is-welcome vibe. In the heart of Village Crespo, Cafe San Bernardo (Corrientes 5436) can seem like a scene from a 1970s movie one day and an excerpt from Michael Jackson’s Beat It video the next. While taxi drivers wax lyrical at the front, a young crowd can be found playing ping-pong, table football, and pool in the back. If you fancy yourself as a pro, the cafe hosts regular chess, ping-pong, and Tetris contests.
Try Your Hand at Watersports
For those unaware, the city sits on one side of the world’s largest estuary, the Río de la Plata. While most visitors stay on dry land, it seems a waste not to use this vast mass of water between Argentina and Uruguay. So if you’re up for some adventure, another great thing to do in Buenos Aires is take kite and windsurfing lessons.
You’ll need to get to Acassuso or San Isidro in Zona Norte, but both are only about an hour by train from Retiro. Once here, you’ll find several places running classes and tours from the riverfront. Try either of Lanai Wind Surf & SUP (Gaetán Gutiérrez 805) and Escuela El Molino - Windsurf y Kitesurf (Sebastián Elcano 888).
About an hour’s drive south of the city, Hudson Wake Park is a purpose-built wakeboarding club. You can sign up for a course of classes before tackling the park’s obstacles alone. Back in the city, surfers who want to stay in shape while away from the ocean can check out Surfing Baires. (Av. Costanera Rafael Obligado 1221). There’s surf-focused training and preparation in a swimming pool for all ages and abilities all year round. The club also arranges surf trips around Argentina and other South American countries.
Shop for Vinyl Records
Whether it's bookstores, hardware shops, or greengrocers, Buenos Aires has a knack for keeping its independent businesses alive. The same is true for record shops, which are called ‘disquerias’ here. While the rest of the world is witnessing a demise, the city still has some of the best places on the continent for purchasing vinyl and CDs. The most significant concentrations are in the San Nicolas neighborhood, including Brujas (Rodríguez Peña 419) and Cactus Discos (Uruguay 290). Other must-visits are Eureka Records (Defensa 1281) and RGS Music (Corrientes 5233).
As with seemingly everything to do in Buenos Aires, the record stores have their annual night of celebration. La Noche de las Disquerías typically takes place in November and features store promotions, new releases, and live music events.
Check Out the Underground Art
In addition to being an efficient form of transportation, the Subte (subway) of Buenos Aires is also a gallery of urban art. Across the city’s 86 stations, there are 450 artworks from muralists to well-known names such as Quinquela. All you need is a SUBE card, some credit, and the desire to ride around, jumping off at the stations of your choice.
Travel along Linea B to see dedications to the fileteado artistic style and Linea C for murals portraying scenes and landscapes from Spain. Linea H, the newest of the subway lines, celebrates Argentina’s tango culture. There’s a downloadable book that goes deeper into the art movement called Arte en el subte de Buenos Aires.
Admire (or Hug) the Trees
If you didn’t already know, November is prime time for trees in Buenos Aires. It’s when the iconic jacaranda showcases its dazzling purple bloom, and the emblematic tipa displays its vibrant yellow flowers. The city has the French landscape architect Carlos Thays to thank for this. The creator of the Palermo Parks, he planted jacarandas and tipas along several principal thoroughfares, namely Avenida Libertador and Avenida Figueroa Alcorta. Now, a stroll along these majestic streets is like walking through an arboretum.
For a more extensive selection of trees, head to the Botanical Garden, where 6,000 trees and plants occupy a 7-acre park. Or visit the El Rosedal rose garden to see the giant gomero del ombu. It was planted by the treasurer of the viceroyalty Martín José de Altolaguirre in 1791 and pre-dates modern-day Argentina. Altolaguirre also planted a famous gomero (rubber tree) tree in the park fronting Recoleta Cemetery. Such is the enormity and continual growth of the tree. It’s now supported by a sculpture called Atlas, made using old vehicle parts.
Spend a Day at the Races
From the gauchos to polo, Argentina has a long and storied history with horses. Palermo and nearby San Isidro have two racecourses where you can flutter and cheer on thoroughbreds in grass and sand races. Hipodromo de Palermo was opened in 1876 and is the host venue for November’s Gran Premio Nacional. Races typically occur between Thursday and Monday, and general admission is free. There’s a selection of restaurants, a beer hall, and a slots room.
About half an hour’s drive from downtown, HIpodromo San Isidro is the home of Argentina’s biggest race, December’s Gran Premio Carlos Pelligrini. General admission is free here, too, and races run on Wednesday and Friday to Sunday. This is also the location of the Argentine edition of Lollapalooza, usually held over three days in late March or early April.
 | A guest post by
|