Argentina
Overview
Overall, Argentina is one of my favorite countries. People eat late with friends, have barbeques, it's a giant meat fest, and people aren't glued to their phones 24/7 like in the US. It's a country where you can climb up a mountain, kayak by a glacier, and hike through flowery valleys and still find places to go clubbing, drink local wine, and buy cool stuff.
Money
The country is plagued with high inflation, which means that there's a market for American dollars. The blue rate is the official exchange rate, but then there's the black rate, which is the black market rate (often better for Americans).
For American travelers, use Xoom to get the best exchange rates without having to trade your dollars on the street with shady people. On the website you could send money to yourself (which exchanges for something close to the black rate) and you pick it up at a reputable cash transfer place listed on their website. Just put the address of the place you're staying. Xoom is located in many parts of Argentina (and other countries), but if you're in Buenos Aires here are some convenient locations:
Casa Central (I went to this one)
Libertad 1057 (Barrio Norte)
Between Santa Fe and Marcelo T. Alvear
F-Net Service
Corrientes 2330, 1st floor Local 87 Balvanera (Amalgro)
F-Net
Hippolito Yrigoyen 2296 Local 18 Balvanera (Amalgro)
Getting Around
Argentina has an incredibly plush long-distance bus system, so if you have time to kill and plane rides are looking too expensive, hop of one of these. Opt for the semi-cama or cama option so your seat will recline all the way back, and relax while they show you a bargain-basemnt American movie, offer you a whiskey, and serve you hot food. Here are some options:
Buenos Aires
Eat
Palermo
This is one of my favorite restaurants in the world to visit. The ambiance is fabulous (beautiful outside lawn with trees, glass-walled main restaurant filled with minimalist Scandinavian furniture) and the food is a nice break from the usual grilled meat/pasta/weird pizza Argentinean fare. They serve a variety of homemade bagels on a stick in place of dinner roles, and the Swedish food is excellent. Staff is super nice and friendly too. It's all tucked away behind a closed wooden gate on a quiet street so be careful or you'll miss it.
Palermo
When you're all meated out, go here, a super light and airy juice/smoothie bar with free wifi and health food.
Palermo
The vibe is like a 1930s cigar lounge/hotel lobby complete with low lighting and dark leather chairs, and the food is a little fancy-shmancy French-inspired.
Gotta say with this place, after traveling for a few months and in need to get my sushi on, this was a godsend. It's not exactly cheap and I'm not saying I haven't had better in other countries, but it definitely hits the spot. Points to them for being creative with their raw fish dishes. I actually asked the sushi chef to give me his number and Facebook because the food was so good, for which I was made fun of by my friend for the rest of the trip (she knew it was my stomach doing the asking, not so much my mind).
Las Cortaderas
I used to come here all the time since it was just down the street from my apartment, but the food is excellent, the wifi is good, and if you're just feeling snacky they have plenty of AWESOME German-style sweets to tide you over. The interior is like a little cabin so extra points for that.
Palermo
Yes, as its name suggests, it's French. I only went here once, but the enclosed garden area with little kumquat trees and scallops crudo were enough to make me want to come back.
Do
Recoleta
Yes, it's a cemetary. But it's unique in that it's one of the most visited and highly maintained, which adds to the eeriness. The place is also riddled with cats, has Evita's grave, and also houses a number of interesting multi-floor mausoleums.
Recoleta
Rated one of the most beautiful bookstores in the world, it really does stand up to its reputation. It's a converted opera house and you can sit onstage (now it's a cafe). The food isn't super great there, but it's a nice place to sit and have a drink.
Microcentro
I know that it's pretty touristy, but nothing compares to the vibe of this place. I've seen a tango show there by myself and had a drink in the cafe section with friends, and the old-school ambiance complete with bow-tied waiters is something everyone visiting Buenos Aires should experience. Plus, it's one of the few places you'd actually want to spend time in in Microcentro.
Warning: Do
Casa Rosada
Microcentro
Frankly, this is that kind of a place where you can drive by on a public bus and call it a day. You can't go inside, there isn't really a place to take pictures in front of it since on one side of a traffic roundabout, really there isn't much to see here.
Buy
Full disclosure, when I was living in BA I got kinda bored at times and started being obsessed with tea. This is where I fed that monster, and if you go there you'll see why. Ines Berton creates wonderfully unexpected tea blends using fruit, candy, and other infusions and has even created special teas for the Hotel Alvear in Buenos Aires and The Plaza in New York City.
This is a funny little interior decoration store that basically is a microcosm of how I'd want my home to be furnished. Enter at your own (wallet's) risk.
With many locations, this place sells cute and colorful bohemian-style clothes.
It's a sort of British/Equestrian style clothing store- think wool blazers, patent leather chelsea boots, cable-knit sweaters. Like Polo Ralph Lauren but with a sleeker dark side.
If you want some jeans in cool cuts and washes, go here. An Aztec/Native American-looking cardigan I get compliments on all the time was purchased here.
Their clothing style depends on the collection, but their clothes are fun yet wearable. A unique Euro vibe without going into gross funky territory.
Also a place that is hit or miss depending on the collection. Also fun and wearable but does venture into weird territory from time to time. I'd still say check it out because two of my most-used accessories are from there.
Like Maria Cher and UMA, this place is also a hit and miss, but hey, if you'd like some clothes that are colorful and unique and not like you can find in the US, check this place out.
If you want some high-quality, unique handmade Argentine shoes, you've found your place. They also recently did a collaborative collection with Opening Ceremony here in the US if that gives you an idea of the style.
Bariloche
Stay
It's in a giant corporate building in the center on the 10th floor, but I've stayed there so many times the workers there say "welcome home" whenever I show up. The view is absolutely gorgeous, the staff is friendly, it's closer to a lot more than the other hostels, and it's clean.
Do
If you go on the popular 22 km bike trip around Bariloche, call up the resort because you need to book in advance to have high tea there. I think its like $35 or something so it's not super cheap, but the lodge and the view are both beautiful and it would be a great place for drinks. Just bring a change of nicer clothes.
El Bolson
Stay
Go to Hostel El Pehuenia. This hostel is run by a super sweet family and I stayed there for about a month a couple of years ago.
Do
What's great about El Bolson is the fact that it's such a small town that hikes start at the end of streets and end up at waterfalls, in the mountains, or local farms. If you wanna go on a further, super beautiful multi-day hike, you can walk or take a taxi. The people at the hostel know everything around there so they'll let you know where to go. Also, there's a glacial lake with agua dulce so you could drink from it.
There are a ton of organic farms out there but since it's the winter season they might be slowing down now. There's also an artisan fair that they do either on Saturday or Sunday, it's not as big as San Telmo's but it's still pretty nice.
If you feel like volunteering on a farm, try growfood.org, the free version of woofing.
Eat
Jauja is awesome for ice cream and one of the hostel owner's sister works there.
El Calafate
Do
Here is the Perito Moreno glacier, and even though I didn't do it, I heard that the boat trip and glacier walk are worth it. Also, don't bother going at sunrise because the sun rises on the other side of the glacier.
El Chalten
Do
This is where Fitz Roy is and this area is absolutely friggin beautiful. From what I remember there are two main hikes, one going to the lagoon and one to the mountain. I only went to the lagoon, but the trek was absolutely amazing.
San Martin de Los Andes
Here is where you can take the early morning (5 or 6am) bus to Pucon, Chile. The place in and of itself is cool too though, located by a large lake and with a river running through it, you can eat at one of the many parilla places, take a boat ride, or go on a hike in the surrounding hills. El Parque Nacional de Lanin is not too far away, you'll need to rent a car to get there but the volcanic rocks, mountains descending into the lake, and technicolor foliage are definitely sights to remember.
Villa La Angostura
You can go here on a day trip from either San Carlos de Bariloche or San Martin de Los Andes (it's about 1.5 hours from both). Here I'd suggest taking a bus from the bus terminal to where the ferry is, then hike the full length of the island back to the other ferry pickup spot. Have lunch at one of the beautiful chic restaurants overlooking the lake and take the bus back to the long-haul bus terminal (the last buses stop early so be careful of the time).