Tigre, Buenos Aires: Vacation for a Day

Many people complain that they don’t have the time or money for a vacation. I believe it’s because they are thinking on much too large of a scale. Who says planes have to be involved for something to be declared a vacation? I’d argue that most people live close enough to an interesting town or attraction that they can simply make a weekend or even day trip. I live in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Most people think that means I am on a permanent vacation but that simply isn’t so that rant is a whole other issue. I don’t have much money to be traveling around right now so every so often I like to take a day trip to Tigre and have myself a little day vacation.

Tigre is a town that lies just outside Buenos Aires, Argentina. It’s hard to call it a “town” as it covers a vast expanse of land and attracts lots of internal tourism all throughout the year. Of course, as the most popular areas are near the Paraná river, spring and summer are when the riverbanks start to get crowded. Tigre is home to various members-only clubs that lay claim to small parts of the river banks where only their boats can depart and dock. However, there are plenty of river activities for tourists as well. Tiny islands with private homes are scattered throughout the river, some are residences but many are actually weekend homes for rent.

Tigre is beautiful to say the least. The views and sounds of the water are relaxing and really are a nice break from the madness of the city center where I live. The countless little islands all have funny little houses and it is both strange and charming to see water taxis carting people from island to island and mini-market boats delivering groceries and supplies. I myself have never rented a house though I plan to in the low season when the are even more affordable. It’s summer now so the prices nearly double, though with a group of friends they are still really affordable. Many Argentines rent houses for 1-2 days with a group of 5-10 friends and simply split the bill so no one ends up paying more than 400 or so pesos.

My first Tigre “daycation” as I like to call it was last fall when I was able to take a really lovely boat tour through the islands. The boat had a dining room where we were served lunch while we enjoyed the view. The trees seemed mismatched, especially in the fall when the pine and palm trees stand tall and green while the other trees turn colours and shed their leaves. However, the trees fit right into the haphazard neighborhood of islands and unique houses.

As I mentioned, there are several private clubs in Tigre that cater to serious and casual water sports athletes alike. On a sunny summer afternoon the river is full of kayaks and row boats both traditional and streamline. I was lucky enough to work for a family who are members of the Buenos Aires Rowing Club which allowed me to have lots of day trips with the family. The club itself is an old English style building with massive winding staircases and some of the fanciest and most scarcely used lounges I have ever seen. After the family saw how I stared in awe at the big wooden row boats they decided to take me out on the water. I loved it so much that I wrote all about my experience and never stopped begging them to bring me again, which they did a few times. It was not just the sport but also the surroundings that were so amazing. I loved the breeze, the sun on the water, and the adorable little docks and hand painted signs on the islands we passed along the way that were all a part of my little trip to Tigre.

My third type of “daycation” to Tigre involves strolling through the Puerto de Frutos market and heading to the Parque de la Costa theme park. The Puerto de Frutos has a maze of shops that sell everything from handmade dog toys to artesian jam. You can find some really useful stuff there like clothing, kitchen supplies and furniture, but I prefer to giggle at the truly niche markets such as the Barney hand puppets and refrigerator magnets that are supposed to bring you health and good fortune. Parque de la Costa is a typical amusement park full of roller coasters and other dangerous looking metal machines that spin, light up and perhaps make you sick. I am a huge fan of any amusement park so it’s a perfect daytime getaway for me.

I still love planning far away trips and dreaming of all the cities I want to see within my lifetime, but when time and money is short, places like Tigre are perfect. So next time you feel like you can’t take the time off work or scrounge up the money for a vacation just search out your own little version of Tigre near you.