Your idea is terrific! I love Buenos Aires from October to March, it's summer holidays, the city is quiet, not too much traffic. And if you want to go to the beach you can choose the Buenos Aires coast or go to the south, to the patagonian beaches. I love spring-summer season in Argentina!

Andrea you, as Crellston, would choose the NW for sure!!!1
You should come to the NW, Salta and JUJUY area. Very varied and porbably you stay here.
Warm regards,
Flintstones

I am looking for places to learn the tango and go to a beginner's milonga. Will be in BA mid Feb. Not having much luck. ALso do not speak Spanish so prefer ENglish. Any suggestions.

My husband and I just returned from Salta and Buenos Aires, and I would strongly recommend the NW to pair with BA. It's a really unique experience, off the beaten track and spectacularly beautiful (you're in the moutains, but also in dramatic canyons with other-worldly rock formations)...and Cafayate has wine producers and tastings available!

Sofi-2506, which beaches would you recommend at the very peak of summer vacation time? We'd like to experience a beach, but we would be there during the first week of January. We thought about Punta del Este or Mar del Plata, but it all seems so crowded and expensive. Any suggestions? Thanks!

seeksocean, during the peak of summer vacation, you will have a very hard time finding anywhere at the beach to stay. Even the most high priced places are taken. Imagine NYC and the Hamptons .. anyone who can, leaves town for the beaches. Punta is like the Riviera and not only costly but not that many places to stay. Mar del Plata is about 4 hours from BA and also packed with people .. maybe not as expensive as Punta de Este but probably as crowded if not more.
In this matter, you must book way ahead .. and not expect low prices.

I would head towards Bariloche or somewhere cooler and greener myself. Although I am not famous for being a hiker or outdoorsy girl, I dream of lolling on a deck and looking out over tree tops to the lake below and maybe having a nice long walk on a hill somewhere lol... nothing to strenuous but all that fresh clean air and cool nights ..sigh ...

AndreaO ... if you haven't seen it, there is a poster named Marcie who went to San Antonio de Areco and posted a great trip report .. she combined that visit with a stay at a wonderful estancia.. look for her name and see if you can find the report .. it is a very enjoyable read : )

I'm not sure, but I think Scarlett may mean a report by marnieWDC who did report on that.

seeksocean: summer time in Mar del Plata is FULL of people. Not recommended. Like my mother says you have to line up even to go to the bathroom!!! This is absolutely not true, but it gives you an idea of how crowded it is.
Punta del Este might be better, it is also a little bit crowded but it's better to go during summer than during the rest of the year when there isn't much to do. Other beaches in Argentina would be Mar de las Pampas, Pinamar or Cariló which are more upscale areas, they are not sooo crowded and you can spend the day in the woods nearby.
Another option is what Scarlett said, going south to Bariloche. I haven't gone there during summer but there are lots of people that go during this time of the year. The Lake District is an amazing area that can be visited all year round, no matter if it is hot or cold, you can enjoy yourself anyway.
Regarding hotel reservations and money, as you are visiting these destinations during high season it is expected to be hard to find a place to stay and you should also expect high prices: it's high season.
However, if you stay in the city you can enjoy yourself too! There are huge pools in Buenos Aires, called Parque Norte near the domestic airport, or you can go to Tigre and swim into the river. You can only do this in the north area because that is the only place where the water is quite clean.
Also, during summer the city is deserted! and you can get to know each place at your pace. There are no traffic jams and almost no pickets (piquetes or other kinds of workers demonstrations). I love Buenos Aires during summer!
I hope all this info helps! Have a nice trip!

Thanks Sofi! I hear you on everything you wrote. Bariloche is just either too far by ground transportation, or too expensive by air for us. I checked into it. Scarlett has been so helpful...amazing person. I was reading, Time Out BA, and the writer mentioned 'sandy beaches' very in or around Montevideo. Any ideas on that...where are those sandy beaches? It seems that taking a ferry to Montevideo might be an easy alternative. And then working our way back to BA vis Colonia?

One again the 'high season' is standing in our way of Punta del Este, at least for now. We are still looking for the 'right place to be' for NYE. We are rearranging our trip a little. Thanks again.

Oh jeez, Marnie will kill me LOL thank you yestravel ((F))

seeksocean ..thank you !! awww....
look at this website with photos of Montevideo ..

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgu...DpnwtAPdxKCuCQ


Surprisingly huge link but it works :)

Thanks Scarlett! I don't know why I never considered Montevideo...

Not to worry, Scarlett, you are allowed a mini slip now and then with all you contribute here. I know how you love the heat :O) so I am enjoying hearing about your tea time sheltering from the cold. Here in WDC - not so much! I am already begining to nag DH about planning a trip back to BsAs early next year, you know, when it warms up!!

All my best, ~Marnie

Marnie: nag DH Vincenzo as intensely as you can, so we have the two of you back here ASAP!