What You Need to Know to You Travel to Argentina

Getting Around Mendoza
Many of the places people want to see in Mendoza are pretty rural. If you plan on having some outdoor fun like camping or hiking, if it is in the budget, it is recommended to rent a car. Unless you hitchhike--which is not completely recommended but hundreds do each year--it will be hard to get to the remote destinations where the real adventure is.
If you are staying in the city of Mendoza, there are public buses and plenty of taxis or remis cars to call. However, if you have a few nights in downtown, the city is small enough and worth it to easily walk around, during the day and night. There is a beautiful city park for an afternoon stroll after a good lunch too.
If you are in Mendoza to check out the wine country, you can hire a remis to take you where you need to go, however there are tour companies to take you to some wineries as well, so you can enjoy the wine without having to drive afterwards.

Where to Stay
Like many other places in Argentina, Mendoza has a fairly wide range of accommodations to choose from. Do book in advance during peak season, especially if you are travelling during the time of wine harvest in March. There may not be any availability for anything if you wait too long! Downtown Mendoza has a couple corporate chains, but if you are looking for good value for your money and a cozy stay, look into the boutique hotels. If you are going to Mendoza for the wine, many wineries have rooms you can book that include breakfast. Some have a spa, and their own restaurant and for a couple days you might not want to leave as they have everything available that you could need or want, and wine!
If you are on a budget, the budget hotels are not recommended! You get more value and comfort with your money looking into an upper scale hostel and you can still get your own private room with a bath and maybe a patio if you are lucky! Keeping within budgets there are plenty of hostels for the backpacker and campgrounds if you are a heading to the mountains.

Where to Eat
Many might automatically think that because it might be a world-class wine destination, that it is expensive. So far, this is not the case. It is a fraction cheaper than Buenos Aires, save some of the upscale hotels and boutique hotels, but food, even at a nice restaurant is much more affordable than what you would find in Buenos Aires. If you are out wine-tasting, stay for lunch at one of the many wineries’ restaurants on site.
There are plenty of restaurants in downtown and all within walking distance. If you are looking for a party however, do not expect much more than low key bars. A large majority come here to unwind and finding a nightclub will be seedy or non-existent in most neighborhoods.

World-class Wine
Alright! So it has already been mentioned but whether you are an oenophile or not, you have to try the famous Mendoza wine. Chances are you will be going out for a parilla for at least one night for dinner. The best pairing for a parilla is the famous Mendoza Malbec! Just open any wine list at any restaurant and there will be plenty to choose from!
For those of you who have come to Mendoza just for the wine you can catch tours with drivers or rent bikes touring from winery to winery via two wheels. Many of the hotels and/or hostels will have information for tours and options.
What wineries should you tour and whose wine should you taste at a restaurant if you cannot make it to the winery itself? Here is the ‘shortlist’ for you. Note: There are three main regions of Mendoza popular for wine (they are in blue below with the wineries that follow for each corresponding region). They are fairly spread out, so if you want to stay at a winery during your time in Mendoza, just pick a region and plan from there.
Lujan de Cuyo
Mendel
Kaiken
Ruca Malen
Vina Cobos
Pulenta Estate
Salentein
Uco Valley
Atamisque
Andeluna
O. Fournier
Domaine Bousquet
Monte Viejo
Maipu
Tempus Alba
Carinae
La Rural
Bodega Mevi
Bodegas Lopez
Familia Zuccardi
Other Attractions
Outside of the center of Mendoza city you can venture out into the province for outdoor adventure of all types. Some activities are seasonal, but there is plenty of activities to check out for any type of outdoor enthusiast. San Rafael, Potrerillos and Uspallata are just a few points of interest to check out!
Camping
Trekking
Horseback Riding
Mountain Biking
Road Biking
Fishing
White-water Rafting

Mendoza
It is probably safe to say that everyone has heard of Mendoza, Argentina. Maybe you have even seen the pictures of the big horizons with the snow-capped Andes Mountains, vineyards and more! In the early 1990s it became renowned for world-class wine, but even if you are not into wine, there is more. If you want a small urban setting with some quiet surroundings combining, all the perks of the city with nature close-by, this is the ideal destination

How to Get to Mendoza
Getting to Mendoza is fairly easy. You will have to fly into Buenos Aires or Santiago, Chile to get a connecting flight. From Buenos Aires, it is just over three hours and from Santiago, just over an hour. There are at least two flights daily from each city. The flights are fairly inexpensive, but for the cheaper rates, book in advance. If you are traveling during peak season, expect the tickets to be higher, no matter when you book them.
If you are budget traveler, you can catch a bus (micro) to Mendoza from many locations all over Argentina and if you are coming from Chile. The bus ride over the Andes from Chile is said to be one of the most beautiful rides. Try and get a front seat on the upper deck and a daytime ticket to catch the views.

Tigre
Not enough people who visit Buenos Aires make it up to the neighborhood of Tigre. Do plan an entire day or afternoon. Get a hotel for the night if you would like. It is in the northern part of Buenos Aires and it runs along the Tigre River and its various inlets and tributaries. You get around the neighborhood via water colectivos to hop around the various islands for dining, shopping and sightseeing. You can get a boat tour of the neighborhood or if you are lucky, one of the locals with a boat will offer you a private tour themselves. They will be happy if you just buy them lunch and give them a small tip at the end. You can reach Tigre by taking the Mitre/Tren de la Costa train line from the Retiro station for about $US4 and get there from downtown Buenos Aires in about a half hour. If you need to unplug head to the Delta for lush countryside and waterside relaxation.

El Ateneo Bookstore - This has been referred to as the second most beautiful bookstore in the world. It was an old theater, saved and preserved into a bookstore… A must see and you can sit and have a coffee on stage. Perfect if you find yourself in Buenos Aires on a rainy afternoon.

Open air market. The Feria de Recoleta aka Feria de Artesanos de Plaza Francia is open every Saturday and Sunday from 12pm to 6pm with around 200 stands of artisan products from jewelry to leather goods, art and more

Open Air Market - Feria de San Telmo, is the biggest of the whole city! Do not miss it, though it will be virtually impossible to see the entire thing in one day! Open only on Sundays and it starts at Defensa Street