Kids

Longhorn Dave, a Texan living in BA with his wife and two kids, recommends the playgrounds in Plaza Vicente López and Plaza Mitre for a romp in the park. They're two of the nicest in the city, he asserts. While most of the city's plazas have playgrounds, some are in need of repair. As your child digs in the sand and swings on the swings, chat with some porteño parents and relax.

Go under BA to see the fossil remains of the armadillo's 200,000-year-old ancestor, the glyptodont. You needn't go to the museum to see these giant-shelled creatures, as their remains were unearthed as the metro was constructed. Head to Juramento station on Line D or Tronador station along the B line for the best view.

Speaking of subway tourism, Longhorn Dave recommends Linea A (Line A) where turn-of-the-last-century wooden cars are still in use. Kids under four are free and the rest of us pay just $0.25 to go for a ride. Best go during non-peak times.

Hop on board the oldest Argentine ship still afloat at the Buque Museo Corbeta Uruguay (the Uruguay Corvette Ship Museum) in the Puerto Madero neighborhood. The Uruguay has circled the globe several times and was used by the Argentine Navy on several of its early 20th-century Antarctic rescue expeditions.

Some museums offering free admission of special interest to kids include:

The Museo del Automóvil Club Argentino (the Museum of the Argentine Automobile Club), located in the Palermo neighborhood, exhibits some pretty hot sports cars and Argentina's first car from 1907.

The Museo Nacional de la Historia del Traje (the National Museum of the History of Clothing) in the Monserrat neighborhood may interest kids who love a game of dress up. It houses over 8,000 items and features an exhibit that traces the history of clothing in Argentina from the arrival of the Spanish to 1900. Its temporary exhibits have a regional focus: Past exhibits featured clothing from Greece, the Silk Road, and China and Japan.