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[shesoffagain]

I am arriving at EZE airport in Buenos Aires at around 3pm on a Tuesday afternoon. I have a flight to Ushuaia from Aeroparque the next morning at 5:30am and have to be at the airport at 3:30am.
I have never been to BA before, but I plan to do another trip here at some stage, so will not be devastated if I can't see the city this time.
Is there anything close by either airport that I should try to see, or should I just find a hotel and some food near Aeroparque and get some sleep?
I am a 33yo female backpacking on my own. I'm not really into nightlife - I prefer nature and historic stuff, but I do love the tango, so if I could see that it would be nice. I can always sleep on the 5 hour flight to Ushuaia!
Any thoughts?

[starlagurl]

You should definitely get out there and see Buenos Aires while you are there. From what I see, these two airports are both in the surrounding areas of Buenos Aires, so you don't necessarily have to find something nearby to do.

I would go straight downtown and just walk around until I had to catch my early flight the next morning...but that's just me.

Overnight layovers are sometimes REALLY fun for exploring the city. They force you to make a priority on what you want to see.

[mmbcross]

Goodness you don't have long, but there is lots you can do as BA never sleeps. As you say, you will have plenty of time to sleep afterwards.

Do you have a hotel or hostel? I don't know your budget but look for something the the Palermo district. That is quite near the downtown domestic airport. Check Trip Advisor for recommended hotels in this areas:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Search?q=palerm...p;sub-search=Go
http://www.allaboutar.com/ba_sights_palermo.htm

If you get in at 3:00 pm, and the flight is on time, you should be checking into your accommodation by 6:30 pm. The international airport is a long way out of town. The shuttle takes just over an hour. Here is the web site. Take the Terminal Madero bus and then a taxi to Palermo. Taxis are very inexpensive in BA.
http://www.tiendaleon.com.ar/home/home.asp

First of all there is lots to see around your accommodation. Skim these travel blog from our members:
http://www.travelpod.com/cgi-bin/keyword2....0buenos%20aires

Tango shows are a dime a dozen in BA, so consult these blogs to see if there is one you might like.
http://www.travelpod.com/cgi-bin/keyword2....d=tango%20shows

Downtown BA? You just don't have time, unless you want to stay out all night, which is absolutely no problem in BA. Save Downtown (MicroCentro), San Thelmo and Boca for your next visit.

Next morning just take a taxi to Aeroparque. It's only about 15 minutes from Palermo, and they don't have all those security hassles we have in the USA.

Hopefully this will be of some help for you. After reading the blogs we hope you will start one up with your own experiences. The world awaits!

Cheers
Martin

[starlagurl]

Downtown BA? You just don't have time, unless you want to stay out all night, which is absolutely no problem in BA. Save Downtown (MicroCentro), San Thelmo and Boca for your next visit.

Really? I would totally do it, and not even worry about a hotel.

[shesoffagain]

I love this forum! you guys always have helpful answers.
Starlagurl - you sound so crazy! But I'm actually liking that idea! Seems most shops in BA are open really late, and tango shows start pretty late, so I'm wondering if it really is worth getting a room for just a couple of hours, if i'm going to be out until midnight or later anyway.
Could I go straight to aeroparque and check in early - is that possible?
Are there lockers or safe storage area I could leave my carry-on bag and go into town?
Also, I'm trying to travel as light as possible on this trip (4 months altogether), and wasn't planning on taking any dressy clothes - just my travel cargo pants, a few tops (casual) and hiking boots and TEVAs. Not very classy. Would they even let me into a tango show looking like that?

[mmbcross]

Go for it girl - be as crazy as Starlagurl. You wont regret it.

I highly doubt if you will be able to check in for your flight the day before. I am trying to find out if Aeroparque has a left luggage office. As it's just a domestic airport, it may not have this service. I'll let you know what I find out.

If it does, take the airport shuttle from Ezeiza to Aeroparque. Once there, change into the best clothes you have, then take a taxi to downtown Buenos Aires and have a great meal with steaks bigger than dinner plates. Corrientes Street is where it's all happening. Keep in mind that Porteños dress well, so look as nice as you can.

Many years ago I arrived in Buenos Aires after a long ride in the back of a lime truck. We arrived at 5:00 pm on a Friday and the only place to change money was the American Express office in Harrods. We were so scruffy we were almost thrown out of the shop. We actually had to beg to get the the exchange counter, and we were escorted there as if we were extraterrestrials.

It's not quite so bad now, but think Rome or Paris!

See if you can find a tango show that fits your needs, not too classy as you won't be suitably dressed. Probably something in Boca would be the thing. Boca is about a 20 minute taxi ride from the city centre. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Boca. Remember, travel by taxi is very cheap and safe, so use them to get around. This tango show looks quite good, and they even have a package that includes a meal: http://www.moebius-tango.com/detalle.php?id=126&h=13,111

When you are done, just go back to Aeroparque and flake out on a bench. Make sure the airport doesn't close down at night, as it is located right next to the elegant residential district of Palermo, and I'm sure there are no night flights.

Keep on truckin'
Cheers
Martin

[starlagurl]

Wow...I've never been to an airport that closed down at night. But then again, I've only had to sleep at one once in my life...in Philadelphia... so...there you have it.

[mmbcross]

Look what I found!
http://www.sleepinginairports.net/casa/bue..._aeroparque.htm

[starlagurl]

Haha hilarious.