If you are looking for activities to do in Bariloche with children, here are several options that include everything from toddlers to water sports such as scuba diving and kayaking.
With its hills, lakes, snow, forests and artisanal chocolate gastronomy, the city is an ideal destination for children.
The nature that surrounds Bariloche hides several attractions including boat rides, beaches in summer, adventure sports, panoramic views, museums and many places designed for the little ones.
If you are planning a family trip to Bariloche, see below for all our recommendations of things to do, based on our experience.
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1) Take the cable car up to Cerro Otto
It’s not just the kids who can enjoy the fantastic scenery as the chairlift goes up from the base of the hill.
Once you get to Cerro Otto, there are plenty of activities for the little ones, such as sledging, tobogganing, a palestra, forest labyrinth, hanging bridges and forest walks – there’s no time for boredom!
You can also have lunch in the rotating confectionery.
2) Visit the Havanna Chocolate Museum
It is well known that Bariloche is known as the city of artisan chocolate in Argentina. This museum is set up by the Havanna brand, which, although its origin is not Patagonian, is one of the most renowned in Argentina.
The tour lasts about 30 minutes with a guide, who explains the history of chocolate and how it is made. They also give you the chance to taste hot chocolate.
Finally, you can buy alfajores and Havanna chocolates in the shop.
3) Skiing on the ski slope of the Rapanui chocolate shop
As well as drinking a delicious hot chocolate, tasting some of their chocolates or ice cream, or simply going for lunch or a snack, this chocolate shop has a ski slope inside for the kids to enjoy.
Of course, you have to pay to skate on the Rapanui ice rink. You have the option of one hour or unlimited.
4) Cerro Catedral, one of Bariloche’s attractions with kids
Many tourists visit Cerro Catedral for skiing during the winter, but the resort is much more than just ski schools for young and old.
Cerro Catedral offers hiking on themed circuits, flora and fauna watching, and of course, the use of the chairlift with panoramic views – an endless number of activities for the whole family!
In addition, the complex has a Kids Club with workshops for children and a nursery for the little ones.
5) Visit Nahuelito Park
This park is one of the main attractions to do in Bariloche with children. Located on the Circuito Chico route, it is a theme park about dinosaurs.
During one hour and with very didactic guides, you take a walk through the forest visiting life-size replicas of dinosaurs.
Once the tour is over, there is a shop where you can buy your family photo and some souvenirs, such as dinosaur dolls.
For information about opening hours and prices, you can visit the official website of Nahuelito Park.
6) Visit one of Bariloche’s museums
The most child-oriented are two of them:
- Museum of Patagonia with information about the native peoples, the evolution of Patagonia since its colonization and explanation of animals of the region. It can be easily visited in an hour.
- Paleontological Museum Bariloche: the reality is that it is very small, we went through it in only 20 minutes. It has two rooms with fossil remains.
Both are good things to do in Bariloche with children on a rainy day.
7) Enjoy the beaches of Bariloche with children in the summertime
In summer you can perfectly well be on one of the beaches of Lake Nahuel Huapi, although it must be said that the water is too cold for swimming.
The beaches have a stony ground, which doesn’t prevent children from enjoying themselves. The best beaches are Bonita, Bahía Serena and Playa del Viento on the shore of Lake Perito Moreno.
8) Sailing on the Nahuel Huapi Lake
One of the activities that children will love is a catamaran ride on the Nahuel Huapi Lake.
The excursion we recommend is a boat trip around Victoria Island and a visit to the Arrayanes forest. During the tour you will take two short walks, one around the island and the other along the wooden walkways of the myrtle forest.
In any case, children over four years old can walk without any problems. For children under four years of age, we recommend carrying a backpack, as the wooden walkways have many steps and the walk around the island is on uneven terrain with stones.
9) Take a short trek through the forest
This is an excellent activity for children over five years old, as long as the trail is not too steep and is of low physical difficulty.
We did with children the trail that leads to the small dock at Escondido Lake and to Los Troncos Bay. The access is by the road to Circuito Chico. The trail is flat with stops and the whole thing takes about an hour.
10) Canopy at Lopez Hill
Cerro Lopez is an ideal place for a family adventure. If your children are older than 8 years old, then they can zip-line through the forest at 1500 metres above sea level.
There are 10 platforms connected to each other, which allow them to feel the adrenaline of crossing the Patagonian forest attached to a steel rope.
11) Do some water sports in Bariloche
Surrounded by lakes and rivers, Bariloche is a perfect destination to practice water sports with your family, as long as your children are older than 8 years old, although we recommend in some cases that they are older than 10.
Some options are as follows:
- Kayak on Lake Gutierrez: one of the most traditional water sports in Bariloche. Lake Gutierrez with its turquoise water is an ideal destination to do it. Besides, the Duendes waterfall is nearby, which can also be visited.
- Rafting on the Manso River: to get to this activity you have to take direction to the Tronador Hill. A few kilometres before reaching the hill you will find the Manso River, which crosses several kilometres forming rapids for rafting. This activity must be done with an agency with a guide, who provides all the safety elements.
- Diving in the Moreno Lake: you don’t need to have previous experience, since you can do a diving baptism with experienced instructors. Under the transparent waters of the lake you will see trout, perch and aquatic plants.
