Day trips from Buenos Aires

So I've all but ruled out going to Iguazu Falls. They might be mid-blowingly spectacular, but for a 24 hour bus ride each direction from BA, iffy weather and overpriced motel rooms, it's really not worth it.

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Instead, I'm looking at a few day trips. From my brief googling, I've come up with these possibilities:

• Colonia del Sacramento (each word links to different site)

Directly across the wide river mouth from BA is the historical town of Col del Sacramento (UNESCO World Heritage Site). There are a few ferries daily (fast and slow) with a number of companies. For the price difference, many recommend the fast ferry (and book at least a week in advance). Some visitors recommend an overnight visit, while others say it's small enough that you can see it all in a day. Others recommend avoiding summer weekends, as that's when the porteños (locals) descend on the place.

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Important tip: don't forget your passport - Uruguay is another country (proof of yellow fever vaccine required for entry). And has a different currency to Argentina, but US dollars are universally accepted.

While in Uruguay, I might consider going to Montevideo or Punta del Este

• Tigre Delta

A 45 minute train ride from BA, Tigre is on the northern outskirts of the BA sprawl. Given this area is about the waterways, islands, and delta, it might be worth doing a tour. With stilt houses and colonial mansions, it might be another place to stay overnight. There are many water-based activities, including hiring a kayak as a way to meander around the area (and work off a few of the steaks I'm likely to have eaten). As before, this is where the locals escape to in the summer, but I'll be there in spring, so less of an issue.

Note to self: Take insect repellent - you know how the mozzies love you.

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A stop-off at San Isidro, another historic quarter, might also be worthwhile.

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• San Antonio de Areco

I'm not sure if I really want to go in for gaucho (cowboy) culture, but hey, when in Rome...
Typically, tours include transport, a gentle horse ride, and asado lunch.

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Rough Guides include these under Estancias (cattle/sheep ranch), and asados (barbecue)
Others suggest Estancia Puesto Viejo, to learn polo rather than herd sheep (although that might be more high-end than I'm looking for).

The Welcome Argentina site has some more ideas to meander through. In the meantime, I need to do some study - I have an exam in nine days!