(TripAdvisor) You could fill up weeks exploring Buenos Aires. I know—it’s my home. But there’s also so much to explore just beyond this city’s borders. The city backs onto the Río de la Plata and fans out in a “C” shape toward the west, with tons of bite-size escapes within its curved arms.

From the alluring Delta with all its little islets to authentic cowboy towns where locals ride their horses to the bank to wine tastings in Malbec, here are my favorite side trips.

Grab some gaucho action in San Antonio de Areco

The transformation of the landscape during the two-hour bus ride north of Buenos Aires to San Antonio de Areco never ceases to delight me. The trip begins in the urban city center then transitions to rural farmland and then, suddenly, I’m surrounded by cattle and actual cowboys riding horseback through the streets.

This gaucho outpost is home to cattle ranches, ranchers, and a robust beef industry. However, a handful of ranches here have turned their magnificent and spacious properties into luxury accommodations and tourist facilities where you can spend a day living out your gaucho daydreams.

Even if an overnight stay is pushing time or budget, you can still visit for a fun day of horseback riding and a barbecue lunch at Estancia El Ombú de Areco, one of my favorite spots in the area. It’s truly a slice of traditional Argentina.

For the rest of this please visit TripAdvisor.