Things to Do in Mendoza
Mendoza, South America - Complete Travel Guide
Top Things to Do in Mendoza
Maipú Wine Region
The most accessible of Mendoza's wine regions, Maipú offers everything from massive commercial operations to tiny family bodegas where the owner's grandmother might pour your tasting. The landscape here is classic Mendoza - endless rows of vines backed by the dramatic Andes, with most wineries within easy cycling distance of each other.
Aconcagua Provincial Park
Home to the highest peak in the Western Hemisphere, this park offers day hikes that give you a taste of serious Andean scenery without the commitment of a multi-week expedition. The Confluencia trek takes you to base camp, where you'll see the colorful tents of climbers preparing for summit attempts.
Uco Valley
This high-altitude wine region produces some of Argentina's most elegant wines, with vineyards planted at elevations that would be impossible in most other countries. The scenery is more dramatic than Maipú, with wineries that look like modern art installations set against the Andes backdrop.
Central Mendoza Food Scene
The city's parillas (steakhouses) are legendary, but the real food story is how local chefs are reimagining traditional Argentine cuisine with ingredients from the surrounding valleys. You'll find everything from hole-in-the-wall empanada joints to restaurants that pair seven-course tasting menus with local wines.
Villavicencio Natural Reserve
This protected area in the pre-Andes offers hiking trails through desert landscapes that feel more like the American Southwest than wine country. The old hotel here, now a museum, was once a glamorous retreat where tango legends came to escape Buenos Aires summers.