Most travelers arrive in Ushuaia with eyes firmly fixed further south — on the ice, the penguins, and all that Antartica has to offer. And that’s fair. But Ushuaia rewards those who slow down and look around. The city is small, very walkable, and spectacularly set between jagged mountains and the Beagle Channel with awesome options for families. Whether you have a single day between flights or a few days to explore, here’s what to know about getting to/from the airport, some fun activities that our family enjoyed, and a couple of great food options.
Getting Into Town
The airport couldn’t be easier to navigate. It’s a small terminal — there is no public transportation from the airport, but you won’t need it. The airport is about a 10 minute taxi ride to the city center and costs around $10-15 USD. Taxis queue right out front and are metered and reliable. All the taxi drivers also use Uber and it works just as well as it does in Buenos Aires. For families arriving with lots of luggage or gear (especially those heading onward to Antarctica), a pre-booked private transfer is worth the small premium. Either way, you’re in town before anyone can ask “are we there yet?”
Unmissable Ushuaia
Into the Mountains: Glaciar Martial
Glaciar Martial sits in the hills directly above the city and is one of the most accessible natural highlights in the area. In summer, it’s a solid half-day hike with a well-marked trail winds up through lenga beech forest with stunning views of the Beagle Channel opening below you. You can take a taxi to the base of the trail at the ski lifts. After a 20-30 minute hike you’ll get to the “bifurcacion” and the option to continue on for more great views. A chairlift operates in season if the legs give out.
In winter, the area transforms into a ski center that offers a great first ski experience for children and a scenic afternoon for families who want something active without committing to a full resort.
At the base of the trail to the left of the ski lifts you’ll see signage for a zip line experience operating in summer. We didn’t get a chance to try it out but it is posted on the Ushuaia tourism website, which may indicate legitimacy. Just across the parking lot there is a tea house and lodge offering beers. Both are cozy and worth a stop, if a bit pricey.
Tierra del Fuego National Park
Tierra del Fuego National Park is just 12 kilometers west of the city and absolutely worth a half-day or full-day visit. Argentina’s first coastal national park, it’s a sweeping landscape of subantarctic forest, mountain lakes, pebbly beaches, and beaver-dammed streams, all set on the shores of the Beagle Channel. There are multiple trails of varying difficulty — easy loops for small kids, longer forest paths for older ones — and the scenery is spectacular throughout.
A highlight for children (and adults) is the small post office at Bahía Lapataia — a kiosk on stilts where you can buy postcards and send them home postmarked from “the End of the World.” Delivery may take a while, but the novelty factor is high. While it happened to be closed the day we went, even a picture is worth a stop.
You can take the Tren del Fin del Mundo, the End of the World Train, an historical recreation of a narrow-gauge steam railway that runs through the park on the route once used by prisoners to transport timber. It’s a crowd-pleaser for kids and provides a leisurely way to see the forest. We saw wild horses and other wild life on our ride.
There are several options to get into and out of the park and tour throughout. If you rent a car, you can simply drive to different trail heads. There are loads of tour agencies through town offering tours, too, usually packaged with other options. We chose to take the Tren del Fin del Mundo in and then take a taxi tour of the sites before heading back to town. Either way, don’t forget to get your ticket to the national park, which is separate from the Tren ticket.
The Beagle Channel by Boat: Penguins at Martillo Island
This is the bucket-list family outing in Ushuaia, and it delivers. Boat tours depart from the tiny cruise port and sail through the Beagle Channel, passing sea lions hauled out on rocky islands, cormorant colonies, and the lonely Les Éclaireurs lighthouse — often called (inaccurately but romantically) “the lighthouse at the end of the world.”
The standout option is a stop at Isla Martillo, home to a large colony of Magellanic penguins and a smaller population of Gentoo penguins. Landing excursions allow you to walk among the colony — an experience that’s genuinely moving for adults and absolutely electric for kids. Spaces are limited and tours sell out quickly in peak season, so book ahead. Half-day and full-day options are available from various operators in town. We chose Piratour and had a great time. A fun bonus was a tour from the knowledgable and friendly guides at the Museo Acatushún — a hidden gem!
The Museum Complex: Four Museums, One Ticket
The Museo Marítimo y del Presidio de Ushuaia is one of the most underestimated museums in Argentina. You could easily budget a half-day and still skip a section. The building itself is the old national prison built in the 1920s penitentiary and operating until 1947. It hosts four museums for the price of one including the Maritime Museum, the Prison Museum, an Antarctic Museum, and a Marine Art Museum. There was also an exhibit for the indigenous Yámana people and an art exhibit. It was unclear if either would be permanent fixtures but both were fun.
Together the museums cover indigenous peoples, European explorers and their expeditions, early settlers including missionaries, ranchers, gold prospectors, smugglers, sea lion hunters; the history of the prison including its notable political prisoners; and Antarctic expeditions from early disastrous expeditions to permanent scientific outposts. The prison section is eerie and fascinating — original cells, inmate histories, and the prisoner and jailer contributions to the town’s foundation. The Antarctic wing is exceptional and particularly gripping for kids who are already captivated by early exploration — model ships, expedition gear, and stories of Amundsen, Shackleton. Your ticket is valid for two days, just make sure to get a stamp on the way out. The gift shop stocks a wide range of items, from clothing to coffee-table books on Antarctica and Tierra del Fuego — a good stop before you leave but most offerings are available around town, too.
Walking Town: Calle San Martín and the Port
Ushuaia’s main street — Av. San Martín — is compact enough to walk end to end in twenty minutes, which is exactly the right scale with kids. The street is lined with souvenir stores, cafés, chocolate shops, outdoor gear shops, and restaurants, and the port area at the bottom of town is picturesque with the channel stretching out behind it. It’s a good place to watch Antarctica-bound ships come and go and the seabirds perching on the half-sunk Barco Saint Christopher.
The city also has a distinct and charming character — colorful houses stacked up the hillside, surrounded by mountains dusted in snow for much of the year, with a frontier-town energy that somehow feels both remote and welcoming. An hour’s wander is never wasted.
For those wanting a more organized outing, 4×4 tours into the hills surrounding Ushuaia are popular and give access to viewpoints and terrain that you can’t reach on foot. Many operators run these from the main street. We didn’t do one ourselves, but it’s a great option for families not looking to hike but able to manage bumpy roads.
Food: Surprisingly Good, Surprisingly Varied
Ushuaia’s restaurant scene punches above its weight for a city this small and this far south. The obvious local highlights are the seafood — king crab (centolla) from the Beagle Channel is the regional specialty and appears on almost every menu — and lamb, which is slow-cooked with Patagonian herbs and exceptional when done well. There are also tons of other seafood options from Patagonian scallops to toothfish (Chilean sea bass) to Patagonian trout served in ceviche or grilled.
However, as a family of mostly vegetarians, what surprised us most were the options. Argentina is not typically associated with plant-based offerings but Ushuaia has plenty of choices.
Isla Vegana (Don Bosco 56) is an all-vegan café right off the main avenue — a charming takeout spot with an impressive array of fully vegan options, from freshly baked goods to refreshing juices. Everything is made on-site. The vegan version of Argentinian favorites like lomito and milanesa sandwiches are legendary, the empanadas and wraps are excellent, and the prices are great. Non-vegans will love it, too, and they make great options for takeaway for hikes.
Vitta Bake Shop is another amazing standout we tried and loved. We lucked into it just walking by and checking out the menu as it didn’t come up on a Google search of vegetarian options. Vitta is a warm, inviting bakery with excellent pastries and great coffee and drink offerings. It’s a perfect place to post up for a breakfast stop before heading out for the day or to relax and recover from a hike.
Beyond those, options include Kuar 1900 (Av. Maipú 395), a stylish restaurant on the waterfront with views of the Beagle Channel and an eclectic menu that includes Patagonian dishes alongside vegetarian and vegan options (the name comes from the Yamana language). Ramos Generales (Av. Maipú 749) is a beloved café and general store in an old warehouse, good for pastries and coffee on a cold morning.
Souvenirs Worth Buying
Ushuaia is one of the better places in Argentina for shopping, partly because it operates as a duty-free zone. A few things worth looking out for:
“Southernmost” stamps and postcards — the post office and various shops sell official stamps certifying your visit to the southernmost city in the world; kids love these. The museum post office in the national park is particularly good for this.
Artisan chocolate — Ushuaia has a small but serious chocolate scene. Several shops on San Martín sell locally made bars and truffles; look for those made with Patagonian berries (calafate and rosa mosqueta) for something distinctly regional.
Wool goods — hats, scarves, and ponchos in Patagonian wool are widely available and high quality. Useful if you’re heading somewhere cold.
Antarctic and Tierra del Fuego books — the museum shop has an excellent selection, including photography books that make for a meaningful keepsake.
Mate sets — if you’ve been introduced to Argentina’s national drink during your trip, Ushuaia’s shops have everything you need to bring the ritual home, including locally carved gourds.
Ushuaia earns more than its reputation as a staging post. Give it two or three days and it will feel like a destination in its own right — dramatic, strange, quieter than most places you’ll visit, and unexpectedly generous to families with curious kids.