Choose from 1,039 Fun Things to Do in Central And South America
Chivay
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Choquequirao
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ChocoMuseo Antigua
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Farellones and El Colorado
Ranging up to almost 11,000 feet (3,352 meters) above sea level, and with numerous ski classes available for those who need a refresher course, El Colorado is an ideal place to bring the family for a quick jump-start to the season. Nearly 70 runs graze the mountain in total, which receives an average snowfall of 15 feet (4.5 meters). Full equipment is available to rent.
With a BBQ grill, local supermarket, cozy pub, and coffee shop on the terrace (which boasts 'Swiss-Alpine' cuisine), the resort offers plenty of munchies post-piste—with scenic views to boot.
Photo courtesy of Dario Alpern via Wikimedia Commons.
ChocoMuseo Miraflores
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ChocoMuseo Barranco
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Chirripo National Park
For less-fit travelers and those in search of more leisurely strolls, the forests of Chirripo National Park offer plenty of opportunity to explore the unique flora and fauna indigenous to Costa Rica. Its scenic passes, lush pastures and minimal elevation gains are accessible for the entire family.
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Chorrillos
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Hanga Roa
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Chiloe Island
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Estancia Cristina
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Children's Museum (Museo de los Ninos)
The Costa Rica Children’s Museum is an interactive fun experience for all the family.
Housed in a gaily painted toytown castle, that’s actually a historic old military prison, the museum’s hands-on exhibits range across all manner of topics.
Kids will love the 40 exhibits exploring outer space, old-fashioned fun on the farm, history, music, science and ecology and everyday life in Cost Rica.
The Costa Rica Children’s Museum is housed in a striking red and yellow fort on Calle 4, above Avenida 9, a little north of downtown San Jose.
Chincheros Indian Market
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Estrada das Paineiras
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Estancia Harberton
The oldest estancia (farm) in this part of the world, the still-working property dates back to 1887 and was established by English missionary Thomas Bridges. Bridges founded the Anglican Mission at Ushuaia in 1870.
Today, the estancia remains in the hands of Bridges’ descendants, and it was declared an Argentine National Historical Monument in 1999.
A visit reveals the original buildings of wood and corrugated iron, and terraced gardens. The sheep have long gone but the cattle remain. While you’re here you can also walk amongst a penguin colony at the estancia’s Yecapasela Reserve.
Perhaps the best way to visit is by boat tour from Ushuaia. The cruises visit the Bridges Islands for wildlife viewing of sea lions, penguin colonies and cormorants, before sailing to the estancia for a tour of the homestead and its small marinelife museum.
Traveling here by road, the route winds past mountains, valleys and coastal vistas of the Beagle Channel and its wind-sculpted trees and marshland.
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If you’re visiting independently, enjoy a meal in the tearooms or arrange accommodation in the estancia’s guesthouses.
ChocoMuseo Cusco
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Chichicastenango
This indigenous town is known for its market, which is held on Thursdays and Sundays. The largest market in Central America, here vendors sell colorful items like handmade pottery, medicinal plants, traditional incense, cal for preparing tortillas, machetes, flowers, food and more. People can also purchase traditional clothing, masks and other items that pay homage to the area’s culture.
Aside from the market, there are historical sites to explore, too. Next to the market is a 400-year-old church, Santo Tomas, which is built atop a pre-Columbian temple platform. There is also the Cofradia of Pascual Abaj, an ancient carved stone where Maya priests perform rituals.
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Estancia el Cuadro
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Hanga Piko
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Chilean Museum of Pre-Colombian Art
Perhaps Chile's most important museum is the Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino - or Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art, displaying 4,500 years of American history on a very human scale.
Housed in the former Royal Customs Palace, one of the city's finest neoclassical buildings, the museum displays thousands of pieces donated by architect and collector Sergio Larraín García-Moreno. Aesthetics were obviously as important to the philanthropist as each piece's historical importance, thus these exhibits really pack a punch.
The cultures of the Andes are represented by some of the finest pieces, but the collection also features artifacts from what is now Mexico, Central America, and the Amazon basin. All are well signed in English and Spanish, offering insight into the hemisphere's human history as a whole.
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The Chilean Museum of Pre-Columbian Art is located in the heart of downtown Santiago, a bit more than a block southwest of the Plaza de Armas. Several bus lines depart from nearby, or take the L5 metro (green line) to the Plaza de Armas station.
Groups can request free, guided tours in Spanish or English by emailing the museum one month in advance. The museum's audiovisual library, which includes a noted indigenous music archive, is open to th e public. Only museum members can borrow items, however.