Rawson: Monuments, Golf and Nature on the Chubut River

Rawson offers several different starting points for planning a trip: historic monuments and a Welsh chapel, leisure activities on the Chubut River, and wildlife watching nearby. If you are looking for a hotel in Rawson, you can decide whether to focus on the city’s history, golf and outdoor activities, or a boat trip. The following highlights distinguish attractions in the city from other destinations in the wider Rawson Department.

Cultural history in Rawson

The Circuito Histórico de Rawson presents the city’s history and cultural heritage through emblematic sites and monuments. One specific historical landmark is the Monumento a Julio Argentino Roca, which was unveiled on October 19, 1941. The tour thus traces Rawson’s history through notable sites and memorials.

Another cultural stop is the Ricardo Berwyn Welsh Chapel. Founded in 1881, it is considered the oldest chapel in the Chubut River Valley. Together with the monument, it offers a glimpse of different aspects of local heritage: a dated monument on the one hand, and a chapel of particular significance to the valley on the other.

Golf and outdoor recreation

The Tamariscos Golf Club has a ten-hole course in Rawson, on the Chubut River. Tourists can use the course by the day, and individual and group lessons are also available. This means you can plan a golf day around either playing the course or taking lessons. As availability may change, it is best to check before your visit.

The Parque Recreativo Municipal Rawson offers another way to spend your leisure time. Its facilities include green spaces, barbecue grills and recreational games for enjoying the outdoors with the family. While golf centers on a specific sport, the park brings together different ways to spend time outdoors.

Estuary and boat trip

In the vicinity of Rawson, marine mammals and birds can be observed in the estuary at the mouth of the Chubut River. These include Commerson’s dolphins, also known as toninas overas, other dolphins, sea lions and elephant seals, as well as gulls, petrels and steamer ducks. The variety of wildlife to look out for ranges from marine mammals to coastal birds.

The Estación Marítima Commersoni offers an approximately one-hour boat trip from Puerto Rawson to observe Commerson’s dolphins, also known as Patagonian dolphins. The route follows the mouth of the Chubut River; along the way, the trip may also include sea lions, coastal birds and Rawson’s yellow fishing fleet. If you plan to take the trip, check the current schedule and availability in advance.

More to explore in Rawson Department

The wider Rawson Department offers additional destinations and activities. Playa Unión is a five-kilometer-long sandy beach next to the mouth of the Chubut River. Conditions on the open sea make surfing possible there, a sport that has been practiced for more than 20 years. Surfing areas include La Curva and Puerto Rawson; wind and wave conditions also allow for kitesurfing and windsurfing. These coastal attractions add a distinct regional perspective to Rawson’s historic and sporting offerings.

The Museo 1923 is also part of the cultural offerings in Rawson Department. The interactive museum features historical exhibits and reconstructed areas, and covers the early history of Playa Unión, including the arrival of the railway and the first settlers. The reconstructed spaces include a railway station with the Mauricio Battistina ticket office, the Roselli Bar and Confitería, and the interior of Antonio Garbarini’s house.

The Centro de la biodiversidad Aquavida presents the biodiversity of the Chubut River estuary and Bahía Engaño through its various rooms and laboratories. Visitors can discover marine, freshwater and land animals of Patagonia. In Trelew, the tourist attractions also include the Egidio Feruglio Paleontological Museum. It preserves Patagonia’s paleontological heritage and is considered one of the most important museums of its kind in South America.

For the wider travel overview: Rawson Department.