Sierra de Los Padres is a small town in the hill 15miles away from Mar del Plata. Very nice to buy some souvenirs, eat something or making a picnic! Wonderful view! Also, There is a Lagoon close there called "Laguna de los Padres".

An interesting day trip from MdelP if you are visiting for a week or more and want to see a bit of countryside. Note it will be hotter than the seaside--hats & sunscreen essentially if you are going to walk around the lake. Pick up the useful little map & 717 bus schedule from the tourist info centre in the mall at Alberti/Sarmiento in Stella Maris, then catch bus 717 (blue) on Sarmiento at Rawson. This is the first stop on the route so you are sure to get a seat, and it's a 50-minute ride. Use your SUBE card or pay cash (96ARS). Note the drivers don't give change. Really interesting bus ride. Get out at the last stop on the Circular road in Sierra De Los Padres. Visit the grotto, the artisanal & souvenir shops. For lunch we shared the Piccada plate at Punto Cumbre and watched the hawks sailing over the plain below. After lunch ask the restaurant to call a Remis to take you to the lake (no taxis in the town). Our Remis cost about 70ARS from town to the nearest entrance to the lake, via Camino Cacique Cangapol. We walked partway around the lake, visited the Museo Municipal José Hernández, then walked straight out to Ruta 226 to catch bus 717 back to the city. You can flag down the bus at any intersection along the 226--no need to trudge down the road looking for a marked stop.