RÍO GRANDE is a drab, sprawling city, which grew up on the river of the same name as a port for José Menéndez's sheep enterprises. The treacherous tides along this stretch of the coast, some of the highest in the world, can reach over fifteen metres at the spring equinox, and low tide exposes a vast shelf of mudflats that are better for seabirds than boats. The port therefore has virtually ceased to exist, having been superseded by the vastly superior one at Ushuaia. And in spite of the people's friendliness, the atmosphere here is as flat as the landscape: it's a place to pass through quickly, unless you're a trout fisherman, in which case it is a functional starting point for exploring the region's rivers.
The town does have one monument worth visiting: the Candelaria Salesian Mission , 11km to the north. There isn't much else to see, but if you're looking to kill time, you might consider taking a city tour ($22): a convenient way of visiting the town's scattered subsidiary sites that are otherwise awkward to reach, including the Estancia María Behety , 17km due west of town along the RCc, one of the island's largest and oldest sheep-farming establishments, dating from 1897.
