OThings to do in Santa Cruz
Santa Cruz de la Sierra is Bolivia's biggest, warmest, most social city, but almost everything happens through Instagram stories and word of mouth, in Spanish. This guide covers the weekly fixtures and reliable places; for what's happening right now, see this week's guide. For plans from Friday through Sunday, see what's on this weekend.
Reviewed August 12, 2026. Recurring plans can move. Check the current listing or organizer before travelling, and check the current exchange rate before budgeting for your plans.
The weekly fixtures
Looking for free or low-cost plans this week? We keep the confirmed ones in a separate, practical list.
- Tuesday: Parlana language exchange (rotating venues): the fastest way to meet people, half Spanish, half English.
- Wednesday: Salsa and bachata night at The Dubliner (Equipetrol), plus discount day at the cinemas.
- Thursday: Open-air salsa social at Autopía Boulevard Gourmet (Av. Beni); stand-up shows start at La Tuja.
- Friday & Saturday: Live bands at Hard Rock Cafe and the Equipetrol bars; theatre and concerts at the cultural centers downtown. For confirmed dates and venues, browse upcoming live music events.
- Saturday: Morning organic market (the plaza rotates weekly).
- Sunday: Cross the river to Urubó: Biocentro Güembé's pools, butterflies and birdlife, 20 minutes from town.
Culture, mostly free
- Casa Melchor Pinto : Cultural centre in a restored heritage townhouse on Sucre, near the main plaza. Exhibitions, theatre, book launches and workshops run most weeks, but the courtyard cafe is what regulars mention most, coffee and pizza under the arches. Open until 10pm on weekdays, with shorter hours Saturday and Sunday.
- Centro de la Cultura Plurinacional : The city's busiest public cultural centre, on René Moreno just off the main plaza: concerts, theatre, film cycles and exhibitions, most of them free. Worth knowing before you go: the building keeps weekday hours, 8:30am to 4:30pm, and closes at weekends, so check the programme for evening events.
- Espacio Patiño Santa Cruz : Espacio Patiño Santa Cruz is a cultural center in the heart of the city that hosts art exhibitions, comic events, and educational activities. It is closed on weekends and open Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 12 PM and 3 PM to 8 PM. Reviewers highlight its library, reading spaces, and youth programs.
- Manzana 1 Espacio de Arte : Free contemporary art space on the first block of the old town, right on the main plaza. Rotating Bolivian and international exhibitions inside, and at weekends the square around it fills with craft fairs and stalls. Open daily, mornings and again from 3pm to 8pm, with a break over lunch.
- Museo de la ciudad Altillo Beni (MAB) : Museo de la ciudad Altillo Beni is a modern museum in the Centro that hosts rotating exhibitions and cultural events. It stays open until 9 PM Tuesday through Friday and closes on Sundays. Reviewers praise the spacious rooms, rooftop terrace views, and interesting displays.
Going out
- Autopía Boulevard Gourmet : Open-air food boulevard in Norte Interno: stalls ringing a park, ceiling fans against the heat and a big screen for major matches. Kitchens run to 11pm most nights and to 1am Thursday through Saturday. Thursday is the dance night, bachata and salsa, and the busiest of the week.
- Hard Rock Cafe Santa Cruz : The Bolivian branch of the chain, on the gastronomic boulevard of Ventura Mall at the fourth ring. Live bands play several nights a week and the kitchen runs to midnight most days, 1am Thursday and 2am Friday and Saturday. Reviewers single out the cocktails and the ribs. Memorabilia, merch shop and mall parking.
- La Tuja Club de Comedia : Santa Cruz's dedicated stand-up room, on the Warnes corner. Shows run Tuesday through Saturday, starting between 7:30pm and 8pm, with open mic and karaoke nights in the mix. The room is small, so tables go early. Audiences rate the shows highly and the prices as fair. All in Spanish.
- The Dubliner : The city's expat anchor, an Irish pub that stays open until 3am. Live bands, karaoke, quiz nights, a pool table and big-screen sport, with food served late. Wednesday is the standout: salsa and bachata fill the place, and it is the busiest night of the week after Saturday. Students, groups and visitors.
The big dates of the year
- February: Carnaval cruceño: parades, comparsas, and city-wide water fights.
- April (even years): Chiquitos Baroque Music Festival in the mission towns east of the city.
- September 18 to 27: Expocruz, Bolivia's biggest fair, with concerts every night.
- September 24: Santa Cruz's anniversary and the Día de la Tradición Cruceña.
- October: FENAVID international film festival.