Being a coastal city, the main tourist attraction in Villa Gesell is the beach. The Villa Gesell beach is 10 m (33 ft) long, with a soft slope, and a variety of spas built alongside; the annexed cities of Mar de las Pampas, Las Gaviotas and Mar Azul extend the beachside to 21 m (69 ft). The city has a staff of 150 lifeguards.
There is a lighthouse 30 m (98 ft) to the south, surrounded by a forest; some houses organize adventure tourism visit to the forest. It is the second highest lighthouse in the coast of the Buenos Aires province, second only to the one in Bahía Blanca. The area around the lighthouse works as a natural reserve as well.
The city has a zoo, a golf field, a market of crafts and many discos.
Villa Gesell and Pinamar, both tourist cities, have a regional rivalry about the type of tourist trade they cater to. Pinamar aims for wealthy Argentine tourists, while Villa Gesells aims for those in the middle class. Prices in Villa Gesell are lower, but crime is higher.
Villa Gesell is built parallel to the coastline, along a main avenue. The architecture has a mix of styles, with buildings of different sizes, shapes and colours. The urban development at the beaches proved to be harmful for nature, as the beach became gradually smaller each year. The city sought to revert this effect, and when the franchises of each spa began to expire, they were not renovated. The buildings made with bricks and concrete were demolished, and replaced with smaller buildings made of wood. Automobile traffic was banned next to the beach, and each beach lease was allowed a maximum of 80 tents.
