100+ Things to Do When In Buffalo (New York, Rochester: city hall, rent, amusement park)
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I think it is hilarious when people proclaim that there is "nothing to do" in Buffalo, so I compiled a list of things that my family and I have enjoyed, or hope to enjoy one day.
All of the items on this list within the 5 counties of WNY (hence no Rochester) or in the nearby Niagara Region of Canada (with just a nod that Toronto is close, also). Everything is less than about 1-1/2 hours drive from the center of the region. All of the items are things that one "can do" when visiting or living in the region.
Please feel free to add more. I am sure I left out many things, so feel free to make suggestions. In no particular order:
See a a brilliant sunset on Lake Erie or the Niagara
Watch the ice floes on the Niagara in the Spring
See Niagara Falls lit up at night
See Niagara Falls iced over in winter
Ice Fish on the Small Boat Harbor or any inland lakes
Enjoy the view of the lake, hills, and windmills riding south on the Skyway bridge
Toboggan at Chestnut Ridge park
Ski and snowboard at any of the local areas
Take a sailboat ride on Lake Erie
Visit the many Canadian Beaches on Lake Erie just across the border
Watch the lake freighters and ocean ships traverse the Welland Canal locks
Visit the Lockport Locks and take an underground boat ride along the Erie Canal
Tour the Battleships and submarine at the Inner Harbor
Tour the Pierce Arrow Museum
Garden tour year round at the South Park Conservatory
See the animals at the Buffalo Zoo and picnic afterwards at Delaware Park
Niagara Falls State Park - You can look up at the Niagara River and dip feet into water at 3 Sister Islands, visit Prospect Point at the brink of the falls
Maid of the Mist boat to the foot of the falls
Take a powerboat ride on the Lower Niagara rapids
Ride the Spanish Cable Car over the Whirlpool
See the falls from Terrapin Point, a popular jumping off spot on the Canadian side
Climb the rugged trails, learn about Bloody Run, the massacre, and find the cave at Devil’s Hole
Find the Tesla Statue in Niagara Falls
Old Ft. Niagara, held by the French, British, and US going back to the French and Indian Wars
Ft. George, across the Niagara with guns pointed at the US side
Visit the Brock Monument celebrating the victory of Canada over the American invaders
Old Ft. Erie, which overlooks the mouth of the Niagara and downtown Buffalo
Ride the Miss Buffalo tour boat down Niagara River, up thru the Black Rock Lock, under the Ferry Street lift bridge, and into Lake Erie
Buffalo Science Museum regular and special exhibits
Learn about Buffalo at the History Museum - sit alongside Abe on the steps overlooking the Japanese Gardens on Mirror Lake
Cross Country Ski and snowshoe at Tifft Farm Preserve just outside of downtown
Be awed by the Our Lady of Victory Cathedral, and while there visit the Father Baker Museum
See an outdoor concert, and visit craftsmen at Artpark along the Niagara Escarpment
Picnic with Shakespeare in the Park
People watch over lunch along Elmwood and Allen streets - look for the bubble man
Spend a day at the Allentown Art Festival
Go to at least one St. Patrick’s Parade downtown or the Old First Ward
Bring an appetite to the Italian Festival on Hertel
Bring the family to the Juneteenth celebration
Attend Polish Mass at St. Stanislaus or Corpus Christi Church in the old Polonia neighborhood
Shop at Broadway Market, especially during Lent
Go to Wing Fest if you haven’t had your fill of wings yet
Bring what’s left of your appetite to Taste of Buffalo
Go to the top of City Hall viewing area and stop to see the Common Council Chambers while in the building
Ride the Main Street Rail from UB to the waterfront
Take the Arcade & Attica old-time train tour
Tour the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant tour, just downstream from the Falls
Take the Sir Adam Beck Hydroelectric Power Plant tour on the Canadian side
Enjoy Darien Lake Amusement Park, which can include concerts and camping
Take the little ones to Fantasy Island amusement park for an old fashioned fun time
Decide for yourself by visiting both Duff’s and the Anchor Bar
See a free concert every Thursday at the Harbor, and Battle of the Bands every Sunday
Tour the old Buffalo Central Train Station
Visit the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, among the greatest collections of 20th century art in the world
Visit Burchfield-Penny Museum, art with local ties across for the A-K - see the projection screens along Elmwood at night
Visit a Frank Lloyd Wright House, there are a few of them around
Go to a Bills game - experience a game in the winter from the upper deck after a tailgate party to get the full effect
Go to a Sabres game
Go to a Bisons, preferably on a beautiful afternoon
Go to a Bandits game
Go to any of the regional college sports team games UB/Canisius/Buff State/Niagara Sports
Go to a University theater or music event at any of the nearby colleges
Attend a play in any of the Theater District area venues - Shea’s, Irish Classical. Kavinoky, Alleyway, New Phoenix, Theater of Youth, Torn Space, Ujima, Road Less Traveled, United Artists, Kaleidoscope, or comedy at the Helium
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra at Kleinhans Music Hall - go for the sound or the view
For a show or sign up for a tour of Shea’s Theater
North Park Theater has been restored and re-opened
Swim the Niagara at Beaver Island State Park
See the fish and penguins at Niagara Aquarium
Visit the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima
Find more sea life excitement, including whales, entertainment, and amusement rides at MarineLand
Visit during maple syrup season or Maple Weekend for Sugar House tours - bring your boots.
Take a Winery Tour - dozens of wineries along Lake Erie, Niagara NY and Ontario, and nearby Finger Lakes - Chautaqua tours, Niagara Wine Trail - more!
Visit a cider mill, especially in the fall
Take a “Forgotten Buffalo” Tour to revisit the glorious and inglorious past
Visit a cheesy Niagara Falls Ontario Museum, like Ripley’s or Tussauds Wax Museum
See and bet on the thoroughbreds at Ft. Erie Racetrack
Or bet at the harness tracks at Buffalo Raceway and Batavia Downs
Gamble or visit one of the Seneca Indian casinos - Seneca Niagara, Seneca Buffalo Creek, or Seneca Allegany - maybe buy cheap Indian cigs and gas if you go to the res
Step up and step out by going to one of the Canadian casinos in the Falls Casino Niagara
Walk from the US to Canada across the Rainbow Bridge
Enjoy the race cars ‘round the oval at Holland Speedway
Find the Eternal Flame at Chestnut Ridge
Ice Skating year round at open skate at local indoor rinks, or outdoors in winter at Fountain Plaza, MLK, soon to be at Canalside, and more
Drink at a local tavern - not a hipster craft beer parlour, but a neighborhood shot and beer kind of place in the old ethnic neighborhoods
While you are drinking order a beef on weck or wings - try the South Buffalo variety when down there
Get a char broiled hotdog
Take a walking tour in Allentown - the Garden Walk is a great time to go
Shop like a Canadian - Drive to the Outlet Mall or Galleria - make it really authentic by ditching your old shoes and clothes in the restroom
Shoot like an American - rent an AR or AK and take out your aggression at a local gun range
Get out of town but not too far - visit Canada’s version of Williamsburg - Niagara-On-The-Lake - maybe attend the Shaw Festival
Take a day trip to Toronto for a “big city” fix
Rent a canoe and paddle the Buffalo River
Find your way and visit the Grain Elevators - maybe wait for a light show, concert, rock climb, or tour event - or wait for Riverworks to open up its bar and public skating areas later this year
Get spooked out by the Richardson Complex aka NY State Hospital for the Insane
Celebrate New Year’s in front of the Electric Tower at Roosevelt Square
Spend a day at Library downtown - yes, reading - maybe have lunch at Lafayette Square
Get out of town (a little) and head for the hills - the Boston Hills - hike the trails at Chestnut Ridge, drive down Boston State Road, head to Springville
Get further out of town and spend summer days at the original Chautauqua Institution
Get a little further away and into the wilderness and whitewater rafting of Zoar Valley
Go fishing - lakes and rivers abound - smallmouth bass on Lake Erie at Buffalo are second to none - fish all 4 seasons
Go hunting - deer, bear, turkey, waterfowl, small game - Buffalo lies just on the edge of the Appalachian foothills and there are thousands of acres of forest nearby
Take a bike ride along the Niagara River from Buffalo to Niagara Falls and beyond -
Take the scenic Niagara River Parkway by car or bike from Fort Erie to Lake Ontario - the best and most naturally scenic path to the Falls (unless you like flat thru Grand Island or busy like NF Boulevard)
Take a church tour, or participate in a “Mass Mob” and attend Mass at one of the historic churches
Watch (or participate!) in drag racing at Raceway Park
Visit and tour Forest Lawn - see a president! - see Rick James! - see sculptures! - have a picnic along the scenic Flint Ridge area
Rent a rowboat at Delaware Park
Take a boat cruise along the Erie Canal, or just hang out
Try all the “local” foods and varieties that the locals crave - don’t forget the horseradish or the gardoons
Visit a village - lots of nearby villages dating to the early 1800s
Enjoy a treat from a summer custard stand
Slurp down a few at one of the temporary clam stands around town
Celebrate adaptive re-use by catching a show or event at Babeville
Visit some of the smaller galleries in town - Hallwalls, Anderson, etc.
Enjoy a neighborhood Lawn Fete during the summer and fall
You can always go to the movies, play golf (in summer), restaurants, etc - yes they have them in Buffalo, too.
...You know a place isn't worth it when people have to post "top 100" lists to keep people interested.
You have effectively killed what you wanted to promote, just by promoting it.
People from Philadelphia, NYC, San Fran, or Charleston don't need to make threads like these. Because they live in places where it is obvious. Posting such content is just sad.
...You know a place isn't worth it when people have to post "top 100" lists to keep people interested.
You have effectively killed what you wanted to promote, just by promoting it.
People from Philadelphia, NYC, San Fran, or Charleston don't need to make threads like these. Because they live in places where it is obvious. Posting such content is just sad.
Here's a list of the top 100 things to do in NYC. If you Google Top 100 in any city, you will find that someone created a list.
This is a great list. I've only lived in the Buffalo area about 4 years, so I'm still exploring and finding new things to do. I'd like to add visiting the Darwin Martin House to that list.
117. Take a day and wander the 450 wooded acres of Griffis Sculpture Park
118. Make a fool of yourself one evening on Chippewa Street (since if you are reading this you are likely too old anyway)
119. Join the school kids as they learn about history at the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Sight
120. Take a day trip to Rochester (to be fair since TO was listed)
121. Join the other night fishermen at Broderick Park
122. Take a walk thru the Cave of the Winds
123. Visit as many small museums as you can in a day (Iron Island, Lackawanna Steel, Cofeld Judaic, Erie Canal, Holland Land Office, Jell-O Gallery, Millard Fillmore House, Kenan Center, Colored Musicians Club, Fire Museum, Michigan Street Baptist, etc)
124. Take the little kids to Explore and More, and go explore and more
125. Learn about the region's aerospace achievements at the Niagara Aerospace Museum
Last edited by RocketSci; 05-11-2014 at 07:34 AM..
This is a great list. I've only lived in the Buffalo area about 4 years, so I'm still exploring and finding new things to do. I'd like to add visiting the Darwin Martin House to that list.
#56
Originals include Darwin Martin, Barton House, Davidson House, Heath House, Gardiner's Cottage, and Graycliff. Modern FLW construction like the Fontana Boat House, Blue Sky Mausoleum, and the Filling Station. Darwin Martin and Graycliff homes have tours.
I didn't see Fantasy Island, but correct me if I'm wrong. Is a trip to Fisher-Price in East Aurora on there? I didn't see that either.
#50
I didn't specifically include Fisher-Price however. Added as #124
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