Visiting Buffalo

Experience the power of the Falls! While you there, take a jaunt on the iconic Maid of the Mist, which brings you up close and personal with the thunderous waters. The Maid of the Mist fleet has escorted millions of guests to the base of the Falls for more than 100 years and should not be missed. While you there, be sure to visit Niagara Falls State Park, the oldest continually operating state park in the United States.

If Elmwood is the movie star of Buffalo neighborhoods, then Allentown is the artist. Public art murals decorate the district’s many live music venues, bars, neighborhood galleries, restaurants and shops. Beautiful brick buildings and iconic characters give the neighborhood creative energy unlike anywhere else in the city. This neighborhood is the terminus of the Pride Parade route.

This collective of professional theater artists works to create accessible yet thought-provoking theater. The company invokes a minimalist aesthetic, placing emphasis on the written word and the relationship of the actor of the audience, with a particular focus on works that reflect gay and lesbian experiences.

Situated between the Niagara Escarpment and Lake Ontario, the Niagara Wine Trail, USA, offers a diverse selection of traditional vinifera style, native, late harvest and ice wines, as well as unique varieties, such as award-winning fruit wines, meads and ciders. It’s located 30 minutes north of Buffalo.

Elmwood Village: The Elmwood Village was designated one of America’s 10 Best Neighborhoods by the American Planning Association. Elmwood Village is home to some of Buffalo’s most vibrant shopping, with dozens of boutiques featuring products by local designers. The Elmwood Village is also home to numerous restaurants and cafes representing diverse cuisines, from Mexican, Indian, Greek, Italian, Thai, Japanese and Chinese to hearty American favorites and uniquely Buffalo dives. Hertel Avenue: Few Buffalo neighborhoods capture the city’s historic charm and exciting rebirth quite like Hertel Avenue. An influx of new bars and restaurants complement the neighborhood’s established eateries and the North Park Theatre, a nearly century-old movie house recently restored to its original grandeur. Hertel Ave. is also one of Buffalo’s most diverse business districts, with Middle Eastern merchants selling shawarma and halal alongside Italian grocers and delicatessens. Grant Street: To gain a global perspective, walk a few blocks of Grant Street on your next visit to Buffalo. In recent years, an influx of immigrants from around the world has transformed the district from its historically Italian roots to reflect a wide variety of cultural and culinary influences. Grant has also become a magnet for entrepreneurs who have opened cafes, bookstores and more.

A one-of-kind food trail 54 years in the making, the Buffalo Wing Trail celebrates the dish that became synonymous with a city. Your gastronomic journey on the Buffalo Wing Trail will take you to 12 purveyors of this Buffalo-born dish – from the birthplace of the wing to joints slathering these deep-fried Buffalo delicacies in some of the most unique sauces and spices anywhere.

It’s hard to beat taking a hike in Western New York. Sunny days and vibrant natural landscapes provide a stunning backdrop for exploring the region. Here are seven unique hikes to take within an hour’s drive of downtown Buffalo to help make the most of this beautiful time of year.

Get your Instagram ready! The tri-domed conservatory of the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens dominates the landscape of gorgeous Frederick Law Olmsted-designed South Park. The gardens are a perfect place for meditative strolls through sky-high palm trees, burbling water features and hundreds of various flower species in every imaginable color.

Visitors can admire the Queen City’s greatest design achievements on an Open-Air Autobus tour. For those who prefer a walking or bike tour, Explore Buffalo and Buffalo Tours examine both the legendary and lesser-known stories of the city’s architectural past. Buffalo River History Tours takes visitors into the heart of the city’s industrial heritage, with a stop at Silo City for a grain elevator tour.  Buffalo Touring Company offers Segway tours for those who like a fun and novel mode of transportation. If you’d rather go it alone, stop by our visitor center at Clinton and Washington Streets for a "Buffalo on Foot" guide. With so much noteworthy architecture to explore, you may have to plan multiple vacations to see it all!