Discover New York’s Queen City

Thanks to more than $1 billion in local investment, the City of Buffalo has seen astounding growth, with a boom in new restaurants, breweries and distilleries and attractions, the opening of several prominent downtown hotels and endless entertainment along our revitalized waterfront. But it’s the things that have been here all along that may surprise you. Visit Buffalo and its surrounding communities for world-class art and architecture, a diverse and rich legacy of American history and proximity to the world wonder of Niagara Falls. Discover the unexpected delights that await you in Buffalo.

Your Buffalo Bucket List

1. Niagara Falls USA
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.
Niagara Falls, NY United States
2. Allentown & the Historic Gayborhood
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.
3. BUA Theater
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.
1 Curtain up Alley
Buffalo, NY 14202 United States
4. Burchfield Penney Art Center
The Burchfield Penney Art Center is the only museum exclusively dedicated to the art and artists of Western New York. From the moment you step through its doors, you will be surrounded by inspirational, often world-renowned artwork. The Burchfield Penney features more than 30 exhibitions annually. While many are curated from the museum’s extensive collections, it often brings new work into the museum through temporary exhibitions and works on loan. As a result, no visit to the Burchfield Penney is ever the same.
1300 Elmwood Ave
Buffalo, NY 14222 United States
| 716.878.6011
5. The Niagara USA Wine Trail
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.
6. The Neighborhoods
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.
7. The Buffalo Wing Trail
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.
8. Hiking Trails
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.
9. Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens
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.
2655 South Park Ave
Buffalo, New York 14218
| 716.827.1584
10. Buffalo Architecture Tour
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!

Travel Partners

Celebrate Pride Buffalo with these travel recommendations!

Staying Here
Sweet dreams!
Visit Buffalo Niagara has rounded up a list of some of Buffalo's best hotels, hostels, Airbnbs, and so much more!
Getting Around
NFTA
Save money and avoid traffic by taking Metro Rail to the Pride Festival. Erie Canal Harbor Metro Rail Station is just steps from the Festival.
Lyft
Use Lyft to get to and from Canalside on June 4.
Reddy Bikeshare
Get Reddy to show your pride by using a bike to get from the Parade to the Festival! Download the Social Bicycles app to sign up.