Parks and the outdoors in Buffalo

337 parks, gardens, beaches and walks in and around Buffalo.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first. Showing the top 40 of 337.

SeeHistory museumElmwood Village
Buffalo History Museum
formerly the Buffalo & Erie County Historical Society Museum
Located just off Elmwood Avenue in the Museum District and adjacent to Delaware Park, the newly renamed Buffalo History Museum has by far the most extensive collection of artifacts relevant to the history of Buffalo and Western New York from pre-Columbian times to the present day. It was built for the Pan-American Exposition in 1901, and it is perhaps not surprising that the Exhibition is a particular focus of the exhibits at this wonderful museum. A Pierce-Arrow roadster built in Buffalo, the medal presented by George Washington to Chief Red Jacket, prototypes of the cardiac pacemaker invented by Clarence native Wilson Greatbatch, and artistic renderings of historical scenes and people flesh out the collection. Further historical records, manuscripts, photographs, and personal documents are housed at the Research Library. The Buffalo History Museum is also an invaluable resource for local residents interested in genealogy.
Tue-Sat 10AM-5PM, Wed until 8PM, Sun noon-5PM, Resource Center by appointment during business hours, Research Library Wed-Sat 1PM-5PM$7, seniors and students 13-21 $5, children 7-12 $2, members and children under 7 free. Research Library $7, free to members
SeeMuseumAllentown and the Delaware District
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
The only property in Western New York operated by the National Park Service, the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site is in Allentown, in a lovely 1838 Greek Revival mansion that was the residence of Ansley Wilcox, a Buffalo lawyer and politico. In September 1901, several days after President William McKinley died in Buffalo of gunshot wounds he sustained while greeting attendees of the Pan-American Exposition, Vice-President Theodore Roosevelt stayed at the home of Wilcox, an acquaintance of his, and the Oath of Office was administered to him there. Planned demolition of the house in the early 1960s was averted at the last minute, and today the Wilcox Mansion has been thoroughly restored inside and out, and features historical displays related to Roosevelt, McKinley and the Pan-American Exposition as well as occasional temporary exhibits. The grounds of the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site are planted with herb and flower gardens in season.
Mon-Fri 9:30AM-3:30PM, Sat Sun 12:30-3:30PM$10, aged 62+ and students $7, ages 6-18 $5, families $25, free for children under 5 and members
SeeNorth Buffalo
Buffalo Zoo
Accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Buffalo Zoo is the third-oldest zoo in the United States (founded in 1875 on the former site of the Deer Paddock at Delaware Park) and is second in popularity only to Niagara Falls among tourist attractions in the Niagara Frontier, welcoming 400,000 visitors each year. The 23-acre (9.5-ha) Zoo boasts exciting thematic displays that play host to 1,200 different animals, such as elephants, bears, otters, sea lions, hyenas, and of course, bison. Some of the animals, such as a resident peacock, are allowed to roam freely on the walkways, allowing visitors to get closer to nature than they would in most zoos. In 2002, a new Master Plan was unveiled that will see the Zoo thoroughly modernized over the next 15 years. Under this framework, the Vanishing Animals, EcoStation, Otter Creek, Sea Lion Cove and South African Rainforest exhibits have already opened, with a new Children's Zoo and other exhibits slated for the near future.
Summer: Sat-Thu 10AM-5PM, Fri 10AM-7:30PM Winter: Daily 10AM-4PM$10, students and seniors $8, children 2-14 $7, children under 2 free. Parking $3.50. Train and carousel rides $2
SeeScience museumEast Side
Buffalo Museum of Science
Located in Olmsted's Martin Luther King, Jr., Park, the Buffalo Museum of Science is in a lovely building built in 1929 by the prominent Buffalo architectural firm of Esenwein & Johnson. The emphasis of the Buffalo Museum of Science is on natural and physical sciences; items from its collection of more than 700,000 specimens and artifacts, encompassing almost every conceivable aspect of the anthropology, botany, entomology, mycology, paleontology, and zoology of Western New York and elsewhere, are on display in the Museum's galleries. The Buffalo Museum of Science also boasts interactive science studios and a National Geographic 3D Cinema and operates the Tifft Nature Preserve, 264 acres (105ha) of reclaimed industrial land in South Buffalo.
Daily 10AM-4PM$9, seniors 62+ $8, ages 2-17, students, and military $7, museum members and children under 2 free
DoTheatreAllentown and the Delaware District
Shakespeare in Delaware Park
Delaware Park's has since 1976 been the setting of Shakespeare in Delaware Park. With a goal of enriching, inspiring and entertaining diverse audiences through performance and educational programming with a focus on the works of William Shakespeare, this not-for-profit professional theatre company performs two selected Shakespeare plays annually from June until August at their striking Tudor-style outdoor stage adjacent to Hoyt Lake, the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, and the Delaware Park Rose Garden. Performances are free of charge at this longstanding summertime tradition, though donations are greatly appreciated.
Free entry
DoCinemaNorth Buffalo
North Park Theatre
Almost inarguably the most distinctive movie theatre in the Buffalo area, the North Park was built in 1920 as an old-fashioned silent movie palace and still boasts an exquisite (and newly restored) Baroque interior with Art Deco flourishes. The single screen shows indie films almost exclusively. The North Park Theatre is also famous as the site of the world premiere of Buffalo '66, the critically-acclaimed directorial debut of local native Vincent Gallo, which took place here in June 1998.
SeeMaritime museumDowntown
Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park
Located adjacent to Canalside, the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park opened in 1977 and consists of three historic warships: the USS Little Rock, a cruiser which served in the Mediterranean Sea during the Cold War as a flagship for the Second and Sixth Fleets of the U.S. Navy and is now the only guided missile cruiser in the country on display; the USS The Sullivans, a destroyer that saw intense action in the Pacific theater of World War II; and the USS Croaker, a submarine that also saw action in the Pacific during WWII. These ships are open for self-guided tours during the warm months. There is also a museum on site that displays memorabilia such as Medals of Honor awarded to area residents.
Apr-Oct: daily 10AM-5PM; Nov: Sat Sun and Fri after Thanksgiving 10AM-4PM; Dec-Mar: closed$10, seniors and ages 6-16 $6
EatIce creamNorth Buffalo
Lake Effect Artisan Ice Cream
Out of Hertel's trio of ice cream shops, Lake Effect is by far the most popular. Why? For one, it doesn't hurt that they were a known quantity already; since 2008, Buffalonians had been buying the stuff in supermarkets and making the trek to the original location in Lockport. Moreover, Lake Effect doesn't divert any attention to poutine, tacos, or other such culinary distractions: here it's all ice cream, all the time. All two dozen or so varieties are locally sourced and manufactured, and many draw inspiration from the unique elements of local cuisine: the Paula's Glazed Donut flavor incorporates chunks of its namesake ingredient into a honey glaze-flavored ice cream, the Loganberry ice cream reflects Buffalo's soft drink of choice, and the Icewine Sherbet is an homage to the signature vintage of the Niagara Peninsula.
Daily 11AM-10PM$5-10 · Outdoor seating · Wheelchair accessible
SeeEast Side
Martin Luther King, Jr. Park
The crown jewel of the East Side's parks is its representative in the roster of Buffalo's Olmsted network: the site of the Buffalo Museum of Science, the Humboldt Basin, a handsome rose garden, walking paths, playgrounds, picnic shelters, and pleasant greenery. Martin Luther King, Jr. Park was the first of Buffalo's Olmsted parks to open to the public, in 1872: called "The Parade" at first, it was designed to host military drills and other large gatherings, with the brightly colored Parade House as its centerpiece and Humboldt Parkway, the most magnificent of all the Olmsted parkways in Buffalo, linking it to the rest of the system. But the Parade was far from any military installations Buffalo had; to the consternation of Olmsted, the park instead became a gathering place for the Germans in the surrounding neighborhood, who disturbed his quiet pastoral vision for it with raucous oompah bands that played at the Parade House and neighborhood scamps damaging the grass with their roughhousing. To the rescue came Olmsted's two sons, the successors in his firm; their 1896 redesign curved Fillmore Avenue to discourage through traffic and added the Humboldt Basin, a lovely Lily Pond, and formal gardens. The Olmsted brothers renamed the park Humboldt Park, a name that was changed yet again in 1977 to its current one. Sadly, like most of the other elements of Buffalo's park system, the integrity of the Olmsteds' original design of the park sustained considerable damage over the course of the 20th century: the Parade House is long-gone, part of its west edge was sacrificed in 1929 for the science museum, and there's a basketball court where the Lily Pond used to be. But the greatest indignity happened in 1960, when Humboldt Parkway was torn asunder to make way for the Kensington Expressway (see infobox at right). The Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy is hard at work righting those wrongs: the Humboldt Basin has already been renovated and reopened, the restoration of the Shelt
EatBakeryWest Side
BreadHive Cooperative Bakery
BreadHive first made its name with delicious fresh-baked bread (the flagship "West Side Sourdough", multigrain, deli rye and Danish-style rugbrød) and bagels (eight varieties, all baked with locally-grown organic flour and wild yeast). But with their expansion from a mere walk-up window to a full-size restaurant has come additions to the menu in the form of delicious sandwiches all named for the owners' favorite female musicians — favorites include "The Robyn" (their version of what Jewish delis call the "Rachel", with beet caraway sauerkraut sourced from the West Side's own Barrel + Brine) and "The Bjork" (a vegan-friendly concoction with tempeh "bacon"). In the morning there's a somewhat smaller range of breakfast sandwiches, plus locally-roasted Public Espresso.
Tue 8AM-6PM, Wed-Sun 8AM-3PM$10-20
EatAmerican restaurantNorth Buffalo
Lake Effect Diner
Lake Effect Diner is a 1950s-style affair located in one of the last remaining "diner cars" in America, carefully restored under the direction of local restaurateur Tucker Curtin. With oldies on the jukebox and waitresses dressed in '50s-style pink skirts, Lake Effect Diner is as authentic as it gets. Decent diner fare — burgers, club sandwiches, french fries, milkshakes and malts — is available here for reasonable prices. Lake Effect Diner has been featured on Guy Fieri's Food Network television series, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
Daily 7AM-10PM$10-25
EatRestaurantDowntown
Templeton Landing
Templeton Landing is at the Erie Basin Marina, a popular summertime hangout for boaters, walkers, joggers, and people-watchers. Boasting fine food and stunning views of Lake Erie from their patio that is open seasonally, Templeton Landing's entrees comprise hearty fare such as steaks, pork loin, burgers, and ribs, but the true pride of this place is their side dishes, which often share the spotlight with the main course rather than mere afterthoughts. Open all year, but summer is when you really want to come.
Mon-Thu 11AM-9PM, Fri Sat 11AM-10PM, Sun brunch 10AM-2:30PM$25-60
EatRegional restaurantDowntown
Liberty Hound
Located inside the Buffalo & Erie County Naval Park at Canalside, Liberty Hound is a celebration of seafood from across the U.S. and the world, in a wonderful lakeside setting convenient to all downtown and waterfront attractions. Traditional offerings such as Maine lobster rolls and crab boil share space on the menu with exotic and innovative offerings, such as steamed littleneck clams with chorizo garlic butter and a Vietnamese-style banh mi sandwich stuffed with crispy fried calamari, that can be found nowhere else in Buffalo. Best of all are the refreshing lake breezes and lovely views over the waterfront and downtown.
Mon-Thu 11:30AM-9PM, Fri Sat 11:30AM-10PM, Sun 10AM-3PM$20-40
EatRestaurantAllentown and the Delaware District
The Terrace at Delaware Park
Delaware Park's Marcy Casino has played host to a restaurant throughout most of its history — records date all the way back to 1875 — and nowadays it serves an upscale menu described as "contemporary global cuisine", an understatement if there ever was one. Aficionados of cuisines the world over will probably find something to their liking, whether it be the Cantonese baozi on the small-plate menu, Argentinian skirt steak with chimichurri sauce and fried patatas bravas on the side, or Belgian-style duck frites. All this is served in a swanky supper-club ambience that really brings the rich history of the building into focus, but on summer days you can also enjoy one of the loveliest settings in the city on the namesake terrace overlooking Hoyt Lake.
Tue-Fri 4-10PM, Sat Sun 11AM-10PM$35-60
DoBoat tourDowntown
Spirit of Buffalo
Serene and scenic cruises on Lake Erie and around the harbor are to be had on the Spirit of Buffalo, an unmissable 73-foot schooner that affords them the opportunity to experience a trip aboard a traditional 19th-century sailing vessel. Day cruises, sunset sails, and a Wednesday "Wine in the Wind" Cruise featuring local vintages from the Niagara Peninsula are all offered; kids love the Pirate Cruises that sail on Saturdays and Sundays. All cruises leave from the Commercial Slip at Canalside. Private charters are available as well.
Cruises leave May-Oct, call for schedule and availability$28, children $18, Pirate cruise $23, children $19, Wednesday Wine in the Wind cruise $38
EatRestaurantSouth Buffalo
The Ward
RiverWorks' onsite restaurant sports a menu of comfort food on offer, with a few upscale touches to class things up (and prices to match): think along the lines of sandwiches, pub grub-style appetizers, build-your-own artisan pizzas, and a limited and lackluster selection of stick-to-your-ribs full-size mains like the bacon-wrapped, tater tot-stuffed "Ganson Meatloaf". Consensus is that the food is just okay, and the service is a consistent weak spot (at best your friendly and attentive waiter might apologize profusely for the backup in the kitchen; worst-case scenario it's as if you're invisible), but if you're looking for industrial ambience, you're hard-pressed to find a more privileged location along the Buffalo River. Wash it all down with your choice of seven craft beers produced right onsite in the world's first grain-elevator brewery.
Open daily for lunch and dinner starting at 11AM$15-45
SeeAllentown and the Delaware District
Forest Lawn Cemetery
It may seem strange to place a cemetery on a list of tourist attractions, but Forest Lawn is more than just a burial ground. Located immediately south of Delaware Park, Forest Lawn was founded in 1849 as a rural-style cemetery on what was then the outskirts of town, and serves today as an arboretum, nature preserve, and celebration of Buffalo's rich history. "Sundays in the Cemetery" tours are offered seasonally; conducted variously on foot (sensible shoes are recommended) and on trolleys, each of these themed excursions explores a different aspect of local history through an exploration of the lives of individuals buried at Forest Lawn. Famous people who have been laid to rest here include President Millard Fillmore, Prince Kyril Scherbatow of Imperial Russia, Congresswoman Shirley Chisholm, aviation pioneer Lawrence Bell, Seneca Indian chief Red Jacket, singer Rick James, and many mayors and other prominent citizens of Buffalo. Deer, birds and other native wildlife are commonly seen strolling these 269 acres (108 ha) of impeccably landscaped greenery, and architecture buffs will love the mausoleums and memorials designed by such Buffalo architecture luminaries as Richard Waite and George Cary, and especially the Blue Sky Mausoleum, completed in 2004 from a design by Frank Lloyd Wright.
Daily 8AM-5PM, summer until 7PMCemetery grounds free, guided walking tours $15, guided trolley tours $25
SeeAllentown and the Delaware District
Delaware Park
With an area of 234 acres (93 ha), Delaware Park is the central node in Buffalo's park system, by far the largest park in Buffalo, and one of the largest and best-preserved examples of Frederick Law Olmsted's landscape architecture anywhere. All the classic Olmsted features are present here: a large, grassy Meadow that is now the site of the Delaware Park Golf Course, thick stands of trees, and Hoyt Lake, the 46-acre (18.5-ha) pond in the southwest corner of the park that Olmsted originally named "Gala Water". An essay by Charles Beveridge on the Olmsted park system in Buffalo describes how well Delaware Park continues to fulfill its intended role as a place for Buffalonians to experience nature and greenery without leaving the city limits; Delaware Park, as per his essay, is "the only public space designed by Olmsted in Buffalo that met his definition of the term 'park' — a setting of pastoral scenery extensive enough to provide complete escape from the artificiality and noise of the city." Delaware Park is popular year-round, but is most often enjoyed during the warm months, when walking, bicycling, jogging, tennis, golf, and basketball are popular activities, and the renowned Shakespeare in Delaware Park outdoor festival, which takes place here each summer and which is described more thoroughly in the Festivals and Events section below. Hoyt Lake is surrounded by a lovely walking/biking trail and features rowboats and paddleboats for rent at the Marcy Casino during the summer months. Delaware Park is also the site of the Buffalo Zoo.
Dawn to dusk
SeeHistoric siteSouth Buffalo
Edward M. Cotter
The 118-foot (36-m) Edward M. Cotter is the oldest fireboat in the world still on active duty, and is inscribed on the National Register of Historic Places and as a National Historic Landmark. Launched in 1900, the boat was originally named the William Grattan after Buffalo's fire commissioner at the time. After it suffered a devastating explosion in 1928 (flying sparks from a burning oil barge entered its fuel tank), it was rebuilt from the burned-out shell of its hull at a cost of nearly $100,000. With a maximum speed of about 15 miles per hour (24 km/h), the Cotter is the slowest piece of firefighting machinery the Buffalo Fire Department owns, but it's indispensable for its ability to reach places on the waterfront inaccessible to ordinary fire trucks, and it has ten times the water-pumping capacity of the average fire truck. Over the years, the Cotter has seen action such as going across the lake to Port Colborne in 1960 to help fight a fire at a grain elevator complex; helping keep afloat the Buffalo Naval and Military Park's USS Little Rock after it began taking on water in 1978, and towing the Polish ship Zawisza Czarny off of a sandbar when it came to Buffalo Harbor for a visit in 1983. During the quiet winter months, the Cotter serves double duty as an icebreaker on the Buffalo River; during the summer, it can frequently be seen at local waterfront festivals and boat shows, where tours are also offered.
Sometimes open for tours during festival appearancesBuilt 1900
SeeRuinsDowntown
Canalside
Situated on 20 acres (8 ha) of formerly idle land at the harbor, Canalside combines the celebration and preservation of Buffalo's rich history as a rough-and-tumble canal town with an expansion of waterfront recreational opportunities for Buffalonians of today to enjoy. At Canalside, amenities such as tour boats offering cruises of the harbor, river, and lake, a lengthy slate of festivals, and one of the city's favorite new restaurants (Liberty Hound) can be enjoyed in an environment that also pays tribute to history with features such as a recreation of the Commercial Slip — once the western end of the mighty Erie Canal — on the side of which are the restored foundations of old Canal District buildings, dating to the mid-19th century and rediscovered in the early 2000s. As well, a restored canal bridge, interpretive plaques, and the enthralling Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park are on the scene. With further expansion of the offerings slated for the near future, such as two new hotels, a children's museum, a sports complex, and restaurants and shops, Canalside is only going to get better as time goes on.
DrinkBarSouth Buffalo
Gene McCarthy's
It's best known among local beer snobs as home of the Old First Ward Brewing Company, with nine different house-brewed beers on tap at any given time (the malty, chocolatey "HO Oats" English oatmeal stout and the pine- and citrus-tinged "This Is Not a Pale Ale" are particular favorites), but in many other ways, Gene's is still the same gin mill that's been slaking the thirsts of South Buffalonians since 1963: neighborhood old-timers certainly don't feel out of place in the homey ambience of the barroom or with the menu of pub-grub favorites done right (Gene's spot on the Buffalo Wing Trail is well-earned), and if your taste in beer runs more toward the conventional, you won't be left out in the cold either.
SeeAttractionAllentown and the Delaware District
Japanese Garden
Inaugurated in 1974 as a gesture of friendship between Buffalo and its sister city of Kanazawa, Japan, Delaware Park's Japanese Garden is located on six acres (2.4ha) on Hoyt Lake, behind the Buffalo History Museum. This beautifully manicured oasis of greenery slopes gently down from Nottingham Terrace to the shore of the lake, also encompassing three small islands in the lake connected to the mainland by a lovely ornamental footbridge. Over the past years, the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy has been hard at work restoring and maintaining the more than 1,000 plantings of ornamental trees, shrubs and plants in the garden, including a large stand of Japanese cherry trees, and also have added or will soon add a stone garden and an authentic karesansui waterfall. Amid it all there are many benches and other sitting areas perfect for serene contemplation of one's peaceful natural surroundings.
DrinkPubSouth Buffalo
Labatt Brew House
The ground floor of the Labatt Brewing Company's U.S. home offices is given over to a 200-seat restaurant as well as this small "innovation brewery" for limited-edition and seasonal beers, most unavailable elsewhere. (They seem to be positioning Blue Citra, a hoppy lager with notes of grapefruit, as the next new breakout star in the Labatt lineup; get it here before it hits stores.) Enjoy any of these dozen or so beers either in the restaurant, a large beer garden out back, or a small tasting room with a bird's-eye view onto the production floor — and if you want to help any of them find a wider market, put in a good word on the feedback form they provide!
SeeWest Side
Riverside Park
Situated on 39 acres (16 ha) in the far northwest corner of the city, Riverside Park features facilities for every outdoor activity imaginable: baseball diamonds, football and soccer fields, basketball and tennis courts, a swimming pool, a playground, and the Ruben "Bud" Bakewell Ice Rink. Riverside Park was the last addition to Buffalo's Olmsted park system — it was not conceived and built until after Frederick Law Olmsted's death, commissioned by the city in 1898 and designed by his two sons. Riverside Park was intended to finally fulfill the elder Olmsted's dream of a true waterfront park for the city and included all the classic Olmsted elements — a meadow, footpaths, wooded thickets, and a carriage concourse — as well as pleasant minnow pools along its northern boundary. It was to have been connected to the rest of the park system by Roesch Avenue, a parkway leading north and west from Delaware Park which was never built. Sadly, Riverside Park is probably the least well-preserved of Buffalo's Olmsted parks today, owing to the construction of Interstate 190 along the canal bed and the removal of many of the historic Olmsted features. However, the scenic overlook still provides a stunning view over the Niagara River (with direct access to the shore provided by the Irene K. Gardner Pedestrian Bridge over the expressway), and the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy unveiled River Rock Gardens in 2014 on the former site of the minnow pools, now reinterpreted as a large chain of stone-bedded rain gardens peppered with greenery, traversed by footpaths, and centered on an elegant stone arch bridge.
DrinkNorth Buffalo
The Little Club
With the same owners as Ristorante Lombardo across the street (and the same upscale vibe and prices to match), The Little Club is a "come-as-you-are neighborhood wine bar" offering a rotating list of creative and unusual vintages from small independent winemakers, a food menu with options in the realm of cheese and charcuterie, seafood conserva, and Spanish-style tapas, and a knowledgeable staff to walk you through everything. If wine isn't your preferred drink, choose from a short list of specialty cocktails or beers. Just don't expect to be able to carry on a conversation without shouting.
SeeWest Side
Freedom Park
Broderick Park
A small waterfront green space located at the southern tip of Unity Island. This spot is historically important as one of Western New York's major crossing points into Canada for fugitive slaves travelling the Underground Railroad, as attested to by a prominent historical marker and the occasional historical reenactments that take place there. This was also the site from which the ferry service to Fort Erie, Ontario set off in the days before the Peace Bridge. Also known as Broderick Park, it was renamed "Freedom Park" in 2023 in honor of its history. Today it is a popular fishing spot where perch, yellow and northern pike, smallmouth bass, muskellunge, and other species native to the Niagara River are reeled in, and is also a haven for picnickers, sunbathers, and bicyclists who pass through the park along the Shoreline Trail. Amenities include a picnic shelter, as well as a newly constructed amphitheater, gardens, and interpretive exhibits. Freedom Park is also the northern terminus of the Bird Island Pier (see below).
SeeWest Side
Front Park
One of Buffalo's many Olmsted parks, Front Park (or "The Front", as it was originally named) is situated along Porter Avenue just south of the Peace Bridge and contains a soccer field, tennis courts, and picnic facilities, as well as original features such as "The Hippodrome", a 3.5-acre (1.5-ha) lawn intended for picnicking or informal team sports, and a terrace concourse for carriages adorned with a handsome statue of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry. Intended to both showcase and enhance the beauty of the Niagara River and Lake Erie and emphasize its significance to the history and identity of Buffalo, the park once also boasted extensive formal gardens. At the north end of the park stood Fort Porter, built in the mid-1840s as a customshouse and military installation. Some time later, Olmsted was given the green light to extend the Front beyond the canal to the edge of the river itself; though it never materialized, this extension would have included playgrounds, a beach, and a boardwalk. Sadly, together with the West Side's other Olmsted park, Riverside Park, Front Park was badly damaged by the urban renewal that decimated the West Side in the middle 20th century: the construction of Interstate 190 over the former canal bed robbed the concourse of its serene lake views, and the construction of the new plaza for the Peace Bridge in 1951 culled seven acres (2.5ha) from the size of the park, resulted in the demolition of Fort Porter, and routed noisy trucks bound for Canada through the park (the latter problem will be solved by the controversial expansion of the Peace Bridge plaza slated for the next few years, after which trucks will access the bridge from a new entrance away from the park).
SeeSouth Buffalo
Times Beach Nature Preserve
Times Beach Nature Preserve is situated on former industrial land that has been reclaimed and cleaned of pollutants. These 50 acres (20 ha) adjacent to the harbor were the site of coal docks and a contained disposal facility for industrial waste before its opening to the public as a nature preserve. Though no facilities are available, boardwalks, nature trails and wildlife viewing blinds are on offer at this photogenic expanse of greenery that, in addition to its role as a haven for native flora and fauna, is one of the most important stopovers on the Great Lakes for migratory birds. As of October 2021, much of the nature preserve remains closed due to extreme storm damage and COVID-related issues.
Free
EatDowntown
Mon Ami Café & Bakery
One element the local dining scene has lacked more and more noticeably lately is French food: over the past decade, this dwindling has claimed longtime Buffalo stalwarts like Le Metro, Rue Franklin, and Mode. Striking a blow in the other direction is this breezy bistro that opened in the Cathedral Park Tower in 2019 with a menu replete with quiches, crêpes, sandwiches, and other light and lunchy Gallic classics, plus some nifty breakfast options too. The odds-on favorite is the croque madame — rich and decadent to rival that served anywhere in Paris, so reviewers say — but you really can't go wrong no matter what you choose. The speedy service is perfect for those on the go, too.
Mon-Fri 7AM-3PM, Sat-Sun 9AM-2PM$10-25
EatRestaurantDowntown
The 31 Club
The 31 Club began in the 1940s as Buffalo's premier supper club; though its original incarnation closed in 1983, it has now reopened in its original historic brick building on Johnson Park at the north end of downtown. The style and sophistication of the original 31 Club has returned, but with a contemporary twist. Freshly prepared Continental cuisine, such as Australian rack of lamb and filet mignon au poivre, is the rule at the 31 Club, as well as martinis and other specialty cocktails. Brunch and lunch are also served.
Lunch Wed-Fri 11AM-2:30PM & Sun (brunch) 11AM-3PM; Dinner Mon-Thu 5-10PM, Fri Sat 5PM-midnight$35-60
BuyFarmers marketElmwood Village
The Farm Shop
Aside from the Elmwood-Bidwell Farmer's Market, this is the sole retail outlet for Cattaraugus County's family-owned White Cow Dairy. What the Farm Shop's inventory lacks in range is made up for by its quality: the cows are fed on 100% wild grass, making for old-fashioned flavors you can't find at the supermarket, and the constantly-changing selection is crowned by some of the best yogurt you'll ever taste. Aside from dairy products, there's also a modest range of other locally-sourced goodies, such as fresh produce from Buffalo's own WestSide Tilth Farm, artisan chocolate from Dark Forest Chocolates out of Lancaster, and real New York maple syrup.
Fri noon-7PM, Sat 9AM-7PM
EatBar & grill restaurantSouth Buffalo
Duende
The Buffalo River's towering grain elevators make a truly unique urban landscape, and if fine dining with them as a backdrop sounds like your cup of tea, Duende is the place for you. The menu is brief and changes weekly, but always features a selection of gourmet appetizers, bar snacks, and light summery fare, often with a Latin flair: the chipotle pork rouladen with chimichurri sauce, one of the most frequently-featured and best-liked specials, is a good example. Inconsistent service is a sore spot: it ranges from quick and efficient to glacially slow and friendly as can be to openly hostile, so don't catch these folks on a bad day.
Thu Fri 3PM-midnight, Sat noon-midnight, Sun noon-6PM$15-30
EatAmerican restaurantSouth Buffalo
Eckl's@Larkin
Easily the most luxurious dining experience in Larkinville — in all of South Buffalo, actually — can be found at the branch location of Eckl's restaurant in the Larkin Center of Commerce. The original Eckl's in Orchard Park lays a somewhat dubious alternative claim to have invented the beef on weck, and for those not in the mood to splurge, it's available here in the form of sandwiches as well as "prime rib-n-weck egg rolls", an interesting bit of fusion that's one of the most popular features on the menu. But the lion's share of the menu follows the classic upscale steaks/chops/seafood template fairly closely, with end results that, while not outright bad, don't really justify the prices. But service is impeccable and the Art Deco-inspired ambience is as posh as it comes, so if money is no object, stop in.
Mon-Fri 11AM-10PM, Sat 4PM-10PM, bar open later$30-125
DoCanoe & kayak hire serviceSouth Buffalo
Elevator Alley Kayak
Elevator Alley Kayak is not only easily the most reasonably priced of the myriad new kayak rental outfits that have popped up in Buffalo, but their staff is also a strong contender for the most helpful — they're as adept at advising visitors on the practical side of kayaking as they are at pointing out the landmarks along the Buffalo River — and Mutual Park presents a much less daunting scenario for the novice kayaker, with only a small step down from the launch into the boat. Once on board, you're free to paddle around the river and harbor at your leisure for however long you're reserved the boat (but do make sure not to overstay your reservation; they tend to get prickly otherwise). However, if you prefer, you can also opt for a slate of scheduled guided tours that focus on either Buffalo's industrial history or the natural environment that's beginning to reclaim a place along area waterways, presented by the staff in conjunction with Explore Buffalo or the Audubon Society and the Western New York Land Conservancy, respectively. And if you leave your Elevator Alley Kayak session hooked on this hot new pastime, you can check out their retail shop in the historic Barrel Factory two blocks away on Vandalia Street.
Hours vary seasonallySingle kayak $25/2 hours or $40/4 hours (4 hour rate available M-F only); tandem kayak $45/2 hours
EatBangladeshi restaurantEast Side
Madina Halal Restaurant
Catering to the entire spectrum of the East Side's Islamic community, the menu at this spartan hole-in-the-wall is split between Middle Eastern and South Asian specialties: among the former are tasty "New York City-style" gyros made with lamb, chicken or a combination of the two, while folks from the latter communities line up for delicious platters of curry or biryani (available with chicken, beef or goat in both cases), tandoori chicken (flame-broiled, smoky but not too smoky), and a range of ethnic sweets that are the specialty of the house. Whichever you opt for, prepare for an experience that's as authentic and delicious as you'll find anywhere in town — and mind your manners; this is the kind of place where an as-salaam alaykum when you walk in the door goes a long way.
Daily 10:30AM-8:30PM$5-15
DoCanoe & kayak hire serviceDowntown
BFLO Harbor Kayak
At BFLO Harbor Kayak, the format is decidedly freeform: after a brief introductory talk on oar gripping, seating, and other mechanics of kayaking, you're set loose into the water to explore Canalside, the Naval Park, and the elevators of the Buffalo River at your leisure; just make sure you're back when your time is up. Stand-up paddleboarding — a watersport imported from Hawaii that's perhaps best described as surfing with an oar — is also offered, as are guided historical tours of the harbor and the Buffalo River (check website for details on those). Keep in mind that BFLO Harbor Kayak is one of the most popular activities offered at Canalside, with waits of three hours or more not uncommon on balmy summer weekends, so arrive early and plan accordingly as no advance reservations are taken.
Daily 9AM-6PM, Memorial Day-Labor DaySingle kayak or stand-up paddleboard rental $20/hour or $50/half-day; tandem kayaks $30/hour or $75/half-day
DoSightseeing tour agencySouth Buffalo
Buffalo River History Tours
Choose your own adventure with this boat tour outfit operating from the Central Wharf at Canalside. The classic Buffalo River Tour aboard the River Queen leaves five times daily, destination Elevator Alley: you'll feel the wind whip through your hair as you listen to the captain recount the history of the grain elevators and their contribution to the huge importance of Buffalo Harbor in the 19th and 20th centuries. Other tours include the Silo City Tour, which also offers a brief walking tour inside three of the grain elevators themselves, and the Silos and Steamships Tour for a close-up look at the SS Columbia, which at the time of its retirement in 1991 was the last of the old passenger steamers that once plied the Great Lakes. For something a bit less in-depth, non-narrated one-hour cruises around the harbor and Canalside are offered on a separate boat.
Buffalo River Tour departs daily 10:30AM, 12:30PM, 2:30PM, 4:30PM & 5:30PM, Silo City tour daily 11:30AM, Silos and Stemships Tour daily 2PM, harbor cruises daily 12:30PM, 2PM & 3:30PM; season runs May-OctBuffalo River Tour $23, children $12; harbor cruise $15, children $10; all other tours $33, children $18
EatIce cream shopWest Side
Custard Corner
Once upon a time, hot dogs at Ted's followed by delicious soft-serve at Custard Corner was the classic West Side waterfront double-shot. Though Ted's Porter Avenue location closed in the '90s, its counterpart still hops during the warm months — and as if to make up for the loss, Custard Corner's now serves hot dogs, burgers, fries, chicken fingers, and other summertime snack-bar favorites. But of course, the main draw is still a changing selection of hard and soft Perry's ice cream (try the sponge candy flavor for a true taste of Buffalo!) that comes in cones, sundaes, or as part of an "Arctic Swirl" — their knockoff version of Dairy Queen's "Blizzard". There's nothing better on a summer day than relaxing here with a sweet treat on an umbrella-shaded picnic bench and taking in the view across the street to Prospect Park.
Daily 11AM-11PM, Apr-Oct$5-10
EatAmerican restaurantDowntown
The Dish
Far from its roots as a waterfront stand with a pleasant but simple and rather unimaginative menu of hot dogs, burgers and ice cream, The Dish nowadays has a more upscale focus: interesting new additions such as a tofu banh mi and curried lentil fritters have lately appeared on the menu, and old favorites were given innovative new twists, such as a burger made with a blend of short rib and sirloin sourced from Pat LaFreida Meats. Breakfast time sees a variety of egg sandwiches served up for early birds. As always, al fresco dining is the rule at The Dish: long communal tables line the boardwalk along the side of the river, with refreshing lake breezes caressing you and the plaintive wail of seagulls serenading you as you eat.
Daily 9:30AM-9PM, late May-late Sept$5-15
DrinkBrewerySouth Buffalo
Flying Bison Brewing Company
Flying Bison offers three tours a week of its brewery in Larkinville, where guides explain the company's history and mission, walk visitors through the beermaking process step-by-step, and furnish a glimpse of brewers in action. The atmosphere is laid-back and friendly as can be, and frankly it's almost unfair to say these tours are free — they're so liberal with the free samples it's almost like you are being paid to take the tour. (According to one reviewer, the staff, who are notorious for shooting the breeze with visitors over drinks before and after tours, "basically get you drunk on the house".)
Tours Thu Fri 6PM, Sat 1PM and 4PMFree

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