[Historical Background][Geographic Diversity][Weather][Art & Entertainment]
[sports & Recreation] [Residential Areas][Shopping & Dining]

Historical Background

Buffalo is a bi-national city of surprising style with a wealth of treasures to be uncovered and explored. For more than six million annual visitors, a trip here is an entry to great family fun, shopping, entertainment, and rich ethnic culture. Niagara Falls, tranquil waterfronts, picturesque parks and trails, magnificent historic and architectural treasures, professional sports and entertainment all make Buffalo a destination that convention delegates, tourists, family, friends, and local residents enjoy season after season.

While the wonders of Niagara Falls are just 20 minutes away, Buffalo has its own man-made wonders to be seen and explored. As the gateway to the Greater Niagara Region, Buffalo offers an engaging mixture of family attractions, museums, parks and cultural activities. So if you haven’t seen Buffalo lately, or ever before, consider this your invitation to see that we are more than just Buffalo chicken wings.

Geographic diversity of the region

Not surprisingly, the most popular day-trip excursion is the 15-mile drive to view the glorious spectacle of Niagara Falls. But that is by no means the only world-class excitement in the area. Enjoy concerts, classes, and lectures at the venerable Chautauqua Institution – a National Historic Landmark. Catch breathtaking vistas at the “Grand Canyon of the East” – Letchworth State Park. For additional fun, a short drive takes you to Six Flags Darien Lake Resort, the largest amusement park in New York State.

Weather: fact vs. fiction

Thanks to the giant air-conditioning system called Lake Erie, Buffalo has the highest percentage of summer sunshine of any city in New York State. It also has dozens of nearby beaches where you can soak up the rays, on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border. The average daytime temperature in July is 80º. Buffalo weather and forecast.

Switch seasons and you will find yourself (thanks again to Lake Erie) tanning on the ski slopes south of the city. The area’s more than 30 downhill and cross-country skiing facilities enjoy great conditions from November to April. Average snowfall near the north and south campuses is just 65”; in ski country it is over 110”. Skiing & Recreation.
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Arts and Entertainment

“World class” also describes Buffalo’s performers, artists, and the families that showcase their talents. The acoustically perfect Kleinhans Music Hall is home to the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. A revitalized theater district offers a multitude of entertainment options, notably those held at Shea’s Performing Arts Center and Studio Arena Theater, where Broadway touring shows, comedies, dramas, mysteries, and classics all are hosted. The adjacent “Chippewa Strip”, dotted with trendy restaurants and nightclubs, features an array of jazz, blues, Latin, rock, and alternative music options. In summer, the sights and sounds of Buffalo are of the outdoor variety with festivals and concerts taking place all around town. Buffalo boasts annual festivals that celebrate several ethnic cultures, and our region’s love of art and food. The Waterfront Festival, Thursday in the Square, the M&T Plaza Event Series, and Shakespeare in Delaware Park are among the area’s favorite and free entertainment options. Residents and visitors will also find that nearby venues including Artpark, the Chautauqua Institute, and Six Flags Darien Lake all have musical fare for everyone’s entertainment tastes. For more information on the arts, call the Arts Council in Buffalo & Erie County at (716) 856-7520.

Throughout the city, a rich array of world-famous buildings designed by such architectural luminaries as Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan, and Henry Hobson Richardson give Buffalo’s skyline uncommon distinction. Our architecture, quite simply, reveals much about Buffalo’s history. Significant efforts have been placed on restoration, allowing use to preserve our past for the enjoyment of future generations. The decks of our sightseeing and dinner cruise boats provide a unique vantage point for a glimpse of Buffalo’s historic past as a thriving steel and grain milling port, while a parks system, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, America’s foremost landscape architect, provides respite from today’s hectic life.
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Sports and Recreation

Sports enthusiasts who prefer to spend and afternoon on the links will enjoy Greater Buffalo’s two-dozen plus golf courses, all with varying degrees of difficulty. Fishing enthusiasts can test their skill at reeling in some record-breaking trout, bass, and walleye during a visit to the area. And the great outdoors continues to call no matter what the season with a multitude of places for camping, hiking, skiing, tobogganing, and snowmobiling.

If spectator sports are more of what you are looking for, Buffalo has four seasons of professional sports in the form on NFL football, NHL hockey, IL baseball, NPSL soccer, and NLL lacrosse. Back to top.

Residential areas

Western New York offers a choice of urban, suburban, town, and village living, which mirrors the area’s range of leisure activities. Even better, many people find Western New York housing a real deal. Average housing costs here are significantly lower than in most major cities in the United States. Back to top.

Shopping and dining

If shopping is your passion, you have come to the right place. Buffalo is home to several malls, including the Walden Galleria with more than 200 national retailers and name brand stores such as Lord & Taylor, JC Penney, Kaufmann’s, and the Gap. Prime Outlets in Niagara Falls, with more than 150 outlets, has everything from Off Saks Fifth Avenue and Polo/Ralph Lauren to Mikasa and Reebok. For those seeking antiques and treasures from the past, the Elmwood Strip, Hertel Avenue, suburban Clarence, and Allentown (in the city’s preservation district) have some of the finest antique shops in the Northeast.
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