Explore Buffalo Niagara
48 Hours in Buffalo, New York
When was the last time you said, “we should go on vacation to Buffalo, New York”? Well, if you haven’t said that, maybe it is high time you did. The 2nd largest city in New York state has experienced a lot of change over the past decade. There is now more to do in Buffalo than ever before. It is worth taking another look at Buffalo and Erie County as travel destinations.
If you are looking for a weekend getaway that won’t break the bank, plan a visit to Buffalo, New York, and the surrounding areas. Roguetrippers recently spent a weekend as tourists in Buffalo, and here are just some of the fun things you, too, can do in Erie County in a 48-hour itinerary.
CanalSide
Buffalo’s multi-million-dollar waterfront revitalization project. This area is a beautiful place for a stroll with the family, concerts in the park, jogging, skateboarding, or just a relaxing day on the water.
Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park
As you walk along Canalside, you will also discover a site honouring the American military service personnel. The Buffalo Naval and Military Park is right on the water, and there are several naval vessels, warplanes, and many other symbols of the branches of the American military. You will want to take tours of the ships, read the plaques, and visit all of the monuments dedicated to the American Military.
Museum of Science
Kids and adults alike will enjoy learning about natural history, the human body, how things work, and much more at the Buffalo Museum of Science. The exhibits are well done, many are interactive, and their featured exhibits will keep you coming back. This is a must for anyone visiting Buffalo.
Allan Herschell Co Carrousel Factory Museum
Every amusement park has a Merry-Go-Round. Many of the animals and characters in these carrousels are made right here at The Allan Herschell Company Carrousel Factory. Here, you will see many historic carrousel animals, various other amusement park rides from Crystal Beach Amusement Park, and vintage vehicles. You can see where they make the characters when you walk through the museum and even take a ride on a vintage carrousel.
I grew up in Crystal Beach, Ontario and spent my youth at Crystal Beach Amusement Park. This place took me back to when I was a kid when the park was open for business. Great memories, for sure.
Iron Islands Museum
The lovers of the paranormal will definitely want to visit Iron Islands. This church has a very haunted history that attracted us to visit. It also attracted the likes of Ghost Hunters and other famed paranormal investigators in the past. We are always looking for unusual and offbeat places to visit. When we heard of this haunted building, we had to go. Next time we visit, we will do an overnight stay. Let’s see if the spirits come for a visit, as well.
The Frank Lloyd Wright house
The Darwin D. Martin House in Buffalo, NY, was designed by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. It is located on Jewitt Parkway, just a short drive from the Buffalo Zoo. All of the classic elements of Frank Lloyd Wright’s designs are present in this building. There are beautifully designed gardens, ornate stained glass windows, and much more. We first visited in April, and it was still quite beautiful. We loved seeing the house, but the gardens had yet to bloom. I would recommend, for full effect, a visit in the summer as well. When the gardens are in full bloom, you can see this architectural marvel in all of its splendour.
Times Beach Nature Reserve & Wilkeson Pointe Park
Along the outer banks of the Buffalo River, you will find the Times Beach Nature Reserve and Wilkeson Pointe Park. This beautiful spot overlooking Lake Erie is perfect for a walk, run, bike ride, picnic, and much more. Wilkeson Pointe also features a beautiful sculpture garden. This will be great for some exciting photos of your visit to Buffalo, NY. When we visited, there was an art installation by famed artist Robert Indiana (LOVE). The art installation entitled “ONE through ZERO” is courtesy of the Albright Knox Art Gallery.
Albright Knox Art Gallery
For over 150 years, Albright-Knox has been collecting works of art from world-renowned artists. Works by masters like Lichtenstein, Warhol, Dali, Kahlo, Picasso, O’Keefe, and more are on display. Art lovers will want to make a visit to the Albright-Knox a must-do on their 48-hour itinerary to Buffalo. You can learn about world-class art in the heart of Buffalo.
Pierce Arrow Car Museum
Car lovers and gearheads will want to visit the Pierce-Arrow Museum. This is a symbol of one of Buffalo’s greatest eras of growth. A slice of automotive history right here in Buffalo. The Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum honours and preserves the company’s long and prestigious history.
The Buffalo Zoo
If you can fit this into your 48-hour itinerary to Buffalo, I would highly recommend a visit to Buffalo Zoo. This is one of the few world-class zoos that have not entirely erased their past. Opened in 1875, many Victorian-era design elements are reminiscent of what zoos used to look like. Just with modern upgrades. The care of the animals is exceptional, with a significant focus on environmental enrichment. This is fun for the whole family.
Arts & Entertainment
When you plan your visit to Buffalo, New York, be sure to include some world-class entertainment to your visit.
- Kleinhan’s Music Hall is an amazing concert hall that was explicitly designed to highlight the music’s sound and the singer’s voices. We were honoured to hear one of the greatest singers of this generation – Kristin Chenoweth, with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. This was a fabulous concert experience.
- Shea’s Performing Arts Centre is a gorgeous theatre in the heart of Buffalo. They have touring productions of many of the best Broadway shows and much more.
Take a Bite out of Buffalo
Buffalo, New York has many great restaurants to dine at for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. Some of our favourite places (so far) to grab a meal, a snack, or a sweet treat when we are in the Buffalo area are:
- Lake Effect Diner: a fully restored retro 1952 Diner that serves made-from-scratch food using local ingredients.
- Parkside Candy: A Buffalo tradition for almost 100 years, this sweet shop is like a step back in time.
- Donut Kraze: we love fancy doughnuts, and this place is a must for us every time we visit Buffalo
- Dinosaur BBQ: across from Shea’s performing arts centre – this place is serving amazing BBQ classics that will surely satisfy you.
- La Tolteca Mexican: We only discovered this restaurant very recently, and we fell in love. If you love Mexican cuisine as much as we do, you will want to have a meal here. Go hungry, leave happy.
- Grover’s Bar & Grille: This popular restaurant is almost ways packed because the food is so delicious with huge portions.
Roadside Attractions:
On every Roadtrip, we are always on the lookout for fantastic roadside attractions to pose for photos with. Around Buffalo, there are many fun roadside attractions where you can grab a selfie and share it on Instagram. Some of the most popular (and our favourites) are:
- Shark Girl – located near Canalside – has become an Instagram favourite.
- Buffalo Statues – there are many colourful Buffalo/Bison located around the city – try to find them all.
- Giant Buffalo Nickel – this roadside attraction is located at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute
Architecture:
If you are an architectural enthusiast, Buffalo is the spot for you. You could plan an entire trip just exploring the many different architectural styles and beautiful buildings around Buffalo. Learn more about Buffalo Architecture here.
Sports arenas:
We are not sports fans, but Buffalo is a sports enthusiast’s paradise. They have many different sports teams – Hockey, Football, Baseball, and much more. Sports lovers will want to check out the various stadiums and arenas. Many visitors to Buffalo may want to plan your 48-hour itinerary around catching their favourite sporting event.
We are constantly learning more about the fun and exciting things to do in Buffalo and Erie County. We will have to come back soon to discover all of the places we missed on this list.
Let us know if you have suggestions on places RogueTrippers needs to check out for our next Buffalo trip. We want to hear from you. Click Here.
