Buffalo travel guide

Located northwest of New York City, Buffalo is the eighth largest city in America and the state's second largest city.

The economic boom at the beginning of the twentieth-century made the city an industrial hub that attracted many millionaires, businessmen and top architects that built landmark buildings as the towering 1928 City Hall, the tallest in the country, and with a free observation deck on the top floor. Many of their treasures still stand downtown, but now the city’s economy is not at its best and Buffalo is only a shadow of what it was once and it is trying to renovate the past.

The city’s past legacy is still bringing visitors that can cover all the sites in a few days and even explore western New York as it’s not difficult to get in and out of the city.

The area around Delaware Park is a good starting point to visit the city as it is one of the nicest neighborhoods with some homes designed by Frank Lloyd Wright then you can head towards a more bohemian quarter Allentown featuring beautiful Victorian homes and the area around Allen Street is also worth visiting.

If walking didn’t tire you out you can try some of the outdoor recreation activities that the shores of Lake Erie have to offer. You can either practice windsurfing or just sit back and watch. And if you are into watching with the Miss Buffalo boat tours you will have a great view of the city.

The Jell-O Museum traces the history of the world-famous fruit-flavored gelatinous dessert called Jell-O which was discovered in the nearby area in 1897 by a local carpenter and it proved to be a product that brought in millions of dollars. Another museum is The Burgwardt Bicycle Museum that displays over two hundred antique bikes.

And while we are into culture we should mention the excellent Albright-Knox Art Gallery set in a beautiful surrounding of Delaware Park designed by F.L. Olmsted. It features one of the most modern collections of art pieces in the world by American and European art and also by some earlier artists.

The performing arts have the Shea's Performing Arts Center as its centerpiece set in a former movie palace dating from 1926. It features touring shows, concerts, opera, and dance performances, but for exquisite plays head to one of the finest regional theaters in the country, the Studio Arena. The majority of theaters and venues that house the city's burgeoning arts scene are grouped along Main Street between Chippewa and Tupper streets.

When the sun sets, Buffalo’s evening entertainment offers plenty of sports bars and nightclubs some hosting a wide variety of live acts, dancing and it is centered on two streets Chippewa and Main: the most vibrant is Chippewa Street, downtown, where plenty of restaurants are within easy reach with ample parking and you'll also find loud bars while Allen Street is a bit quieter, but you can also find some good bars. For dance and live music performed mostly by local artists head towards the 450-seat music hall.

If you want to taste the local dish that it is said to have been invented here ask for buffalo-spicy chicken- wings with blue cheese and celery dressing and you won’t regret your choice.

If you are thinking about when to visit, it’s good to know that in winter the city usually gets some 90 inches of snow but there are three worm months with temperatures over 75. Summer is the tourist season as they are coming for the daily events that take place during this period.

Pleasant and easygoing, Buffalo city is well worth a stopover of a couple of days.