The indescribable Niagara Falls may be the shining star of this five-county region, but there’s so much more to explore. Get outside on one of two Great Lakes or oooh-and-aaah at the 600-foot cliffs as you hike Letchworth Gorge, “the Grand Canyon of the East.” Take a two-hour cruise on the Erie Canal—trust me, you’ll love when your boat is raised and lowered in the double locks. Follow the growing Niagara Wine Trail. But just 20 minutes from the falls lies the booming city of Buffalo. With a cool revitalized waterfront offering everything from food to historic warships to ice bikes, Buffalo is positively buzzing. (And, yes, this is the home of buffalo wings.) There are seven Frank Lloyd Wright structures throughout the city, which is just one of the reasons that in 2023 Architectural Digest named Buffalo one of the best places to visit.
On Grand Island, the largest island in the Niagara River, Dick & Jenny’s offers up big drinks, delicious and inventive food in an inviting, casual setting.
Niagara Fall’s Judas Tree, run by a brother and sister team, are serving up affordable but inventive craft cocktails—and even delish Italian finger food.
The Mansion on Delaware Avenue, one of Buffalo’s most distinctive hotels housed in a gorgeous 19th century building, will surely be your home base to explore the entire region.
Yes, it’s been around, in some form, for more than a century, but the Maid of the Mist boat tour of the breathtaking falls is still a spectacular, one-of-a-kind adventure. Don’t miss it. Seriously.
