After just spending a weekend in Buffalo, New York State, I decided to do a 3 day itinerary to give you tips and ideas of things to do there. Buffalo doesn’t have the greatest reputation, and people will often say the only thing to do there is go shopping, but we discovered that isn’t true! Read on for the 3 day itinerary.
Day 1 – Friday
Arrive in Buffalo and get checked into your hotel or Airbnb. We stayed in this cute one bed apartment in Allentown, and I loved it. It was a 3 minute walk to nearby Allen Street which has some good bars and restaurants, was on a lovely tree lined street with so many cute Victorian houses surrounding it. The Airbnb itself was spotless, and our host even had some treats for us as well as fresh juice and milk in the fridge.
If you’re looking for a hotel option on the fancier side, I’ve heard Hotel Henry and The Mansion on Delaware Avenue are both great choices. After you have checked in, head to Allentown for some drinks and dinner. Allentown Burger Venture is a great spot for drinks, with lots of craft beer options, they also have a cute patio area if the weather is good, Stay here for a few drinks only, or you can eat here too. I tried their sour beer from Thin Man Brewery – Minkey Boodle and if your into sour beers, I recommend it!
You’re probably hungry after those drinks, so next, take a 2 minute stroll down the street to Cantina Loco for some Mexican eats. This place has a very relaxed and chilled vibe, there are seats at the bar and also tables. When we were in there, it was packed and I know see why. I had the tacos and Mexican corn on cob and thoroughly enjoyed both. Phil had the enchiladas and loved them.
If you’re ready for more drinks then head to Mulligans Irish bar, or, if you’re in a fancy mood, then head across the street to Billy Club. We opted for the latter and absolutely loved it. It’s a small bar, more upmarket than the Irish bar across the street but at the same time, it’s not pretentious. They make some amazing cocktails and when we were in there, we learned that famous actor Cillian Murphy had been in there the night before!
Day 2 – Saturday
Wake up bright and early and take a stroll around Allentown. It’s a cute area full of street grafitti, and antique shops. The head downtown for brunch at Patina 250. Patina 250 is located in The Westin Hotel, so as you can imagine, it’s pretty upmarket. The brunch there was amazing. We absolutely loved it. Phil had the steak and eggs and I had the Patina Hash and Eggs and both of our meals were delicious. They also have the cutest little jam jars on every table, complete with a baby bottle of Tabasco. You can do a prix-fixe option for $39 which includes a starter, a specialty and a bottomless bellini, mimosas or wine for 2 hours – sign me up! I would recommend booking Patina 250 in advance as it was pretty busy the morning we were there.
Next, wander around downtown Buffalo and take in the architecture. Buffalo City Hall is one such building, head to Niagara Square to view it. There are also lots of impressive churches in Buffalo and the Richard Olmsted Campus should be visited if you’re looking for great architecture. The Frank Lloyd Wright Darwin D. Martin House should also be on your list, unfortunately, we didn’t make it there.
When you’ve had enough architecture for one day, go to the waterfront. Buffalo’s waterfront has undergone a major revitalization over the past few years in an effort to clean it up and make it attractive and they have done a good job. Just as you arrive at the waterfront, don;t forget to get your selfie with Shark Girl. Grab some lunch at the Liberty Hound, sit outside on their patio and listen to some of the love music that is often featured there. There is a Military and Navy museum right next door which includes a trip on-board two naval ships.
Canalside has many water activities for you to partake in, there are numerous boat tour to choose from, peddle boats, paddle boards, kayaks and water bikes! Once you’ve done of those activities, keep walking along the waterfront to the Riverworks for some more fun. Here, they have really made the infamous silos into something fun. You can zip line, walk across a rope bridge and even scale a silo in the form of rock climbing! Buffalo RiverWorks Brewery is also located here, which is a massive complex consisting of a concert venue, areas for hockey and skating in the winter, and a huge bar with a great outdoor area right along the water. From Riverworks, the Floating Tiki Bar departs and I highly recommend you do this. Unfortunately it was all booked out so we didn’t get to do it and I was devastated. If you want to go aboard the floating tiki bar, make sure to book online or by phone in advance. I believe there are two floating tiki bars and each one holds a group of 6 people. You then float around the water for an hour while enjoying some drinks – honestly, sounds like heaven to me!
You are probably getting hungry now so head to Pearl Street Grill and Brewery for some food, or else to The Dapper Goose. If you’re staying in Allentown and want to head back there for food, then go to Falley Allen which serves contemporary American dishes. I had their Kimchi fried rice with short ribs and all I can say is wow, it was so good.
Day 3 – Sunday
Head for brunch again – you’re on vacation so why not? This time, at Billy Club in Allentown where you had those delicious cocktails on Friday night. Their food is as good as their cocktails, and it gets busy so I recommend booking in advance for brunch. I had the Enchiladas and they were amazing and Phil, once again had the Steak and Eggs. I asked him which brunch spot had the best Steak and Eggs but he couldn’t decide, they were both that good!
After you’ve eaten your fill, hop in your car and head to the Botanical Gardens. Entry fee is $11 and I loved it there. They have a vast array of plants and flowers and also a small gallery inside. When you’re finished smelling the roses, then head to Eternal Flame Falls for a small hike. This mysterious small waterfall has a small grotto at the waterfall’s base which emits natural gas. It’s about a 20 minute walk from the car park to the waterfall, although beware, there is some tricky stepping and jumping over fallen trees required. One lady in front of us slipped, so be careful. The waterfall was actually dried up this year because it had been such a dry summer but we did get the see the flame!
If you’re not in a rush home, then maybe you can do what most people go to Buffalo to do – that is, shopping!!!
Until next time 🙂
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