How To Spend 1 Day In Buffalo NY – Our Favorite Things To Do

If you haven’t been to Buffalo lately, you really haven’t been to Buffalo. After spending most of my life only doing the “touristy” things in Buffalo, I recently had the opportunity to explore beyond the obvious and discover some truly amazing experiences. 

Having seen this with our own eyes, we’re now true believers that this city is officially on its way to emerging back to its heyday as one with incredible excitement, development, and modern touches. 

These huge changes are sweeping the city like wildfire. It’s a story of rebirth and revitalization that has seen the city go from one of the most important cities in the early part of American history with the Erie Canal, to its fall in the latter parts of the 20th century. And now its own modern renaissance period.  

Whether you’ve visited many times like me, or are planning your first trip to Buffalo, here are some of the best things to do in Buffalo that will give you a true taste of this big city unique charm and character.

Your Guide To 24 Hours in Buffalo

As a Canadian, I’ll confess that I’ve never really given Buffalo an honest look. Trips to Buffalo typically consisted of a visit to the Fashion Outlets of Niagara Falls, The Shops on Lake Avenue, Walden Galleria, and Cheesecake Factory. One time we even visited Anchor Bar but outside of that we had no clue where to go.

Thankfully, we were able to spend a bit more time in Buffalo and had the chance to explore and experience some fabulous spots that will surprise you. Here are some of the highlights of the top things to do in Buffalo.

Explore The Brand New Waterfront Canalside

Set by the entrance to the meandering Buffalo River, this waterfront playground is a huge space that is constantly full of activity in the summer with its concerts and events.

 There’s an incredible amount of history here with this being the terminus of the Erie Canal.  

On top of that, you have the Naval & Military Park which boasts as the largest in-land naval park in the US with a cruiser, destroyer, and submarine.  

The waterfront is littered with Adirondack chairs so after that stroll along the boardwalk you can have a picnic or just soak in the sun.

Come wintertime, a whole new area at Canalside will open a frozen-over ice rink that you can say will be like a mini Rideau Canal.  If that wasn’t enough, just behind Canalside, the Harborcenter houses 2 NHL-sized rinks, the state-of-the-art 716 sports bar, and lastly a one-of-a-kind Tim Hortons with a special tribute to Tim Horton himself. (If you’ve never had Tim Hortons, this is about to be life-changing!)

We were even surprised to see a tram station here for Buffalo’s one-line metro system. The station maintained that retro and restored look which we thought added even more character to the area.

Elmwood – A Vibrant Village

You’d think trendy neighborhoods only existed in cities like NYC or San Francisco. Wrong!  With boutiques lining up the streets and great restaurants, bars, and coffee shops for all tastes, Elmwood Village surprised me the most.

Strolling up and down the street of Elmwood between W. Utica Ave and Bidwell Pkwy, the street was abuzz with locals grabbing their daily cup of joe, and shoppers checking out small jewelry and fashion stores and restaurants galore.

It’s also on Elmwood where we discovered a local treat – sponge chocolate. There are a lot of varieties of this all around but that the sponge candy at Watson’s Chocolates was exceptional. That one bite had the perfect amount of crunch, airiness, and chocolate without sticking to your teeth. It’s a local favorite so you have to try it out if you come to Buffalo.

To this day, this is our favorite sponge chocolate in the world. And yes, it beat’s what you can find at Trader Joe’s.

And if that wasn’t enough, on the weekends there is always something special going on in the neighborhood. It’s been rated as one of the top 10 cities in America by the American Planning Association, and spending a Saturday here will show you exactly why! 

On the Saturday we were there, we got a chance to roam around the farmer’s market at Elmwood & Bidwell. Local produce and food vendors were lined up in the large green space and we managed to grab a massive bag of seedless grapes for $5 which was deliciously juicy and sweet.

There was also Porchfest happening that day as well. It was amazing to see the locals clamoring behind their artists set behind these beautiful porches in this grassroots festival. It’s events like Porchfest that really show the support and energy of the people behind the community of Elmwood Village. It’s a totally different vibe than anything back home and we think that’s what makes this neighborhood special.

We love just how alive Elmwood is with life, community events, and the arts. Porchfest and the Farmer’s Market are examples of this.  Even the traffic signal lights are painted!  It’s not on many people’s radar but it’s definitely one of the more unique things to do in Buffalo.

Speaking of porches, we’d have to say that Elmwood has the most impressive collection of photogenic houses we’ve ever seen. The wonderful touches of craftsmanship and color just give this neighborhood that added charm, character, and warmth.

Allentown – Artsy And trendy

The Allentown neighborhood is a nice area downtown just south of the Elmwood Village that is a bit edgier and more hipster.  With its laid-back atmosphere, strong personalities, and a focus on the arts and music, this area’s been known to be called the Bohemian part of town.

Allen Street is lined with different trendy shops, numerous galleries, and antique shops.  Strolling up and down the street will give you plenty of things to explore and look at including the graffiti.  Food-wise, there are a ton of various eateries to choose from.

For lunch, we had a chance to try out Melting Point with its impressive array of gourmet grilled cheese creations. We ended up trying the No. 42 starring smoked gouda and thick-cut bacon and holy smokes it was good!

Sadly, Melting Point is now closed but we recommend checking out Allen Burger Venture if you’re in the area which won’t disappoint.

Albright-Knox Art Gallery

I’ll be the first to tell you that I’m not a huge art gallery kind of guy. So when we added the Albright-Knox to our Buffalo itinerary, I didn’t have high expectations but what we saw blew us away.

Even without entering the gallery, you’re treated to some incredible outdoor sculptures and installations. Each piece is distinctively unique. As a photographer, there were endless combinations of angles and compositions I could work with here. It was a visual wonderland.  Make sure you go around the entire building as there are works scattered all over.

Step inside and you’re treated to wide open spaces with a collection of mostly modern and cutting-edge art and a zen-like atmosphere with the light bouncing off pieces in soft and sharp ways.  

As modern pieces, there were some funky ones but others where I could either stand in front of or sit down and really take it all in from one end of my peripheral vision to the other.  

Not only were there modern pieces but there were also a few Matisse, and Picasso pieces as well which was impressive.

Designed as a big square with an outdoor sculpture garden in the middle, the Albright-Knox isn’t overwhelmingly large, which we appreciated. We were able to comfortably do the whole museum in 2 hours.  It was so manageable that we were able to do two clockwise rotations around the gallery.

The timing couldn’t have been better for us either because every first Friday of the month is something called “First Fridays” where the gallery opens up to the public for free. We happened to drop in on one of these Fridays which was perfect as one of the things you have to do in Buffalo.

Delaware Park

Having recently been ranked as one of the top 10 public spaces in America by the American Planning Association and finding out that it was in fact designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, the same guy that designed New York’s Central Park, we knew we had to check it out.

Conveniently, the backside of Albright-Knox leads directly to the park so we got a chance to explore Hoyt Lake and the historic Marcy Casino Building. With the leaves changing color and blue filling the sky, it was quite a picturesque setting. The four boats anchored in the middle of the lake further set the scene. We could totally picture this space as being a great place for a run or to just lay out and read a book.

The unfortunate part of the park is that the expressway cuts right through the middle of it so it’s not the easiest to get from one side to the other. That’s why we ended up hopping back in the car and along the way, we saw numerous sculptures including a replica Statue of David.  On the other side of the park were huge open green spaces, walking paths, and even a zoo.

As a visitor, you probably won’t end up spending a whole lot of time here but I do recommend going for a stroll around Hoyt Lake. It’s a great combo with the Albright-Knox.

Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site – History made

As the rain started to come down over the weekend, we made an unexpected detour during the trip which led us through an important yet often forgotten piece of history. Everybody knows about Theodore Roosevelt (TR) as one of the most influential Presidents but how did he actually become the US President?

For those that don’t know, President McKinley was in Buffalo for the Pan-American Exposition and during his speech, he was shot twice by an anarchist. Eventually, he died and Roosevelt rushed into Buffalo where he would eventually get sworn in at the Ansley Wilcox House which is the site of the museum today.

We were most impressed with how the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site Museum was set up. We always find historical museums like these to be tough to go through because you end up having to read a lot of the descriptions and slowly move from one wall to the other but because the guided tour is built into the experience, it was very easy to soak in all the new information we were learning.  

The first area you walk into sets the scene for the events to come, seeing what it was like to be part of the Pan-American Exposition and all the glitz and glamor of that time.

There were even a few interactive pieces where you could play some trivia or crank the handle of the kinetoscope to watch a period film clip.  

From there, our guide walked us through several historic rooms including the library where Roosevelt took his oath.  

The ground floor also had a unique panoramic theater that gave you a glimpse of the thoughts that were going on in Roosevelt’s mind leading up to the inauguration.

Upstairs, there were a few more exhibits to explore but perhaps my favorite was the replica of the President’s office of the White House. At the time you could type in your name and get a photo snapped of you in the President’s seat. I got one made and emailed to me and this is what it looked like.

Overall, we thought the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site was extremely well put together.  A lot of thought was put into the different rooms and interactive exhibits to really get you immersed in the historical events that occurred in this very house.

Resurgence Bar – Craft Beer Alive And Well

We’ll end off with something to whet that appetite of yours. Buffalo is obviously known for its wings but not so much for its beer (yet). This is where we let you in a little secret – the craft beer scene here is BOOMING. All you need to do is head over to a not-so-little bar called Resurgence Bar.  

The bar can be found in a dreary, unassuming red-bricked building but you’ll immediately notice something is amiss because amidst this industrial-laden neighborhood, this is the only one packed and overflowing with cars.

To say this place is happening is an understatement. We dropped by on a Friday night and wow, it felt like we were brought back to Oktoberfest in Munich when we were there many years ago.  It’s a true beer garden with its wooden benches that line the columns of the place, the wooden roof points upwards like a tent and all they serve is beer and bite-sized foods.

Outdoors, there’s a patio where you can get your drink on with communal-style seating and complete with its own fire pit.

The atmosphere was full of energy here with seemingly all the locals of Buffalo, young and old alike, coming out to this one place.

Let’s talk about the beer. The refreshing brew is crafted in the building just a few feet away so it’s literally as fresh as can be. On tap are too many brews to name but we ended up trying a flight of Session IPA, Autumn Saison, Loganberry Wit, and Sponge Candy Stout. I particularly enjoyed Loganberry Wit for its light and fruity tones.

To add to the fun, there are two giant-sized Jenga games to play with, and on each bench is a collection of random Trivial Pursuit cards.

The craft beer scene isn’t just limited to Resurgence. It’s happening all around so make sure you look into the microbreweries in the region.

If you’re lucky, Buffalo’s first food truck, Lloyd, could be around as well. We had some awesome tacos thanks to Lloyds right before heading into Resurgence. The ingredients are super fresh and the perfect blend of toppings to really bring out the flavors of the meat. The special of the day when we were there was the buttermilk fried chicken and that was divine! 

To find out where they are just look up @whereslloyd on Twitter.

Niagara Falls

Now, would it be a true guide to Buffalo if we didn’t mention Niagara Falls? While we wanted this guide to truly focus on how the city itself has received one of the best face-lifts in the country, we couldn’t resist mentioning this iconic attraction. It’s literally like a 20-minute drive, so squeezing a trip to Niagara Falls into your Buffalo itinerary is a must.

You can take a scenic drive along the Niagara Parkway and enjoy stunning views of the falls from various lookouts along the Niagara River. Or, if you’re like us and want to be as close as you possibly can to the falls, you can take a ride on the Maid of the Mist boat tour. It’s wild to experience the power of nature and prepare to get soaked.

Another fun option is walking along the cave of the winds and feeling the mist of the falls up close. This is one of the best ways to truly appreciate the magnitude and beauty of Niagara Falls. You’ll descend 175 feet into the Niagara Gorge and get up close and personal from the Hurricane Deck.

And for those who prefer to stay completely dry, you can visit the Niagara Falls State Park and take in the incredible views from various observation decks. You can also explore the nearby Niagara Gorge Trail for some hiking and more scenic views of the falls.

No matter how you choose to experience Niagara Falls, it’s definitely a must-see attraction while visiting Buffalo.

Where To Stay In Buffalo

Here are our picks for great hotels to stay at depending on your budget.

Map Of Things To Do In Buffalo

Below is an interactive Google Map with every location we discussed above, which will help with your trip planning.

PRO TIP: Expand the map and create a copy in your logged-in Google account. With this copy, you’ll be able to access it in your Google Maps app under Saved. Scroll to the bottom and look for “Maps”.

What To Pack For Buffalo

Packing always depends on time of year you decide to go. Look into our 6 Minimalist Travel Packing Tips post for help, but here’s a few items we always recommend:

• Light Jacket/Wind Breaker: Buffalo can be windy and chilly at times. And as mentioned previously, when seeing the falls you’ll want a warm layer like a Patagonia R1 Air Hoody.
• Comfortable shoes: You have lots of exploring to do in 24 hours, comfy shoes are a must! This favorite brand of ours is also available in women’s sizing.
• Sunglasses: We don’t go anywhere without our sunnies. The Maui Jim line are our favorite!
• Backpack: This comes in handy when exploring quickly. Keeps all your things organized and your hands free.

Activities To Do In Buffalo

GetYourGuide is a recommended platform I use to discover activities in cities I visit. These are the top activities in Buffalo you need to check out.

Final Review Of Buffalo And All It Has To Offer

Honestly, we’re shocked at all Buffalo has to offer. The city is ripe for a new renaissance and for me as a Torontonian, I am very excited because this gives us so many options as visitors that don’t spell shopping. There’s art, culture, food, drink, and charming neighborhoods.  

With this list of things to do in Buffalo, you can construct your perfect 1-day itinerary of Buffalo as a weekend getaway.

Frequently Asked Questions

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This trip was sponsored by the Buffalo Niagara Tourism Board, however the opinions expressed in this post are our own.