Family travel destinations attractions and things to do with kids in buffalo

Posted: 02/09/2007--25/11/2008 || Rate this Article: 3 || Views|| Sign In || Register ||Hello Guest

Buffalo is located in northwestern New York, and borders on Lake Erie. Its a gateway city to Niagara Falls and Canada, and there are many attractions to entertain and educate families with kids. Here are some things to do in Buffalo.

Buffalo is best known for being near Niagara Falls, and there are many things to do around the falls. Just viewing Niagara Falls is an awesome experience; there are three falls, (American Falls, Bridal Veil Falls, and Horseshoe/Canadian Falls) and they are collectively called Niagara Falls. There are many places from which to view the falls; you can get good views from the American side, but Horseshoe Falls are best viewed from the Canadian side in Ontario. Some of the best viewing points are Prospect Point, Goat Island, Terrapin Point, Luna Island, and Three Sisters Island. Prospect Point has an observation tower where you can get good views of all three falls, and if you go to the Cave of the Winds on Goat Island, you can reach out and touch the falls, but be aware you can get very wet on the Hurricane Deck there.

Theres a restaurant called Top of the Falls from which you can view the falls while eating a meal. If you want to get up close to the huge sheets of water, take a boat tour of the falls on Maid of the Mist; youll get a rain slicker to wear so you wont be totally soaked at the end of the boat ride. The falls are bathed in colors at night; spotlights illuminate the falls until midnight during the summer, and there are fireworks on Friday and Sunday nights during the summer also. The falls are used to generate electricity, and theres a visitors center with more than 50 hands-on exhibits for kids at the New York State Power Authoritys Power Vista, five miles north of the falls.

Some of the attractions around Niagara Falls include the Aquarium of Niagara, which has over 40 aquatic exhibits including sea lions and penguins, Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory, a glass enclosure in Ontario with over 2,000 butterflies inside, the Daredevil Museum, which has some of the barrels people used to ride over Horseshoe Falls, Niagara Aerospace Museum, which also has a surround-sound theater, and Niagaras Wax Museum of History, which has 46 exhibits on the history of Niagara Falls and some modern wax figures. There are numerous hotels on both the US and Canadian sides of the falls; the ones on the Canadian side seem to be more expensive and many also have casinos. There are also many shops, restaurants, and attractions on the Canadian side of the falls, and a large visitors center and gift shop beside Horseshoe Falls.

The Erie Canal, built in the early 1800s, linked Buffalo and the Great Lakes in western New York with Albany and the Hudson River in the east. Although the canal was very important for commerce and transportation in earlier years, since it was a way through the Appalachian Mts., it has more use as a recreational waterway today. A two-hour cruise on the Erie Canal that passes through a set of locks and under bridges is available in Lockport, northeast of Buffalo. The narrator will tell you interesting facts about the canal, and some fun stories about the early days of its use. Your kids can imagine walking along the towpath, or moving all their belongings on a boat heading to the West.

Also in Lockport is the Lockport Cave Underground Boat Ride, a ?-mile ride alongside the Erie Canal. The raceway tunnel was blasted out of rock about 150 years ago, and was created by genius inventor Birdsill Holly. A guide will tell you all about how the tunnel was used to take water to factories in the past as you glide along on the flat-bottomed boat. Its chilly in the cave, and you might get a little wet, but kids will love this educational boat ride.

Six Flags Darien Lake is located between Buffalo and Rochester, and is the largest theme park in New York. There are more than 100 rides, a water park, laser show, campgrounds, hotel, and restaurants. The Superman Man of Steel coaster is 208 feet high, one of the tallest in the northeast, and there are many other thrill rides, along with a Looney Tunes section with 10 rides just for small kids. Concerts, shows, and festivals are also held throughout the season at the park.

Buffalo Zoological Gardens, located in Delaware Park, is the nations third oldest zoo. The zoo has more than 1,000 animals and is open year-round. The Childrens Zoo has a new creek full of otters, and in the WILD Place nearby, children have a chance to interact with some of the animals. Theres also the Giraffe Feeding Station, where kids squeal with delight when they see the giraffes long tongues, and a gorilla rain forest exhibit. A carousel and train rides are also favorites at the zoo.

Buffalo and surrounding towns have many museums that can entertain and educate your family. The Amherst Museum, in Amherst, has exhibits on 19th century life and the Erie Canal, the Buffalo Fire Historical Museum has exhibits on fire equipment dating from the 1850s, the Buffalo Museum of Science has many hands-on activities dealing with science, the Mark Twain Museum of Buffalo has exhibits dealing with the authors life in Buffalo, and the Niagara Gorge Discovery Center, in Niagara Falls, has interactive exhibits on the falls, including the Gorge Elevator Experience ride. The Naval and Military Park on the Buffalo waterfront has planes, tanks, a guided missile cruiser, a submarine, and destroyer, and a museum with uniforms and military artifacts.

A trip to Buffalo can be a memorable experience for your family. Kids will love the beauty and power of Niagara Falls and the 19th century history lessons on the Erie Canal, and there are many activities around the Buffalo area that will keep everyone entertained. Although there are many tourists at the falls during the summer, thats the best time to visit; it gets very cold around the water later on, especially if you want to see the falls up close.