Ultimate Guide to a Weekend Getaway in Buffalo, NY and Niagara Falls
- bochelley
- Jul 6, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 19, 2024
The Ultimate Weekend Getaway in Buffalo, NY and how to experience the breathtaking views of Niagara Falls on your trip
Buffalo, New York seems like a random weekend trip, but we were there for the Raiders game versus the Buffalo Bills. It was actually an unexpectedly fun city to explore and makes for an ultimate weekend getaway in NY. So here is the guide you need to plan the perfect weekend in Buffalo and the tips to enjoy the wonder of Niagara Falls.
This was my first time in an Airbnb for the weekend instead of a hotel, which was fun and allows you to feel more like a local. After check-in at our Airbnb, we started walking to explore the neighborhood. Butter Block Bakery has the best coffee and also a really great pretzel croissant. There were many amazing coffee shops within walking distance of our place.
The city felt truly like a small town because every house we passed had Buffalo Bills flags and merch covering the yards. We stopped by Parkside Candies, which seemed to be very popular, to try Sponge Candy which is a famous candy in this area.
Next was lunch at Gabriel’s Gates to try their famous Buffalo wings! You can’t go to Buffalo, New York and not get Buffalo wings. We heard that Gabriel’s Gates was better than Anchor bar, which I think is true. Anchor Bar didn’t appeal to us at first, but we ended up trying it at the airport on the way home, so we were able to compare the two. Definitely recommend Gabriel’s Gates!
Later that night, we went to the Lucky Day Whiskey Bar, which had such a warm and fun feel to it. We walked to Dino BBQ which had the best food. Of course we had to get dessert, so we found Cookies and Cream, a popular ice cream shop, on the walk back to our Airbnb, which was really good. I loved walking around the city and seeing the different styles of their houses.
Saturday morning, it was Remedy House for breakfast before our trek to Niagara Falls. Remedy House had really good coffee and is one of the only places that opens early enough to get coffee and food.
Niagara Falls was on my bucket list, so it was perfect to go there during our trip to Buffalo. I always wanted to experience the breathtaking views of the falls so we visited the Cave of the Winds and the Maid of the Mist. Getting to the falls was a little bit of a drive, but it wasn’t difficult to get an Uber.
We bought tickets for the Cave of the Winds which I absolutely loved. You literally walk to the bottom of the falls which was a very unreal experience. They take you to a room teaching you the history of the falls, and then on an elevator down to the river level. Once you get off the elevator, they give you a poncho, and you walk to the steps that bring you extremely close to the falls. We got covered in water from the falls, but it was one hundred percent worth it. We had a reservation for Maid of the Mist on the United States side, next time we want to go to the Canada side too. People had told me this ahead of time, but I didn’t realize that you don’t get close to the falls when being on the US side. It was still a fun time and an amazing experience. Click here for more information on Niagara Falls State Park https://www.niagarafallsstatepark.com/
We got to Highmark stadium pretty early the next day. We took the shuttle from a nearby mall, which did take a long time to go that mile on the shuttle because the stadium is basically in a residential area. The gameday experience in Buffalo is very unique. Tailgating is happening everywhere. I really wanted to see the guy that does shots out of the bowling ball, but we couldn’t find them, so next time! The game started out strong for us, but unfortunately, did not turn out in our favor.
We left on Sunday, but went to get coffee and breakfast at Five Points Bakery before the airport. This place was so fun because they had two stories to find a table to hang out at. We also squeezed in a trip to the Buffalo Botanical Gardens. I loved this place because the flowers were so beautiful. The only thing we wanted to do that we didn’t get to was going to Buffalo City Hall to see the city from the top of that building. Our next trip!
At the airport, I got Tim Hortons coffee and doughnuts since there isn’t one in Las Vegas, and it was pretty good. Anchor bar was for lunch and then we got on our plane. Overall, Buffalo was such a great experience. If you are wanting to go see Niagara Falls on the US side, Buffalo would be a fun place to stay.
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