"I'm going to the beach" used to mean heading to Canada and a cottage on the beach. These days it…read morecould just as easily mean heading down to the harbor. There is a beach there. Not quite Canada, but its a beach none the less. You'll see people sunbathing there on occasion, and putting kayaks into the water etc. Its not a gorgeous tropical beach, or even as nice as some of the beaches in Canada, but its very functional, and you don't have to go through TSA or cross the bridge to get there. To be clear, no real sand, lots of rocks, but with a chair and shoes you'll be fine. 2525

I love to stop at Gallagher Beach for the view and to try and spot some good waterfowl. I also come…read morehere for nurdle patrol and usually don't find many, which means it's not very polluted with microplastics. This is a great spot to just come relax and watch the sunset.

Very nice beach but you have to Wear shoes. A lot of broken…read moredriftwood. Parking was easy. They have showers to Rinse off outside.

Cleanest beach in Buffalo area. Feels like you're at the ocean. Sand is deep & any rocks are more…read morelike pebbles. Expansive view across Lake Erie. I have been sitting here all day watching the waves. Wonderful.

I love Hamburg Beach! It's $25 for residents permit for the year but well worth it for the…read morebeautiful sunset views with the city skyline and wind turbines off to the right. Many people gather at sunset do it creates a nice, family friend environment. There is plenty of space of recreational activities and ample parking.

We were traveling through the area and wanted to enjoy the local park and beach. These folks are…read morenot tourist friendly at all. There is no option for any general public parking at this one and only beach in this town. They will fine you $100 if you are not a local with a parking permit.

My son and I wanted a beach outing during our weeklong stay in Niagara Falls, and this place fit…read morethe bill for what I was looking for. If you want something low-key and easy to get to this is the perfect spot. I was very pleased at how clear the sand was, perhaps they are using some kind of equipment to get the rocks and wood off the beach because unlike other freshwater beaches I didn't have an obstacle course to get to the water. The life guards were professional but not oppressive. It was a very relaxed, enjoyable atmosphere. Would definitely come again if ever in the area.

This was my first time at Beaver Island State Park. Overall, this was a great park. The paths and…read moreroads are all very well laid out and everything was very clean. There was a bunch of disc golfers out and there was even a Dog Parade event here today too. So much green space and everything was great. Will definitely be back to bring my pup here before the snow comes.

Spacious and quiet outdoor area, great for dogs or kids to run around…read more There is ample field space, chairs and paths for walking, biking etc. i love how the "beach" is perfect for dogs (the sign says no swimming or wading) but its a great chance for a dog to be in water for free. The views of the water and downtown were lovely. The park is well maintained, cleaned and not crowded. We went on a Sunday morning around 11 AM, and it was pretty serene. There's also plenty of spots to sit and relax, which could be cute reading areas. There is also a little kids area with slides. Amazing spot. A little windy so I recommend bringing a hair scarf or hat.

Such a let down after they renovated it for 2 years…read more I used to love sitting at a table in the shade with my book and watch my family bring our dogs down there to play and now I can't even do that because the tables and chairs are gone and they build up the rock wall around the beach. The beach is still inaccessible there are giant cement blocks so it's not a straight shot down for a wheelchair and the grass around them is very uneven and hilly like ground for a wheelchair to go over and I got stuck in the rocks and had to ask people to help push me out, then on the way back to the walk way (video I posted) my wheelchair was going to flip. There are small simple things that they could have been done, I've been to other beach's that have strips over the sand/ rocks that wheelchairs can ride over. The building looks nice they added a small golf course. To me it seems like all they did was build the restaurant and build up the rock walls especially around the beach.

Must live in Hamburg, Blasdell and purchase a sticker for the year. Very well worth it. Beach is…read moreclean and security is well monitored. Sign everywhere warning you about having a sticker so stop bad mouthing the security people. Clean bathrooms and portable bathrooms up on the hill. Great refreshment stand and reasonable prices. Perry's ice cream too!!! Never over crowded!!! We are lucky to have this place

Got to eat little lunch before it got windy and a passing rain! Still here in the car with only one…read morecar around

Lovely and calm beach! Highly recommend for a relaxing mini-break if you're looking for quiet and…read morethe sound of the waves. PROS: - There is no lifeguard and no swimming allowed, which means it's mostly child-free and thus has a much calmer environment than other area beaches. - I've visited twice (each on a weekday) during COVID and it's been not crowded and easy to socially-distance from the few other folks. - Immaculate bathrooms easily accessible from the beach. - Close, ample, and free parking. CONS: - More rocks than sand. if you're going to relax and watch the water, simply bring a camp chair and that won't matter. The rocks are really pretty, too! - No swimming allowed, so if you're looking to take a dip, head elsewhere. - Very little, if any, shade on the beach itself. Bring an umbrella.

The property is maintained by both the town and county. When you enter, there are soccer fields…read more They are used by a local youth soccer organization, so don't be surprised if it's crowded on a weekday evening during soccer season. Overall though, this park sits mostly empty. The property was formally owned by the Wendt family, but the county has not maintained the house, guest house, and stables. They are all Boarded up and painted white. I think in the 60s or 70s a restaurant operated in the main house. People come to this park for the quiet beach access. Between a cut in a hill, you can access the beach. It has twigs and stones scattered about. It's certainly not maintained or swept with a tractor. If there were any recommendation, it would be to sweep this beach with a tractor regularly, I think the park would really generate a lot more visitors. The bathrooms were in great condition and very clean. There is a mural on the exterior bathroom wall. And, this year, the county's bike-hike trail was entered through the park. You could travel to Bennett beach from there by using the trail. There are picnic benches. I was there recently where a small birthday party was held.

Great place to take a stroll in Buffalo. It certainly has a lot going on. Canalside is a community…read moregathering space on the waterfront which recreates the terminus of the Erie Canal. A popular place judging by crowds around it. This is a blend of industrial heritage and urban renewal and has lots of exhibits and museums. An interesting history about it. It's been the home to many people and structures. The Seneca people originally lived there. It would remain quiet but not for long. The craziness started in 1825 when the Erie Canal Harbor opened. In came lots of traders and travelers along with a ton of freight traffic increases. The men of the canal and freight crews got paid and spent money at bars and brothels, which became so infamous that John Hodges wrote the song "Buffalo Gals" about the loose women. In the early 1900s as traffic moved from the canal to the railroads, the area became more family-friendly with Italian immigrants moving in. The canal was filled in by the 1920s to prevent the spread of cholera and whatever. A lot of fires happened throughout the area's history. These were infamous as some of the best-known slums. As a result, the state passed legislation to condemn and get rid of the housing. The final remains were gone by 1950 and in came the Memorial Auditorium along with the New York State Thruway and Skyway. In the 1990s the efforts to restore the area began. KeyBank Arena opened. They uncovered building foundations of the old settlement, and restored the Commercial Slip. In 2008 the first part was completed. Some structures recreated include the Central Wharf. In 2015 the Buffalo Sabres opened LECOM Harborcenter. This building contains two NHL-sized rinks along with a hotel and retail. A great part of the infrastructure is the Replica Canals. In summer these are used for paddle boating and in the winter these are used for curling and ice skating. A lot of cool public art. Shark Girl is the main attraction of these. A whimsical sculpture by Casey Riordan Millard. There's also plenty of public events from music to whatever. A few breweries and restaurants are close by. There's summer concerts on the Great Lawn. It's got plenty of active public programming with many of these being free. Winter is also okay to go here because of the holiday tree lighting and ice skating. In 2019 the Explore & More Children's Museum opened. The Longshed is an interactive building and exhibit of a replica canal boat, and there's several old warships. In 2021 the Buffalo Heritage Carousel was opened. There's plenty more coming for the area as it has become popular. Has a few ways to get here. It's got Interstate 190 along the north side of it. The Amtrak station is among the options for public transportation.

Every time I visit Canalside I am amazed at how much the area has changed since they first…read moreannounced the development. There is a bunch to see and do, and the area itself is just really nice. I love that they often host free events (both family friendly and adult oriented) and also things like fitness classes. There are places to take a seat and relax and there are some nice amenities and fun attractions like Shark Girl. There is ample surface lot parking plus there is the Harborfront garage. There is currently an indoor exhibit that is free (and air conditioned) about the history of the Erie Canal. There is also a canal boat, the carousel and the navel park. The one down side is that there seems to be perpetual construction. There are always fences, road blocks and other construction around. Great that development is happening, but it means that it might be a challenge to get around. A great place to enjoy the Buffalo waterfront and spend some time outdoors.