I decided to take our 5 year old daughter on an adventure and experience Buffalo, and BFLO Harbor…read moreKayak fit exactly what I wanted! We paddled out to the lighthouse, and then back up the Buffalo River, past riverworks. The staff was attentive and made sure we understood safety protocols before launching. I'd highly recommend for anyone - experienced kayakers, beginners, and families.

I really had fun here with my group of 7 people. They were able to accommodate all of us because I…read moremade reservations online to insure we were all together. The prices are reasonable and the gals who were running it Sunday morning were very nice and vey helpful to some of our elderly friends getting in and out of the kayaks. We only did an hour because some of our group are inexperienced at this sport. It was fun and the water was calm. It was really cool seeing parts of the outer harbor from a different perspective. I'll be back for sure to do a longer trip!

Updated review 8/9/26…read more Another great WNY/Buffalo summer experience. I have increased my rating of the Moondance catamaran boat ride, leaving the Erie Basin Marina. Even though the boat does not sail out onto a Lake Erie as far as one would expect, $28 for a cruise at sunset especially is definitely worth it. The views of the Buffalo skyline, the lit up silo and the Naval Park, are spectacular from the water. Next year, I'm considering buying a season pass. This way I can enjoy the sailing anytime I want. as much as I want during the sailing season. Cocktails are reasonably priced on board. You're allowed to bring your own food and snacks from home. The music to accompany the tour was a little loud at first, but then turn down which was appreciated. The captain and his crew were friendly and gave good advice on before the sail began. The ramp from the dock makes it easy for those with disabilities to board and exit the ship. There are two bathrooms below deck. But they do require some stairs to go down.

It was a lovely night for a two hour ride out on the Buffalo River on the Moondance catamaran…read more The woman who organizes the ride also has pizzas delivered and some of the other "passengers" bring treats like cookies, pretzels and licorice. The Moonlight has a bar and a bartender, so beers and cocktails are available. It is a great 2 hours, relaxing, looking at the Buffalo skyline and catching up with friends.

A nice beach for a walk, wide, and Sandy. Beautiful sunsets. There are lifeguards on duty…read more Questionable if the water is safe to enter. You need to check before going. This is a New York State park. So there is a seven dollar admission fee. However, after 6 PM it is free. Sole is a beach bar where you can buy an alcoholic drink, listen to a band and sit in a beachy sandy area.

Seven dollars!!! This is the reward that NYS Taxpayers get in return for their Record High Taxes!…read moreFor $7 you get sand that is mixed with broken up wood hunks and metal can tabs. Venture a few feet from the designanted "no swim zone" and "beach" area and you will find yourself in waist deep garbage and lake debris. It's bad. Really bad. What are we paying for? I opted to buy the State Park Pass which was around $75 to visit NYS parks that we, our families and countless generations have been paying for. Lucky us. Oh, and don't mind the giant sewage treatment plant within feet of this beach. Hahaha! You can't MAKE this stuff up. The jokes write themselves.

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.

I recently came here for a volunteer event, and was so impressed how tranquil and serene this spot…read morewas considering it's location. There are enough trees, trails, and wildlife to forget where you are for a little while. Although I didn't go inside, there is an information center not too far from the parking lot.

We went for a hike here and it was great!!!! The weather was perfect for a fall day and we had a…read morenice hike. It was not difficult to navigate and followed the path. Theh are doing some work to make it more inclusive for people in wheelchairs it looks like but not complete yet. The main building is beautiful and the people in there were super friendly. Go if you have time. It is great!!!

Was expecting to find Times Square, but instead, found Times Beach. Which is actually mostly…read morewoodland. False advertising. This is a wonderful and overgrown nature preserve in the wilderness, which a lot of people don't know about or visit. It feels like you have stepped from an industrial part of Buffalo into the absolute wilderness in a matter of moments. If you like wildlife and nature I highly recommend walking around here. It's right next to the water, but full of interesting, overgrown, unkempt wonder. The exact opposite of Times Square.

We were in the area days ago and wanted to revisit Times Beach as we haven't visited in months if…read morenot longer. We saw a lot of park exterior fence damage with a LOT of felled Trees due to recent storms. The two entrances we have used were both yellow-taped closed, with NO signage or other indications the park when it would be open again.

FANTASTIC from the time we were greeted by Pirate Ariel and Plank on the dock. Celebrating my…read morebirthday with my granddaughters, son, daughter-in-law and husband and all of the crew made it a very memorable day. From start to finish it was truly a great experience and I would HIGHLY recommend this adventure. Thank you so much for a wonderful day.

Spirit of Buffalo is docked at Canalside, right next to the warships. Tickets can be bought online…read moreor at the booth (buying in person saves the processing fee). They offer a history tour, tiki boat ride, and a sailboat ride--just note the each sailing requires at least eight people to sail. They will cancel the door if they do not have eight people so call the J before to see how many people are booked on your sailing. I did the sunset sail, and it was fantastic. Tickets were $42 ($54 with a cocktail). There's a full bar and light snacks on board, plus a restroom. The sail lasted about two hours. There were only 25 guests onboard. This made the boat feel spacious and relaxed. The views were stunning--sunset over the Buffalo skyline, sailing past the Peace Bridge, and city lights on the way back. The crew was friendly and fun, and the captain went out of his way to chat and even raise the Bills flag for photos. Pro tip: bring a jacket or blanket, it gets chilly! I think it would be a great idea if they sold inexpensive blankets with the ship name on them for $10-$15. People would've bought them because it was cold and They would also make a great souvenir.

Overall this is a nice park. I have lived in Hamburg since 2013, walking distance from the park, so…read moremy family does frequent the beach when weather permits. In the summer you'll find water activity (kayak, water bike, paddle board) rentals, and occasional outdoor kids movies. There is a small playground on top of the hill, and a deck with a nice view. The kids enjoy the snack stand featuring fryer food and ice cream novelties. Fitness center use is subject to membership. Parking permits are for purchase at the Fitness Center and town hall. You have to be a resident with proof of address to obtain a parking permit, you have to purchase a new one every year. Day passes are available for nonresidents. The ladies restroom at this place is never clean. Toilets and sinks are visibly dirty. There is no baby changing station or even a trash receptacle in the ladies room, so there are often used diapers, and other garbage left on the floor. The water is often closed for swimming (lack of lifeguards, or increased bacteria in the water,) but the beach sand is nicely maintained in the summer, it's mostly clear of rocks, branches, and other debris. In the summer you'll find a handicap/wheelchair access path. I have not used the boat launch personally, but over the years I have seen it being excavated using heavy equipment, and other times I have seen warnings posted not to use it.

Nice beach with a terrific snack shack.read more