About the City of Buffalo
Learn about all the great things the city of Buffalo has to offer!
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For those who like to travel, Buffalo offers a tremendous opportunity to see many of the Northeast regions great cities. Major cities such as New York City, Toronto, Cleveland, Philadelphia, and Boston are just a daytrip away.
For those who want to travel further, the Buffalo International Airport offers over 100 nonstop flights daily, serving over 30 destinations.
Looking for updates on the current events and happenings around the city? Look no further than Buffalo Rising! Founded in 2004, Buffalo Rising has consistently been one of the areas most read publications since its inception. Buffalo Rising is a great resource to keep you updated on all things Buffalo! The video to the right is a great showcase of what they do to highlight the great city of Buffalo.
If you’ve seen Buffalo on the Weather Channel, you might think we’re beset by blizzards much of the year. The truth is, Buffalo is not the snowiest city in the country. It’s not even the snowiest city in the state. Instead, Buffalo Niagara is a four-season region that features:
- The sunniest and driest summers of any major city in the Northeast
- More days with temperatures above 60 degrees Fahrenheit than with snow on the ground
- Crisp, comfortable autumns that produce some of the Northeast’s most vibrant foliage
- An average winter temperature of 26 degrees Fahrenheit, just a few degrees shy of the national average
Image Courtesy of Buffalo Rising
Looking for safe, convenient, affordable neighborhoods? Western New York boasts a wealth of them. Buffalo is among the 10 most affordable cities in the United States to buy a home!
A wide range of housing options are available in urban, suburban and small-town settings. Our housing market is as diverse as it is affordable, with Downtown Lofts, Convenient-to-Campus Apartment Complexes, and Waterfront Condos, amongst many other options.
No matter your style or budget, Buffalo has a home for you.
Image Courtesy Buffalo Rising
In Western New York, you can enjoy the perks of city living without the hefty price tag. Our cost of living is 20% lower than the national average.
Below are rankings of the best school districts and best places to live in the Buffalo area according to niche.com. Niche.com uses real resident reviews to rank schools, neighborhoods, and more. Check them out below!
In a city as diverse as Buffalo, you can always find something fun to do, whether it’s taking a leisurely walk in one of our glorious Olmsted-designed parks or taking in a thought-provoking work of art at one of dozens of galleries. Check out some more information about what activities Buffalo offers below.
For those who enjoy art and culture, Buffalo has you covered. Among our riches are the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and Shea’s Performing Arts Center. Buffalo is also home to a number of architectural landmarks, such as the Art Deco style City Hall and the Buffalo History Museum built for the Pan-American Expo of 1901. Buffalo is proud to boast:
- One of the country’s biggest art festivals
- An internationally celebrated symphony
- Unique theatrical, musical and dance performances year round
- One of the world’s finest collections of modern art
- The state’s largest theater community outside of New York City
Albright Knox Art Gallery; Image Courtesy Buffalo Rising
- More Frank Lloyd Wright buildings than any other city except Chicago
Additionally, Buffalo is home to numerous smaller scale festivals and galleries throughout the year. Be sure to check out Buffalo Rising for updates on information on upcoming events!
Stand where Theodore Roosevelt took the oath of office. Explore the Erie Canal. Wander a fort which played a pivotal role of the French and Indian War. Buffalo is a city rich with history. Western New York has a rich history that is told at a number of heritage sites throughout the region. Take a look at some historical landmarks and museums below:
- Buffalo History Museum
- Buffalo Waterside and "Canalside"
- Forest Lawn Cemetery
- Michigan Street African American Heritage Corridor
- The Naval and Military Park
Go out and enjoy the history of Buffalo!
Buffalo Naval and Military Park; Image Courtesy Buffalo Rising
Buffalo might be known for its world famous chicken wings, but there is so much more. The city is home to over 400 independently owned restaurants, meaning you'll never run out of new places to try. Buffalo is also home to numerous food festivals, such as
- The Taste of Buffalo, the largest two-day food festival in the United States
- The National Buffalo Wing Festival.
Taste of Buffalo; Image Courtesy Buffalo Rising
From late spring through fall, farmers markets crop up throughout our eight-county region. You can buy everything local there, from fresh produce to maple syrup, free-range beef and chicken, baked goods, jams, herbs, yogurt and artisanal cheese. And thanks to a profusion of local farms and orchards, you won't need to travel far to pick your own produce either.
No matter your palette or pocketbook, Buffalo has something for you!
Much of Buffalo’s nightlife is centered in several distinct districts. Each distric offers a unique combination of local shops, restaurants, clubs, and even an art house cinema! Here are some of the districts, as well as what they offer:
- University Heights is home to many popular eateries.
- Hertel Avenue features plenty of local shops and restaurants, plus an art house cinema.
- Allentown is an artsy neighborhood with a number of eclectic restaurants and other venues.
- Elmwood Village is another artsy neighborhoods brimming with hip meeting places.
- The Chippewa Strip in the heart of the city is a hub of bars, clubs, restaurants and coffee shops.
Rec Room Club; Image Courtesy Buffalo Rising
- Downtown Buffalo and Larkinville have lots of food, live music, and other entertainment options.
As a four season city, Buffalo has plenty of outdoor activities to do, regardless of the weather!
Summer Fun
Spring, summer and fall offer mild weather perfect for outdoor pursuits such as:
- Boating and fishing. Located on Lake Erie at the beginning of the Niagara River, Buffalo is a mecca for anglers and boaters.
- Canoeing, kayaking and sailing.
- Golfing. Tee up at top-rated courses, here and just across the border.
- Enjoy the scenery in historic city parks, on multipurpose suburban paths and at the dazzling Niagara Gorge.
- Many state parks are within a short drive while many additional attractions lie just across the border in Canada's Niagara Region. And there are many well maintained mountain bike trails.
Devil's Hole State Park
- Camping. Pitch your tent at any number of private, public and state-run campsites.
Winter Activities
Winter offers a great opportunity for cold weather activities like:
- Downhill skiing and snowboarding. Discover some of the Northeast’s best slopes, including Kissing Bridge and Holiday Valley. UB’s Schussmeisters Ski Club offers discounted skiing at area resorts.
- Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. A vast system of parks offers many opportunities, including Sprague Brook Country Park, with miles of woods and set trails.
- Tubing. Experience fast-paced fun at several dedicated tubing runs.
- Sledding and tobogganing. Great sledding is everywhere, including Chestnut Ridge, one of the only U.S. parks with toboggan chutes.
Canalside Ice Skating; Image Courtesy Buffalo Rising
- Snowmobiling. You'll find a number of well-maintained trails around the Western New York region.
Devotion to our hometown teams runs deep, creating a strong civic bond among Western New Yorkers across all walks of life.
The two biggest draws are the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League and the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League. Both teams feature among the most passionate fans in their respective sports, making the experience of attending a game truly unique.
Highmark Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo is also host to a Triple-A baseball affiliate, the Buffalo Bisons. We also have the Buffalo Bandits of the National Lacrosse League, as well as the FC Buffalo of the National Premier Soccer League.
Buffalo has also hosted several major tournaments, including the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament regionals, the IIHF World Junior Hockey Championship and the NCAA Frozen Four.
The University at Buffalo is home to the Bulls. UB has 14 different Division-I programs, all of which compete in the Mid-American Conference. A number of other local schools, such as Niagara University and St. Bonaventure University, host a variety of athletic programs as well.
"The City of Good Neighbors," one of Buffalo's many nicknames, isn't just talk. Often listed near the top of the friendliest U.S. cities, Buffalo is notorious for welcoming newcomers with open arms, making it feel like home immediately. A strong sense of community, friendship, and charity makes Buffalo what it is. This all combines to give the city of Buffalo a small town feel, all while still boasting the history, activities, and population of a major city.
Image Courtesy Buffalo Rising
Great Schools
Western New York is home to excellent school districts, many of which have received statewide and national recognition. There are numerous private school options, including parochial schools. Options for residents of Buffalo include the Buffalo Public Schools, as well as a growing number of charter schools. The Buffalo district’s City Honors High School has repeatedly made Newsweek’s list of the top 10 high schools in the U.S.
Family Fun!
Family fun at every turn! In Western New York, your family can explore nature, absorb culture and have fun at every turn.
Expand the section below to take a look at some of our family-friendly destinations and attractions:
- The extensive Olmsted park system.
- A city zoo that’s home to animals from the Arctic to the rainforest.
- Numerous nature centers and campgrounds.
- An 18th-century fort where history comes alive with re-enactments and demonstrations of military life.
- First-class amusement parks, including Six Flags Darien Lake and Niagara Amusement Park and Splash World. plus many thrilling walks and rides around world-famous Niagara Falls.
- A science museum that hosts traveling exhibitions and summer camps, a history museum, children’s museum and even a fireman’s museum.
- A professional children’s theater and Shakespeare in Delaware Park, one of the largest outdoor Shakespeare companies in the country.
- Family concerts hosted by the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.
- Free family nights at the world-renowned Albright-Knox Art Gallery.
- Slopes for skiing, snowboarding, sledding and tubing.
- Festivals throughout the year
Forbes magazine declared Buffalo the “best U.S. city” for commuting.
In fact, Buffalo’s average commute time—it has been clocked at 20 minutes—is the second-shortest of the country’s 52 largest cities.
That translates to an enhanced quality of life for our faculty, staff and students, who enjoy stress-free travel regardless of where they’re headed around the region.
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Buffalo Metro Rail; Image Courtesy David Wilson
Buffalo’s Metro Bus provides quick, economical service throughout the city and suburbs.
The Metro Rail line connects UB’s South Campus with downtown Buffalo, including UB’s Downtown Campus, and the neighborhoods in between. Rides above ground are free in downtown Buffalo. UB employees who are regular commuters might wish to take advantage of the NYS-Ride program that allows pre-tax dollars to be used for monthly passes.
Many Western New Yorkers take advantage of our three international bridge crossings to visit the beaches of neighboring Fort Erie, the Canadian side of Niagara Falls and cosmopolitan Toronto.
The grandeur of Niagara Falls can be enjoyed on both sides of the border. Several attractions, including the Maid of the Mist boat ride, allow visitors to get up close and personal to the Falls—not to mention a little damp—while taking in its roaring glory.
Niagara Falls; Image Courtesy Buffalo Rising
Toronto is less than a two-hour drive from Buffalo. The cultural, entertainment and financial capital of Canada, Toronto is also the country’s largest city, with more than 2.7 million residents.