Hi - we are visiting my brother in Buffalo at end of this month and looking for fun things to do and cool places to stay. My children are 10 and 12. We love beaches and pools and outdoor waterparks as well as sailing and fishing. Niagara Falls is definitely on the agenda. Have anything else to recommend? We don't want to impose on my brother for a week so would also love any recommendations for beach resorts on either great lake or nearby inland lake. THanks!
You must go to Anchor Bar to get some REAL chicken wings! Also Darien Lake is 30 minutes from Buffalo, fun amusement & water park - and you can also camp there.
I haven't been yet...but the Buffalo Zoo looks pretty cool. and there is a harbor area downtown...near the HSBC arena that looks nice.
Evangola State Park has a nice beach on lake Erie.
To the best of my knowledge there are no resorts on the lake near Buffalo.
It's always been a big beautiful lake with very few ways to actually get into it on the Buffalo side (I grew up there).
If you are planning to visit Canada, have your passports ready and using the Peace Bridge (the drive to Niagara is much prettier on the Canadian side) or Rainbow Bridge are easy.
The Buffalo Museum of Natural History can be fun - my son loved the dinosaur display.
Canada has a better view of the falls than the American side and you can also do the Skylon Tower, the big ferris wheel, Cable Car across the whirlpool gorge and the Butterfly Conservatory is fantastic.
Don't forget Marineland (wear comfortable shoes - it's a lot of walking)!
Fantasy Island is an amusement park on Grand Island.
Darien Lake is about 30 miles east of Buffalo but they just had someone fall to death from a roller coaster over there.
If you will be there between Aug 10-21, spend a day at the Erie County Fair in Hamburg.
I'm not sure where your brother lives but you probably want to find a hotel with a pool as close to where he is as possible.
Since my family is in the South Towns area, we stay at the Hampton Inn in East Aurora when we visit.
try Pioneer Camp and Retreat Center www.Pioneercamp.org
