Welcome to the newest city in the GO Airport Shuttle world: Buffalo, New York. There are no buffaloes there, never were. So how did Buffalo get its name? One theory sits with the mispronunciation of French for “beautiful river” beau fleuve.
And you’ll find plenty of water around town, with the city sitting on the eastern edge of Lake Erie, connecting the Great Lakes to the Hudson-Mohawk River Valley and eventually the St. Lawrence Seaway and Atlantic Ocean, with the tremendous Niagara Falls roaring nearby. Yes, it was a really big day exactly 200 years ago when the Erie Canal was finished and Buffalo became a major gateway to the West. As a matter of fact, the first upper Great Lakes steamboat was built there, aptly named “Walk-on-the-Water.”
If you’re heading East any time soon, Buffalo is definitely worth a visit. After all, it is the second largest city in New York, home of the always-contending Buffalo Bills football team, and birthplace of the original ubiquitous “buffalo wing.”
Here’s a bucket list for the Buffalo-bound traveler:
Presidential history
Two U.S. presidents call Buffalo home: Millard Fillmore and Grover Cleveland. (Millard’s still there in the beautiful historic Forest Lawn Cemetery.) Then, William McKinley was assassinated there in 1901, with Theodore Roosevelt taking the formal oath of office in the Ainsley Wilcox Mansion , now a National Historic Sight.
Frank Lloyd Wright
This house is a something special. If you’ve never stepped into a Wright-designed home, the Martin House in Buffalo gives you a wonderful introduction to Wright’s unique style: the broad expansive prairie look throughout room after room, warm brick exteriors, angled wood interior design elements, all original, too.
Fun Cultural Stuff
Pleasant roaming, if you will. Surrounded by art, rare animals, and gorgeous gardens. You can pack a lot into a touring day around town.
Start at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, with an exhibit that traces the arc of modern art from 1862 to the present. For local art creativity, there’s the Burchfield Penney Art Center, too. Then hop over to the Buffalo Botanic Gardens for their London-style glasshouse conservatory that sits in a park designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. Close out your day at the ever popular nearby Buffalo Zoo, the third oldest zoological facility in the U.S. celebrating 150 years this year. Roar!
Fun stuff
Discover krupnik, a favorite local special alcohol drink, a spiced honey liqueur, stemming from Buffalo’s early Polish canal builder thirsts, along with many other locally sourced ryes and whiskey at the BDC (Buffalo Distilling Company). Next stop, the Pearl Street Grill for four floors and 9 different bars filled with music, food and fun. But, whatever you do, save room on your schedule and in your tummy for the one and only original home of the very first “buffalo wing,” invented right here at the Anchor Bar, definitely a must stop on any Buffalo visit. Grab a few wings and a Buffalo wing hat to go!
Unusual stuff
You’re so close to Niagara Falls, a day trip puts you in sight of one of America’s greatest natural resources. Bring a passport, and you’ll able to sneak over to the Canadian side for their view. Make a full day trip out of it by adding a wine tour on the Niagara Valley Wine Trail. There are 10 participating wineries with their fall harvest tour waiting for a taste.
If it starts to get cold (and snowy, which is standard for Buffalo) get into the outdoor spirit with “ice biking.” You’ve never done anything like it. For an inside excursion, try the Pierce-Arrow transportation museum which captures Buffalo’s history as the early version of Detroit. Cars, bikes, even a Jello delivery wagon.
Of course the big draw in town during Fall and Winter are the Buffalo Bills. If you’re lucky enough to see Josh Allen and a dramatic win, perfect. Just hope it doesn’t snow the night before, like it has in previous years when the team sends out a call for any fan with a shovel to come help dig out the stadium. This will be the last year for that possibility since the team is building a new weather-proof facility right next door, ready for 2026.
Being right on Lake Erie, Buffalo offers an entire water-themed entertainment area called Canalside, filled with restaurants, boat/paddleboard rentals, and other activities. And wherever you are in Buffalo, be sure to look up and check out the great City Hall Dome. They have a huge LED light display on top that organizations can rent out and fill the sky with their colors while the whole town is guessing about who or what’s on top. There’s even a monthly calendar.
Buffalo is definitely worth a visit. GO Airport Shuttle now makes getting to and from the Buffalo Niagara International Airport a breeze. So you can start roaming around Buffalo soon after you land.