Info for fans visiting Buffalo

Flamer12

Registered User
Feb 11, 2013
1,050
65
Canada
This is the view looking down on 105 (foreground) from 207:

first-niagara-center-section-207-view.jpg

Thank You Woodhouse
 

oNoxXxRegretso

Registered User
Oct 16, 2007
9
0
Utica, NY
On my way to Buffalo right now for the game against the Avs tomorrow. Staying at the Harborcenter Marriott do away teams stay there too since it's so close to FNC?
 

southpaw24

Registered User
Dec 3, 2005
3,795
0
Owen Sound, ON
Coming to buffalo this weekend

Hi folks, the wife decided we needed to get away from home for a bit so we are coming down Friday night and staying at the Clarion hotel near the airport around Cheektowaga?(sp) we are bringing our 3 year old with us and was wondering if you guys would share some family things to do while we are down or good shopping spots. Thanks in advance
 

Not Sure

Registered User
Feb 8, 2016
4,918
1,146
Buffalo
It seems like the mall is a favorite spot for people to go and grab a meal and to take the kids. I haven't been there in awhile but I know that since the addition it has really turned around food and entertainment wise. My brother takes his son there to the go-kart and some kids play place he's always talking about. So if the weather isn't greathe I'd say give it a try. Otherwise canalside has really improved, and downtown is starting to look like downtown should, at least in some places. There's always losson park over by French, if you're in to that type of thing. Everything really depends heavily on weather, it's been rainy and crappy the last little while here.
 

southpaw24

Registered User
Dec 3, 2005
3,795
0
Owen Sound, ON
It seems like the mall is a favorite spot for people to go and grab a meal and to take the kids. I haven't been there in awhile but I know that since the addition it has really turned around food and entertainment wise. My brother takes his son there to the go-kart and some kids play place he's always talking about. So if the weather isn't greathe I'd say give it a try. Otherwise canalside has really improved, and downtown is starting to look like downtown should, at least in some places. There's always losson park over by French, if you're in to that type of thing. Everything really depends heavily on weather, it's been rainy and crappy the last little while here.

Thanks for the help, is Losson park just like a city park? Good place for a walk? My wife talked abut going to the Sabres/sens game Saturday night? What's the secondary market like for tickets? Being a leaf fan I'm used to paying big money for a not so good ticket. But wouldn't mind knocking another rink off my list. Anyone have any thoughts on the zoo? And my wife talked about the butterfly conservatory? Not too interested in that myself but happy wife happy life right
 

LaxSabre

Registered User
Apr 19, 2006
14,186
329
North Tonawanda, NY
My wife talked abut going to the Sabres/Sens game Saturday night?
What's the secondary market like for tickets? Being a leaf fan I'm used to paying big money for a not so good ticket.
But wouldn't mind knocking another rink off my list.

A slight but important correction - the Senators-Sabres game is Friday night and not Saturday night.
Not a terrible mistake as the Sabres have played Saturday (afternoon) home games the last couple of weekends.
They also have another home game next weekend - also on a Saturday afternoon.
So you could easily think this weekends home game is also on a Saturday.

I'm a Sabres season ticket holder and have my two seats available for the game.
I emailed you where the seats are and the price I'm looking for them. Hope you decide to buy them.

Update - Darn, his wife said no to the tickets. Oh well! For anyone else who sees this post and is interested in the tickets - they are still available - pm me if interested.
 
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Dex

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Dec 5, 2011
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Hi folks, the wife decided we needed to get away from home for a bit so we are coming down Friday night and staying at the Clarion hotel near the airport around Cheektowaga?(sp) we are bringing our 3 year old with us and was wondering if you guys would share some family things to do while we are down or good shopping spots. Thanks in advance

It's supposed to be cold , but sunny on Saturday, 36 degrees F which is about 3 degrees C. Three years old is a tough age to entertain. You never know if they are going to be interested in what you are doing or sleeping in their stroller, so you can do either kid oriented things or stuff that you and your wife might like that can also include a 3yo

I'd definitely recommend the Buffalo Zoo. It's small and not overwhelming - with lots of indoor exhibit space including gorillas, a rain forest, reptiles, birds. They have polar bears lots of outdoor exhibits as well. It's an older zoo that's in transition - so you'll see modern exhibits as well as some holdover stuff that is not so great. Lots depends on your tolerance of cold. The zoo might be the most kid friendly place in Buffalo. The area around the zoo is Delaware park and there is a nice "ring road" that circles that portion of the park. Depending on weather and tolerance thereof - it's a nice relaxing walk especially with a toddler in a stroller and plenty of space to let your child wander.

The Buffalo Museum of Science might be another place to consider. It's geared toward older kids, but I think a 3 year old might do okay. There's a dinosaur room, lots of Native American stuff, Egyptian displays and lots preserved animals (Taxidermy). I would think a three year old would either sleep through it or be visually stimulated.

The Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens is a nice spot to visit. Again - at three, you never know. The garden is primarily indoors. It happens to be a Wegman's (local supermarket) Family Day there and while your child is a little younger than the target audience, it might be okay. There's lots to see and it's a pretty nice place.

There is also the Old First Ward St Patrick's Day Parade. What can I say - it's a parade in honor of St Patrick's Day in Buffalo. There will be the parade and the spectators and I'm not sure which is more entertaining. You will see tons of families, the parade of course, and tons of public drinking. Generally a good crowd in the St Patrick's Day spirit. The floats are generally home made so don't expect the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

As the previous poster mentioned - Canalside near the Fist Niagara Center has skating and horse and buggy rides. The mall that was referred to is likely the Walden Galleria. It is huge with lots of stores and restaurants. Not my favorite place but if you want to shop - that's a place to go for sure. If you are interested in shopping in a nice urban setting, head over to the Elmwood village on Elmwood Avenue in the city of Buffalo. Just check a map or the web. It's an old neighborhood that's trendy, active with lots of shops - many on the more eclectic side of things and many restaurants and eateries of all types. I could say the same thing for Allentown - located at Allen St and Elmwood Avenue

The Sens game is Friday, BTW. I know as I am going. StubHub tickets for the 300 level are around $20-30 at this point - which is not bad.

Good luck.
 
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zts1986

Registered User
Oct 3, 2006
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0
Hi folks, the wife decided we needed to get away from home for a bit so we are coming down Friday night and staying at the Clarion hotel near the airport around Cheektowaga?(sp) we are bringing our 3 year old with us and was wondering if you guys would share some family things to do while we are down or good shopping spots. Thanks in advance

Are you coming down for hockey or just a general visit? Sabres/Sens play in Buffalo Friday night. That would be something pretty cheap to do as tickets on StubHub are going for about $20 right now. Sabres play in Toronto on Saturday, so you could always find a place in the city to watch the game.

Weather looks like it'll be cold enough for the rink to be open at Canalside downtown. That area has a bunch of restaurants (Pizza Plant, 716, Liberty Hound, etc...) and the skating area is clean and fun. You can rent gear right there so no need to bring anything of your own. Would certainly be a good Saturday afternoon or night activity.

The Buffalo Museum of Science is nothing like the Ontario Science Centre up in Toronto, but it's still an excellent place to take a young kid. It's rarely extremely crowded and you get to get up close and personal with mummies and dinosaur bones and stuff. Definitely worth the visit.

Somebody here mentioned the Zoo...might be cold for that, but if you're willing it is again much, much smaller than the Toronto Zoo but also quite a bit cheaper.

The Galleria Mall will be your best bet for shopping. It's not far from your hotel. There are hundreds of shops and dozens of restaurants. You can definitely spend an afternoon in that place.

FYI, your hotel will be a hike from most of the things to do in the city...and the ride from the airport into the city is not a good representation of the city itself. Dont be too frightened by it, lol. It's expensive, but if you can swing it check out the Marriot downtown by Canalside. It'll be much closer to a lot of the thing you want to do.

Anyway, have fun and good luck!
 

zts1986

Registered User
Oct 3, 2006
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Scratch that about skating at Canalside. It's been shut down for the year as of today. Apparently nobody checked the weekend forecast. They could have been open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday!
 

Dex

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Are you coming down for hockey or just a general visit? Sabres/Sens play in Buffalo Friday night. That would be something pretty cheap to do as tickets on StubHub are going for about $20 right now. Sabres play in Toronto on Saturday, so you could always find a place in the city to watch the game.

Weather looks like it'll be cold enough for the rink to be open at Canalside downtown. That area has a bunch of restaurants (Pizza Plant, 716, Liberty Hound, etc...) and the skating area is clean and fun. You can rent gear right there so no need to bring anything of your own. Would certainly be a good Saturday afternoon or night activity.

The Buffalo Museum of Science is nothing like the Ontario Science Centre up in Toronto, but it's still an excellent place to take a young kid. It's rarely extremely crowded and you get to get up close and personal with mummies and dinosaur bones and stuff. Definitely worth the visit.

Somebody here mentioned the Zoo...might be cold for that, but if you're willing it is again much, much smaller than the Toronto Zoo but also quite a bit cheaper.

The Galleria Mall will be your best bet for shopping. It's not far from your hotel. There are hundreds of shops and dozens of restaurants. You can definitely spend an afternoon in that place.

FYI, your hotel will be a hike from most of the things to do in the city...and the ride from the airport into the city is not a good representation of the city itself. Dont be too frightened by it, lol. It's expensive, but if you can swing it check out the Marriot downtown by Canalside. It'll be much closer to a lot of the thing you want to do.

Anyway, have fun and good luck!

Great minds must think alike.... :laugh:
 

TehDoak

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Quick question for the recent matinee games. How busy is 716 bar before the afternoon games? Headed up for the WPG game and was thinking of heading there for lunch pre game.
 

SalaciousCrumb

Registered User
Dec 31, 2013
48
16
NYC
Born / raised in Bflo but a Flyers fan. Visiting this week, as always will be making a bline to LaNova's for a white pie. Best pizza in the world. Monge some wings down as well.

Rochester later in the week for a plate and Pontillos Garlic White with banana peppers.

Will be avoiding the scale for a little while.

Lets go Flyers!

Who is making the good loganberry now? Heard there is no more aunt rosie's? Blasphemy...
 

SalaciousCrumb

Registered User
Dec 31, 2013
48
16
NYC
Born / raised in Bflo but a Flyers fan. Visiting this week, as always will be making a bline to LaNova's for a white pie. Best pizza in the world. Monge some wings down as well.

Rochester later in the week for a plate and Pontillos Garlic White with banana peppers.

Will be avoiding the scale for a little while.

Lets go Flyers!

Who is making the good loganberry now? Heard there is no more aunt rosie's? Blasphemy...

Mission accomplished - and there is still Aunt Rosie's. Bravo Bflo.
 

BruinsFan1990

Registered User
Mar 29, 2016
2,536
1,458
Winthrop, MA
Going to be driving up to Buffalo for the draft next weekend. Any recommendations on good sports bars? I heard 716 was good, but too crowded/hard to get a seat.
 

ZZamboni

Puttin' on the Foil
Sep 25, 2010
15,399
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Buffalo, NY

BruinsFan1990

Registered User
Mar 29, 2016
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Winthrop, MA

jc17

Registered User
Jun 14, 2013
11,035
7,765
Appreciate the advice, even though I bleed black and gold. :laugh:



Somewhere near the airport... Pretty cheap deals out there. Is that a sketchy area?

Google Street View

There have been nicer hotel built you can see that the street itself isn't very pretty. But, as mentioned above you would be pretty close to nice places in Buffalo. Its also literally 2 minutes away from Buffalo's best Beef on Weck in my opinion.
 

aceface33

Registered User
Feb 10, 2006
8,360
34
Herkimer, NY
Anyone know how packed 716 is these days? I've never been but I'd like to see it and am visiting Buffalo in a few weeks. Would I be able to go in at around 4-5pm on a weekday with my family and get a table right away or would it be a wait?
 

ZZamboni

Puttin' on the Foil
Sep 25, 2010
15,399
1,449
Buffalo, NY
Anyone know how packed 716 is these days? I've never been but I'd like to see it and am visiting Buffalo in a few weeks. Would I be able to go in at around 4-5pm on a weekday with my family and get a table right away or would it be a wait?

I think you shouldn't have a problem unless there is some big event going on around that time. I don't know why you (and others who have asked me) don't just go online and make a reservation and be done with it. Then plan around the reservation :dunno:

Or wing it and hope there isn't a significant wait. Your call.

I just ate there yesterday while at Canalside for the Independence Day event. I walked right in at 6pm and got sat immediately. Good luck.
 

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