With so much to see and do in the Western New York area, we’re hitting the road and taking you along for the ride! Let’s skip out on the long lines at the airport and those dreaded layovers and delve a little deeper into our own backyards. Buckle up and get ready to explore, because we’re making a weekend out of it (at least)!
If you’re in the Buffalo area, there’s no better place to start than the Curtiss Hotel. Luxuriate in the 5-star boutique setting with a perfect Buffalo staycation package. Wind down during happy hour on their Vue Rooftop Lounge and perhaps peruse their amenities menu for a dozen chocolate strawberries or a charcuterie board you can’t go wrong with!
During your stay, spend some time exploring all that the Queen City has to offer! A pitstop at Buffalo Gal is the prime time to stock up on (or restock on) some plant-based, cruelty free skincare. Their Every Day Glow Glow Getter Serum puts a little pep in your step, and their Gemstone Bath Bomb is the perfect way to welcome yourself home after a weekend out and about—they also make for great gifts! (Don’t forget, check out the latest issue of Buffalo Home for $5 off any $25 purchase! Valid in-store and online.)
Body & Mind Massage offers a slew of facials guaranteed to help you feel relaxed and refreshed, and why not try out some Cupping Therapy? It’s great for reducing pain and inflammation! (They also offer gift certificates!)
Looking for a little retail therapy as well? Spruce on Main offers home décor and fashionable apparel, including this super comfortable maxi skirt! If you’re on vacation but still thinking of home, Julie Muscato Home & Gifts is a prime spot to check out when it comes to furniture and interior design, as is curated. by JUSTINTERIORS on the Eastside, with what they refer to as “an eclectic mix of new and vintage pieces.” Janis Reed Interiors focuses on designs inspired by you, whether you’re looking for a remodel or building a new home from the ground up, and Sequels is reinventing the way we think about consignment furniture!
Get out and browse Rustic Buffalo Artisan Market, featuring over 110 local artisans! Grab a snack while you shop and enjoy their themed Saturdays throughout the summer, and join them for their Fall Harvest Sip & Shop Extravaganza on August 27th & 28th to help kick fall off right. Stacy K Floral has no shortage of floral and foliage for the home—also good to keep in mind if you have a shower or wedding coming up!
More interested in history than shopping? No sweat! The Martin House is one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpieces located right in Buffalo. With seasonal, behind the scene, and self-guided tours, the options to explore this magnificent home, built between 1903 and 1905 with a number of creative design elements, are endless. The National Susan B Anthony Museum in Rochester also allows its visitors to delve into the home of one of our country’s more prominent activists with guided, interpreted tours.
The National Soaring Museum in Elmira lets you take off without ever leaving the ground, all while exploring the history of non-motorized flight. Out in Geneva, celebrate history and storytellers with Historic Geneva and their summer exhibits! Engage with history and heritage all in one place. Take a moment to delve into the arts at Pittsford Fine Art, located on the corner of Main and State Streets in Pittsford, where you can browse the works of local artists or even sign up for a class! The Rochester Brainery is also the perfect place to take a class and expand your knowledge if you’re looking to stay in the Rochester area. Browse their monthly calendar and challenge yourself to a DIY Project or Cooking Class!
Orleans County is rocking out this summer with a slew of live music and exciting events! Check out the concert series, cycle the trails, or dive into history—no matter what you’re into, County Tourism has you covered. (Looking to fish? Be sure to check out the fishing seasons and ensure your license is up to date!)
If you’ve worked up a thirst, don’t miss out on Locale Wine Tours to explore Lake Erie’s wine country. The Niagara Wine Trail also stretches across the county and leads you right to Black Willow Winery with their wine slushies! Try out a wine and cheese (or wine and chocolate!) pairing while you figure out just want to do for dinner, or consider venturing out to Young Lion Brewery, which is perfect for a pitstop if you’re looking for a nightcap or want to try out their Watermelon Prickly Pear Nose Sour! With two locations, The Farmhouse Brewery offers flights with 25 taps, most of which are their own small batch brews. The options are just about endless!
Down by the water, Little Lake Brewing gives you a spot to grab a coffee, beer, and pastry, all in one go, located right on the scenic Conesus Lake. On the flip side, if you head up toward Braddock Bay, Docksiders Pub & Oven offers waterfront dining—you can even come by boat or jet ski if you’re up for it!
In your travels, you might find yourself in Caledonia at Reminisce Diner. Step back in time to the 1950s with hand-pressed burgers, fish fries, and all the nostalgia you can handle! When it comes to food and fine dining, Farmer's Creekside Tavern & Inn can’t be beat. Fully restored and expanded, they offer the perfect spot to grab a drink, a bite to eat, and a place to stay with views of the Oatka Creek!
Tony D’s food and wine list is also one of our favorites, and you can cheers right on the Genesee River while you debate whether the Arancini with Prosciutto and Pine Nuts or Jumbo Meatballs with Ricotta are better. (Spoiler: they’re both delicious!)
If you’re looking to get away for a weekend, Roycroft Inn in the heart of East Aurora offers historic dining and luxury suites. If you plan your visit just right, you may even arrive just in time for some community events! With the slogan “Nothing Else Comes Close,” Seneca Niagara Casino is your home away from home—try your hand at a Blackjack table, lose yourself in music and nightlife, or simply enjoy an evening out.
For something on the quieter side, located on the edge of Letchworth State Park, Letchworth Farm offers a bed & breakfast lodging experience. The options for activities are endless, whether you’re up for mountain biking, hiking, or want to check out one of their trail rides!
Summertime is the perfect time to really get out and experience nature. Discover Cayuga Lake offers tours and immersive educational programs in “environmental literacy.” More than a zoo, Prehistoric World will also expand your experience with the natural world!
A little-known gem right in the heart of Western New York is the town of Perry, New York. Tucked right into the foothills, the town offers an entrance to Letchworth State Park and is a mile from Silver Lake. With a host of small, locally owned shops, your shopping local is guaranteed to support local as well! Ration Wine Bar makes every hour happy hour; Butter Meat Co. offers prime dairy meat packages, and Silver Lake Brewing Project answers the question: “what will my flight be today?”
The town also answers the question, "where do you feel like shopping?” Biblio-Tech Cafe is an independent bookstore, great for a quick coffee and your next favorite read, and Loch Life will help you stock up on appeal and novelty items featuring the area! Eleven Covington and Family Furniture are perfect spots for when you’re looking for just the right piece to tie your living room together. (Spend a day getting to know some of the critters of our world with the aforementioned Prehistoric World, located in Perry!)
Perry is host to a number of options for an overnight stay, whether that’s Silverlaken Estate, The Club at Silver Lake, or the Dell Collective! (Or even extend your stay in a more permanent manner with a visit to NextHome Brixwood and see what properties they have to offer!) Dell Collective’s concept lets you totally immerse yourself in your surroundings—in fact, you’ll be so cozy you’ll forget you aren’t at home!
Your local dream stay awaits, whether that’s through Airbnb, word of mouth, or wherever you happen to wander for a night or a weekend. Heading home? That experience can be just as wondrous as your time spent wandering and seeing the sights. Take the long way home—take the backroads, follow a detour, and find all of the pitstops you can. Catch a couple fireflies, sit in the sun, or just explore what you may not have even realized what was in your own backyard.
Now tell me, didn’t that beat an eight hour layover?
