Driving Tours

• Gateway to the West: An Erie Canal Tour
• Built to Last: Buffalo Architecture Tour
• History, Mystery & Beauty: Buffalo Niagara Heritage Trail North
• History, Mystery & Beauty: Buffalo Niagara Heritage Trail South
• From Pedals to petals: A Gardens & Museums Tour
• Niagara River Magic Tour
• Here Comes the Fun: A Tour for Families
• War of 1812 Tour
• City of Good Neighbors: A Buffalo Day Trip
• Follow the North Star: A Day Trip to Canada
• Queen City of the Lakes: A Buffalo Day II
• You’ll Fall for the Falls: Niagara Lewsiton itinerary III

Looking for a day of fun and adventure?

The Buffalo Niagara Convention & Visitors Bureau has taken the guesswork out of planning your day's itinerary. Just pick one of our driving tours listed and head out on the highway.

You'll find history, mystery and beauty on the highways and byways of Buffalo Niagara.

GATEWAY TO THE WEST: AN ERIE CANAL TOUR

Start from the six-acre Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Park on Buffalo's waterfront, site of the original terminus of the Erie Canal. The Park features the missile cruiser USS Little Rock, the destroyer USS The Sullivans, and World War II submarine USS Croaker, along with several land-based exhibits. Then walk over to see the ruins and foundations of the original buildings on the Erie Canal, the catalyst responsible for the westward expansion and the rise of the industrial revolution in the United States. View the $64 million Erie Canal reclamation project currently underway which includes returning water to the original Commercial Slip, installing a replica bowstring bridge and further unearthing of Erie Canal-era building foundations.

Take I-190 north from Buffalo to the River Road exit, turn right and follow River Road to Main Street parking in Tonawanda to see the Benjamin Long Homestead (24 East Niagara Street), an 1829 Pennsylvania Dutch style residence built of hand-hewn black walnut walls and white oak beams.

From the Homestead, take the Webster Street Bridge to cross the Erie Canal and follow Webster north for five traffic signals to Thompson Street. Turn right on Thompson, right on Payne Avenue to Sweeney Street. Left on Sweeney leads you to the Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum (180 Thompson Street). Here an historic 1916 carousel offers rides and wood carvers demonstrate their art in the creation of new carousel animals.

From the Carrousel Museum, turn left onto Sweeney Street and follow the Erie Canal to Robinson Road. Turn right and follow to Niagara Falls Boulevard. Turn left (Route 62) and follow to Tonawanda Creek Road. A right will take you to the Amherst Museum. This 35-acre historic park has restored 19th century buildings and an array of indoor exhibits including the children's Discovery Room and Western New York Aviation Gallery.

Leaving the Amherst Museum continue east on Tonawanda Creek Road to Transit Road (Route 78) and turn left to Lockport. A major stopping point on the Erie Canal, Lockport is the site of the original "Famous Five" stair locks, an engineering marvel hewn out of rock to raise canal boats 56 feet up the Niagara Escarpment (at Ontario Street). While there, take in a narrated ride on a Lockport Locks & Erie Canal Cruises' tour boat along the Erie Canal and through the locks. Located at the base of the flight of locks the Lockport Canal Museum recounts the history of the Erie Canal. The Erie Canal Discovery Center down the street (24 Church Street) allows visitors to discover the important role that Lockport played in the Erie Canal. Visitors can also participate in several hands-on activities, observe additional canal displays and view a working replica of a canal lock.

Driving out of Lockport, take Route 31 east to Middleport. This quaint village boasts a fine cobblestone church plus several enticing restaurants and shops. In Medina, board the Niagara & Western New York Railroad Co. excursion, a narrated sightseeing tour along the old Erie Canal (June - September). From Medina, take Route 31E east to Albion, turn left onto Route 98 north and continue to the Cobblestone Museum Complex at Rts. 98 and 104. Seven historic buildings feature cobblestone masonry from the 1800s including a church, house, one-room school and blacksmith, print and harness shops.

Leave the Cobblestone museum driving south on Route 98 to the NYS Thruway (I-90) and take the Thruway back to Buffalo. To download a printer-friendly map, click on the Download PDF link to the left.

BUILT TO LAST: BUFFALO ARCHITECTURE TOUR

Buffalo is an internationally renowned city of architecture treasures. In fact, Buffalo is one of only two cities that can boast of buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Sullivan, and H.H. Richardson, the architects commonly considered America's greatest, and a parks and parkway system designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the father of American landscape architecture.

Begin your tour of Buffalo's architecture at the Buffalo Niagara Visitor Center at the Market Arcade (617 Main Street, Buffalo). From the Arcade's rear entrance on Washington Street proceed to Chippewa Street and turn right. Notice the terra cotta façade of the Calumet Building at the corner of Franklin. Turn left on Delaware to Niagara Square. Pass the McKinley Monument, built to honor the memory of President William McKinley who was assassinated in Buffalo at the Pan-American Exposition in 1901. Take in the Art Deco grandeur of Buffalo's City Hall. Continue around the Square to Delaware and on to Church Street. Go left. At Pearl Street you'll pass Louis Sullivan's Guaranty Building and Richard Upjohn's St. Paul's Cathedral before crossing the light-rail tracks of Main Street. On your right you'll see the Ellicott Square Building. At Ellicott Street you'll pass the Old Post Office, now the City Campus of Erie Community College.

Continue on South Division Street to Elm. Take a left and proceed north to Goodell Street. Take a left and proceed to Franklin Street past the Cyclorama Building. Take a right toward the Allentown district and notice the many beautifully restored homes from the late 19th century. At North Street take a left. At the corner of North and Delaware you'll pass by the Jacobs Executive Development Center (the former Williams-Butler Mansion) designed by the legendary firm of McKim, Mead and White and Mayfair Lane, designed by Buffalo's E.B. Green. When you reach Symphony Circle at the corner of North and Richmond notice the Birge Mansion on your right and the sleek modern architecture of Kleinhans Music Hall, designed by the renowned father and son collaborators, Eliel and Eero Saarinen.

Go through the intersection and make a left into the Music Hall parking lot. Return on North Street to Delaware Avenue. Turn left and take in the city's "Millionaire's Row," a breathtaking collection of turn-of-the-century homes. Continue north on Delaware to West Delavan Avenue. Turn right into Forest Lawn Cemetery. Drive or stroll through the beautiful grounds and visit the gravesite of President Millard Fillmore.

When you leave the cemetery, go straight onto West Delavan Avenue. Turn right onto Chapin Parkway and take in another stretch of spectacular residences. At Soldier's Circle bear right onto Lincoln Parkway. At Forest Avenue make a left and proceed past Elmwood Avenue to the light at Richmond Avenue. Take a right into the traffic circle for a view of H.H. Richardson's Buffalo Psychiatric Center, a Romanesque monument that towers over the city's West Side. Return on Forest Avenue to Elmwood Avenue. Take a left on Elmwood Avenue and pass the Albright-Knox Art Gallery. Take a right on Nottingham Terrace and pass the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society. Follow Nottingham to Amherst Street, turn right onto Amherst. Take a right on Parkside and pass the Buffalo Zoo. At Jewett Parkway go left two blocks to Frank Lloyd Wright's Darwin D. Martin House Complex, the most extensive residential complex Wright ever designed. To download a printer-friendly map, click on the Download PDF link to the left.

HISTORY, MYSTERY & BEAUTY: BUFFALO NIAGARA HERITAGE TRAIL NORTH

From downtown Buffalo go north on the I-190 and proceed to the Peace Bridge exit. Cross the Peace Bridge to Fort Erie, Ontario. After clearing Customs, turn right onto Goderich Street and go two blocks to Queen Street, turn right and proceed three blocks to the Niagara Parkway, one of the world’s great scenic drives. Take a left on the Parkway and head north towards Niagara Falls.

Continue into the city of Niagara Falls. Stop and take a cruise on the Maid of the Mist, for an up close view of the thundering cataract. Continue northward on your journey and you’ll come across one of the highlights of any trip along the Parkway – the Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens and the Butterfly Conservatory.

Continuing north on the Parkway, you’ll pass through Queenston with its distinctive memorial to General Sir Isaac Brock, a British hero of the War of 1812, and by vineyards and fruit stands selling locally-grown produce, jams, honey and baked goods. As you prepare to enter the quaint and historic village of Niagara-on-the-Lake, you’ll pass the Fort George National Historic Site, a restored British fort.

From Niagara-on-the-Lake return to New York State via the Queenston-Lewiston Bridge and head north along the Robert Moses Parkway to one of the jewels of the Great Lakes – Old Fort Niagara. Old Fort Niagara includes the oldest building on the Great Lakes and is a National Historic Landmark and New York State Historic Site.

Continue on to the final leg of the Trail along Route 18F North to Route 18 East along Lake Ontario through the pleasant lakeside towns of Wilson and Olcott. At Olcott, turn right (south) on Route 78 (Lockport-Olcott Road). Then turn right onto Wilson-Burt Road. The second left is McClew Road. At 2402 McClew Road you’ll find Murphy Orchards, a privately-owned fruit farm that is believed to have been an Underground Railroad safe house.

From Murphy Orchards, turn right onto McClew Road. At the end of the road turn left onto Ide Road. At the second right proceed onto Route 78. Go through Newfane to Lockport. At a fork in the road, bear left and pass over the Canal. Turn right onto Market Street and proceed to the foot of the hill. Stop at the Lockport Locks and Erie Canal Cruises (210 Market Street) for the opportunity to travel “15 miles on the Erie Canal” the way 19th century settlers moving west did. This narrated cruise along the Old Erie Canal takes a visitor along historic sites and through five original 1825 locks. Then continue down the street to the Erie Canal Discovery Center (24 Church Street), which allows visitors to discover the important role that Lockport played in the Erie Canal. Visitors can also participate in several hands-on activities, observe additional canal displays and view a working replica of a canal lock.

From the Lockport Locks, proceed on Market Street. Make a right on Main Street and then a left on Route 78. Go to Millersport Highway (Route 263). Proceed to I-990 South to I-290 East to I-90 West to Route 33 West to downtown Buffalo.

Proper documentation is required to cross the Canadian/US border. To download a printer-friendly map, click on the Download PDF link to the left.

HISTORY, MYSTERY & BEAUTY: BUFFALO NIAGARA HERITAGE TRAIL SOUTH

Begin your trip at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery at 1285 Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo. The Albright-Knox has been called “one of the world’s top international surveys of modern and contemporary painting and sculpture.”

Across the street from the Albright-Knox at the Burchfield-Penney Art Center (1300 Elmwood Avenue) you’ll find an outstanding collection of regional art built around the work of the great American watercolorist Charles Burchfield, best known for his romantic, often fantastic depictions of nature.

Just around the corner at 400 Forest Avenue, take in the soaring red Medina sandstone towers of H.H. Richardson’s Buffalo Psychiatric Center, a Romanesque monument that presides over the city’s West Side.

At the corner of Forest and Elmwood, go left and retrace your steps past the Albright-Knox and Burchfield-Penney. Take a right on Nottingham Terrace. Pass the Grecian columns of the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society. This is the only building remaining from Buffalo’s 1901 Pan-American Exposition. Continue on Nottingham alongside the Meadow of Frederick Law Olmsted’s Delaware Park, the centerpiece of his Buffalo parks system.

At Amherst Street, go right two blocks to Parkside Avenue, then right two blocks to Jewett Parkway. Proceed left on Jewett two blocks to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Darwin D. Martin House Complex. Currently undergoing an extensive renovation, the estate consists of the Martin House, the George Barton House and a modest two-story cottage known as the Gardener’s Cottage.

From Darwin and Isabelle Martin’s city house go south to their country getaway, Graycliff Estate, also designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Take a left on Parkside Avenue to the Scajaquada Expressway (Route 198) West. Take I-190 South to the New York State Thruway (I-90) West. Proceed to Exit 57 (Hamburg) to Route 75 North. Take a left onto Route 20 West. Proceed five miles and go right on South Creek Road. Follow South Creek to its end and follow the Graycliff signs. Situated on a 70-foot cliff overlooking Lake Erie in Derby, Graycliff served as Darwin and Isabelle Martin’s summer retreat from 1928 through the mid-‘40s.

From Graycliff, return to the New York State Thruway and go west to Exit 60 at Westfield. Take Route 394 east to Mayville and on to the Chautauqua Institution. Founded in 1874, Chautauqua is a National Historic Landmark and vibrant summer community.

From Chautauqua, continue east on Route 394 to Route 17/86. Use Jamestown exit 12, following Route 60 south. In Jamestown, turn left on Buffalo Street, left at Falconer Street, and left on Curtis Street. At 311 Curtis Street you’ll find the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History. Enjoy wildlife art and photography exhibitions or view the collection of the 20th century’s great naturalist and ornithologist, Dr. Roger Tory Peterson.

From Jamestown, return to Route 17/86 and go east to Salamanca. At Salamanca, head north on Route 219 through a landscape of lovely rolling hills and farms to the charming village of Ellicottville and its multi-block historic district.

Leaving Ellicottville, head east on Route 242. Turn left on Route 16 and head north to the lovely village of East Aurora, home to the National Historic Landmark Roycroft Inn and the Roycroft Copper Shop. The Roycroft Arts and Crafts Community was founded by writer-philosopher Elbert Hubbard in 1895 as a self-contained community, which supported hundreds of craftspeople. You’ll also find Vidler’s 5 and 10, an old-fashioned five and dime, an ice cream shop, a toy store and much more along charming Main Street.

To download a printer-friendly map, click on the Download PDF link to the left.

FROM PEDALS TO PETALS: A GARDENS AND MUSEUMS TOUR

From downtown Buffalo, go south on the New York State Thruway (I-190) to I-90 West. Take the Route 219 exit to Milestrip Road. Go east on Milestrip before taking a right on North Buffalo Road (Route 277) where you will begin your tour of the region's flower gardens and transportation museums with a stop at the Pedaling History Bicycle Museum (3943 North Buffalo Road, Orchard Park), the largest all-bicycle museum in the world.

From the museum, proceed south on Route 277 into the Village of Orchard Park. Take a right on W. Quaker St. (Route 20A) to South Park Avenue (Route 62). Take a right (north) on Route 62 into South Buffalo and stop at the Botanical Gardens of Buffalo & Erie County (2655 South Park Avenue). Here you'll find three historic attractions in one: Frederick Law Olmsted's South Park, the 1894 tri-domed glass conservatory building, and the Victorian-style gardens, both inside and out.

After completing your tour of the Botanical Gardens turn left (north) onto South Park Avenue (Route 62) and proceed into downtown Buffalo. Turn right onto Michigan Avenue and go eight blocks to the corner of Seneca Street. Here you'll find the Buffalo Transportation/Pierce-Arrow Museum (263 Michigan Avenue), dedicated to the preservation of Western New York-made automobiles, motorcycles and carriages, including Pierce-Arrows and Thomas Flyers.

Proceed three blocks north on Michigan Avenue to North Division Street. Take a left onto North Division and proceed across the light rail tracks of Main Street. Go four blocks to Lower Terrace. Take a left here, taking care not to make the left onto the Skyway entrance. Turn right onto Erie Street and proceed to the Erie Canal Harbor, home to the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park and the Erie Basin Marina Gardens, one of 20 test gardens throughout the United States.

From here, follow Erie Street to the New York State Thruway (I-190) North to Niagara Falls and the Niagara Aerospace Museum, 345 Third Street. Take I-190 north across the two branches of the Niagara River and across Grand Island. Follow the signs to the Robert Moses Parkway to downtown Niagara Falls, New York (a 25 minute drive). Take the Daly Boulevard exit and turn left onto Rainbow Boulevard. Proceed four blocks to Third Street and take a right to 345 Third Street. The Museum features a collection of aviation memorabilia and artifacts from the early days of aviation. If time allows, stop at Niagara Reservation State Park for a view of the Falls.

From the Aerospace Museum, proceed north on Third Street to Main Street (Route 104 East) going toward Lewiston. Turn right on College Avenue (Route 31) to Lockport (a 20 minute drive). In Lockport, turn right onto Transit Road (Route 78) and proceed south to the third traffic light, at Willow Street. Make a left onto Willow and proceed three blocks to stop sign at Locust Street. Turn right onto Locust. Stop at the Kenan Center (433 Locust Street), and tour the 19th century Victorian mansion and explore the 25-acre grounds.

From Lockport, continue south on Route 78 to Millersport Highway (Route 263). Proceed to I-990 South to I-290 East to I-90 West to Route 33 West to downtown Buffalo. To download a printer-friendly map, click on the Download PDF link to the left.

NIAGARA RIVER MAGIC TOUR

Travel to Niagara Falls from Main and Chippewa in Downtown Buffalo heading west on Chippewa, which becomes Georgia Street. Turn right onto Niagara Street and get onto the New York State Thruway at Niagara and Virginia Streets. Head north on the I-190 to the Robert Moses Parkway (exit 21) for approximately 15 miles toward the Niagara Reservation State Park . Head north and follow the signs to the State Park where you will begin your tour.

Start at Niagara Reservation State Park, on Goat Island. Here you will have access to Three Sisters Islands and Luna Island, bringing you within an arm's length of the mighty Upper Rapids and the majestic Falls themselves. Terrapin Point will give you a breathtaking view of the Canadian Horseshoe Falls. Take a spectacular guided trip to the base of the Falls on the Cave of the Winds tour. Take a stroll, or ride the New York State Park Viewmobile to the New York State Park Visitors Center.

Get another outstanding view of the Falls from the New York State Observation Tower at Prospect Point. Take the elevator down into the Niagara River Gorge, and take the ride of your life on the Maid of the Mist, a half-hour boat ride past the American, Bridal Veil, and Horseshoe Falls. Once back on shore, visit the Schoelkopf Geological Museum, where you will learn about the geological history of Niagara and its gorge.

Take the foot bridge over the Robert Moses Parkway, and within minutes, you are at the Aquarium of Niagara, the nation's first inland oceanarium. This family fun spot enables you to come face to face with many creatures of the deep, from sharks to sea lions, as well as rare Peruvian penguins. When you are finished at the Aquarium, follow Lewiston Road north to the Niagara Power Project Visitor's Center & Fishing Platform. You'll find hands-on displays, another breathtaking view of the gorge, and access to a fishing platform that enables you to fish for salmon, trout, walleye, and bass.

From here, take a short drive to the adjacent Niagara University campus, where you can browse through 20th century and contemporary art at the Castellani Art Museum. The museum also features Freedom Crossing, the Underground Railroad Regional Interpretive Center. Hop on the Robert Moses Parkway, north to Historic Lewiston and Artpark. Here you will find many unique shops, boutiques, and restaurants. Artpark (located at the foot of South 4th St.) is a cultural center where 200 acres are dedicated to the visual and performing arts. Enjoy a summer musical or dance performance, or take part in the various workshops and hands-on activities for adults and children. After a full day, head back to Buffalo for dinner.

To download a printer-friendly map, click on the Download PDF link to the left.

HERE COMES THE FUN: A TOUR FOR FAMILIES

Start your day at the Buffalo Zoo, (300 Parkside Avenue, North Buffalo) 23 acres of exotic and domestic animals, including a thriving gorilla troop, Indian rhinoceros, Asian elephants and the interactive World of Wildlife Center. During the summer months, Zoo guests have the opportunity for interactive fun at the Giraffe Feeding Station, WILD Place and Lorikeet Landing.

From the zoo parking lot, go right on Parkside Avenue to the Scajaquada Expressway (Route 198) West. Take Route 198 West to I-190 North. Follow I-190 to River Road (last exit before the Grand Island Bridge). Follow River Road to Thompson Street in North Tonawanda to the Herschell Carrousel Factory Museum at 180 Thompson Street. This is the only museum in the world housed in a carousel factory building. The building and the 1916 carousel are listed on the National Register of Historic Sites. Exhibits include two carousels and numerous hand-carved carousel characters.

Go back on to River Road to I-190 North. Proceed over the Grand Island Bridge to the Whitehaven Road exit. Go right on Whitehaven to Grand Island Boulevard. Take a left to 2400 Grand Island Boulevard and Martin's Fantasy Island. Experience more than 100 rides, shows and attractions in a clean, park-like setting. The Wild West Shoot-out never fails to enthrall the children in the crowd.

Return to I-190 North and proceed across Grand Island to Lewiston and the Niagara Power Project Power Vista. Get off at Exit 25B and follow the signs to Route 104 West (Lewiston Road). At the Power Vista (5777 Lewiston Road) you'll find 50 interactive exhibits about hydroelectricity and the historic role it has played in Niagara. Visit the Electric Lab where you can learn about the basics of electricity and tour a replica of a Victorian-era house that combines period architecture with information on energy efficiency and safety. A large terrain map demonstrates how Niagara River water is diverted to generate electricity. The Observation Deck provides visitors with a birds-eye view of the Gorge.

Return north on Lewiston Road to I-190 North. Follow the signs to Canada and the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge. After clearing Canadian Customs (be sure to bring birth certificates or passports) take an immediate right and then another right onto the Niagara Parkway. Go south along the Niagara River Gorge to the Butterfly Conservatory. The Butterfly Conservatory is home to one of North America's largest collections of free flying butterflies. This year-round exhibit showcases a wide variety of butterflies from around the world living in a lush, rain forest-like environment.

Take the Queenston-Lewiston Bridge back to the United States and follow the signs to the Robert Moses Parkway North. Follow the Parkway to Youngstown and Old Fort Niagara. Step back in time more than 300 years to a day when England and France vied for control of North America. Costumed reenactors bring history to life on the battlements of the oldest structure on the Great Lakes. If time allows, return to Lewiston for a ride on the Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours. Take the Robert Moses Parkway South to I-190 South to return to Buffalo.

To download a printer-friendly map, click on the Download PDF link to the left.

WAR OF 1812 TOUR

Sites for this historic tour are found on both the Canadian and American sides of the border. Because you will be traveling across an international border make sure you have proof of citizenship.

From Buffalo, take the Peace Bridge to Old Fort Erie, in Fort Erie, Ontario. The Niagara Parks Commission operates the reconstruction of the fort which was the site of a critical battle in the War of 1812. An on-site museum features military exhibits; costumed reenactors provide tours and perform military drills.

Follow scenic Niagara Parkway north to Chippewa, site of another critical battle, where the grey-clad troops of General Winfield Scott overcame the British and the legend of West Point's Long Grey Line was born. Continue along Niagara Parkway to Lundy's Lane, site of the fiercest and bloodiest engagement of the War of 1812, where several museums, historic sites, and the Laura Secord Burial Ground may be found.

Continuing north on Niagara Parkway, stop at lovely Queen Victoria Park in Niagara Falls, Ontario; then continue north to Brock's Monument in Queenston. Standing on the escarpment near where the falls began 12,000 years ago, the monument commemorates the death of British hero General Sir Isaac Brock, killed on this site during the Battle of Queenston Heights. An observation platform provides spectacular views of the gorge and surrounding country.

Furthest north on the Parkway is Niagara-on-the-Lake, a picturesque community where a major battle was fought when the United States invaded Canada in 1812. Today the town hosts the Shaw Festival from May to November. As you drive north through the town, visit Fort Mississaugua, Niagara Historical Museum, and Fort George. Then return south, still on Niagara Parkway and stop at the Laura Secord Homestead, home of the famous War of 1812 heroine. Visit the McFarland House, used as a hospital during that war, the building has been refurbished in the style of 1800-1848.

Proceed south on Niagara Parkway to the Lewiston-Queenston bridge into the U.S. Follow Robert Moses Parkway north to Rt. 18F to Old Fort Niagara . This National Historic Landmark was occupied by the French, British and Americans at various times. The oldest structure is the French Castle, which dates to 1726. Costumed interpreters provide demonstrations daily, and historic re-enactors hold encampments during summer months.

Return via the Robert Moses Parkway and follow signs to I-190 south to Buffalo.

Proper documentation is required to cross the Canadian/US border. To download a printer-friendly map, click on the Download PDF link to the left.

AFRICAN AMERICAN HERITAGE TOURS

CITY OF GOOD NEIGHBORS: A BUFFALO DAY TRIP

The city of Buffalo offers its guests a mix of heritage, cultural and entertainment options. Begin your tour with breakfast at Mattie’s Restaurant, (1412 Fillmore Avenue). After breakfast, proceed south on Fillmore Avenue and turn right on North Hampton Street where you will arrive at the Buffalo Museum of Science (1020 Humboldt Parkway). For more than 140 years, the Buffalo Museum of Science has provided learning experiences for its visitors by showcasing scientific collections and national traveling exhibits.

From the museum, turn right onto West Parade Street. Turn right onto Best Street. Turn left onto Route 33 West. Exit at Goodell Street. Turn left on Michigan Avenue/Harriet Tubman Way and look for the Michigan Street Baptist Church (511 Michigan Avenue). Built in 1845, it is the oldest structure in Western New York that was built for and continuously occupied by African Americans. It was a legendary rest stop on the Underground Railroad. It was also a meeting place for 19th Century abolitionists.

Next, take Michigan Avenue, turning right onto Broadway and then right onto Nash Street. Arrive at The Nash House (36 Nash Street). Reverend J. Edward Nash, Sr. was the pastor of the Michigan Street Baptist Church from 1892-1953. Reverend Nash’s statewide and national reputation allowed him to host national civil rights leaders like Booker T. Washington. W.E.B. DuBois and many others. A wealth of speeches, notes and letters have been preserved highlighting Buffalo Niagara’s importance to the nation’s civil rights movement.

From the Nash House proceed south on Nash Street. Turn right onto William Street. Turn left onto Michigan Avenue until you arrive at the Buffalo Transportation/Pierce-Arrow Museum (236 Michigan Avenue). Visitors will steer their way through a myriad of impeccable Pierce-Arrow and Thomas Flyer vintage cars.

Return north on Michigan Avenue. Turn left onto Goodell Street. Turn right onto Main Street. Turn left onto Allen Street for lunch at the Palm Tree Caribbean Restaurant (69 Allen Street) or another of the many restaurants in the neighborhood.

Within walking distance are El Museo (91 Allen Street) and an assortment of specialty boutiques. El Museo is dedicated to the exhibition of art by Latin, Caribbean, African American and other artists of color. After a tour of the shops, turn right on Elmwood Avenue and arrive at Albright-Knox Art Gallery (1285 Elmwood Avenue). The Albright-Knox enjoys a worldwide reputation as an outstanding center of modern art. Or, enjoy an afternoon at the Buffalo Zoo (300 Parkside Avenue). Continue north on Elmwood Avenue past the Albright-Knox and turn right onto Nottingham Terrace. Turn right onto Amherst Street and right again on Parkside Avenue. Enter the Zoo parking lot at Jewett Parkway.

For dinner try any of the great number of restaurants on nearby Hertel Avenue. Greek coffee shops, Italian restaurants, pizza, chicken wings can all be found in this friendly neighborhood. To download a printer-friendly map, click on the Download PDF link to the left.

FOLLOW THE NORTH STAR: A DAY TRIP TO CANADA

Start your day with breakfast at EM Tea Coffee Cup Café (80 Oakgrove Avenue), then onward to the Peace Bridge and Canada. Follow East Delavan to Main Street. Go right onto Main until you reach Humboldt Parkway. Take a left and merge onto Route 198/Scajaquada Expressway. Follow the 198 to the New York State Thruway/I-190 South. Follow the signs to the Peace Bridge. After a toll and Customs check, make an immediate right onto Goderich Street and go two blocks to Queen Street. Turn right and proceed three blocks to the Niagara Parkway, one of the world’s great scenic drives. Stop at Mahoney Dolls House Gallery (657 Niagara Boulevard). Its basement is said to have a tunnel used by the Underground Railroad for smuggling slaves escaping from the United States.

Continue on to the St. Catharines Museum. Return to the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) via Goderich Street and proceed toward Toronto. Exit at Route 89 Glendale Avenue. Turn right on Glendale. Go left on York Avenue. Follow York, then make a right on Route 55/Niagara Stone Road. At the first left, turn onto Steward Road/Route 86. Make a left on Carlton Street. Take Carlton past bridge to Welland Avenue. Arrive at St. Catharines Museum (1932 Welland Canals Parkway). The Follow the North Star exhibit chronicles the story of slaves who fled the United States into Canada via the Niagara. Next, visit Salem Chapel British Methodist Episcopal Church (92 Geneva Street). Through its association with Harriet Tubman, Salem Chapel played an important role in the abolitionist movement in Canada.

Visit the lovely village of Niagara-on-the-Lake via the QEW South and Route 55. Spend the afternoon visiting wineries and enjoying the specialty shops, or see a production at the internationally-acclaimed Shaw Festival. Shaw offers a dazzling variety of live theatre, from George Bernard Shaw to Oscar Wilde and their contemporaries. Niagara-on-the-Lake is a beautifully preserved 19th century village great for walking and window shopping. There are several wineries close by that offer free tours. There are many excellent restaurants for lunch or dinner.

Return to Fort Erie and the Peace Bridge via the scenic Niagara Parkway. This lovely stretch of road will take you through the charming village of Queenston, past the extraordinary Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens, the Butterfly Conservatory, and into downtown Niagara Falls, Ontario. Stop and walk through Queen Victoria Park and along the edge of the Niagara Gorge before heading south along the Parkway. Follow the signs to the Peace Bridge and back to Buffalo.

To download a printer-friendly map, click on the Download PDF link to the left.

QUEEN CITY OF THE LAKES: A BUFFALO DAY II

Start the day off with breakfast at Gigi’s Restaurant (257 E. Ferry Street). After a soulful feast, go west on Ferry Street until you arrive at Broderick Park. Slaves gathered here to cross the Niagara River to freedom in Canada.

Continue on to Erie Basin Marina Gardens and the Buffalo & Erie County Naval and Military Park. Leaving Broderick Park, turn right onto Niagara Street into downtown Buffalo. Turn right onto South Elmwood Avenue. Cross Church Street to the Lower Terrace and turn right on Erie Street. Walk the Erie Basin Marina Gardens, which have the distinction of being one of 25 All-American Rose Selection test gardens in the United States. Specialty annual flowers include over 200 worldwide varieties.

Stroll along the beautiful banks of the Buffalo River and visit the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park. It is the largest inland naval park of its kind in the United States and home to the guided missile cruiser USS Little Rock (which houses an African American Soldiers exhibit), the destroyer USS The Sullivans and submarine, USS Croaker.

The Buffalo Harbor Cruises are docked nearby. Narrated tours and dining cruises will take you onto Lake Erie and the Black Rock Canal where you can view Buffalo’s lovely skyline and the 1833 Lighthouse. Lunch or a snack is available at the Hatch in the middle of the rose garden.

From the Marina, make your way to Tifft Nature Preserve, one of the largest urban nature preserves in the United States. From Erie Street turn left onto Bingham Street (directly under highway overpass). Turn left at Church Street, followed by another left onto 190 South. Bear right towards Route 5/Lackawanna. Exit at Tifft Street/Fuhrman Boulevard. Turn left onto Tifft Street. Make an immediate left onto Ohio Street. Arrive at Tifft Nature Preserve (1200 Fuhrman Boulevard). This 264-acre habitat features walking trails, a 75-acre freshwater cattail march and attracts over 200 species of birds annually.

Departing from Tifft, go right onto Ohio Street, then left on Fuhrmann Blvd.Take Route 5 West to Ridge Road Exit. Turn left on Ridge Road. Then make a left on South Park Avenue and arrive at Buffalo & Erie County Botanical Gardens (2655 South Park Avenue). Take a stroll through the most intact Frederick Law Olmsted landscape and arboretum in the country. Exotic horticultural treasures from different climates can be found in the Victorian tri-domed conservatory, one of only two crystal palaces left designed by Lord & Burnham in an Olmsted-designed park.

A short walk away, you’ll find Our Lady of Victory Basilica and National Shrine (2760 South Park Avenue). This Roman Catholic church is an exquisite combination of Italian Renaissance and French Baroque styles. You’ll be amazed by this architectural masterpiece.

For dinner try the Caribbean fare at nearby Curly’s Bar and Grill (647 Ridge Road).

Proper documentation is required to cross the Canadian/US border.

To download a printer-friendly map, click on the Download PDF link to the left.

YOU’LL FALL FOR THE FALLS: NIAGARA LEWISTON ITINERARY III

After breakfast at the Towne Restaurant (186 Allen Street) you’ll be ready for a day of fun in Niagara Falls. Start on Allen Street and turn left on Elmwood Avenue. Turn right onto Church Street and immediately onto the New York State Thruway/I-190 North towards Niagara Falls. Proceed to the Robert Moses Parkway North/Buffalo Ave. Exit. Continue towards Niagara Reservation State Park entrance. Proceed to the Visitor Center and purchase tickets to one of the world’s great tourist attractions, the Maid of the Mist. This world famous cruise will take you to the very heart of the thundering Horseshoe Falls. It’s a fantastic journey through crashing water and alongside massive rocks.

Next, visit the Cave of the Winds. You’ll take an elevator to the base of the American Falls, where you’ll be led by a tour guide on a series of twisting and turning trails and catwalks that will bring you a mere ten feet from the billowing torrents of the Bridal Veil Falls. Feel the rushing water looming above, dousing you with a generous spray as you face the thundering Falls head-on. Rainbows are visible day and night.

Have lunch at one of the assortment of eateries in the Park before departing for historic Lewiston. From Niagara Street, turn left onto Rainbow Blvd. North and continue onto Robert Moses Parkway North. Exit at Lewiston/Artpark. Turn left on Center Street before taking a left onto South Fifth. Turn left onto Cayuga Street and look for the First Presbyterian Church of Lewiston (505 Cayuga Street). The church gave shelter to runaway slaves and conducted them to freedom in Canada. Today, an Underground Railroad sculpture stands in the front of the church. While in Lewiston, visit the Castellani Art Museum that features Freedom Crossing, the Underground Railroad Regional Interpretive Center.

For some afternoon excitement, take a ride on the Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours (115 S. Water Street). Going back towards South Fifth, turn left on Center Street and drive to the end of the street. Turn left on South Water Street and look for the Jet Boat dock. Passengers six and up will enjoy an hour-long whitewater adventure through the Niagara Gorge.

To end your day, take a tour of Murphy’s Orchards, a historic safe house on the Underground Railroad that remains virtually unchanged from the mid-1800s. Follow Center Street until it becomes Ridge Road. Turn left on Ewings Road, make another left on McKee Road before turning right on West Creek Road. Make a left on Ide Road, then turn right on McClew Road to arrive at Murphy’s Orchard (2402 McClew Road). The barn that harbored slaves in its secret hideaway still offers a profound experience for a visitor.

To download a printer-friendly map, click on the Download PDF link to the left.