What Are You Doing This Weekend?
by Nancy Cardillo

If you’re looking for a weekend adventure that’s not too far from home, pack up the car and head for Western New York. Buffalo and Rochester offer much to see and do, whether you want a romantic getaway weekend for two or some quality time with the whole family.

Buffalo 
The City by the Lake

Whether you’re into professional sports or not, there’s still plenty to see and do in this historic, cultured city tucked away on the shores of Lake Erie in the far west corner of New York, just 20 minutes from Niagara Falls.
Some advance planning is needed for accommodations. The Lord Amherst Motor Hotel is located just off Interstate 90, and welcomes the whole family. There are clean, comfortable rooms, and the attached Shannon Pub features delicious family-oriented, home-style cooking.
If you’d rather stay in the heart of the city, both the Hyatt Hotel and the Radisson Suites Hotel are on Main Street, with convenient access to the Metro Rail. The Radisson features a TGI Friday’s• downstairs.
But if it’s just the two of you, try Beau Fleuve, one of Buffalo’s oldest bed and breakfasts (built in 1881). Five charming guest rooms—three with private baths—are cozily decorated in Victorian style. Enjoy a full complimentary breakfast before you start out exploring the city. 

Family Fun

There’s plenty to do in Buffalo that will please the entire family. The Amherst Museum—not far from the Lord Amherst—presents 19th century life on the Niagara Frontier via an old schoolhouse, a church and several decorated homes and buildings. Folks are dressed in period costumes, and have lots to tell about local history.
Downtown, the Buffalo Museum of Science features interactive exhibits that will let the kids relive millions of years of natural history. The next stop might be the Buffalo Zoo in Delaware Park, near the Museum, where there are more than 1,000 wild and exotic animals in a very natural setting. There’s interactive fun at the World of Wildlife Discovery Center, and regularly-scheduled live animal-keeper talks.
Of course, all this sightseeing and touring will make you work up an appetite. Did you know chicken wings were invented in Buffalo? And you can still enjoy a basket at the Original Anchor Bar. Or try another Buffalo classic: Chef’s, which offers a variety of affordable and delicious Italian dishes in a family-oriented and bustling atmosphere.
In the evening, plan to take the kids to the Theatre of Youth. Open year-round, this professional theater company is geared toward kids, and features daytime and evening performances. Or there’s the new IMAX• theaters if you want to relax and catch a movie after dinner.

For Just the Two of You

If it’s just you and your special someone looking for a change of scenery, Buffalo delivers. You might start your day by touring one of the three Frank Lloyd Wright homes being carefully restored. Or take a self-guided tour of the downtown architecture.  Tree-lined Delaware Avenue, once referred to as “Millionaire’s Row” because of its stately mansions, now houses many businesses, shops and restaurants. Be sure to walk over to the Elmwood Avenue “Strip” to visit the many interesting and different boutiques and restaurants. Antique shops abound. Enjoy a leisurely lunch at one of the many cafes along the way, such as Cafe Aroma.
In and around Delaware Park, which was designed by famous landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, you’ll find plenty to do and see. Stop in for an ice cream at the historic Delaware Park Casino on Hoyt Lake or play a round of golf at the 18-hole golf course. While in the park, you can rent two-person paddle boats (seasonal) and enjoy a lazy paddle around Hoyt Lake. Or bring the bikes and tour the park and enjoy a quiet picnic lunch.
Before you leave the park, be sure to stop by the newly-restored Albright-Knox Art Gallery. Considered one of the nation’s finest museums of modern art, the gallery is rich in American and European art of the past 50 years. The nearby Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society, site of the Pan-American Exposition in 1901, features more than 80,000 artifacts documenting the area’s cultural heritage.
On Sunday, you might want to tour Buffalo’s nearby historic Forest Lawn Cemetery, which features hills, lakes and streams among the many beautiful monuments, memorials and obelisks. You’re likely to come upon President Millard Fillmore on your tour, as well as other famous Buffalonians who make “appearances” to the delight of the tourists!
When the sun goes down, the lights come on! In the evening, dress up or dress down to enjoy the nightlife. Chippewa Street is the place to be if you like live jazz, new age or virtually any other kind of music. Art patrons will delight in the many choices of theaters in Buffalo’s famous Theatre District. The internationally acclaimed Buffalo Philharmonic regularly fills the acoustically-perfect Kleinhans Music Hall with music and song.   
For dinner, the Bijou Grille in the Theatre District, Just Pasta or The Left Bank are three favorites that offer great food and warm surroundings. For a more casual evening, pack a light picnic dinner and head back to Delaware Park for a performance of Shakespeare In The Park (seasonal).  



Rochester 
A World of Discovery 

About an hour east of Buffalo on Interstate 90 is Rochester, a stimulating city on Lake Ontario. This high-tech community has many links to the past, and offers visitors much to do and see.
Hotel accommodations for the family might include the Four Points Sheraton or the Hyatt Regency in downtown Rochester. A cozier idea for just the two of you might be 428 Mt. Vernon, a relaxing Victorian home with spacious rooms and private baths. Oliver Loud’s Inn is an elegantly restored 1812 stagecoach inn on the Erie Canal about 20 minutes from downtown Rochester.

For the Whole Family

Start your day by taking the kids to the Seneca Park Zoo for underwater viewing of polar bears, sea lions and more. If you brought the bikes, Seneca Park’s bike paths await. 
Farther into the city, you can climb to the top of the highest peak in the world at the Strasenburgh Planetarium, in the most successful large-format film ever made. The Rochester Museum & Science Center features three floors of hands-on science and exhibits.
The Strong Museum houses more than 500,000 objects of Americana, including dolls, toys, miniatures and more. Plan to come around lunchtime, and enjoy a nostalgic meal in the 1950s-style Skyliner Diner. The Sesame Street exhibit and One History Place feature interactive and hands-on learning activities. Kids can learn and play in the Super Kids Market, which is patterned after a real grocery store. Visit www.strongmuseum.org for more information. 
The newly-renovated Center at High Falls is a great place to get to know Rochester’s history. Read about the area’s history, geography and commerce. View interactive, 3D exhibits, a model flour mill and the talking camera.  Enjoy the stunning view from the pedestrian bridge of the falls or take in a baseball game at Frontier Field.
One of the many restaurants in the High Falls area would be perfect for dinner, including the Empire Brewing Company or Jillian’s, which features a sports bar, bowling alley and video game room.
Mario’s Via Abruzzi on Monroe Avenue provides one of the best family buffets in the area.
In the evening, the whole family can enjoy various cultural activities. The Eastman School of Music presents more than 700 free concerts each year, featuring local virtuosi and internationally-acclaimed guest artists. The GeVa Theatre produces the best in American drama, comedies, musicals and more. 

A Getaway for Two!

The two of you might want to start your day with a leisurely stroll through Highland Park, home to several varieties of flowers, including Rochester’s famous lilacs. Or, enjoy a round of golf at one of Rochester’s more than 40 well-manicured courses.  
On Park Avenue, you can wander in and out of many one-of-a-kind boutiques, antique stores and the unique Parkleigh Pharmacy, which features everything from cards to cappuccino machines to unusual gifts. The Big Apple and Charlie’s Frog Pond are cozy, quiet places with great food, and are within walking distance.
The George Eastman House, not far from Park Avenue, was once the home of the photographic pioneer, and now is the world’s leading photography and film museum. Down the street, the Memorial Art Gallery features 5,000 years of world art, as well as an indoor sculpture garden.
If you’d like to dress up for dinner, the Crystal Barn is an elegant setting featuring delicious food. The more pub-like Edwards, in downtown Rochester, is one of the city’s finest dining establishments.
So, when you’re planning a getaway weekend, head to Western New York. For more information, contact the Greater Buffalo Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1-800-BUFFALO or at www.buffalocvb.org  or the Greater Rochester Visitors Association at 716-546-6810 or on the web at http://visitrochester.com.  

Nancy Cardillo is a freelance writer born and raised in Rochester and currently living in Buffalo.  Nancy can be reached by email at nancy@morethanwords.org.