Buffalo, New York must rank high on the list of misnamed American cities. Say its name to most people and they'll think you're referring to the hairy creature that once dominated the middle of the North American continent. No such animals can be found within the city's environs; instead, unexpected beauty and friendliness abound.

Strictly speaking, Buffalo is geographically closer to Cleveland, Ohio, than it is to New York City. That salient fact helps to explain much of the city's esprit de corps - Buffalo is, in its heart of hearts, a city of the Midwest, and it has far more in common with, say, Chicago, than it does with the great Eastern metropolises. Benefits and drawbacks attend this reality. On the one hand, Buffalo boasts the resources of a much larger city (in part because it used to be a lot larger). On the other hand, Buffalo can feel like a bleak and forlorn industrial wasteland, bypassed by both commerce and industry.

To pass by Buffalo, though, is to miss the hidden gems littered throughout the city. While not generally thought of as a culinary center, Buffalo has made two definite contributions to the collective hardening of America's arteries. Exhibit A: the Buffalo wing. Invented by accident at the Anchor Bar in the 1960s, the chance to dig into the original thing (at the Anchor bar, no less) is one compelling reason to at take a break from the interstate. A second - and less well-known - reason is the beef on weck sandwich. Think of rare, juicy roast beef, piled high on sandwich with a salty bun. It's good. Try it at the Charlie the Butcher's (a local chain). You won't regret it.

Buffalo is also famous for the Bills and the Sabres, as well as the oft-overlooked Albright-Knox Art Gallery, a fine home of many 19th and 20th century masterpieces. Buffalo also boasts a decent nightlife scene, courtesy of State University of New York (SUNY) Buffalo students and Chippewa Street. Also of note - the easy proximity to Niagara Falls, a mere 20 minutes up the highway from downtown Buffalo. Go in the warm weather months, and be sure to ride Maid of the Mist. The Canadian Falls are more spectacular than the American Falls, but both are well worth the trip. Niagara itself is not much to look at - a small, down-on-its-luck (almost literally, given the casinos across the Falls in Canada) city that seems to eke out a living on tourist traffic and border customs control.

In truth, the best time to visit Buffalo (and Niagara) is during the summer. Buffalo is famous for its beautiful park system, and the city plays host to Taste of Buffalo (the second largest outdoor food festival in the U.S., after the Taste of Chicago). In many respects, Buffalo feels like a smaller version of Chicago. Day to day costs are low, people are friendly, and when the weather is pleasant, Buffalo can be irresistibly beautiful. Go for a summer weekend visit. You might be pleasantly surprised by what you find.

Posted about 1 year ago