The 350-acre Delaware Park is a centerpiece of Buffalo’s Olmsted Parks System. Like New York City’s Central Park, Delaware Park connects Buffalo’s cultural district to recreational opportunities along a two-mile path that meanders around lakes, gardens, and meadows. On busy days, parking near the park’s most popular attractions can be challenging, so consider parking near Meadow Drive, which encircles the recreation fields near the Buffalo Zoo. Alternatively, parking is available along Lincoln Parkway and Rumsey Street near Hoyt Lake. The Buffalo AKG Art Museum (formerly the Albright-Knox Art Gallery) has an underground parking garage for patrons. The Buffalo History Museum offers parking for those interested in starting their visit at the museum, the Japanese Garden, or Mirror Lake.
You may also enjoy our guide to exploring the Queen City at Buffalo’s waterfront, including Canalside and Outer Harbor.
Plan Your Day Trip to Buffalo
Breakfast
Stop by The Original Pancake House in Williamsville for a satisfying meal featuring its signature oven-baked Dutch Baby pancakes and other traditional breakfast dishes. Afterward, take a short walk through Glen Park to see a 30-foot waterfall in the heart of the village.
Morning
Start the day with a self-guided driving tour of Forest Lawn Cemetery, featuring the Blue Sky Mausoleum, Frank Lloyd Wright’s design. Along the way, you’ll see historic monuments and notable graves, including William Pryor Letchworth, Red Jacket, and President Millard Fillmore. After exploring the cemetery, drive a mile north on Main Street to join a 75-minute guided tour of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House.
Lunch
The Terrace at Delaware Park, overlooking Hoyt Lake, is open for lunch on Friday and brunch on Saturday and Sunday. If you visit earlier in the week, drive to Kostas Family Restaurant, Royal Family Restaurant, or Sophia’s Restaurant.
Afternoon
On the park’s west side, spend a few hours exploring the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. The museum campus combines the 1905 Albright Art Gallery, the 1962 Knox Building, and the contemporary 2023 Gundlach Building. Its internationally recognized collection traces modern and contemporary art from the nineteenth century to the present. Alternatively, rent a flamingo paddle boat or rowboat from Hoyt Lake Boat Rentals, operated seasonally by the Buffalo Maritime Center. Then walk or drive to the northwest corner of Delaware Park to visit The Buffalo History Museum and the Japanese Garden on Mirror Lake. The area is especially popular during the Cherry Blossom Festival in late April and during peak fall color in October.
Dinner
Stay in Buffalo long enough to enjoy dining at Left Bank, Ristorante Lombardo, Duff’s Famous Wings, or Anchor Bar.
Evening
Enjoy a Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra performance at Kleinhans Music Hall, a landmark mid-century modern concert hall beside a reflecting pool that mirrors the Mary Seaton Room’s curved façade. The water, drained in the fall and refilled in the spring, is dyed black to enhance its reflectivity.
Signature Events
Dyngus Day in April brings one of the nation’s largest Dyngus Day celebrations to Buffalo on the Monday after Easter. Buffalo’s Polish-American community celebrates the end of Lent and the arrival of spring with parades, polka music, pierogi, and playful pussy willows.
The Cherry Blossom Festival in late April celebrates spring at The Buffalo History Museum and the Japanese Garden in Delaware Park, where cherry trees bloom around Mirror Lake.
The Allentown Arts Festival in mid-June fills historic Allen Street with artists, live music, food, and artisan vendors.
Taste of Buffalo in early July brings more than 40 restaurants, food trucks, and wineries to downtown Buffalo for a free two-day festival. Food tastings are available for purchase.
Garden Walk Buffalo in late July opens more than 300 private and public gardens in Buffalo’s Elmwood Village and Parkside neighborhoods for self-guided tours.
The Erie County Fair in mid-August celebrates the region’s agricultural heritage with livestock competitions, concerts, demonstrations, exhibits, midway rides, and the World’s Largest Demolition Derby. Organized by the Erie County Agricultural Society since 1819, the Hamburg fair is also associated with the claimed origin of the hamburger in 1885.
The National Buffalo Wing Festival on the weekend before Labor Day celebrates Buffalo’s signature dish at Sahlen Field with wing vendors, live music, contests, demonstrations, and the United States Chicken Wing Eating Championship.
Contact Information
Anchor Bar 1047 Main St., (716) 883-1134, anchorbar.com
Buffalo AKG Art Museum 1285 Elmwood Ave., (716) 882-8700, buffaloakg.org
The Buffalo History Museum 1 Museum Court, (716) 873-9644, buffalohistory.org
Delaware Park Meadow Drive, bfloparks.org
Duff’s Famous Wings 3651 Sheridan Drive, Amherst, (716) 834-6234, duffswings.com
Forest Lawn Cemetery 1990 Main St., (716) 309-4513, forest-lawn.com
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House 125 Jewett Parkway, (716) 856-3858, martinhouse.org
Glen Park 5565 Main St., (716) 632-4120, walkablewilliamsville.com
Hoyt Lake Boat Rentals (Buffalo Maritime Center) Hoyt Lake, Delaware Park, (716) 395-1272, buffalomaritimecenter.org
Kleinhans Music Hall (Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra) 3 Symphony Circle, (716) 885-5000, kleinhansbuffalo.org
Kostas Family Restaurant 1561 Hertel Ave., (716) 838-5225, kostasfamilyrestaurant.com
The Left Bank 511 Rhode Island St., (716) 882-3509, leftbankrestaurant.com
The Original Pancake House 5479 Main St., Williamsville, (716) 634-5515, ophwny.com
Ristorante Lombardo 1198 Hertel Ave., (716) 873-4291, ristorantelombardo.com
Royal Family Restaurant 1320 Sheridan Drive, (716) 873-0056, theroyalfamilyrestaurant.com
Sophia’s Restaurant 715 Military Road, (716) 248-1235
The Terrace at Delaware Park 199 Lincoln Parkway, (716) 886-0089, terracebuffalo.com
Explore More
Explore Buffalo’s Waterfront
From Canalside to Outer Harbor and RiverWorks to Silo City, there are a dozen excellent day trips from Rochester along Buffalo's waterfront.
Buffalo AKG Art Museum
Buffalo AKG Art Museum offers a world-class modern and contemporary art experience on the edge of Delaware Park.
Explore Niagara Falls, USA
Visitors travel far and wide to see Niagara Falls State Park, America’s first state park, and we are fortunate to drive there in 90 minutes.
Where are your favorite places to explore around Buffalo’s Delaware Park?
I’d love to hear from you—please reach out and share your thoughts and experiences.
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See you out there!
Debi
Enjoy the Journey Together!
