East Aurora feels locked in time. From Vidler’s 5 and 10 to the Aurora Theatre to the Roycroft Arts & Crafts movement, the early 1900s are alive and well on Main Street US-20A and ready to enjoy.
If you love those heartwarming Hallmark holiday movies, then you must watch A Prince For Christmas, which was filmed throughout East Aurora. You’ll recognize Vidler’s, Knox Farm, and the Roycroft Inn to name a few.
Plan Your Day Trip to East Aurora
Breakfast
Start your day at Elm Street Bakery, Charlie’s Diner, or Taste Bistro & Coffee Bar.
Morning
Lined with boutiques, restaurants, and historical sites, a walk along the one-mile stretch of Main Street between Olean St and Buffalo Rd, plus a few side street detours, reveals much of what East Aurora has to offer.
The Roycroft Campus and Elbert Hubbard Museum around the corner provide insight into one of America’s most successful Arts and Crafts movement communities. The Campus contains nine of the original fourteen structures, including the Inn, Chapel, Print Shop, Furniture Shop, and Copper Shop.
Turning down Riley Street, you’ll find Fisher-Price Toy Store on Girard Ave. Founded in 1930, East Aurora is still Fisher-Price’s headquarters.
Find the Millard Fillmore House on Shearer Ave, the only home in the country still standing that a president built with his own hands.
Lunch
For a proper introduction to (716)-country cuisine, try the Buffalo Wings at The Bar-Bill Tavern or the Beef on Weck at The Globe. Or, head to Kornerstone Café and Juice Bar, Left Coast Taco, or Riley Street Station, a gastropub inside a charmingly repurposed train depot.
Afternoon
Explore Main St shops like Nigh Road Farmhouse, Beulah’s General Store, The Toy Loft, Head Over Heels, Fowler’s Chocolates, and Vidler’s 5 and 10, the world’s largest 5 & 10 variety store.
Taste local brews at 42 North Brewing Company and Aurora Brew Works.
Catch a matinee at Aurora Theatre with their delicious popcorn. Also, check out the extraordinary historic murals in the lobby.
Or head a mile west of the village on Buffalo Rd to enjoy a stroll through historic Knox Farm State Park. Situated on a former country estate, the park’s 633 acres are comprised of a variety of habitats, including 400 acres of grasslands (pastures and hayfields), and 100 acres of woodlands, ponds and several wetland areas.
Walk the paved pathways between the barns and the estate mansion, past the six-acre dog park and nursery. Or, wander miles of bucolic meadow and woodland trails. This extraordinary park is managed by the Friends of Knox Farm.
Dinner
Enjoy a meal at Pasquale’s Italian Restaurant, The Griffon Gastropub, 189 Burger, Rick’s on Main, or The Roycroft Inn, where you’ll find Arts and Crafts-inspired decor throughout the historic building and grounds.
Or if you’re ready to head home, grab a delicious frozen entrée from Mr. Pot Pie before you leave East Aurora. Pop that in your oven for an easy meal after your adventures.
Signature Events
Borderland Music Festival
September
Ticketed event
Hosted at Knox Farm State Park, purchase a ticket well in advance for this popular grassroots music and arts festival.
Carolcade
December
Join nearly 2,000 singers on Main Street in front of Vidler’s 5 & 10 to celebrate the Annual Christmas Carolcade. A beloved East Aurora tradition, it all began with a girl scout troup singing carols at the store.
Fun fact: five Hallmark holiday movies have been filmed in East Aurora, and that’s understandable given the trifecta of its romantic and historic charm, picturesque Main Street, and rural countryside. Enjoy A Prince for Christmas, A Christmas in Vermont, Hope for Christmas, A Christmas Princess, A Royal Christmas Engagement, and A Royal Christmas on Ice after your visit to see the places you’ll now recognize.
4 Old Country Stores Around Rochester
When you walk into one of these old country stores, you’re stepping back in time with aisles of old-fashioned toys, knickknacks, and candies.
Ranked as one of the “Top Ten Small Towns,” spend a day in Lewiston, with its excellent shops, restaurants, and Niagara River views.
Spend a day exploring a new city or village, each offering unique site-seeing opportunities with shops, restaurants, artisans, and events.
What are your favorite things to do on a day trip to East Aurora?
Please share your thoughts and stories with us in the comments. Your insight and experience are invaluable!
Will enough be open in February or March to schedule a get away weekend to East Aurora?
Deborah, my apologies for not having responded to your question sooner. Yes, most things are open now, possibly with modified scheduled. Did you end up planning and taking a trip to East Aurora?