Kayak
Take to the water in downtown Buffalo and check out the views of the city from the Niagara River and the harbor area. The Buffalo Harbor Kayak company offers rentals to paddle the Buffalo Harbor every day of the week. Rentals start at just $20 per hour or $35 for a half-day excursion, and the company also offers a $75 discount pass which covers multiple rentals for a whole year.
Buffalo Harbor Kayak
1 Naval Park Cove
Buffalo, NY 14202
(716) 228-9153
bfloharborkayak.com
Swim
Swim at Beaver Island State Park, located on the upper section of the Niagara River. This park consists of 950 acres of nature trails, athletic fields, streams and forest. Visitors can swim at the half-mile sand beach along the banks of the river. Bikers, joggers and hikers will also enjoy the woodland trails, and don't forget to make use of the horseshoe pits and picnic areas. Admission to the park costs $7 per car.
Beaver Island State Park
2136 West Oakfield Road
Grand Island, NY 14072
(716) 773-3271
nysparks.com/parks/56/details.aspx
Cross-Country Ski
Go cross-country skiing in the snowy winter months. Buffalo usually gets large volumes of snowfall, and many parks have cross-country skiing trails. Visit Delaware Park, the largest park in Buffalo. Delaware Park has 350 acres of meadows and a scenic lake. You can also cross-country ski at the Tifft Nature Preserve. The preserve consists of 265 acres of forests and nature trails. The Buffalo Museum of Science also has an environmental education center at the Tifft Nature Reserve, a good option if you need to warm up after skiing.
Delaware Park
Parkside Avenue and Elmwood Avenue
Buffalo, NY 14214
(716) 835-2533
buffaloolmstedparks.org
Tifft Nature Preserve
1200 Fuhrmann Boulevard
Buffalo, NY 14203
(716) 825-6397
sciencebuff.org/tifft-nature-preserve
Hike and Bird-watch
The Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, the largest of its kind in the state of New York, is located less than an hour from downtown Buffalo. This natural forest habitat features over 10,000 acres of park space and is home to deer, migratory birds and endangered bald eagles. Hike along any of the three scenic nature trails and see what wildlife you can spot.
Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge
1101 Casey Rd.
Bosom, NY 14013
(716) 948-5445
fws.gov/northeast/iroquois
Article Written By David Thyberg
David Thyberg began his writing career in 2007. He is a professional writer, editor and translator. Thyberg has been published in various newspapers, websites and magazines. He enjoys writing about social issues, travel, music and sports. Thyberg holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Pittsburgh Honors College with a certificate in Spanish and Latin American studies.
