Buffalo itinerary: 1 to 2 days
Plans for one and two days in Buffalo, day by day: Buffalo City Hall, Niagara Square, Lafayette Square, the Electric Tower and the Naval & Military Park first, then St. Paul's Cathedral, the Ellicott Square and Guaranty buildings, Canalside and the Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural site as you add a day. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 2 days
Buffalo in 1 day
Day 1
Buffalo City Hall
Art Deco city hall of 1931 with a tall tower, painted ceilings and an observation deck with views of the city.
Niagara Square
Central civic square laid out by Joseph Ellicott, with the McKinley Monument obelisk and Buffalo City Hall on its edge.
Lafayette Square
Downtown public square with a soldiers' and sailors' monument, surrounded by historic buildings, used for markets and events.
Electric Tower
Ornate 1912 office tower on Main Street with a white terracotta facade lit at night, seen from outside.
Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park
Waterfront museum with a guided missile cruiser, a destroyer and a submarine that can be boarded.
Buffalo in 2 days
Day 1
Buffalo City Hall
Art Deco city hall of 1931 with a tall tower, painted ceilings and an observation deck with views of the city.
Electric Tower
Ornate 1912 office tower on Main Street with a white terracotta facade lit at night, seen from outside.
St. Paul's Cathedral
Episcopal cathedral of 1851 near Shelton Square, a Gothic Revival building with a tall spire and a Tiffany window.
Ellicott Square Building
Large 1896 office building in the Beaux-Arts style with a tall interior arcade, a notable landmark on Main Street.
Prudential (Guaranty) Building
Skyscraper of 1896 by Louis Sullivan, covered in red terracotta ornament, a notable early steel-frame tower.
Day 2
Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park
Waterfront museum with a guided missile cruiser, a destroyer and a submarine that can be boarded.
Canalside
Waterfront district at the Erie Canal harbor on Lake Erie, with boat tours, concerts and, in winter, ice skating.
Lafayette Square
Downtown public square with a soldiers' and sailors' monument, surrounded by historic buildings, used for markets and events.
Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site
Wilcox Mansion where Theodore Roosevelt took the oath of office in 1901 after McKinley's death, with period rooms.
Watch: Buffalo
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Buffalo
June to September is the warmest and driest time, and the best for walking and for waterfront events. Autumn colours are good in October. Winters are cold and snowy from December to March, with lake-effect storms, so the cathedrals and museums are good winter choices. Spring is cool and often wet.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Buffalo on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Buffalo on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Buffalo on GetYourGuide
- From the airport: a private transfer in Buffalo with Kiwitaxi
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for United States from Airalo
- Last day: leave your bags in Buffalo with Radical Storage and keep sightseeing
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for Buffalo
- Buffalo has an unusually rich collection of historic buildings, so many stops are best seen from the outside; check which have public tours before fixing a time.
- The Buffalo City Hall observation deck on the 28th floor gives views over the city and Lake Erie; check its opening hours.
- The Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site is a house museum with set tour times; check opening days before going.
- Downtown stops cluster around Main Street, Niagara Square and the waterfront and can be walked or reached by Metro Rail.
- Winters are snowy and cold, so allow extra time for travel and check that outdoor attractions are open.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Buffalo City Hall: Cfiume, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park: Shinerunner at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Canalside: Invest Buffalo Niagara, CC0
- Electric Tower: Mikerussell, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Ellicott Square Building: TonyTheTiger ( t / c / bio / WP:CHICAGO / WP:LOTD ), CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lafayette Square: TonyTheTiger, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Niagara Square: JBona, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Prudential (Guaranty) Building: Internet Archive Book Images, No restrictions
- St. Paul's Cathedral: Detroit Publishing Co. , publisher, Public domain
- Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site: Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY 4.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
