What to do in Buffalo in 48 Hours

Buffalo is a city that is full of life and culture. If you’re looking for things to do, you won’t be disappointed! In just 48 hours, you can experience everything Buffalo offers. From its delicious food scene to its vibrant nightlife, there’s something for everyone in this city. If you’re planning a special event or want to capture your Buffalo adventure, don’t forget to hire NYC photographers to ensure you have lasting memories.

Many people recall shopping visits to the Walden Galleria Mall and some other stores all across Buffalo when the Canadian currency was higher, but there are plenty of other ways to take the QEW these days, including architecture, urban redevelopment stories, and emerging culinary scenes.

Here are our top picks for what to do in Buffalo in 48 hours!

Friday

4 p.m.

Check-in

If you’re visiting Buffalo during summer, the Marriott HarborCenter, directly next to Canalside, the city’s newly renovated waterfront zone, is the greatest place to stay. On warmer weekends, the region built on the footprints of the ancient Erie Canal is among the city’s busiest. Food trucks, boardwalk, bike rentals, live music, and weekly concerts are all present.

Another alternative is to stay in one of the classic boutique hotels in the city. Two stick out particularly. The Hotel Lafayette of Washington Street is akin to Buffalo’s Gladstone & Drake, equipped with a sophisticated cafe called Public Espresso + Coffee. The Mansion on Delaware is as lovely as they get for something posher but less trendy. We suggest you take a rental car to explore the city better. You should also take along with your rental car insurance for safety.

6 p.m.

Silo City Vertical Tour

It’s intriguing to take a step back in time at one of the town’s most culturally significant places, Silo City, to learn about the new Buffalo. Formerly a gigantic commercial facility of grain elevators, the area is now a large-scale version of the Hearn Generating Station, with poetry readings, flea fairs, and a Nuit Blanche-style arts event.

Rick Smith, the founder of Silo City, strives to enhance the area around the intact grain elevators. Still meanwhile, the best way to get a sense of the site’s heritage and prospects is to consider taking the vertical tour, which also allows guests to climb up and across the old structures while getting spectacular scenery of the Buffalo skyline.

8 p.m.

Dinner on Ellicott Street

One of the greatest instances of a revitalized Buffalo is Ellicott Street. Between 6 and 10 p.m., the neighborhood is crowded with dining since it was once a dilapidated downtown corridor home to a slew of trendy eateries. The huge patio at Deep South Taco provides a terrific feel on a good night.

Seabar, a pioneering restaurant on the strip, helped place Ellicott on the culinary map. Chef Mike Andrzejewski’s menu appears befuddling at first, in everything from classic Japanese cuisine to dishes with French, Mexican, and Italian influences, and yet fusion dishes such as the Beef on Weck rolls, that also unites a Japanese sensibility with such a French sensibility, maybe the finest thing to eat.

10 p.m.

Introduction to Buffalo’s beer scene

Buffalo’s craft beer growth is on par with Toronto’s, thanks to low rent and a communal entrepreneurial spirit. Walk down a street to Big Ditch Brewing, a modern brewpub launched in 2014, for a fast post-dinner drink. On weekends, it’s packed with sports fans & beer drinkers who devour a wide range of seasonal offers.

Travel to the still-rough-around-the-edges West Side, where Resurgence Brewing Company’s cocktail lounge draws a throng, if you truly want to get a feel for Buffalo’s beer culture. There’s a buzz in the air spreading around the neighborhood, but it’s always about the beer. Taste the sponge candy stout for something unique to Buffalo.

Saturday

9:30 a.m.

Breakfast in Elmwood Village

One of several things you cannot feel if you’ve merely traveled through Buffalo is indeed the city’s many neighborhoods. Near Buffalo State University, Elmwood Village is a lively shop and restaurant strip with weekend flea markets and just a burgeoning brunch population. They have breakfast favorites like bacon and eggs and a variety of salads and sandwiches. The queue will be out the doorway if you visit after 11 a.m. however, tables will clear fast, and you may sip fresh juice while waiting.

11 a.m.

Check out from Richardson Olmsted Complex

The Richardson Olmsted Complex, Buffalo’s greatest development project and the most concrete symbol of the city’s dedication to a new future, is a $100 million renovation of an 1870s mental hospital out of service for decades. The location will eventually become Hotel Henry, a boutique hotel and restaurants, and in the meantime, visitors may take a tour of the structure as it is being renovated. The steps to revive this Romanesque architectural wonder, which is only beginning to take shape, are remarkable.

12:30 p.m.

Lunch on Hertel Avenue

Hertel Avenue, formerly known as Buffalo’s Little Italy, is one of the city’s streets undergoing a gradual restoration. Although naming all of the different examples of this procedure would be difficult, a few stick out. Lloyd Taco is by far the most apparent meal option. Lloyd began as a series of food trucks before establishing a brick-and-mortar location here, where it has remained busy ever since.

3 p.m.

Visit Albright-Knox

The Albright-Knox Gallery is a must-see attraction for everyone visiting Buffalo. It was founded in 1862 and has since become one of the main lights in the presentation of Modern art, with a collection that includes works by Picasso, Matisse, Magritte, and Gauguin, as well as postwar work by giants such as Pollock, Gorky, Warhol, and Johns.

7:30 p.m.

Allentown for dinner

After recharging your batteries, head to Allentown, one of Buffalo’s biggest restaurant and bar districts. The Allen Burger Venture is a restaurant that has recently gained popularity among the locals. This burger and bourbon joint is raucous, crowded, and opulent.

Sunday

10 a.m.

Breakfast at Five Points Bakery

After taking full advantage of Buffalo’s loose last call, you’d like to sleep in a little, but there’s still more sightseeing. Ditch the greasy breakfast and visit Five Points Bakery, one among Buffalo’s most unusual enterprises. This Lower West Side bakery & toast café, which opened in 2009, was a pioneer in Buffalo’s steadfast rebirth.

11:30 a.m.

Waterfront Drive to Graycliff

Now that you’ve visited Darwin Martin’s main residence, it’s time to visit his summer retreat. Graycliff (constructed between 1926 and 1931) was sold to a condo builder a few years ago, yet preservationists saved it and are slowly restoring it to its former glory.

2 p.m.

Downtown architecture tour

 Start at the Buffalo History Museum to explore how the city has changed since its founding in 1804. Then, walk down Main Street to see some of the amazing architecture that defines Buffalo today. Check out City Hall, the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library, and the Electric Tower.

3:30 p.m.

Fuel up on Buffalo wings

You can’t visit Buffalo without sampling the wings, right? Rather than loading up on junk food on the way, stop at Gabriel’s Gate for one final authentic Buffalo taste. People swear by Duff’s & Anchor Bar’s variations, but this eatery has more flair and better wings than both.

The Bottom Line

If you only have 48 hours in Buffalo, New York, you’ll want to hit all of the city’s highlights. From food to attractions, here’s a list of the best things to do in Buffalo in 48 hours.