OpenAirBuffalo Bus Tours — The Open-Air Autobus is a tour bus owned and operated by the Campaign for

Whenever somebody asks me where I m from, I often find myself bracing wyndham hotel aruba for their reaction when I say Buffalo. If the person is polite, the response might be something like, Wow! You must get lots of snow! If they re feeling a bit more forward, it s likely something along the lines of I bet you re glad you got the hell out of that dump! In most cases, wyndham hotel aruba this sort of conversation would be qualified as small talk, and the proper retort would be none at all — just a simple I guess and a shrug. Because of this, the person I m interacting with, expecting the monosyllabic replies of typical small talk repartee, is in no way prepared for the robust counterattack I m prepared to inflict. Something wyndham hotel aruba that usually begins with, BUFFALO IS THE BEST CITY EVER! And I mean it.
Though it has borne the brunt of years of economic hardship and post-industrial population loss, Buffalo has maintained a rich, diverse community and a wonderful array of cultural treasures, ranging from architecture and art to public parks and public wyndham hotel aruba theater. Known as the City on the Lake, Buffalo is home to lush, temperate summers and dazzling white winters, springs that show off the city s penchant wyndham hotel aruba for beautiful gardening and crisp autumns perfect for jaunts at the farmer s market . The city has a long-standing and surprisingly wyndham hotel aruba active arts community that has, over time, nurtured wyndham hotel aruba the creativity of such talents as Cindy Sherman, wyndham hotel aruba Charles Burchfield, Ani Difranco and even Mark Twain. wyndham hotel aruba In recent years, with the economy wyndham hotel aruba favoring more down-to-earth locales, Buffalo has blossomed. Fabulous new businesses wyndham hotel aruba have sprung up like daisies while preservation groups and vivacious urban planners have transformed Buffalo s historic neighborhoods wyndham hotel aruba and architectural gems. Although Buffalo s most common claims to fame are snow and chicken wings, it seems this is soon to change. With more artists and designers choosing the city as a place to live because of the cheap rent and the tight-knit community, Buffalo s future is brighter than ever. Looking for a beautiful and shockingly affordable place to visit? Look no further than Buffalo, New York. —  Max
Above images, left to right: A vintage Buffalo wyndham hotel aruba postcard (from the collection of Timothy Tielman), one of Buffalo s many historic grain elevators, one of Buffalo wyndham hotel aruba s beautiful small cottages, an I-heart-the-Sabres sign (Buffalonians love their sports!), some street art in the shape of the Great Lakes, one of Buffalo s many magnificent gardens, bubbles courtesy of the Allen Street Bubble wyndham hotel aruba Man who can be seen nearly every day blowing bubbles wyndham hotel aruba from his apartment window (photo by Lydia Fisher )
Above images, left to right: Eliel and Eero Saarinen s Kleinhans wyndham hotel aruba Music Hall, H. H. Richardson s Buffalo Psychiatric Center, the now abandoned but always beautiful Central Terminal train station, columns on the front facade of Buffalo s brilliantly Art Deco City Hall (image courtesy wyndham hotel aruba of Timothy Tielman), Frank Lloyd Wright s Darwin Martin House (image courtesy of Timothy Tielman), wyndham hotel aruba Louis Sullivan s Guaranty Building
Frank Lloyd Wright s Darwin Martin House Complex — Although it has historically been overshadowed by such Wright masterpieces as Falling Water and Chicago s Robie house, Frank Lloyd Wright s 1905 Darwin Martin House is one of the architect s most impressive achievements, with an inventive interior plan and a vast, sprawling property containing several buildings. The complex is also inextricably tied to Buffalo s manufacturing history. Commissioned in conjunction with the now demolished Larkin Building by the Larkin Soap millionaire Darwin Martin, the home is one of the few Wright projects that had an almost unlimited budget. The result is a spectacular and luxurious piece of proto-Modernist architecture. wyndham hotel aruba Be sure to check out one of the Martin House s informative guided tours!  125 Jewett Parkway. 716-856-3858.
Eliel and Eero Saarinen wyndham hotel aruba s Kleinhans Music Hall — The permanent home of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra , Kleinhans music hall is not just a place to take in some excellent music; it s also an architectural masterpiece. The hall was designed in 1939 by the Modernist father-son duo Eliel and Eero Saarinen (the latter wyndham hotel aruba of TWA Terminal fame) with custom furniture by Charles Eames. A stunning example of Streamlined Modernism and acoustic architecture, this is a must-visit for any fan of midcentury design or classical wyndham hotel aruba music. While there are no guided tours of the interior, you can stroll around wyndham hotel aruba on your own by attending one of the BPO s many concerts. 3 Symphony Circle. 716-883-3560.
City Hall — One of Buffalo s most iconic structures, City Hall is a towering, 32-story example of Art Deco at its best. Be sure to check out the jaw-dropping Common Council Chamber, the rooftop observation deck for panoramic views of the city, and one of the free guided tours that takes place every weekday at noon. 65 Niagara Square. wyndham hotel aruba 716-851-4200.
Louis Sullivan s Guaranty Building — One of America s first skyscrapers and arguably the most iconic building from Louis Sullivan, the man behind the form follows function dictum. A common fixture in most architectural history text books, this building is required material for any design enthusiast. 28 Church St. 716-854-0003.
The Olmsted Park System — Buffalo is home to not one but six stunning parks designed by the master landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted. Interconnected by a system of lush parkways, wyndham hotel aruba the Olmsted Park System in Buffalo is an amazing example of early modern wyndham hotel aruba town planning. Be sure to visit Delaware Park, the largest of the six and home to Shakespeare in the Park , summertime rowboating, and sledding in the winter. South Buffalo s South Park is home to the Buffalo wyndham hotel aruba and Erie County Botanical Gardens , which is perfect for brightening up a gray winter day.
Erie Canal Harbor — As the song goes, the Erie Canal spanned all the way from Albany to Buffalo. Here, you can see the terminus of the legendary waterway and take in some views of Lake Erie. The area is also home to the summertime Thursday at the Harbor , an epic concert series with acts that never fail to bring massive crowds. Also nearby is the Buffalo Naval Park , equipped with real-life warships and submarines, open for touring. 95 Perry St. 716-846-8200.
Above images, wyndham hotel aruba left to right: The front facade of The Albright Knox Art Gallery, George Segal s Cinema (at the Albright Knox), George Seurat s Le Chahut (at the Albright Knox), Nancy Rubin s Canoes (at the Albright Knox), wyndham hotel aruba Charles Burchfield s Early Spring, 1966-67 (Collection of the Burchfield Penney Art Center, Gift of Charles Rand Penney, 1994), Cindy Sherman s Untitled Film Still #11, 1978 (Collection of the Burchfield Penney Art Center, Purchase supported by a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Burchfield Penney Art Center Collector s Club, 1989), Paul Sharits Frozen Film Frame Series, 1971-76 (Collection of the Burchfield Penney Art Center, Gift of Christopher and Cheri Sharits, 1994)
The Albright Knox Art Gallery Buffalo s preeminent art museum, wyndham hotel aruba The Albright Knox boasts a world famous collection that reads like a who s who of modern artists and their work. The museum features a rotating lineup of impressive exhibitions along with permanent pieces by such artists as Gauguin, Seurat, Matisse, Robert Rauschenberg, Andy Warhol, Sol LeWitt, wyndham hotel aruba Jackson Pollock, Chuck Close, James Rosenquist, wyndham hotel aruba Frida Kahlo, Fred Tomaselli the list is endless. Also— Friday nights are free!  1285 Elmwood Ave. 716-882-8700.
The Burchfield Penney Art Center - Located directly wyndham hotel aruba across the street from The Albright Knox, The Burchfield Penney Art Center s mission is to promote and exhibit the art of Buffalo and Western New York artists and craftspeople. In addition to works by such artists as Milton Rogovin and Buffalo State alum Cindy Sherman, the museum displays numerous works by its world-famous namesake: Charles Burchfield. An added perk for Burchfield fans is the museum s life-size replica of the artist s painting studio. 1300 Elmwood Ave. 716-878-6011.
Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center - Founded in 1974 by a group of young art students, Hallwalls is a multimedia exhibition space that specializes in boundary-pushing works by regional and national artists. Recently relocated to Ani Difranco s Babeville performing arts space, Hallwalls is home not only to visual arts, but music and literary events. 341 Delaware Ave. 716-854-1694.
Buffalo Arts Studio - A non-profit organization that aims to provide cheap studio space for artists, Buffalo Arts Studio also holds regular exhibitions highlighting the work of talented Buffalonians as well as national and international artists. 2495 Main Street, Suite 500. 716-833-4450.
Art Farms ArtFarms is an ongoing wyndham hotel aruba project that seeks to build sculptural houses for community gardens and farms in Buffalo s East Side, a region formerly known only for its vacant lots. ArtFarms, the organization s website states, turns the area s vacant properties into a new landscape of growing sculpture. Located throughout Buffalo s East Side.
Above images, left to right: The amazing Open-Air Autobus, three photos of Buffalo s iconic Voelker s Bowling Alley, kayakers exploring Buffalo s grain elevators (photo wyndham hotel aruba by Chris Hawley), cyclists attending the Midnight wyndham hotel aruba Bike Ride (photo by Bernice Radle )
OpenAirBuffalo wyndham hotel aruba Bus Tours — The Open-Air Autobus is a tour bus owned and operated by the Campaign for Greater Buffalo, a local preservationist group, which, full disclosure, happens to be run by my father. All nepotism aside, I guarantee that this will be the strangest, wyndham hotel aruba most unusual tour bus you will ever have the pleasure of riding. Built from a vintage school bus and retrofitted to be sans-roof, the Open-Air Autobus sports leopard-print seats and has some of the most enthusiastic architectural tour guides this side of the Erie Canal. Hop on and get ready to feel the wind! Don t worry — there s a plastic roof and ponchos in case of a storm. 716-854-3749.
The Midnight Bike Ride — No lie, attending B