Areas/towns to stay for us out of state fans traveling in Oct?

[Cache]

Hey gang, last year me and my son made our first ever visit to Buffalo from Utah and went to a SNF game v GB. The entire experience was the BEST! Thank you!  We are doing it again, this time I am creating 3 MORE bills fans to bring along (wife, daughter and son in law. the last 2 coming  from Alberta Canada).  Please recommend areas to stay in. Last time was a hotel in Williamsville  it was nice, but they want a place to walk around and see stuff thats not so spread out. Maybe shopping etc. (in addition to Bills Store!!). lol...

Where do you guys recommend if you would please help me out, that would be great!  Prefer a nicer area...  Thank you locals in advance. MUCH appreciated!!

[Draconator]

54 minutes ago, Cache said:

Hey gang, last year me and my son made our first ever visit to Buffalo from Utah and went to a SNF game v GB. The entire experience was the BEST! Thank you!  We are doing it again, this time I am creating 3 MORE bills fans to bring along (wife, daughter and son in law. the last 2 coming  from Alberta Canada).  Please recommend areas to stay in. Last time was a hotel in Williamsville  it was nice, but they want a place to walk around and see stuff thats not so spread out. Maybe shopping etc. (in addition to Bills Store!!). lol...

Where do you guys recommend if you would please help me out, that would be great!  Prefer a nicer area...  Thank you locals in advance. MUCH appreciated!!

You will receive MANY suggestions. Here's mine. The village of East Aurora. There's Bar Bill and many other places to eat on one end of Main Street (Misters, burgers and such, nice bar, Pasquale's Italian Restaurant, The Pulled Yolk breakfast place, and a small bit of a walk, there's an ice cream shop owned by Steve Tasker's son. The other end of Main Street is more of a shopping district and higher-end restaurants (Ricks on Main). There's a Hampton Inn just off of Main at the end of the Main Street Strip. If you really wanted to impress your wife and family, however, stay at the Roycroft Inn. It's pricy but totally worth the cost. The Roycroft is in the middle of the Main Street Strip. The best part is it is a straight shot down Route 20A right to the Stadium. About 10 minutes not taking into account stadium traffic. 

[SoMAn]

9 hours ago, Draconator said:

You will receive MANY suggestions. Here's mine. The village of East Aurora. There's Bar Bill and many other places to eat on one end of Main Street (Misters, burgers and such, nice bar, Pasquale's Italian Restaurant, The Pulled Yolk breakfast place, and a small bit of a walk, there's an ice cream shop owned by Steve Tasker's son. The other end of Main Street is more of a shopping district and higher-end restaurants (Ricks on Main). There's a Hampton Inn just off of Main at the end of the Main Street Strip. If you really wanted to impress your wife and family, however, stay at the Roycroft Inn. It's pricy but totally worth the cost. The Roycroft is in the middle of the Main Street Strip. The best part is it is a straight shot down Route 20A right to the Stadium. About 10 minutes not taking into account stadium traffic. 

We see these inquiries often and always wish the people asking would state what interests them. Dining? recreation? art? Museums? local people and pubs? shopping? etc. ??

 

TSW responders frequently respond with the best wing joints or other bar food destinations. That's fine, but stuffing their face with local fare may not be high on the list for some out-of-town visitors. That said, if visitors want to get the true WNY/Buffalo experience as part of their Buffalo Bills trip, the local specialties are wings (of course) and a local sandwich call beef on weck (don't spare the horse radish).  Pizza is also highly regarded in the area. 

 

No matter who you are, if you have access to transportation, by all means get to Niagara Falls. The Canadian side has better views and more tourist stuff, so bring a passport. It would be a shame to travel many miles and get so close but never experience the falls. If you can't get to Canada, the American side is still impressive. There are attractions in NFalls like The Maid of the Mist, the boats that take tourists to the foot of the falls. Amazingly, I’ve never done it myself! One day.  

 

If you want a more cosmopolitan experience, there's a world class art museum (Albright Knox) and beautiful parks and great restaurants in the city. There's also a few nice museums (historical and science)and impressive architecture.  I don't know that there's any hot shopping spot anywhere downtown as I'm not really a shopper. 

 

For a more festival atmosphere with plenty of activity, music, people watching, etc, there's canal side in Buffalo. Don't know too much about it, but it's a 'go to' destination for a lot of visitors.

 

I don't know too much about East Aurora, mentioned previously. It seems like a lovely little town with easy access to the stadium. From what I can tell, it would be a similar experience as staying in Williamsville.  Maybe the Roycroft Inn would be a great home base for the visit, and if you have a car and time permits, make your way to the falls and the city.

 

Lastly, be sure to check out the Buffalo Bills store at the stadium for souvenirs and official NFL apparel. 

 

One thing I'll guarantee is that your family will be amazed at how friendly the locals are (other than the random drunk jerk in the stands at the game).

Buffalonians bend over backwards to treat guests with hospitality. Also, unless you hit a rainy weekend, the weather should be ideal fall sweatshirt weather.

 

Enjoy the experience. Don't surprised if after the visit, one of the family members half-jokingly suggest looking for a home in Buffalo.

 

Go Bills!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 14, 2023 by SoMAn

[Beast]

I’d recommend Niagara Falls, Canada. Just get up extra early on game day to cross the border.

[Buffalo Boy]

   Some places you can visit, stay on a conveniently located central location and access many things, often on foot or short taxi/Uber. Buffalo/Western New York region is not such a place.

   “ Buffalo” is actually a myriad of towns and villages that are suburbs of the downtown area which itself isn’t a compact area offering walking distance attractions.

    As SoMAn asked, What are you looking to do, what interests you and are there age or health limitations?

    For me, if I’m bringing someone to the area who’s never been there it going to be a mix of sight seeing and eating.

    If they HAD to do the pedestrian thing and be able to walk out on a Main Street and hit shops, restaurant and bars, I would suggest somewhere on Elmwood in the Elmwood district. East Aurora and Main Street Williamsville would also suffice. Elmwood = Hip

East Aurora and Williamsville might be a little more buttoned up…a little.

    Niagara Falls is a must. If you all have passports, going across the Peace Bridge to Fort Erie ( hit one of the Chinese restaurants/ Ming Te, Happy Jacks ,for lunch, amazing food) and drive along the River up to the Canadian side of the Falls. It is a beautiful hour ride up there. Canadian side of the Falls is nicer as well.

    After that, it would be about food. There are a bunch of restaurant threads on here, hit the search button. The food is amazing in the area with hundreds of good mom and pop restaurants that are worth eating at. 
   Gotta do a Friday Fish Fry , a million choices. Wings, Buffalo Pizza,Beef on Weck and Texas Hots round out the top five “ must eats” while in the region.

[Lake Ontario]

I agree East Aurora is a good recommendation.  Depending on your willingness to commute around during the stay, also consider Lewiston.  It's very close to the Falls.  Several great restaurants and shops and the Barton Hill Hotel and Spa for lodging.  Maybe also consider Ellicottville for that time of year.

[K D]

1 hour ago, EmotionallyUnstable said:

I’d stay downtown right next to the new stadium 

Yes but you can't see in to the stadium from the hotel if the dome is closed

[SoMAn]

13 minutes ago, Buffalo Boy said:

   Some places you can visit, stay on a conveniently located central location and access many things, often on foot or short taxi/Uber. Buffalo/Western New York region is not such a place.

   “ Buffalo” is actually a myriad of towns and villages that are suburbs of the downtown area which itself isn’t a compact area offering walking distance attractions.

    As SoMAn asked, What are you looking to do, what interests you and are there age or health limitations?

    For me, if I’m bringing someone to the area who’s never been there it going to be a mix of sight seeing and eating.

    If they HAD to do the pedestrian thing and be able to walk out on a Main Street and hit shops, restaurant and bars, I would suggest somewhere on Elmwood in the Elmwood district. East Aurora and Main Street Williamsville would also suffice. Elmwood = Hip

East Aurora and Williamsville might be a little more buttoned up…a little.

    Niagara Falls is a must. If you all have passports, going across the Peace Bridge to Fort Erie ( hit one of the Chinese restaurants/ Ming Te, Happy Jacks ,for lunch, amazing food) and drive along the River up to the Canadian side of the Falls. It is a beautiful hour ride up there. Canadian side of the Falls is nicer as well.

    After that, it would be about food. There are a bunch of restaurant threads on here, hit the search button. The food is amazing in the area with hundreds of good mom and pop restaurants that are worth eating at. 
   Gotta do a Friday Fish Fry , a million choices. Wings, Buffalo Pizza,Beef on Weck and Texas Hots round out the top five “ must eats” while in the region.

Going the Peace Bridge and the Niagara River Pkwy (from Ft Erie in Canada) route to Niagara Fall will have the added scenic bonus of what should be peek fall foliage in October. 

[TPS]

10 hours ago, Cache said:

Hey gang, last year me and my son made our first ever visit to Buffalo from Utah and went to a SNF game v GB. The entire experience was the BEST! Thank you!  We are doing it again, this time I am creating 3 MORE bills fans to bring along (wife, daughter and son in law. the last 2 coming  from Alberta Canada).  Please recommend areas to stay in. Last time was a hotel in Williamsville  it was nice, but they want a place to walk around and see stuff thats not so spread out. Maybe shopping etc. (in addition to Bills Store!!). lol...

Where do you guys recommend if you would please help me out, that would be great!  Prefer a nicer area...  Thank you locals in advance. MUCH appreciated!!

If you want the Elmwood experience, and to treat the wife, try this place: https://www.innbuffalo.com/

 

[Cache]

59 minutes ago, Buffalo Boy said:

   Some places you can visit, stay on a conveniently located central location and access many things, often on foot or short taxi/Uber. Buffalo/Western New York region is not such a place.

   “ Buffalo” is actually a myriad of towns and villages that are suburbs of the downtown area which itself isn’t a compact area offering walking distance attractions.

    As SoMAn asked, What are you looking to do, what interests you and are there age or health limitations?

    For me, if I’m bringing someone to the area who’s never been there it going to be a mix of sight seeing and eating.

   

    

First off a big thank you to everyone taking time to reply. I know the question is kind of obnoxious and you probably hear it all the time. Super appreciate the time you spent helping out.

There are fortunately is no health limitation’s with anybody so walking is not a problem. A couple of people in the group were interested in a little shopping, also in any attractions. We are 100% doing the falls, and all have passports!  I realize it’s not a huge city and personally I’m grateful. Ha ha. Really just open to any and everything. Last year when it was just me and my boy, we only had time for a couple of meals before we had to fly back after the game. We went to Duffs and Picassos pizza both were  absolutely delicious!  Anyway, I hope that clarifies the expectations a little bit and I know it’s vague… your replies are super helpful.

[I'm Spartacus]

I would say East Aurora is your best bet. Tons of shops, eating places, and fairly close to the stadium.

[HIT BY SPIKES]

Niagara Falls (CANADA) is THE place to stay and spend your enormous American Exceptional dollars for a much lower Canadian dollar exhange.

 

https://www.niagarafallstourism.com/

 

Maybe take an up close cruise to see the Falls.

 

https://www.niagarafallslive.com/hornblower-niagara-cruises.htm

 

I highly recommend the Hilton Hotel where you can get a room with a spectacular view of both Falls -- the giant majestic mighty Canadian one and the crap hole American much smaller and virtually limp one.

 

https://www.hilton.com/en/locations/canada/ontario/niagara-falls/hilton-hotels/?WT.mc_id=zlada0ww1hi2psh3ggl4advbpp5dkt6multibr7_153669424_1003528&gad=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwoeemBhCfARIsADR2QCssSSzysuCQiyIWjirXhLblbvxLnUkEKO5YBvDcJO5KUtmsD_csVQIaAuo7EALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

[Low Positive]

Look for an AirBnB in Elmwood Village. You’ve got dining, the Art Museum and lots of little stores for shopping.

[HIT BY SPIKES]

Oh...

 

https://shop.niagarabrewingcompany.com/

 

https://counterpartbrewing.com/

 

https://www.blackburnbrewhouse.com/

 

AND my personal favourite since they have an electric car charger...

 

https://tapsbeer.ca/

[Buffalo Boy]

Just now, HIT BY SPIKES said:

Oh...

 

https://shop.niagarabrewingcompany.com/

 

https://counterpartbrewing.com/

 

https://www.blackburnbrewhouse.com/

 

AND my personal favourite since they have an electric car charger...

 

https://tapsbeer.ca/

I’m sensing a pattern here😜

[HIT BY SPIKES]

Just now, Buffalo Boy said:

I’m sensing a pattern here😜

 

I love me that IPA

[Saxum]

If you want someplace which everything is basically walkable you may want to consider Ellicottville .

 

https://www.ellicottvilleny.com/

 

It is not far drive from the stadium south on 219.

[Draconator]

4 minutes ago, HIT BY SPIKES said:

 

I love me that IPA

IPAs are good

[Augie]

1 hour ago, TPS said:

If you want the Elmwood experience, and to treat the wife, try this place: https://www.innbuffalo.com/

 

 

Looks nice. Has this been reviewed and approved by Tom Brady’s daddy? 

[SoMAn]

Note to some members: 

not everyone is that into beer drinking and breweries. Yeah, I know it’s a rust belt tradition and considered completely normal to down a 6-pack every evening for many of you, but believe it or not, alcoholic beverages aren’t often a high priority for family vacations. 
When I relocated to the Atlanta burbs 37 years ago, I was surprised what a different culture it was where people drinking beer and smoking a pack of Marlboros every day wasn’t nearly as common as what I’d experienced growing up in Buffalo. 
So, when a group of college roommates or hockey teammates are looking for leisure activity, the Elmwood strip or the Canadian ballet may be good recommendations.  But for most families with kids and in-laws, those aren’t usually go-to spots to enjoy a wholesome taste of what the city had to offer. 
Hanging out at any Buffalo bar with a gang of 30 something’s is the last place my wife would care to spend more than 15 minutes at. Just sayin’ 😉