Part 4
Buffalo(ve), NY.
Buffalo Waterfront & Lake Erie.
I assume you are not very tired and hungry from the previous walk from part 3. Oh, you are? Sorry. Maybe then it's a good idea to grab something to eat at the "716 Food and Sport" sportsbar (and enjoy their huuuge TV screen) near the Buffalo harbor before we continue for a romantic evening walk along the Buffalo waterfront.
+ Buffalo Sightseeing Map, Day 2
1. First Niagara Center
That's Buffalo's number one event arena. Concerts, sport events... Capacity is for nearly 20.000 spectators. First Niagara Center will also host Shania Twain's and Motley Crue's concerts in October 2015.
2. Canalside Buffalo
After passing under Buffalo Skyway, Highway no. 5, we've reached Canalside Buffalo. That's a neat entertainment garden-like park at the waterfront of Buffalo River. The local community organizes all kinds of daily activities: from paddle boats for the whole family to awesome concerts to a selfie with Shark Girl.
3. Buffalo & Erie Naval & Military Park
On our way further down the waterfront promenade we walk through the Naval and Military Park of Buffalo. The submarines, ships and military jets on display cannot be missed. Don't miss a photo opportinity of the sail of the USS Boston! The naval park also features USS The Sullivans, USS Little Rock, USS PTF-17 and USS Croaker. All they are covered with eye-catching light installations in the evening.
4. Buffalo Waterfront Promenade
We continue our evening walk along the waterfront and after a while we reach "The Hatch": a local burger bar & restaurant with a nice patio facing the water. If you're lucky you might see "Edward M. Cotter" sailing by, the world's oldest active fire-boat, belonging to the Buffalo Fire Department.
5. Lake Erie
While continuing further and further along the waterfront promenade, Lake Erie get more and more visible. It is the shallowest (average depth 19 m/62 ft) and fourth-largest lake from the Great Lakes. The lake and Niagara River provide hydroelectric power to both Canada and the US. Lake Erie gives Buffalonians the rare opportunity to observe sunsets over water in the east part of the United States. Normally sunsets over water can be admired on the West Coast (Los Angeles & San Francisco).
+ The Lake Effect
Lake Erie has a major role for the notorious snow storms and high piles of snow in winter in Western New York. The so called "Lake Effect" (timelapse by Jason Holler & Joseph DeBenedictis) is feared by most Buffalonians because within a few hours, even minutes, weather can change from sunny to overcast with some heavy snow.
Cold arctic winds blow over the warm waters of Lake Erie from south-west to north-east. The air masses get warmed up by the lake which causes them to friction and converge (mostly over the city). The water from the lake evaporates due to the moisture and then falls down over Buffalo in form of snow. In November 2014 (timelapse by Alfonzo Cutaia) the Lake Effect snow was so surprising that many people were trapped in their cars on the highway for as long as 30 hours! Such high piles of snow are only known to Alaskan inhabitants. A fun fact: The snow piles from November 2014 snowfall in Buffalo still exist in August 2015!
6. Buffalo Marina Observation Tower
The observation tower is at the end of Erie St. The view to Lake Erie, to Canada and also to evening Buffalo is beautiful. Buffalo proves again it has one of the most mesmerizing sunsets!
I hope my Buffalo travel ideas have inspired you to travel to Western New York. I loved Buffalo, Amherst, Williamsville, Elmwood Village, Allentown and Niagara Falls because the area is very quiet, family-friendly, calm and natural. The air and the urban stress from big cities is something you won't find here. And that's just lovely if you need to relax! A true #buffalove.