How to Spend an Unforgettable Weekend Exploring Buffalo’s Arts and Culture Scene

Forget everything you ever thought about Buffalo, New York. Neighboring our beautiful city of Toronto, Buffalo is no longer the place you once visited. As a major source of art and culture, there is so much to discover in Buffalo beyond the Walden Galleria.

Art, architecture, music, food: Buffalo has it all. And unlike Toronto, Buffalo’s must-see spots are much more accessible, without crowds or guest lists. With everything you love about a city that’s active, Buffalo promises adventure, culture, and good times.

Grant Taylor/Visit Buffalo

Don’t believe me? That’s okay, because I was lucky enough to visit Buffalo and planned a 24-hour trip to the City of Lights, which is about a 2.5-hour drive from Toronto.

Here’s a sneak peek at what a mini trip across the border has in store for you.

11am – Start the day with the Buffalo AKG Art Museum

Start your day in beautiful Buffalo with a morning visit to the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, the sixth-oldest public art gallery in the United States. After a massive renovation last summer, the AKG now has 30,000 square feet of additional space to house its extensive collection of modern and contemporary art.

As you wander through the AKG’s approximately 7,500 exhibits, you’ll see impressive works, including fascinating pieces by Frida Kahlo, Henri Matisse, Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol and Salvador Dali.

Sharon Cantillon/Visit Buffalo

Take some time to explore the AKG’s latest addition, which houses contemporary works and even pieces by local Buffalo artists. For a more hands-on experience, check out Creative Commons, a free interactive space created with the LEGO Foundation, where you can create your own LEGO artwork and explore the world of play.

Pro tip:End your AKG tour with a final stop at Cornelia, the museum’s restaurant and café, for excellent breakfast sandwiches and pastries. If you’re looking for a more relaxed atmosphere, you can buy food at Cornelia, use their blankets and pillows, and have a picnic at (beautiful) Delaware Park, right behind the AKG!

12:30 p.m. – Guided tour of downtown public art and architecture

Now that you’ve had your fill of contemporary art, it’s time to visit some of Buffalo’s gigantic murals. With a self-guided tour (or guided by Explore Buffalo), you’ll be able to admire inspiring, bright, and moving works of art and reacquaint yourself with the city’s charm.

Drew Brown/Visit Buffalo

Although there is no specific path to view the murals, I recommend taking a look at the psychedelic Noodles in the Northern Lights on Main Street (right in the middle of the theater district), the captivating Wildflowers for Buffalo on Washington Street, and the trippy Optochromy at the Town Ballroom.

It’s not just murals that should stop there: Downtown Buffalo is home to other architectural feats that deserve equal recognition. Whether you’re climbing to the top of the 32-story Art Deco tower that houses City Hall or gazing up at the many windows of the Chicago School-style Guaranty Building, downtown Buffalo is full of fascinating buildings that pay homage to the city’s history and future.

1:30 p.m. – Lunch at the West Side Bazaar

All this sightseeing has probably worked up an appetite, but don’t worry, you’re about to enjoy an incredibly unique culinary experience in Buffalo.

Welcome to the West Side Bazaar, a local incubator that helps the city’s immigrant population start their own businesses through guided assistance and training. Here, small food stalls serve as mini-restaurants for each business owner, giving Buffalo a taste of some hot international cuisine.

Sharon Cantillon/Visit Buffalo

Housed in a historic Prohibition-era building, the food stalls offer Congolese, Jamaican, Korean, Malaysian, Egyptian and more. I opted for the authentic, fluffy Egyptian falafel, but I would also recommend the Egyptian-style shawarma, which comes with ketchup and mayonnaise.

2:30 p.m. – Visit to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House

With a full belly, you’re ready to visit one of Buffalo’s most iconic architectural feats. If you’re familiar with Buffalo, you know that Frank Lloyd Wright had a long relationship with the city, where he designed eight incredible structures. The most famous is the Martin House, which Wright designed for his friend and Buffalo business tycoon Darwin Martin in the early 1900s.

Ed Healy/Visit Buffalo

Giving Wright complete artistic control, the massive Martin House features horizontal lines, a stark contrast to the neighborhood’s Victorian-era homes. The Martin House also features distinctive stained glass windows that shimmer yellow and blue when the sun hits. Wright was so strict with his horizontal line design that even the house’s downspouts run horizontally.

3:00 p.m. – Check in to the historic Richardson Hotel

The first half of your day in Buffalo is over, can you believe it?! With all that sightseeing, it’s time to relax for a moment and recharge for a night of fun, at the Richardson Hotel.

I guarantee you there isn’t a single hotel in Toronto that can match the mysterious and charming ambiance of The Richardson, aka The Richardson Olmsted Campus, the former “Buffalo State Insane Asylum.”

Ed Healy/Visit Buffalo

Designed by renowned architect Henry Hobson Richardson, the 19th-century Richardson Hotel is a sprawling complex with long, winding corridors and many large windows. From the outside, the building could be said to resemble a mysterious castle, while the interior exudes a chic boutique hotel feel.

6:30 p.m. Dinner at Casa Azul

A nap has done us good and now it’s time to eat! Welcome to Allentown’s Casa Azul, which combines tradition and modernity in a one-of-a-kind Mexican taqueria.

Sharon Cantillon/Visit Buffalo

Trust me, you absolutely have to order the fundido cheese dip and the charred Caesar salad. While the dip satisfies your craving for melty cheese, the latter uses Brussels sprouts and cauliflower as the base for a crunchy, creamy salad.

You can’t skimp on the drinks here either, with a truly massive list of tequila and mezcal, I opted for the sweet summery Honeydew Margarita with a sugar rim.

8 p.m. – Last drink at Saint Neri

A quick stroll around the neighborhood will take you to the famous Saint Neri, a cocktail bar that recalls the 1920s with a hip 1970s twist. I’m talking floor-length curtains, leopard-print rugs, velvet seats, and a bathroom that offers single-serve cigarettes. Enjoy your day in Buffalo with a round of drinks or, if you’re feeling particularly bourgeois, some caviar.

Michael Clifford/Visit Buffalo

To round out your 24-hour journey, you’ll want to order the aptly named Toronto cocktail, made with Fernet and bitters for a tangy orange flavor. It’s a delicious and refreshing way to end our day in Buffalo.

Visit Buffalo for something unexpected

And there you have it, my friends. This simple one-day itinerary is the perfect way to explore Buffalo’s rich arts and culture scene. Whether you’re into architecture, theatre, or food, Buffalo has it all—and without the lines, crowds, or insanely long reservation lists of Toronto.

With all this inspiration, now it’s time to plan your next visit to the city of good neighbors. Your next arts and culture vacation awaits you in Buffalo!