Family Fun In and Around Buffalo, NY

We are always looking for new and interesting things to do in the summer to keep our kids entertained.

The Buffalo Zoo is an excellent place to visit. They are constantly upgrading and expanding the zoo. They opened up a sea lion and sea otter exhibit last year and a tropical rainforest this year. My kids never tire of the zoo, and the adults enjoy it as well. The admission rates are reasonable, and if you live in the area, I would recommend getting a membership for the year.

Buffalo has recently renovated its waterfront, and the marina is a great place to visit. There is a small beach, although swimming is not allowed. It is still a nice place to lay down a blanket and have a picnic. The Naval and Military Park in the marina has two boats and one submarine that you can take a tour of. If you have a group of 10 people, you can get a guided tour by booking two weeks in advance. The tour is given by retired navy officers, and is very interesting. You can get admission information on their website at www.buffalonavalpark.org. Keep an eye on the waterfront area, as new attractions are in the works.

Another great place to visit is the Niagara Power Vista. It is in Lewiston, New York, which is about 20 minutes from Buffalo. But the admission is free, and it has an amazing view. I went there as a chaperon for my daughter's school field trip, and we all really enjoyed it. They have lots of small stations set up for the kids to learn about electricity. I think their target age is grade 4. But the highlight of the visit is the tour. The tour guides share so much interesting information about the history of the Power Vista. Their website is www.nypa.gov/vc/niagara.htm. Without the tour, the visit isn't nearly as interesting. The Niagara Power Vista is only 3 miles from Niagara Falls, so you can make a day trip out of it and visit the falls as well.

If you're visiting during the summer, you can always visit a farm for some great strawberries or blueberries. The kids will love being able to pick their own fruit. One place about 20 minutes from Buffalo is Greg's U-Pick Farm in Clarence. Their website is www.gregsupick.com.

Buffalo also has the botanical gardens and the science museum, but I personally don't think they are worth the time and money. Perhaps it is a matter of taste, but I found the botanical gardens to be a bit small and not very visually appealing. If you've ever been to Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania, don't expect this place to be anything remotely like it. If you still want to see for yourself, their website is www.buffalogardens.com.

The science museum could be a good attraction, except that the exhibits lack cohesion. And they don't have very many hands-on activities or demonstrations. I've been to the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia and found it to be thoroughly enjoyable. Meanwhile the Buffalo Museum of Science left me wondering why I wasted my money. See for yourself at www.sciencebuff.org.

Near Buffalo, there is the Explore and More Children's Museum, but please don't waste your time visiting it. They really should not even be allowed to call it a museum. It's more like a cheap playroom. We also visited the Fisher Price Toy Museum, and that visit lasted about 10 minutes. There's not much to see. I think it's a ploy for people to visit their "gift shop" which has Fisher Price toys that you can get at Wal-Mart for half the price.