Winter Activities in Western New York

Western New York is the area in New York State most associated with Buffalo and the surrounding towns. There are many things to do in Western New York during the winter months, but you have to appreciate the wintery climate that surrounds the area with long winters, infamous blizzards, and a hardy group of locals that will not shiver or complain until the temperatures drop below zero with a wind chill of negative 18 degrees. If you are an outdoors enthusiast, who feels at home in the snowbelt of Western New York, you will find many winter activites in Buffalo and the surrounding area.

The Home of the Biggest Sports Fans on Earth

Buffalo sports fans range from babies wearing the latest Bills themed sweat suits in a newborn sizes, to grandmothers who tailgate on the weekends at the Bills games. If you live in Western New York, at least part of your winter will be spent watching or hearing about the latest Bills' football game, or Sabres' hockey game. During the winter months, you can easily spend at least two nights each week doing the winter activity of watching a Sabres' game with friends or family at home, in a local bar, or at the arena. During the crossover season, when both the Sabres and Bills are active, there are even more winter activities available realted to watching the games. Local bars often hold special nights to come watch the games on their big screen televisions, or host drink and wing specials to keep Buffalo fans sated.

Do You Ski?

Western New York offers the snow that is needed for skiing on a regular basis during the winter months. Downhill and cross-country skiing is a popular winter activity in Western New York. Most ski areas are located just outside of the city, in friendly ski towns such as Ellicotville, New York, where ski condo rentals are at their prime during ski season. Kissing Bridge is located a little closer to Buffalo, offering ski packages for day or season rates.

The Buffalo Winter Activity of Eating

Nothing warms the body faster during the cold winter months in Western New York than a plate of steaming hot Buffalo Chicken Wings and a pizza. Eating out is a designated winter activity in Buffalo. The Amherst area offers many dining choices and shopping, while the city of Buffalo has some of the more local favorites such as the Anchor Bar. Locals know that good food and a night out at one of the many Buffalo area bars and nightclubs is often the best winter activity in a city that often waits six months before the leaves begin to bud again on the trees, after a long winter.

Gambling

Western New Yorkers now have casinos to visit during the winter months. Seneca Niagara Casino is located in downtown Niagara Falls, offering both a full casino with thousands of games, and an upscale hotel. Other locals prefer winter activities related to attending Bingo at one of the many local church Bingos or crossing the border to play at a Canadian Bingo hot spot. Gambling is a winter activity that can provide hours of escape on the weekends from the chilly weather outside the casino doors.

Siteseeing

A visit to Niagara Falls during the winter can be breathtaking in many ways. The natural beauty of a snow and ice covered Niagara Falls provides plenty of awe, and many photograph opportunites. Winter in Niagara Falls, can also take your breath away some days, so plan accordingly and dress warm. Visitors can walk across the bridge to Canada and visit the Canadian side of the Falls, which offers a different view. Canada also has many shops, tourist attractions, restaurants, and the Fallsview Casino, located near the main Clifton Hill area, just across the border. If you travel by car, you can take the short ride along the scenic Niagara Parkway in Canada to visit one of the many wineries on the way to Niagara-on-the-Lake. Stop and taste some of the ice wine.

Winter activities in around Western New York make the most of a long cold winter, by offering locals and visitors good food, plenty of indoor and outdoor activities, and sports teams that both start with the letter "B." If you're looking for something to do this winter, don't forget to pick up a Sabres ticket and try some Buffalo Wings before hitting the ski slopes.