Western New York – and Buffalo, in particular – has earned quite a reputation for its wild winter weather, but that doesn’t mean that we just stay bundled up by the fire all season long. In between snow storms, we love to get out and experience the Queen City’s best attractions – many of which only come around during this time of the year! Ready to see why there’s no better place to be than Buffalo in the wintertime? We’ve compiled a list of our favorite things to do in Buffalo, New York, in the winter. Keep reading to see why we love this season so much.

1. Larkinville Ice Festival
Larkin Street, Larkin St, Buffalo, NY 14210, USA
Larkin Square/Facebook
Head on over to one of our favorite neighborhoods to enjoy the annual Larkinville Ice Festival that takes place in Buffalo each winter. This will be the 5th year of festivities, and will bring the area to life with horse-drawn carriage rides, local vendors lined up all along the heated boardwalk, sledding, and tons of other fun winter activities packed all into one day.
2. Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens
Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens, 2655 South Park Ave, Buffalo, NY 14218, USA
Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens/Facebook
Easily one of our favorite wintertime attractions, Lumagination at Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens is as close to real-life magic as it gets. Dazzling lights transform the already amazing gardens into a spectacular wonderland, and you can generally check out the electrifying display through January.
3. Ice Bikes at Canalside
Canalside Buffalo/Facebook
All of Canalside turns into an amazing winter attraction when the snowy season hits, but there’s one activity that is so uniquely Buffalo. Have you taken a spin on the quirky ice bikes? What fun!
4. Ice Bumper Cars at Canalside
Roberto James/Google
If you love the ice bikes, you’re going to be over-the-moon about this winter attraction at Canalside: ice bumper cars! This year, you’ll find eight ice bumper cars in an area sectioned off from the main rink, not too far from Shark Girl. This new activity has already been a hit with Buffalonians, so if you’re interested in hopping behind the wheel for yourself, get out there sooner rather than later, as we expect the lines for rides to just get longer as the season progresses!

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5. Curling at Canalside
Canalside, 44 Prime St, Buffalo, NY 14202, USA
Canalside Buffalo/Facebook
We weren’t kidding when we said that Canalside is the place to be during the wintertime - there are just so many awesome activities to take part in! Try your hand at the art of curling or give ice bumper cars a go!
6. Chestnut Ridge Park
Chestnut Ridge Park, 1926 19th St SW, Akron, OH 44314, USA
Erie County Parks, Recreation & Forestry/Facebook
Located just minutes outside of Buffalo, Chestnut Ridge Park is one of the best places that you can visit in the winter. With sweeping views of the city skyline, wonderful wintertime hiking trails, family-friendly sledding slopes, and the historic toboggan chutes, there’s no end to the fun at this lovely park!
7. Rotary Rink
Fountain Plaza, Fountain Plz, Buffalo, NY, USA
Rotary Rink at Fountain Plaza/Facebook
We're lucky to have quite a few options when it comes to ice skating in Buffalo, but one of our favorite places is Rotary Rink. Skating at Rotary Rink is completely free and will leave your wallet right in your pocket, exactly where you want it after all that holiday shopping! If you don't bring your own skates, it only costs a few bucks to rent a pair. Plus, who doesn't love going skating right in the heart of the city?!
8. The Buffalo Zoo
The Buffalo Zoo, 300 Parkside Ave, Buffalo, NY 14214, USA
The Buffalo Zoo/Facebook
While other zoos around Western New York close down once the colder season comes around, The Buffalo Zoo is one of the few that you'll still be able to enjoy all year long. One of the best parts about visiting this zoo during the winter is getting to see for yourself how much fun the animals have while playing in the snow! It's something you'll never forget seeing and will pull at your heartstrings.

What are your favorite things to do in Buffalo, NY, in the winter? Did we miss any of your top cold-weather activities? Looking for other ways to enjoy this season? Then make sure you read about how The Mountain Coaster Ride Near Buffalo That Will Make Your Winter Unforgettable!

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things to do in Buffalo, New York, in the winter

Sarah M. | November 15, 2022

What are some other fun things to do in Buffalo, New York, in the winter?

The above list is merely the tip of the iceberg (pun intended!) of the amazing things to do in Buffalo, NY, in the winter. Wondering about more cold-weather activities? Read on!

  • Ice Castles at Lake George: The newest member of the Ice Castles dream team, head to Lake George in the New Year to experience this real-life frozen fantasyland. A labor of love, the craftsmen at Ice Castles spend thousands of hours starting in the fall in order to conjure 5,000-12,000 icicles from nothing but water. Ice artists use variables in wind, water, and temperature to craft these incredible, dynamic, larger-than-life formations. In fact, ice castles are typically around an acre in size, and consist of more than 25 million pounds of ice. Jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring, massive, and marvelous, you'll be blown away by the grandeur of these amazing creations.
  • Saranac Lake Winter Carnival: Held annually in Saranac Lake, New York, the Pontiac Club of Saranac Lake created the eponymous Winter Carnival in 1897, and this tradition continues to this day. In fact, Saranac Lake Winter Carnival is the longest-running event of its kind in the eastern U.S. In its 125-year run, it's grown into a 10-day festival that includes sports, performances, two parades, and three sets of fireworks. The centerpiece of the Saranac Lake Winter Carnival is, of course, the Ice Palace, built by volunteers on the shores of Lake Flower's Pontiac Bay. The theme of this ice castle changes each year, with each year's creation somehow more marvelous than the last.

 

What are the best winter hikes near Buffalo?

The winter months are infamous for causing a lack of motivation. We know it can be hard to get out when Mother Nature is being unkind, but don’t let cold weather keep you from working up a sweat! Rather than packing on the pounds, try packing down some snow instead. We love hitting the trails when they're all snow-dusted and ice-frosted, and these picturesque trails around Buffalo are perfect for winter hiking:

  • Tifft Nature Preserve. This beautiful expanse is one of the best spots in Buffalo to unwind and recharge in nature. It's also one of the most popular spots for winter hiking. Trails at Tifft consist of 1.9 miles with a lake, bridges, and year-round opportunities to enjoy!
  • Reinstein Woods. Reinstein Woods trails run for roughly 2.5 miles and are open from sunrise to sunset daily. While we favor it in the fall, winter hiking at this nature preserve will take you up close and personal to forests, wetlands, and ponds.
  • Erie County Forest Trail. The Erie County Forest Trail offers some of the most serene winter hiking around. Not only are the Scarbuck Trail and Extension Loops beautifully scenic, there is also a warming hut and maple sugar shack located nearby.

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