Buffalo & Finger Lakes Loop
Hey! Since you're headed to Buffalo, you've got the perfect jumping-off point for both world-class waterfalls and some of the best lake-country driving in the Northeast. Five days is just enough to see the mist of the Falls and the vineyards of the Finger Lakes.
Buffalo Airport → Niagara Falls → Buffalo City → Letchworth State Park → Corning → Watkins Glen → Geneva → Canandaigua → Buffalo Airport
The Thunder of the Falls
Pick up your rental car and head straight north. The drive to the falls is quick and easy.
Buffalo Niagara International Airport
🚗 Pick up your rental car and head straight north. The drive to the falls is quick and easy.
Niagara Falls State Park
Niagara Falls State Park is a state park located in Niagara Falls, New York, United States. It is recognized as the oldest state park in the United States, and contains the American Falls, the Bridal Veil Falls, and a portion of the Horseshoe Falls.
Whirlpool State Park
Whirlpool State Park is a 109-acre (0.44 km2) state park located in Niagara County, New York, north of the city of Niagara Falls. The park overlooks the Niagara Whirlpool on the Niagara River and the lower Niagara Gorge.
Old Falls Street
Walk around this pedestrian area in the evening for dinner. It’s touristy, but the illumination of the falls at night is a must-see.
Wings and Frank Lloyd Wright
Head back into Buffalo city. This is one of Wright's most important Prairie School designs. The way the buildings connect through a long pergola is stunning for photos.
Frank Lloyd Wright's Martin House
Head back into Buffalo city. This is one of Wright's most important Prairie School designs. The way the buildings connect through a long pergola is stunning for photos.
Anchor Bar
The Anchor Bar is a bar and restaurant in Buffalo, New York, located north of Downtown Buffalo at the intersection of Main and North Streets. The restaurant was initially established in 1935. The bar is most famous for claiming to be the birthplace of spicy chicken wings known outside the Buffalo area as Buffalo wings.
Canalside
Canalside, formerly known as Canal Side and also referred to as Erie Canal Harbor, is a mixed-use recreational and entertainment district in downtown Buffalo, New York. It is the recreation of the western terminus of the Erie Canal, which was destroyed in the early 20th century. Canalside is situated on the Buffalo River, in an area that was historically home to the Seneca people.
The Grand Canyon of the East
Stop in this charming village on your way south. It’s the home of Fisher-Price and the Roycroft Campus. Grab a pastry at a local bakery before hitting the road.
East Aurora
East Aurora is a village in Erie County, New York, United States, southeast of Buffalo. It lies in the eastern half of the town of Aurora. The village population was 5,998 per the 2020 census. It is part of the Buffalo-Niagara Falls metropolitan area. In 2015, East Aurora was rated the third-best town to raise a family in New York State by Niche.
Letchworth State Park
A happy confluence of geography and generosity has created Letchworth State Park, a long swath of parkland on the western edge of the Finger Lakes region of New York. The Genesee River has carved a magnificent gorge through this area, including a series of three large waterfalls, earning the park its nickname, The Grand Canyon of the East.
Glen Iris Inn
The Glen Iris Inn, William Pryor Letchworth's former home, is located on the top of a cliff overlooking Middle Falls in Letchworth State Park, New York State, USA. William Letchworth found the day-to-day operations of business burdensome and sought refuge on the site, where he decided to build a home.
Glass and Glaciers
160km, 2h drive
Corning Museum of Glass
The Corning Museum of Glass is a museum in Corning, New York, United States, dedicated to the art, history, and science of glass. It was founded in 1951 by Corning Glass Works and currently has a collection of more than 50,000 glass objects, some over 3,500 years old.
Watkins Glen State Park
Watkins Glen State Park is in the village of Watkins Glen, south of Seneca Lake in Schuyler County in New York's Finger Lakes region. The park's lower part is near the village, while the upper part is open woodland. It was first opened to the public in 1863 and has been a public park since 1906.
Seneca Lake Wine Trail
Drive up the east side of Seneca Lake. There are dozens of wineries here; many offer flights with a view of the water as the sun starts to go down.
Lakeside Loops and Departure
Take a final morning stroll along the pier to see the lighthouse before heading back toward Buffalo.
Geneva Lakefront Park
Take a final morning stroll along the pier to see the lighthouse before heading back toward Buffalo.
Canandaigua
One of the oldest cities in the Finger Lakes region of New York, Canandaigua has a long history as a major crossroads. Its name derives from a Seneca word meaning "The Chosen Spot", and its position at the northern end of Canandaigua Lake certainly justifies the moniker.
Buffalo Niagara International Airport
🚗 Drop off the car and check in. Aim to be here 2 hours before your flight as the security lines can vary.