You could say that Niagara Falls alone is a great reason to visit the Buffalo area, but is it the only reason? While Niagara Falls is a focus for many visitors, locals know that there are plenty of things to "fall" for when you're exploring the Buffalo-Niagara region.

The city of Buffalo has recently undergone something of a renaissance -- with a reinvigorated waterfront, restored architectural treasures, and a colorful food scene to make your mouth water. If you're planning a trip to Buffalo, or if you're joining a group tour organized by AAA, here are just a few of the many must-see attractions that both Buffalonians and tourists like myself enjoy!

Although I've lived in Upstate New York for a few years now, I never had the opportunity to travel as far west as Erie County. That is, until now! I picked the perfect weekend to visit -- a combination of the first warm day this spring, St. Patrick's Day celebrations, and the first and second rounds of the 2022 NCAA March Madness Basketball Tournament were held right here at KeyBank Center.

The first stop on my itinerary was the falls, of course. After months of hazy winter skies, I wanted to take advantage of a sunny day with temperatures about 65 degrees. Another great thing about outdoor attractions is that we didn't feel too crowded even around the dozens of families that joined us on the walking paths to find the best views of the waterfall. Although some of the paths were closed off due to not-quite-thawed ice on the sidewalks, we were able to see the rapids, feel the mist on our faces and take our fair share of keepsake photos.

We spent several hours at the state park, but as the sun sank lower in the sky, and the chill of early spring returned, we made our way back to Buffalo for the rest of the night. Having chowed down on Buffalo's famous wings for lunch, dinner was going to be burgers, fries and milkshakes to shake things up a bit. We ended the night at our hotel, the Residence Inn by Marriott across from the Walden Galleria, knowing we'd need our rest for a busy second day.

On day two, I wanted to keep the momentum going with nature-related attractions, but it had started to rain. Not much more than a light drizzle, but enough to cancel outdoor activities. That's when my AAA Mobile App came in handy... A quick glance of open attractions on TripTik and I knew where we were going next -- the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens.

The elaborately designed greenhouses were based on the famous Crystal Palace in England, which allowed for a morning spent indoors surrounded by nature. The Botanical Garden is a national historic site, education center, and tourist destination filled with exotic horticulture treasures from all around the world. It even has a family of koi fish, and guests can spend a little extra to get up close and personal to feed the fish! Many parents and their young children stopped by the pond to say hello to the fish. AAA members also get $5 off any membership level at the Botanical Garden.

After we had explored the extent of the gardens, our next stop was Downtown Buffalo. We grabbed lunch and polished off some ice cream cones before heading over to the Buffalo Museum of Science, where I got a discount as a AAA member. Now, this was a museum I wish I could have visited as a kid -- nearly half of the exhibits were interactive, and every child seemed to be having an absolute blast!

From 2010 to 2018, the Buffalo Museum of Science was on a mission to renovate all of its permanent exhibit experiences, to transform its former diorama-based exhibits into eight highly interactive and immersive science studio exhibit spaces and even a 3D Cinema space.

From Antarctic dinosaurs to outer space, from ancient artifacts to understanding the human body, and even learning about bugs, biodiversity and the physics of motion -- there's something for everyone regardless of age.

After two days of exploring Buffalo's nature and natural history, eating great food, appreciating the city's architecture and public art, I left Buffalo knowing I'll be back again some day.

Visit AAA Discounts for more information about discounts to keep in mind when planning your next trip!

AAA Discounts