Maybe all you know about Buffalo, New York, is that it’s home to your favorite game-day wings and a football team that can’t catch a break. (Sorry, Bills fans!) But we all know that a place is always more than its famous food and sports team.
The “City of Good Neighbors” considers itself a big city with a small-town, down-to-earth feel. The compact convention center district reflects this, with a venue boasting 110,000 square feet of meeting space, 1,000 hotel rooms within three blocks (and 2,000 total downtown) and thriving restaurants, live music venues and a vibrant waterfront district, Canalside, steps away.
These are key amenities, but it’s the rich mix of natural wonders and history that make Buffalo really shine.
The roaring Niagara Falls are only a 25-minute drive away—a bucket list item for many that will surely entice attendees to journey to a meeting in the destination. Michigan Street Baptist Church, which first opened in 1845 and reopens this year, and once was a spot on the Underground Railroad where icons like Frederick Douglass and Booker T. Washington spoke; and examples of 19th- and 20th-century architecture greats, including Frank Llyod Wright, make for stunning event venues.
New developments excite, too. The Buffalo AKG Art Museum wrapped a $230 million expansion in 2023 and is a must-visit when in town. In 2026, Buffalo’s iconic Hotel Statler, last open for guests in 1923, will reopen as a mixed-use property featuring a hotel, apartments and offices; and Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Park will also open, providing 100 acres of greenspace along Lake Erie.
It's all easy to access, too. Buffalo Niagara International Airport is a 15-minute drive to downtown Buffalo and has up to 100 nonstop flights per day serving 31 airport destinations and in 2024 was ranked fifth in J.D. Power’s 2024 North America Airport Satisfaction Study for medium-size airports.
So, go ahead. Grab yourself some Buffalo chicken wings from Anchor Bar and dig deeper into what the city can offer. And for the Bills? Next year’s their year!
[Related: New York State Offers Dynamic Culinary Outings for Groups]
Where to Stay in Buffalo
The Richardson Hotel opened in 2023 following an extensive $114 million restoration with 88 rooms and 7,000 square feet of meeting space (complete with a wine vault and historic bar). The hotel is a National Historic Landmark originally constructed in 1885 with grounds designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, known as the “father” of landscape architecture (known for Central Park in New York City).
Where to Eat in Buffalo
Try Southern Junction from two-time James Beard nominee Ryan Fernandez, who blends Texas barbecue techniques with Indian flavors in dishes like brisket biriyani and cardamom cornbread. For upscale dining, chef- and sommelier-owned and -operated DiTondo, from the fourth generation of the DiTondo family, focuses on farm-to-table, regional Italian food.
Fun Activities in Buffalo
Art and architecture are some of Buffalo’s finest attractions. Explore more than 160 works from artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, Andy Warhol, Frida Kahlo, Mark Rothko and Pablo Picasso at Buffalo AKG Art Museum, or explore Gilded Age architecture along Delaware Avenue, which is lined with mansions built during the city’s industrial age.
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Taking Off is a column from the desk of Senior Content Director and resident destinations expert, Danielle LeBreck, which uncovers the destinations you haven't thought of for meetings or events, from under-the-radar locales to new neighborhoods you should know about. Read more Taking Off columns here.
