Ways to Spend a Rainy Day in Buffalo, NY
It happens. Sometimes the clouds gather in the Buffalo skies. Despite the rainy forecast, there’s plenty of entertainment to be found around town. From museums highlighting Buffalo’s storied past, galleries filled with world-famous works of art and unique shops to explore, these are our favorite things to do on a rainy Buffalo day:
Educational Entertainment
Rainy day or not, the Buffalo Museum of Science is always great fun. Explore the science of nature, outer space, physics, and the human body with exhibits so entertaining, the kids will forget they’re actually learning. Visit the observatory, 3D cinema and special exhibits like Buffalo in Space or Our Marvelous Earth. Heading downtown, the Buffalo Central Public Library offers more than just a wide array of books. In addition to children’s programming, you can visit the Mark Twain Room, containing an original handwritten manuscript of the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Charming History
Take a journey back in time and discover Buffalo’s place in history by visiting the Buffalo History Museum and Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural Site. The History Museum offers collections of Buffalo inventions and innovations, Buffalo’s sports icons, and an in-depth look at the industrialization that made Buffalo a major American city. The TR Site puts you in the shoes of the United State’s 26th President, Theodore Roosevelt, who took the oath of office in Buffalo following the assassination of William McKinley.
Experience how the Erie Canal transformed Buffalo at The Waterway of Change exhibit, an immersive extension from the Buffalo History Museum that’s located at Canalside. Explore the city’s journey from Haudenosaunee homelands to a thriving 19th‑century port through films, interactive displays, and historic artifacts. Discover the perspectives of Indigenous Peoples, Black residents, women, and immigrants whose stories are woven into the canal’s legacy.
Buffalo is chock full of beautiful and historic houses. Tour the grounds of one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural masterpieces at the Martin House, or head down the Lake Erie shoreline to see the Wright-designed Graycliff, the summer retreat of the Martin family. Both houses recently completing multi-year restorations, a tour gives visitors an informed perspective on Wright’s groundbreaking designs.
Take a FREE tour of City Hall through Explore Buffalo. Offering weekday tours at noon. Enjoy a stunning Art Deco landmark. capped off with panoramic views from City Hall’s iconic observation deck.
Artful Adventures
On Elmwood Avenue, the Burchfield Penney Art Center exhibits the best of our region’s artists and artisans.
Also on Elmwood Ave, just across the street from the Burchfield Penney Art Center, is the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. The Town Square is a free area, open to the community and features the Lego room, the AKG gift shop, and Cornelia.
Escape the weather outside while still enjoying the art of nature by heading to South Buffalo and taking a stroll through the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. Your inner botanist will be delighted by the colorful sights and scents that fill the greenhouses – especially in newer houses like the Aquatic Gardens and Asian Rainforest. Here, the flowers are always in bloom!
Shop Til You Drop
Cure the rainy day blues with a little retail therapy. From the Elmwood Village’s crafty shops and fashionable boutiques, Allentown’s eclectic galleries, vintage throwbacks like Vidler’s 5 & 10, and trendy stores to Hertel Avenue’s perfect mix of local flair and flavor, you’ll find the ideal gift for you or your loved ones in Buffalo.
Bring a bit of Buffalo flavor home with you by visiting one of our famous chocolatiers. Whether it’s Watson’s, Fowler’s or the handful of other confection crafters, you’ll be in chocolatey heaven on a sponge candy crawl.
