We can all be in agreeance that the seasonal segue between summer and fall is one of the best times of the year. Temperatures taper off, but we’re not reaching for our second (or third) layers to ward off the chill just yet. The pressure to pack everything into the summer months has dwindled, and with back-to-school and work routines picking up, free time during our evenings and weekends become all the more valuable. It’s a great time to seek out spots off the beaten path for a moment or two of peace and quiet. There are plenty of spots in and around Buffalo perfect for doing so.
Did we miss one? Did one of these places close? Send us a note!
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1. Silo City
85 Silo City Row, Buffalo, NY 14203 / silo.city
Both haunting and magnificent, Silo City boasts lush natural beauty framed against a dramatic backdrop of towering industrial relics. A flower-lined pond attracts bees and butterflies, and a short venture along the nearby paths allows for striking views of the old grain silos. Nearby restaurant and cantina, Duende is an oasis tucked away among the juxtaposition of old machinery and new growth—great for a quick bite.
2. Blue Sky Mausoleum
Forest Lawn Cemetery, 1411 Delaware Ave, Buffalo, NY 14209 / blueskymausoleum.com
Nestled within the rolling hills of Buffalo’s Forest Lawn Cemetery, the Blue Sky Mausoleum was commissioned by Darwin Martin, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, and finally built in 2004. Its inverted design features 24 crypts laid out like steps leading down to a pond below. There are a couple benches next to the monument’s central obelisk to sit and take in your stately surroundings. It’s especially gorgeous when fall foliage is in full effect!
3. The Plant Shack
618 Main St East Aurora New York 14052 / More Info
Perhaps millennials aren’t buying houses, but they are buying house plants. Lots of them. This addition to Main Street caters perfectly to a demographic as careful about their Instagram aesthetic as they are about their potted green companions. The Plant Shack is a sweet spot to pick up a gift, add to your flourishing succulent collection, or feel inspired to start your own leafy sanctuary at home.
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4. Unitarian Universalist Church
695 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo, NY 14222 / buffalouu.org
Boasting beautiful bee-friendly gardens and a shady lawn, the grounds of the Unitarian Universalist Church on Elmwood Avenue, insulated from the rush of traffic by a row of meticulous hedges, are certainly worth a quick stroll when you’re in the neighborhood.
5. Anna Mae Bacon Bird Sanctuary
1-85 NY-391, Hamburg, NY 14075 / More Info
This one might be a little on the nose, but the Anna Mae Bacon Bird Sanctuary is a lovely spot for bird watching and photography or for a quiet moment along 18 Mile Creek. The nature preserve’s six acres were named for a former Hamburg High School science teacher who was fondly known as “The Hamburg Bird Lady” (truly the sort of legacy we should all aspire to have). A short path leads you from the observation point down to the bend of the creek below.
6. Arlington Park
9 Arlington Pl, Buffalo, NY 14201
Arlington Park is a peaceful spot to lay out a blanket and read, or set up a picnic. It’s tucked away from the activity of Allen, and sandwiched between Arlington Pl and College St. In the summer, the meticulously manicured front gardens of surrounding homes provide a colorful backsplash, but it’s equally serene in the snowy calm of colder months.
Did we miss one? Did one of these places close? Send us a note!
This post was originally published in 2019 and has been updated.
