Not surprisingly, downtown Buffalo is the oldest section of the city. Though the official incorporation of Buffalo dates to 1804, it is known that there was a tiny trading post, a few cabins, and perhaps a half-dozen settlers located here before that date — and perhaps even before the Holland Land Company's purchase eleven years earlier of all of what is today New York State west of the Genesee River. However, it was in 1798 when Joseph Ellicott, a land agent and surveyor for the Holland Land Company, arrived at the junction of the Buffalo River and Lake Erie. Soon afterward, he began to lay out streets and lots for a village he called New Amsterdam, but which the residents insisted on calling Buffalo (a name change that was made official in 1808). Joseph Ellicott was the brother of Andrew Ellicott, who was responsible for surveying the streets of Washington, D.C.; the radial streets that Joseph Ellicott laid out in Buffalo, centered on Niagara Square and largely intact today, certainly bear a great deal of similarity to the street plan of Washington and also testify to the greatness that Ellicott envisioned for Buffalo — though it was well beyond the frontier of settlement at that time, Ellicott predicted that Buffalo would someday be a huge city and an important inland port. Ellicott's vision came to fruition in 1825 with the completion of the Erie Canal from the Hudson River at Albany to Buffalo Harbor, kickstarting a century of meteoric growth for Buffalo.

It is important to note that for all of Buffalo's importance during those early years as an inland port and manufacturing center, commerce played a much smaller role in its economy than industry. Buffalo's commercial district at that time was quite small, hugging the north side of the harbor and extending no further north than Church Street. By contrast, the northern reaches of today's downtown, i.e. the Theater District, were residential; even Niagara Square was a cluster of elegant and spacious mansions with an appearance much more akin to a village green in New England than the center of an urban business district. It was not until after the Civil War that commerce truly began to take a place in Buffalo's economy; by the turn of the century, Lafayette Square, two blocks north of Church Street, was the home of large office buildings such as the Buffalo German Insurance Company and the Mooney & Brisbane Building. The business district's boundary continued to creep further north during the first part of the 20th century; at the onset of the Depression, Niagara Square was an odd mishmash, with the remaining mansions standing side by side with tall skyscrapers like the twelve-story Buffalo Athletic Club, the 19-story Hotel Statler, and the then brand-new City Hall, which, at a height of 398 feet (121 m), is still the second-tallest building in Buffalo.

However, things were slowly beginning to change. Though World War II saw Buffalo's steel mills and automotive plants working at full force, a number of factors converged after the war that stymied, and finally reversed, Buffalo's growth. In downtown specifically, the Main Street retail corridor began to grow less and less crowded each year as shoppers began to pass up grand old department stores like Adam, Meldrum and Anderson, Hengerer's, and L. L. Berger in favor of suburban plazas and malls. Sadly, the response of Buffalo's civic leaders to the decline of downtown was the same as their response to the deterioration in other neighborhoods: "urban renewal", for the most part poorly thought out and incredibly destructive. Among the many examples of the devastation of downtown's urban fabric was the demolition of the stunning, castlelike Erie County Savings Bank building to make way for the Main Place Tower, a bland modernist office tower with an attached suburban-style shopping mall, the razing of Cyrus Eidlitz's Buffalo Public Library, a beautiful Romanesque edifice in red sandstone at the east end of Lafayette Square, to be replaced by the drab monolith that houses the Central Library today, and the replacement of the beautiful French Second Empire-style Buffalo German Insurance Company with the minimalist, boxlike Tishman Building, which stood abandoned for nearly a decade before a belated redevelopment as a combination Hilton Garden Inn and headquarters to local development company, the Hamister Group.

By 2000, signs of hope had begun to emerge. Buffalo's preservationist movement, which was kickstarted in 1950 with the city's shortsighted demolition of Frank Lloyd Wright's glorious Larkin Administration Building, had gained strength all through this time as their list of successes in preventing future disasters of that type grew. Thanks to their efforts, downtown Buffalo retains many splendid old buildings that would otherwise have been demolished. More importantly, the failure of Robert Moses-style urban renewal to address Buffalo's decline has inspired the city's leaders to adopt a new strategy for development, favoring a more broad-based approach that has already borne fruit in similar Rust Belt cities like Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Without this epiphany, West Chippewa Street would likely still be overrun with seedy flophouses, prostitutes, and other unsavory characters, Canalside would likely still be a desolate patchwork of parking lots and moribund warehouses, and downtown in general would likely still be replete with boarded-up storefronts and a virtual ghost town after the end of the workday and on weekends. The most recent phase in downtown's renaissance, beginning over the past decade, has been the conversion of disused office space into high-end downtown apartments and condominiums — a commodity for which many Buffalonians have been surprised to discover there is considerable pent-up demand.

Because of its proximity to Lake Erie, downtown Buffalo is noticeably cooler and windier than other areas of the city and region. This has the effect of making the Erie Basin Marina and other waterfront areas popular places for Buffalonians to escape oppressive summer heat, but also makes nighttime baseball games at Sahlen Field early in the season fairly uncomfortable.

Although a car is probably necessary for most visitors to Buffalo, the small size of Buffalo's downtown, coupled with issues such as traffic, the proliferation of one-way streets, and the hassle and expense of parking, make walking a far more sensible method of transportation for those who only need to travel from one downtown location to another. In fact, it could be said that walking is the only way to fully experience the best of what downtown Buffalo has to offer — its magnificent architecture, the proliferation of unexpected things to see, and the bustle of the streets are often missed by those who merely pass through in a car. It's really quite a pleasant experience.

Due to its central location and the famously light traffic on area roads, downtown Buffalo is easily accessible by car. (Parking, however, is another story!)

Niagara Square was designed as the central node of Buffalo's network of streets, a status it retains, and thus it is a good point of reference for visitors in navigating the streets of downtown. Niagara Square is where many of Buffalo's most important thoroughfares converge: Niagara Street, Elmwood Avenue, Delaware Avenue, Genesee Street, and Court Street (which splits three blocks east of here, at Lafayette Square, into William Street and Clinton Street). Downtown's other major thoroughfares include Main, Church, Pearl, Tupper, Washington, Chippewa, Ellicott, Oak, and Elm Streets.

In addition, downtown Buffalo is also served by three urban expressways: the Kensington Expressway (NY 33), which begins at the airport and passes through the suburb of Cheektowaga and the East Side before ending at Oak Street at the northeast corner of downtown; Interstate 190, Exits 6 and 7 of which serve downtown via Elm and Church Streets, respectively; and the Buffalo Skyway (NY 5), which parallels the lake shore along the Outer Harbor before ending at its junction with I-190 downtown.

Although Main Street has been closed to automobile traffic between Mohawk and Scott Streets since 1985 to accommodate the above-ground portion of the Metro Rail, the "Cars Sharing Main Street" project allowing for the gradual return of cars to that thoroughfare has been ongoing for some time. The segment between Tupper and Chippewa Streets and Chippewa and Mohawk Streets reopened in January and December 2015, respectively, with cars and trains sharing the tracks; the next segment to reopen (with a target date of 2020) is the block between Exchange and Scott Streets, just north of Canalside. However, it will likely be many years before all of Main Street is accessible to autos.

On-street parking in the downtown core can be hard to come by, though the scenario is certainly not as dire as in larger cities like New York or Toronto. This is especially true on weekdays during business hours and, in and around the Chippewa Street entertainment district, also at night and on weekends. Parking meters generally charge $1 per hour; parking is free after 5PM on weekdays and all day Saturday and Sunday. Parking is much more easily available, but also more expensive, at downtown's many paid parking lots and ramps. Rates at parking ramps average about $1.50 per hour up to a daily maximum of about $6; surface lots range from $4 to $5 per hour up to a daily maximum of between $8 and $10. During special events at the KeyBank Center, Sahlen Field, or the Convention Center, rates at parking ramps and (particularly) surface lots rise steeply.

Public transit in Buffalo and the surrounding area is provided by the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA). The NFTA Metro system encompasses a single-line light-rail rapid transit (LRRT) system and an extensive network of buses. The fare for a single trip on a bus or train is $2.00 regardless of length, with the sole exception of the Enhanced Express service described below. No transfers are provided between buses or trains; travelers who will need to make multiple trips per day on public transit should consider purchasing an all-day pass for $5.00.

By Metro Rail

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The Metro Rail is an LRRT line that extends along Main Street from the University at Buffalo's South Campus in North Buffalo southward to downtown. The northern portion of the system is a subway, but as it enters downtown it emerges from its tunnel and runs at street level. Riding on the above-ground portion of the Metro Rail — from Fountain Plaza Station near Genesee Street southward to Erie Canal Harbor Station — is free, and is a pleasant and efficient way to travel from one end of downtown to the other. It's important to note, though, that travelers who continue northward past the Fountain Plaza Station without having paid a fare ($2 one-way/$4 round trip) may incur a substantial fine.

There are six Metro Rail stations located downtown. From north to south, they are:

• 42.889337-78.8731922 Fountain Plaza Station — Main Street at Huron Street.
• 42.886621-78.8740583 Lafayette Square Station — Main Street at Court Street.
• 42.883852-78.8749544 Church Station — Main Street at Church Street.
• 42.881243-78.8758265 Seneca Station — Main Street at Seneca Street.
• 42.877851-78.8769396 Erie Canal Harbor Station — Main Street at Scott Street.
• 42.876571-78.8774197 Special Events Station — Main Street at Perry Street, adjacent to the KeyBank Center. This station is only open immediately before and after certain events at the KeyBank Center, otherwise Erie Canal Harbor Station serves as the last stop on the Metro Rail.

The Metro Rail is the backbone of Buffalo's public transit system — the line intersects with most NFTA bus routes, including many crosstown routes that do not access downtown directly. In particular, the University Station, at the outer end of the line, is serviced by many suburban bus routes that traverse the towns north of Buffalo, making for easy access to downtown.

Buffalo has been making great strides in recent years in accommodating bicycling as a mode of transportation, with recognition from the League of American Bicyclists as a Bronze-Level "Bicycle-Friendly Community" to show for its efforts. As far as bicycling infrastructure goes, downtown Buffalo, along with the city as a whole, has come a long way in a short time. Both West Chippewa and West Huron Streets sport "sharrows" (pavement markings on roads too narrow to accommodate dedicated bike lanes, indicating that drivers should be aware of bicyclists on the road) linking Main Street to South Elmwood Avenue, while separate bike lanes run along Delaware Avenue north from Niagara Square, along Genesee Street between Elm Street and Roosevelt Plaza, along Broadway from the corner of Ellicott and William Streets outward into the East Side, along Pearl Street between Exchange and West Tupper Streets, along North and South Division Streets (one on each of those parallel one-way streets, oriented in the same direction as car traffic) between Main and Elm Streets, and along Marine Drive and its eastern extension, Scott Street, between Erie and Washington Streets.

This trend is slated to continue, as the aforementioned Cars on Main Street program will see Main Street progressively transformed from a failed attempt at a pedestrian mall lined with moribund businesses to what will be almost inarguably the most "complete" street in Buffalo's "Complete Streets" program, whose aim is to redesign streets so as to promote alternative methods of transportation. At its completion, Main Street will see cars and trains sharing the Metro Rail tracks in the middle of the roadway, flanked by ample sidewalks and — yes — a bike lane on each side of the road as far south as Chippewa Street.

This is not to say that cyclists should throw caution to the wind: downtown Buffalo is still a place of heavy automobile traffic and crowded sidewalks. In particular, despite the pavement markings, West Chippewa is still an extremely busy road in terms of both automobile and foot traffic.

As well, Canalside serves as a main nexus of the Shoreline Trail, a multi-use trail 22.6 miles (36.4 km) in length that runs north along the Niagara River to Gratwick Park in North Tonawanda as well as south past the Outer Harbor and into Lackawanna. Originally called the Riverwalk, this was one of the first purpose-built bike trails in the area, dating to the 1980s, and it's still a perennial favorite especially on warm summer days, boasting scenic views over the water. Particularly avid bicyclists will note that the Shoreline Trail also links up directly to the Scajaquada Creekside Trail to Delaware Park, as well as the Erie Canalway Trail through Tonawanda and Amherst. If you're headed south to the Outer Harbor instead, the Queen City Bike Ferry (fare $1, operates late May-mid Oct) is a nice shortcut for those who don't want to deal with the on-street bike lanes along Marine Drive, Main Street, etc.

The 42.878416-78.873789 Buffalo-Exchange Street Amtrak Station (BFX) is located downtown at 75 Exchange St., and is directly accessed by a number of NFTA Metro Bus routes. See the main Buffalo article for more information on arriving via Amtrak.

• 42.877978-78.8809681 Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park, One Naval Park Cove (Metro Rail: Erie Canal Harbor), ☏ +1 716 847-1773. Apr-Oct 10AM-5PM daily, Nov Sa-Su and F after Thanksgiving 10AM-4PM, Dec-Mar closed. Located adjacent to Canalside, the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park opened in 1977 and consists of three historic warships: the USS Little Rock, a cruiser which served in the Mediterranean Sea during the Cold War as a flagship for the Second and Sixth Fleets of the U.S. Navy and is now the only guided missile cruiser in the country on display; the USS The Sullivans, a destroyer that saw intense action in the Pacific theater of World War II; and the USS Croaker, a submarine that also saw action in the Pacific during WWII. These ships are open for self-guided tours during the warm months. There is also a museum on site that displays memorabilia such as Medals of Honor awarded to area residents. $10, seniors and ages 6-16 $6.  
• 42.87789-78.8781572 Explore & More (Ralph C. Wilson Children's Museum), 130 Main St. (Metro Rail: Erie Canal Harbor), ☏ +1 716 655-5131. M & W-F 10AM-4PM (first F of each month till 8PM), Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 11AM-5PM. Explore & More was founded and spent the first quarter-century of its existence in the village of East Aurora (best known as home of the Fisher-Price toy company), but moved in 2019 to an all-new four-story space in Canalside with a revamped set of exhibits based on telling the story of Buffalo to the littlest youngsters through the medium of play. Kids can pilot boats down a miniature Erie Canal in the "Moving Water" exhibit, learn about "Being Good Neighbors" with folks of different backgrounds, or strap on a hard hat and play architect in the "Building Buffalo" exhibit, constructing their very own house or bridge using play tools and building materials. And on the first Friday of each month when they're open late, the rooftop terrace is a great place to catch the Buffalo Bisons' post-game fireworks display at nearby Sahlen Field. $11, children under age 1 free; $15 on Sunday & during special events. (updated Oct 2019)
• 42.886913-78.8730823 Western New York Book Arts Center, 468 Washington St. (Metro Rail: Lafayette Square), ☏ +1 716 348-1430. W-Sa noon-6PM. A 501(c)(3) educational non-profit organization, the mission of the Western New York Book Arts Center (WNYBAC) is, in the words of its website, to "promote, encourage and develop the printing and book arts through education and access for individual artists and underserved communities". Presented at the WNYBAC are permanent exhibits detailing the history of printmaking, writing, bookbinding and related crafts, temporary shows featuring the work of local writers, artists and illustrators, and workshops that educate individuals and groups on techniques in bookbinding, papermaking, screen printing, and letterpress. The WNYBAC also holds Open Studios twice monthly for local artisans to work on their own projects. Exhibitions free, variable prices for special events and workshops. 

• 42.882044-78.877524 Lower Lakes Marine Historical Society Museum, 66 Erie St. (Metro Rail: Seneca), ☏ +1 716 849-0914. Th & Sa 10AM-3PM and by appointment. The shipping industry was greatly important to Buffalo's economy in earlier times, and the Lower Lakes Marine Historical Society's mission is to pay tribute to, and increase awareness and appreciation of, that facet of local history. To that end, a wide variety of historic artifacts, old photographs, models, and interpretive materials relevant to the Great Lakes shipping trade are displayed in a warm and airy museum located in what was once the offices of Howard H. Baker and Company, a ship chandlery that served Buffalo Harbor in the 19th Century. Free. 

• Mark Twain Room, Central Library, 1 Lafayette Squ. (Metro Rail: Lafayette Square), ☏ +1 716 858-8900. M-W & F-Sa 8:30AM-6PM, Th 8:30AM-8PM, Su noon-5PM. Mark Twain lived in Buffalo for a short period at the beginning of his career, from 1869 to 1871; though not his most prolific period as a writer, it was during his time as editor and co-owner of the Buffalo Morning Express that he courted and married his wife Olivia and fathered his first child. Today, at the Central Library on Lafayette Square, there's a small exhibit space that displays a range of memorabilia related to the iconic author and humorist, including most famously the original manuscript of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn handwritten by Twain in 1885. In addition, you can see a collection of English and foreign-language editions of Huck Finn gradually amassed by the Library beginning in the 1930s, as well as the restored mantel from Twain's handsome mansion at 472 Delaware Avenue in present-day Allentown (destroyed by fire in 1963). The Mark Twain Room is open whenever the Central Library is open; it's on the first floor of the building, on the right side of the corridor as you walk past the escalators. Free. 

• 42.886424-78.8781575 McKinley Monument (At Niagara Square; Metro Rail: Lafayette Square). Erected in 1907 in commemoration of the assassination of President William McKinley at the Pan-American Exposition exactly six years prior, this gleaming 96-foot (29 m) obelisk of Vermont marble anchors Niagara Square at the focal point of Joseph Ellicott's 1807 radial street plan. The McKinley Monument was designed by Carrere and Hastings, the same architects in charge of the Exposition; the lions and turtles resting at its base (symbols, respectively, of strength and eternal life) were carved by well-known sculptor A. Phimister Proctor. The monument was also the subject of Carl Sandburg's poem "Slants at Buffalo, New York".  
• 42.885669-78.8738116 Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument (Metro Rail: Lafayette Square). Designed by architect George Kellar of Hartford, Connecticut with bronze reliefs by Caspar Buberl, the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument is the centerpiece of Lafayette Square, a granite shaft that stands 85 feet (25 m) tall. Talk of a Civil War memorial monument (originally intended to be located at Soldier's Place in the Delaware District) had begun as early as 1866, but it was not until 1884 when the Ladies' Union Monument Association finally effected its construction. Soon after its dedication it was noted that, due to the uneven settlement of its foundation, the monument was tilted and was structurally unsound; it was dismantled, rebuilt, and rededicated five years later. The Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument was thoroughly restored in 1982.  

More and more, Buffalo's exquisite and well-preserved architecture has grabbed the attention of locals and tourists alike. As of March 2020, there are 23 historic neighborhoods in Buffalo that have been recognized by either the National Register of Historic Places or the Buffalo Preservation Board, at least partly for reasons of architectural importance. Four of those are located downtown:

• The 42.889474-78.8698317 Genesee Gateway Local Historic District. A row of seven buildings on the south side of Genesee Street between Ellicott and Oak Streets, at the east end of the business district just past the terminus of the Kensington Expressway, this district is the aptly named "gateway" to downtown. These two-, three-, and four-story brick buildings were built mostly in the final quarter of the 19th century in styles popular at the time, and represent the most intact period streetscape remaining in Buffalo's business district. Thankfully, after years of neglect and talk of demolition, these properties have been thoroughly renovated as office, retail, and restaurant space. (updated Sep 2017)
• The 42.884455-78.8775268 Joseph Ellicott Local Historic District. encompasses the blocks surrounding Niagara Square, as well as most of the area between Church and Seneca Streets west of Oak Street. The Joseph Ellicott Historic District preserves the nucleus of Ellicott's original street plan for the village of Buffalo, which remains substantially intact, and contains historic buildings in diverse architectural styles from all eras of Buffalo's history — from the Greek Revival-style Title Guarantee Building (110 Franklin St., 1833) through to the Gothic St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral (128 Pearl St., 1849) and Erie County Hall (96 Franklin St., 1871), the Italianate Main-Seneca Building (237 Main St., 1913), the Art Deco Walter Mahoney State Office Building (65 Court St., 1932), and the striking postmodern Robert H. Jackson U.S. Courthouse (2 Niagara Squ., 2011), to name just a few. (updated Sep 2017)
• The 42.887973-78.8729649 500 Block of Main Local Historic District. Also known as the Main-Genesee Local Historic District, the 500 Block is bounded by Main, Genesee, East Huron, Washington, and Mohawk Streets. This block chronicles the development of Buffalo's business district from the mid-19th Century to the early 20th Century, consisting mostly of low-rise brick commercial buildings in vernacular interpretations of Greek Revival, Renaissance Revival, Art Nouveau, and Art Deco styles. The small scale of these buildings, which generally rise to no more than three or four stories in height, hearkens back to the appearance of the downtown business district before the construction of gargantuan skyscrapers like the Tishman Building and Fountain Plaza began altering the character of this stretch of Main Street in the middle 20th Century. (updated Sep 2017)
• The 42.892772-78.87204610 Theater Local Historic District. Centered on Main Street and bounded by Chippewa, Pearl, Edward, Goodell, and Washington Streets, also including the former Buffalo Courier-Express Building at the northeast corner of Main and Goodell Streets, the Theater Historic District is not only significant as Buffalo's traditional and enduring entertainment district, which has been given a new lease on life in recent years, but also for the architectural grandeur of its buildings, most of which were constructed around the turn of the century in the Beaux-Arts Neoclassical style and feature exquisitely detailed terra cotta decoration. Examples include the Pierce Building (651 Main St.), the Alleyway Theatre (672 Main St.; quite unlike the others, this was constructed in 1941 in the Streamline Moderne style), the Perron Building (674 Main St.), the Market Arcade (617 Main St.), and the centerpiece of the district, Shea's Performing Arts Center (646 Main St.) (updated Sep 2017)

In addition to these historic districts, among the many individual buildings in downtown Buffalo of architectural significance is the...

• 42.883134-78.8765911 Guaranty Building, 140 Pearl St. (Metro Rail: Church), ☏ +1 716 854-0003. Interpretive center open M-F 8:30AM-5PM or by appointment with Preservation Buffalo Niagara. Erected in 1896, the Guaranty Building was one of the earliest high-rise office buildings in Buffalo, an architectural wonder in ruddy terra cotta designed by the "Father of the Skyscraper" himself, Louis Sullivan. With breathtaking vertical lines, exquisite Art Nouveau ornamentation all over the façade, and a design that is a near-perfect embodiment of the "form follows function" credo, the building was for many years the headquarters of the Buffalo Prudential Insurance Company (hence its alternate name, the Prudential Building) and was named a National Historic Landmark in 1975. There's an interpretive center in the northeast corner of the lobby with exhibits on Sullivan and his partner, Dankmar Adler, the building's history and architecture, and the history of its current occupant, the law firm of Hodgson Russ, now the oldest continually operating business in Buffalo. Guided tours are also offered by appointment. (updated Jan 2017)

Recent years have seen the emergence of a growing arts community in downtown Buffalo, centered in the Theater District as well as the emerging 500 block of Main Street immediately south of there. For more art galleries in downtown Buffalo — specifically, ones where art is sold as well as displayed — see the Buy section.

• 42.89222-78.87200412 BOX Gallery, 667 Main St. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 852-5222. M-F 5PM-8PM. Located in the Theater District inside of Hostel Buffalo Niagara, BOX Gallery was opened in September 2014 by the hostel's general manager, Jon Piret, in conjunction with local artist Jeffrey Vincent, as a home for temporary exhibitions by local artists. At BOX Gallery you'll find innovative work by neophytes and veterans of the local scene alike, often synthesizing multiple different media. As well, there's a performance space for musicians, dancers, and performance artists. Free. (updated Nov 2015)
• 42.890584-78.87256613 CEPA Gallery, 617 Main St. (At the Market Arcade; Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 856-2717. M-F 7AM-9PM, Sa 8:30AM-4:45PM, Su 10AM-3PM. Located in the historic and architecturally stunning Market Arcade in the Theater District and funded by CEPA members as well as charitable foundations, the CEPA Gallery's mission, according to its website, is "to present contemporary photo-related art, to support working artists, and to promote a greater understanding of photography and its associated aesthetic and cultural issues", with a particular focus on the work of local photographers as well as those who come from groups that have been traditionally underrepresented in the field. To that end, exhibitions of work by CEPA members and others are frequently held in the gallery space. Donation. 
• 42.89376-78.87552514 Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center, 341 Delaware Ave. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 854-1694. Tu-F 11AM-6PM, Sa 11AM-2PM. Founded in 1974 on the West Side by a collective of visual artists that includes such future luminaries of the Buffalo arts scene as Diane Bertolo, Charles Clough, and Robert Longo, Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center has operated since 2006 in Babeville, the complex created by Ani DiFranco in the redeveloped Asbury United Methodist Church. With a mission of creating and making available to the public new works in a diversity of genres of contemporary art, Hallwalls operates a large exhibition gallery that features a permanent collection as well as temporary exhibitions of works by local artists, as well as a screening room and performance space. As well, Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center is a dedicated advocate for local artists on issues such as funding for the arts and freedom of expression. Donation.  
• 42.887672-78.87352315 Main St. Gallery, 515 Main St. (Metro Rail: Lafayette Square), ☏ +1 716 578-1702. M-Sa 9AM-5PM. Opened in January 2016 in the former home of MAIN(ST)UDIOS, the Main St. Gallery represents a proud continuation of its predecessor's dedication to the downtown arts community that has coalesced around the 500 Block of Main Street. In this large, two-story combination art gallery and performance space, curator Cole Pawlowski hosts a diverse range of temporary art exhibitions as well as live music, poetry readings, and even film screenings and theatrical pieces. (updated Mar 2016)
• 42.878484-78.87821716 Shark Girl, at Canalside near the foot of Perry Boulevard (Metro Rail: Erie Canal Harbor). A work of local artist Casey Riordan, Shark Girl is a life-size fiberglass statue of a young girl with an old-fashioned blue dress, bright red shoes, and a great white shark for a head that's been perplexing — and polarizing — visitors to Canalside since it was unveiled in 2014, borne of a partnership between the city government and the Albright-Knox Art Gallery aimed at promoting works of public art around Buffalo. Shark Girl is a recurring character in Millard's repertoire of paintings and drawings — a representation, she says, of "the existential conundrums of life, love, family, and loss". She sits atop a boulder on one of the whipple-truss bridges over the restored canal. (updated May 2015)
• 42.893911-78.87622117 Starlight Studio, 340 Delaware Ave. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 842-1525. M-F 9AM-4PM. Located in the Theater District and operated by the Learning Disabilities Association of Western New York, Starlight Studio is a gallery and studio that showcases works by artists with disabilities. With a rotating collection on display of works by member artists, frequent temporary exhibitions, and display space available for rent to the community, the overarching goal of Starlight Studio is to support the creative expression and artistic development of adults with disabilities. Donation. 

• Big Ditch Brewing Company, 55 E. Huron St. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 854-5050. Tours run hourly M, Tu & F 11AM-6PM, W & Sa 11AM-3PM. In the 19th Century, "The Big Ditch" was a popular name for the Erie Canal, which, over the course of only a few decades, took Buffalo from a sleepy frontier backwater to one of America's foremost industrial centers. In much the same way, the Big Ditch Brewing Company's name pays homage to its role in the revival of Buffalo's proud brewing tradition, which was all but dead after the closure of Iroquois Brewing in 1972 but now comprises a growing legion of locally-owned craft microbreweries like the brand-new one on East Huron Street where they operate. During retail hours, Big Ditch's staff leads craft beer lovers on free tours of their production floor, where folks can watch two batches of beer a day get brewed, fermented, carbonated, and racked into kegs. Afterward, head over to the attached tap room and restaurant to sample the finished product. Brewery tour free. (updated May 2019)

• 42.877196-78.8789618 Canalside (Along the north shore of the Buffalo River between the Commercial Slip and the foot of Main Street; Metro Rail: Erie Canal Harbor), ☏ +1 716 856-3150. Situated on 20 acres (8 ha) of formerly idle land at the harbor, Canalside combines the celebration and preservation of Buffalo's rich history as a rough-and-tumble canal town with an expansion of waterfront recreational opportunities for Buffalonians of today to enjoy. At Canalside, amenities such as tour boats offering cruises of the harbor, river, and lake, a lengthy slate of festivals, and one of the city's favorite new restaurants (Liberty Hound) can be enjoyed in an environment that also pays tribute to history with features such as a recreation of the Commercial Slip — once the western end of the mighty Erie Canal — on the side of which are the restored foundations of old Canal District buildings, dating to the mid-19th century and rediscovered in the early 2000s. As well, a restored canal bridge, interpretive plaques, and the enthralling Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park are on the scene. With further expansion of the offerings slated for the near future, such as two new hotels, a children's museum, a sports complex, and restaurants and shops, Canalside is only going to get better as time goes on.  
• 42.8813-78.88875919 Erie Basin Marina, 375 Erie St. (Metro Rail: Erie Canal Harbor), ☏ +1 716 851-5389. Daily 6AM-10PM, May 1-Oct. 15. Much more than just a place to park boats, the Erie Basin Marina is popular with Buffalo residents during the summer as a place to walk, jog or bike, enjoy an ice cream cone and cool lake breezes, or just relax and watch the people go by. A longtime fixture on Buffalo's waterfront, the Erie Basin Marina is located next to the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park, the Canalside redevelopment, the Waterfront Village Condominiums, and the Buffalo Light, which was built in 1833 and is the oldest existing building in Buffalo still on its original site. The marina also boasts such amenities as a snack bar and ice cream shop (The Hatch), a pair of upscale restaurants (Templeton Landing and William K's), a waterfront boardwalk that provides access to the small Emerald Beach, and an observation tower that boasts excellent views of downtown, the West Side waterfront, Elevator Alley, Lake Erie, the Niagara River, and Canada. Also located here are the Erie Basin Marina Gardens, whose 200 different species of plants come into bloom each spring and summer along Erie Street and which serve not only as a delightful attraction for visitors but also as a test garden for floral and seed companies to experiment with growing their plants in a Northeastern climate. 

• Buffalo City Hall Observation Deck, 65 Niagara Squ. (Metro Rail: Lafayette Square), ☏ +1 716 851-4200. M-F 8AM-5PM. As mentioned before, Niagara Square is the center of Joseph Ellicott's original radial street plan for Buffalo, which makes the 360-degree panoramic views available from the 28th floor of 42.886631-78.87927820 Buffalo City Hall — the second-tallest building in Buffalo — all the more impressive. Guests take the elevator as far as the 25th floor, then ascend a stairwell for the remaining three floors, and are then rewarded with unparalleled views over Buffalo and its surroundings, Lake Erie, and Canada. On clear days, the mist from Niagara Falls can be seen over the northern horizon. Free. 

Buffalo's calendar of annual festivals, parades and events is huge and growing, and its central location makes downtown a popular location for these events. In particular, Niagara Square and Canalside are among Buffalo's preeminent venues, each hosting a multitude of festivals per year.

Summer

[edit]

• Galbani Buffalo Italian Heritage Festival. A longtime fixture on Hertel Avenue in North Buffalo, the Italian Festival has bounced around the city over the past few years: after a brief sojourn at the Outer Harbor, it finally landed in 2019 on Niagara Square. As ever, though, revelers can look forward to live music, carnival rides, games, and attractions of all kinds on the first weekend in July. The star of the show, of course, is the food, with offerings from such well-known Italian markets as Guercio & Sons and Mineo & Sapio Meats as well as demonstrations by chefs from Italian restaurants in the area such as Marotto's and Marco's Italian Deli. 
• Taste of Buffalo. Every year since 1984, the second weekend of July has seen foodies descend on Niagara Square and the few blocks of Delaware Avenue north of there for the two-day Taste of Buffalo festival, where Buffalo's most popular restaurants offer samples of their finest dishes to the public. Local wineries often show up to showcase their vintages, and food demonstrations and even live music are also on hand to please 450,000 festival attendees from all over Upstate New York, Southern Ontario, and Northwest Pennsylvania.  
• Buffalo Maritime Festival. For three days in mid-September, Canalside celebrates Buffalo's history as one of the most important inland ports in North America as a sort of grand finale to the summer festival season on the waterfront. At the Buffalo Maritime Festival, visits to the harbor are paid by famous ships that, in recent years, have included the tugboat DeWitt Clinton, the schooner Lynx out of Newport Beach, California, and even the USS Niagara, the warship commanded by Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry in the War of 1812. Tours of some of the boats are offered, as well as a children's parade, a chowder competition, a beer tent, food and drink, and live music. Admission and most activities are free. 
• National Buffalo Wing Festival. Each Labor Day weekend sees Sahlen Field in downtown Buffalo host the National Buffalo Wing Festival, two days dedicated to Buffalo's best-known addition to the annals of American cuisine. Inspired by the 2001 movie Osmosis Jones as well as a column by iconic Buffalo News editorialist Donn Esmonde, the National Buffalo Wing Festival has, since its inception, drawn nearly 600,000 hungry guests from all 50 states and 33 foreign countries to Buffalo, who have collectively eaten over 3 million chicken wings and raised over $200,000 for various local charities. Showcased by a long list of national media such as The Today Show, The View, Live with Regis and Kelly, numerous Food Network series, and even a PBS documentary, the National Buffalo Wing Festival sees over 30 restaurants in Buffalo and around the country — including the Anchor Bar, where chicken wings were first served in 1964 — serve up their individual recipes and compete for prizes.  

Downtown is home to four of Buffalo's six professional sports teams.

• Buffalo Bandits, KeyBank Center, One Seymour H. Knox III Plaza (Metro Rail: Erie Canal Harbor), ☏ +1 716 855-4100, toll-free: +1-888-467-2273, fax: +1 716 855-4122. The Buffalo Bandits have been a member of the National Lacrosse League (and its predecessor, the Major Indoor Lacrosse League) since 1992. Buffalo's most successful sports team in recent years, the Bandits won the league championship in 1992, 1993, 1996, and 2008, as well as the divisional championship in 1994, 2004, 2006 and 2011. Games are played at the 42.875006-78.8766072 KeyBank Center downtown from December through April. Tickets to these family-friendly events are affordable and easily available.  
• Buffalo Beauts, HarborCenter, 100 Washington St. (Metro Rail: Erie Canal Harbor). The city's newest sports team made its debut in 2015, playing ice hockey in the National Women's Hockey League at HarborCenter, just across the street from the KeyBank Center. (updated Nov 2016)
• Buffalo Bisons, Sahlen Field, One James D. Griffin Plaza (Metro Rail: Seneca), ☏ +1 716 846-2000, fax: +1 716 852-6530, [email protected]. Pennant winners in 1933, 1936, 1957, 1961, 1997, 1998, and 2004, the Bisons are the AAA farm team of the Toronto Blue Jays. Bisons baseball games are a great place to see up-and-coming talent before it makes the big leagues, and their home stadium, 42.880348-78.8737673 Sahlen Field, hosted the AAA All-Star Game in 1988 and 2012. Sahlen Field is a "new classic" ballpark, built in 1988 by HOK (now known as Populous), the renowned firm that went on to build Camden Yards in Baltimore. Seats are usually available and cheap, and provide a great view of downtown.  
• Buffalo Sabres, KeyBank Center, One Seymour H. Knox III Plaza (Metro Rail: Erie Canal Harbor), ☏ +1 716 855-4100, toll-free: +1 888-GO-SABRES (46-722737). Member of the National Hockey League (NHL), the Buffalo Sabres advanced to the Stanley Cup finals in 1975 and 1999 and, in 2007, won the Presidents' Trophy for the best win/loss record in the NHL. The Sabres' home games at the KeyBank Center sell out on a regular basis.  

Pro sports aside, HarborCenter is also home to the Canisius College Golden Griffins men's ice hockey team, playing Division I hockey in the Atlantic Hockey Conference.

• 42.878173-78.8778684 The Ice at Canalside, West side of Main St. between Exchange and Scott Sts. (Metro Rail: Erie Canal Harbor). Public skate M-Th 3PM-7PM, F 3PM-10PM, Sa 10AM-10PM, Su noon-8PM; season runs Dec-Mar. The Ice at Canalside is New York State's largest outdoor ice rink, two and a half times the size of a regulation hockey surface and three times the size of the skating rink at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan. Located on the new northern extension of the Commercial Slip — the site of both the Erie Canal terminus and the playing surface at the old Memorial Auditorium (a special insignia on the surface of the rink pays homage to the Buffalo Sabres' former home ice) — the Ice at Canalside opened just in time for the start of the 2014-15 skating season, and also hosts broomball, curling, and other winter pastimes. Skates and "ice bikes" are available for rent as well. In summer, the Ice at Canalside is converted to a lovely reflecting pool, with old-fashioned whipple-truss bridges crossing over the water that evoke the bygone days of the Erie Canal. $5, children 6-12 $2, children 5 and under free. 
• 42.876974-78.8766385 The Rinks at HarborCenter, 95 Main St. (Metro Rail: Erie Canal Harbor). When they're not being used for Buffalo Sabres practice sessions or Buffalo Beauts, Buffalo Junior Sabres, Canisius Golden Griffins, or Erie Community College Kats hockey games, the two indoor NHL-sized rinks on the sixth floor of the HarborCenter at Canalside occasionally host public skates. See the HarborCenter website for a schedule of open times and ticket purchasing information. $6, with skate rental $9; children 7 and under $1.25, with skate rental $4. 
• 42.889486-78.8735176 Rotary Rink, 20 Fountain Plaza (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 851-4200. Public skate Tu-Fr 11AM-2PM & 5PM-9PM, Sa 11AM-8PM, Su 11AM-6PM, weather dependent; season runs Dec-Mar. Named for the Rotary Club whose $500,000 donation made its construction possible, the Rotary Rink has, since 1991, provided city residents with a unique opportunity to ice skate outdoors in an urban setting just steps from the Theater District, Chippewa Street, and downtown hotels and attractions. Skating at the Rotary Rink is very popular during winter events downtown such as the Christmas Tree Lighting, the New Year's Eve ball drop, and Winterfest, with the rink open extended hours during those times. Free; skate rental $2 for children, $3 for adults. 

• 42.875811-78.8789757 BFLO Harbor Kayak, 1 Naval Park Cove (Metro Rail: Erie Canal Harbor), ☏ +1 716 288-5309. Daily 9AM-6PM, Memorial Day-Labor Day. At BFLO Harbor Kayak, the format is decidedly freeform: after a brief introductory talk on oar gripping, seating, and other mechanics of kayaking, you're set loose into the water to explore Canalside, the Naval Park, and the elevators of the Buffalo River at your leisure; just make sure you're back when your time is up. Stand-up paddleboarding — a watersport imported from Hawaii that's perhaps best described as surfing with an oar — is also offered, as are guided historical tours of the harbor and the Buffalo River (check website for details on those). Keep in mind that BFLO Harbor Kayak is one of the most popular activities offered at Canalside, with waits of three hours or more not uncommon on balmy summer weekends, so arrive early and plan accordingly as no advance reservations are taken. Single kayak or stand-up paddleboard rental $20/hour or $50/half-day; tandem kayaks $30/hour or $75/half-day. (updated Nov 2015)
• 42.877656-78.8773558 Canalside Paddleboats, near corner of Main St. and Marine Dr. (Metro Rail: Erie Canal Harbor), ☏ +1 716 681-4643. Sa-Su 10AM-6PM, Memorial Day-June 20; daily 10AM-6PM, June 20-Labor Day. Courtesy of Water Bikes of Buffalo (see below), both young and old can cruise their way around the rebuilt Canalside canals on their choice of six adult-size paddleboats or 12 child-size double-passenger boats. Boats are rented for 20-minute intervals on a first-come-first-served basis from the kiosk at the east end of the canals, adjacent to Main Street. Life vests are provided free of charge and, even though the water is only 18 inches (45 cm) deep, are mandatory for all ages. Single-passenger boats $5 per 20-minute session; two-passenger boats $10 per 20-minute session. (updated Nov 2015)
• 42.878406-78.877859 Sail the Canal (Metro Rail: Erie Canal Harbor). Sa-Su noon-8PM, Memorial Day-June 20; daily noon-8PM, June 20-Labor Day. The miniature remote-control sailboats you see puttering around the rewatered Erie Canal were inspired by the model boat races that have long taken place at Conservatory Pond in Manhattan's Central Park, and Canalside is still the only other place in the world that has them. As you stand alongside the edge of the water, you use the remote-control unit that the folks at Sail the Canal give you to adjust your boat's sail and rudder — but as with a real sailboat, the wind does all the rest of the work. For that extra touch of authenticity, they'll even sell you a captain's hat. $11 plus tax per half-hour. (updated Nov 2015)
• 42.874741-78.8783510 Water Bikes of Buffalo, south end of Main St. (Metro Rail: Erie Canal Harbor), ☏ +1 716 681-4643. Sa-Su 10AM-6PM, June 6-20; daily 10AM-6PM, June 20-Labor Day. A "water bike" is a contraption that looks rather like two parallel kayaks with a bike frame, pedals and handlebars suspended between them, and Water Bikes of Buffalo has ten of them (plus one tandem "waterpillar") docked at the far southeast corner of Canalside. What a unique way to explore the downtown waterfront, the hulking grain elevators of the lower Buffalo River, and the handsome, historic Buffalo Lighthouse. Water bikers must be at least 8 years old and at least 48 inches (122 cm) in height, and children must be accompanied by an adult 18 years of age or older. $15/hr; $30/hr for tandem "waterpillar". (updated Nov 2015)

• 42.878567-78.88556411 Buffalo Harbor Cruises (Metro Rail: Erie Canal Harbor), ☏ +1 716 856-6696. Narrated Sightseeing Tour: July-Labor Day Tu-Su 12:30PM & 3PM, Historic Buffalo River Tour: July-Labor Day daily 12:30PM, Landmark Tour: July-Aug Wed 3PM. During the warm months, the Miss Buffalo II takes visitors on their choice of three sightseeing cruises that cover various parts of Buffalo's waterfront. The basic Narrated Sightseeing Cruise takes in the sights along the upper Niagara River including the old Buffalo Light, the Black Rock Canal, and (on the opposite side of the river) Old Fort Erie. The Historic Buffalo River Tour explores Buffalo's mighty industrial past with a visit to the old Erie Canal terminus and "Elevator Alley", a stretch of the Buffalo River adjacent to the harbor that is lined with historic grain elevators. The Landmark Tour uses Buffalo's scenic harbor as a base to explore the magnificent architectural landmarks of downtown. Tours leave from the Erie Basin Marina rain or shine. Parties, corporate events, and private charters are also available. $16, children $11, lunch cruise $28. 
• 42.878598-78.88640712 Moondance Cat, 2 Templeton Terr. (Metro Rail: Erie Canal Harbor), ☏ +1 716 854-7245. Cruises leave May-Oct 12:30PM, 3PM, 6PM, 8:15PM. The Moondance is a 51-foot catamaran that offers two-hour cruises on Lake Erie. Four cruises depart daily from the Erie Basin Marina, and passengers can take advantage of an open bar, sound system, and ample space for sunbathing. Group charters and banquet packages are available. $23, seniors $20, children $11.50. 
• 42.876956-78.87987313 Spirit of Buffalo (Metro Rail: Erie Canal Harbor), ☏ +1 716 796-7210. Cruises leave May-Oct, call for schedule and availability. Serene and scenic cruises on Lake Erie and around the harbor are to be had on the Spirit of Buffalo, an unmissable 73-foot schooner that affords them the opportunity to experience a trip aboard a traditional 19th-century sailing vessel. Day cruises, sunset sails, and a Wednesday "Wine in the Wind" Cruise featuring local vintages from the Niagara Peninsula are all offered; kids love the Pirate Cruises that sail on Saturdays and Sundays. All cruises leave from the Commercial Slip at Canalside. Private charters are available as well. $28, children $18, Pirate cruise $23, children $19, Wednesday Wine in the Wind cruise $38. 

For a city its size, Buffalo has a surprisingly large, active, and diverse theater scene. The Theater District, bounded roughly by Washington, Tupper, Pearl, and Chippewa Streets, is especially vibrant, with Curtain Up!, the gala event that marks the opening of the theater season, drawing larger-than-ever crowds downtown each September.

For further information on many of the theaters listed here, and on the shows currently running, please visit the Theatre Alliance of Buffalo's website.

• 42.892169-78.87252414 Alleyway Theatre, 672 Main St. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 852-2600. Located in a striking Art Moderne building in the heart of the Theater District that once housed Buffalo's Greyhound bus station, the Alleyway Theatre presents a full slate of plays and musicals year-round in a comfortable and intimate setting. Popular features of the Alleyway Theatre's annual schedule include "Buffalo Quickies" (a festival of one-act plays by local writers), the Maxim Mazumdar New Play Competition, and the theater's annual presentation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol each December. The Alleyway is also home to Theatre Plus, a troupe that puts on musicals, plays, dance performances, and other such fare, geared toward and performed by women. 

• Irish Classical Theatre Company, 625 Main St. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 853-4282. Housed at the 42.89107-78.87232415 Andrews Theatre in the Theater District, the Irish Classical Theatre Company was founded in 1990 by a pair of brothers from Dublin with a mission "to present the greatest works of dramatic literature: international classics; modern plays of exceptional merit; and Irish plays, both traditional and contemporary... at the highest level of artistic excellence for the public of Buffalo, Western New York and Southern Ontario, and subsequently, for national and international audiences." Despite its name, the Irish Classical Theatre has a broad and international focus; over the course of its history, the company has presented performances by the late French mime Marcel Marceau, the renowned Polish dramatist Kazimierz Braun, and Buffalo native Jesse L. Martin, whose work includes performances in the Broadway musical Rent and the television series Law & Order. 
• 42.886486-78.87438216 Road Less Traveled Theatre, 456 Main St. (Metro Rail: Lafayette Square), ☏ +1 716 629-3069. Road Less Traveled's location may be new (it moved in September 2018 to its own space in the former Baker Shoes building a couple blocks south of the Theater District proper), but its mission remains the same: developing and producing works by playwrights of local extraction. Its in-house program for developing local talent, the Emanuel Fried New Play Workshop, has been of especial assistance in Road Less Traveled's recent initiative to better reflect the increasingly diversified identity of Western New York in order to present local audiences with a picture of their world that is as true-to-life as possible, and to capture the interest of young people and others who may be new to the experience of live theatre. Additionally, Road Less Traveled Theatre often presents theatrical productions of exceptional quality by dramatists from outside the region. 
• 42.89152-78.87271417 Shea's Performing Arts Center, 646 Main St. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 847-1410. Located in an dazzlingly ornate former movie palace that has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Shea's Performing Arts Center has been the cornerstone of downtown Buffalo's Theater District since the late 1970s, when its opening thwarted plans by civic leaders to demolish the grand old building. Today, Shea's is Buffalo's premier venue for lavish Broadway-style musicals such as Dreamgirls, The Lion King, and Wicked, as well as live music and performances such as Sesame Street Live and the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. The Mighty Wurlitzer organ, installed in the theater in 1926 to provide musical accompaniment to silent movies, is also occasionally dusted off for performances of various types.  
• 42.893242-78.87220718 Shea's 710 Theatre, 710 Main St. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 847-0850. The Studio Arena Theatre was one of the oldest resident theatres in the United States and Buffalo's only professional regional theatre at the time of its closure in 2008 due to financial difficulties. It was reopened in 2012 by Shea's Performing Arts Center in partnership with a variety of other local, regional, and college theatre institutions. The 710 Theatre presents an assortment of productions. The theatre is also available for private and corporate events. 
• 42.891897-78.87261219 Shea's Smith Theatre, 660 Main St. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 847-1410. Next door to the main Shea's building is the Smith Theatre, a cabaret-style venue that presents fare that is quirkier and more locally-focused as opposed to major national touring productions. The Smith Theatre hosts a diversity of fare, including stand-up comedy sets and off-Broadway-style material that's often written and performed by Buffalo-area natives. 

• 42.891301-78.87227520 AMC Market Arcade 8, 639 Main St. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 803-6250. After a four-year hiatus, the movies made their triumphant return to the downtown Theater District in summer 2018. The eight screens show the typical big-budget Hollywood fare, but in terms of amenities, this is easily Buffalo's swankiest cinema experience: ticketless entry, heated reclining seats, and a full bar (the Market Arcade 8 is the only movie theater in New York State with a liquor license!) are but a few of the additional touches that elevate it a cut above the competition. As anywhere downtown, limited parking is the Achilles heel of this place: if you're not arriving by Metro Rail, best practice is to head for a spot in the M&T Bank parking lot across Washington Street, which is open to non-bank employees beginning at 4PM (10AM on weekends) at a flat rate of $3. (updated May 2019)
• 42.890617-78.87241121 Squeaky Wheel, 617 Main St. (At the Market Arcade; Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 884-7172. Founded in 1985, Squeaky Wheel is a nonprofit, grassroots, artist-run media arts center that periodically screens locally-produced independent and avant-garde film and video projects.  

• 42.893415-78.87415322 Spare Room, 500 Pearl St. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 382-6084. M-Th 4PM-10PM, F 4PM-midnight, Sa noon-midnight, Su noon-10PM. "Spare" room... get it? Dad jokes aside, 500 Pearl Street's onsite bowling alley is a thoroughly hipster-ed up affair with a retro-chic vibe: eight lanes furnished with midcentury-inspired seating and settees, an arcade with '80s- and '90s-era video machines, a bar where smart craft cocktails abound, and a dimly-lit, LED-imbued ambience more redolent of a chic nightclub than a bowling alley. You pay by the hour rather than per game, and there's one distinct downside that comes with that: regardless of how much time you pay for, the lights and scoring machines cut out after every hour and have to be turned back on manually, so time your games accordingly (or keep score on pencil and paper). Check website for detailed rate structure. (updated Mar 2020)

• 42.893707-78.87512823 Asbury Hall, 341 Delaware Ave. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 852-3835. Ani DiFranco is the locally-based musician and record company honcho who was responsible for saving the historic Asbury United Methodist Church from demolition in 1996 and transforming it into "Babeville", a complex that encompasses the headquarters of her record label, Righteous Babe Records, Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center's gallery and screening room, and the concert venue Asbury Hall. Located in the sanctuary of the former church, Asbury Hall is a 1,000-capacity venue that hosts live performances of music that trends heavily toward folky indie singer-songwriters, in many cases from Righteous Babe Records' stable of artists. Comedy, variety shows, and other events are also held regularly at Asbury Hall.  
• KeyBank Center, One Seymour H. Knox III Plaza (Metro Rail: Erie Canal Harbor), ☏ +1 716 855-4142. The home of the NHL's Buffalo Sabres is also Buffalo's venue of choice for first-tier national and international musical acts, as well as touring shows such as Cirque du Soleil and WWE wrestling.  
• 42.886766-78.87208924 Mohawk Place, 47 E. Mohawk St. (Metro Rail: Lafayette Square), ☏ +1 716 312-9279. Famous for boasting the "Finest in Underground Rock Since 1990" until its closure in January 2013, Mohawk Place is back and better than ever. Or, perhaps better said, it's just "back" — aside from a new floor, a few touch-ups to the original tin ceiling, and a bar that's more consistently well-stocked than before, new owner Rick Platt has kept the place true to its divey, eccentric roots, to the delight of the local musicians and fans who considered the place almost a second home. Mohawk Place's previous iteration was known to book the occasional nationally-known touring act and was beloved for such annual events as the Irving Klaws Halloween Party, the Annual Joe Strummer Tribute Show, and The Smiths vs. The Cure Dance Party; at this early date there's no word on whether any of that will continue to be the case, but the punk, metal, and hard rock scene in Buffalo is glad all the same to have the place open again. 
• 42.89079-78.87597925 Rec Room, 79 W. Chippewa St. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 939-1279. Now that the boom-boom dance clubs up and down the strip have mostly gone the way of the dodo, it seems as if Chippewa's newest identity will be as a destination for live music fans. Opened in 2018 in what was formerly The Lodge nightclub, Rec Room is a mainstay of this transformation. The place is owned by Chris Ring, the mastermind behind the sadly missed Waiting Room on Delaware Avenue, and it's pretty much the same deal here as at the old place — mostly mid-tier punk, hardcore, and heavy metal bands with a few clubbier acts thrown in from time to time — in a classed-up ambience lit with Instagrammable neon art fixtures. If you've arrived early or the opening act is boring, there's also a game room upstairs with dartboards, electronic basketball, and arcade marchines. (updated May 2019)

• 42.892457-78.87191326 Town Ballroom, 681 Main St. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 852-3900. Once a Prohibition-era speakeasy that was Al Capone's favorite Buffalo hangout, the Town Ballroom has been reborn as one of the city's premiere venues for nationally famous pop, rock and hip-hop acts to strut their stuff. The upcoming concerts at the Town Ballroom as of this writing — hip-hop veterans Cypress Hill, Canadian alt-rockers Billy Talent, metalcore favorites Killswitch Engage, and jam band Umphrey's McGee — are indicative of the caliber and range of groups that perform there. 
• 42.891143-78.87285827 Tralf Music Hall, 622 Main St. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 852-2860. This Theater District mainstay started out as a small jazz club but has branched out into roots, rock, soul, R&B, and world music with an emphasis on mid-level national acts as well as local bands. 
• Tudor Lounge, 335 Franklin St. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 885-9643. It's best known as a divey blue-collar watering hole, but the Tudor Lounge is also one of the best places in Buffalo to see local blues combos — including the house band, the Jony James Blues Band — strut their stuff. Bluesy alt-rock acts take the stage from time to time, as well. The Tudor Lounge also has karaoke on Friday nights starting at 11PM. (updated May 2019)
• 42.890784-78.87584528 Venü, 75 W. Chippewa St. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 427-8368. Another of Chippewa's new breed of live music venues, Venü is where Timothy Walton brings a "Vegas-style concert experience" to the former Lux nightclub at the heart of the strip. A ground-level dance floor plays host to a full schedule of DJs, rave and electronica musicians, and the occasional rock band, while a second-floor balcony accommodates live music fans looking for a less kinetic experience. Themed dance parties and other special events are also frequently held. (updated Nov 2016)

In summer, downtown plays host to a number of regularly scheduled outdoor concert series, too.

• Canalside Live. This long-running outdoor concert series traces its history to 1986, the first year Thursday at the Square was held at Lafayette Square in the heart of downtown. In 2011, event organizers responded to the increasingly large crowd sizes by moving the second half of the schedule to the much larger Canalside area, where the entire series is now held. Evolving from its humble beginnings as mainly a showcase for local bands (and with shows no longer held exclusively on Thursdays), Canalside Live has grown to host internationally known artists and groups such as Blues Traveler, Parliament/Funkadelic, the Violent Femmes, Hootie and the Blowfish, They Might Be Giants, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, and dozens more, and is also well-known for regularly showcasing Canadian acts such as Sam Roberts, the Lowest of the Low, Sloan, and 54-40. Concerts are held from June through August. $5 general admission, children 5 and under free.  
• M&T Bank Plaza Event Series. M-F noon-1PM, mid-June through the end of Aug. Not many people know that Buffalo is home to the longest-running free concert series in the United States: since 1969, M&T Bank has been staging lunch-hour performances five days a week on the entrance plaza of their corporate headquarters, the Minoru Yamasaki-designed 42.883805-78.874321 One M&T Plaza. Out of all the concert series you'll read about in this section, the Plaza Event Series has easily the most diversity of programming: sure, you'll see your share of local bar bands working their repertoire of classic-rock cover tunes, but the 2019 schedule also included jazz from the Bobby Militello Quartet and David Kane's Them Jazzbeards, a tribal drum and dance performance courtesy of the African-American Cultural Center, an appearance by the Buffalo Philharmonic, and even a stand-up comedy set from Nels Ross. (updated Nov 2019)
• Thursday & Main. Th 5PM-8PM, mid-June through early Aug. Filling a void left when Thursday at the Square outgrew its downtown digs, moved to Canalside and started charging admission (see above), this much lower-key event sees a crowd of mostly nine-to-fivers descend on Fountain Plaza on summer evenings after work to enjoy free concerts by local bands and/or nosh on a spread of "happy hour"-style libations and light foods offered up be a rotating lineup of downtown restaurants. (updated Nov 2019)

• 42.887523-78.87357129 Hatchets & Hops, 505 Main St. (Metro Rail: Lafayette Square), ☏ +1 716 424-0507. Generally F, Sa and usually at least one other day of the week 3PM-10PM; see website for scheduled times. The obligatory axe-throwing bar that any city that aspires to any level of coolness has to have nowadays. The procedure at Hatchets & Hops sees groups divided into teams of a maximum of six people which each face off in a round-robin, bracket-style tournament lasting about two hours. Admission is by advance reservation only (though the policy says 24 hours, they're usually booked out several weeks in advance, so reserve early) with a $100 deposit required at the time of purchase that can be transferred to a new session date and time within the window of the 2-week rescheduling/cancellation policy, but is nonrefundable. Prices are quoted per lane rather than per player, with no discount for teams of less than six people, so to maximize the bang for your buck you should try to come in a group numbering in a multiple of six. And, as you can imagine in a place with sharp objects flying around, they're dead serious about safety here — you have to sign a liability waiver before you begin, as well as review an exhaustive set of safety rules. Open-toed shoes are prohibited; loose-fitting or dangly clothing is strongly advised against; and you'll be escorted out if found to be intoxicated. (Notwithstanding that, there is a bar onsite — while tournaments are ongoing they only serve Snowy Owl Kombucha and Public Espresso, but afterwards you can freely indulge in a decent selection of local craft brews, wines, and ciders.) $240 per lane. (updated Nov 2016)

• 42.890708-78.872521 Queen City Gallery, 617 Main St. (At the Market Arcade; Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 868-8183. Tu-F 11AM-4PM, Sa by appointment. The Queen City Gallery "Celebrates the Architecture of Buffalo" (to cite its mission statement) from its headquarters in the Market Arcade on Main Street in the Theater District. Here you'll find not only the work of its owner, Michael Mulley, but also photography and works in other media by a bevy of local artists, with an accent on vintage and contemporary depictions of Buffalo and Western New York. Books and prints are offered for sale at reasonable prices. 

• 42.890607-78.8718812 BFLO BOHO, 617 Main St. (At the Market Arcade; Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza). Tu-F 10AM-6PM, Sa 10AM-5PM. The website says it best: "regardless of what Wikipedia says, 'boho' was not invented by Sienna Miller or the Olsen twins". Instead, the Bohemia that Jodi Mohn Griggs brings to Buffalo is the original one — since 2015, she's partnered with some of the last traditional jewelers and glass artisans in the mountain village of Jablonec nad Nisou to bring their wares to Buffalo, first at the East Side's Broadway Market and now at a brick-and-mortar location on the Washington Street side of the Market Arcade: one-of-a-kind buttons, brooches, pins, necklaces, earrings, and other jewelry imported from the Czech Republic and sold for prices that won't break the bank. (updated Mar 2020)
• 42.889869-78.8700323 Buffalo Made Co., 110 Genesee St. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza). Tu-W noon-7PM, F-Sa 5PM-9PM. If you want to not only look sharp but also wow Buffalonians with your knowledge of the minutiae of local culture, the Genesee Gateway is the place to be. The marquee item on sale at the aptly named Buffalo Made Co. is a line of hand-printed t-shirts and hoodies emblazoned with vintage Buffalo Bills logos, the old Bethlehem Steel Company insignia, and logos of innumerable gone-but-not-forgotten bars and nightspots like Merlin's, McMonkeez, and Romanello's Roseland. If that's not what you're looking for, they've also got house-brand leather goods and toiletries, art prints, and other gifts and trinkets you won't find in any other city in the country. (updated Oct 2019)
• 42.894275-78.8713194 DC Theatricks, 747 Main St. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 847-0180. M-F 10AM-5PM, Th till 6PM, Sa 10AM-2PM. DC Theatricks is a full-service costume company specializing in custom-made men's period suits and uniforms for sale or rent. Not surprisingly, DC Theatricks does an especially brisk business around Halloween selling literally hundreds of custom-made costumes for adults and children, as well as wigs, makeup, accessories, costume kits, party supplies, decor, and other such goods. DC Theatricks' manufacturing department also takes online orders for shipment anywhere, and wholesale pricing is available to qualified purchasers. 
• 42.890636-78.8720745 Franci by Nicole Davis, 617 Main St. (At the Market Arcade; Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza). W-Sa 11AM-5PM. Nicole Davis' jewelry has been worn on the catwalk during Fashion Week in New York, Los Angeles, and Paris, seen in the pages of Vogue and other international magazines, and spotted on the necks and wrists of celebrities worldwide. And now she brings that same top-shelf design to her shop in the Market Arcade, where the creative, one-of-a-kind pieces on offer are better described... well, the website says "wearable art that immediately makes every woman on whom it's adorned feel like royalty", but a fairer assessment would be "a little on the gaudy side, but not tasteless or tacky by any means". (updated Mar 2020)
• 42.88511-78.8728626 Made by Anatomy, 391 Washington St. (At the Hotel Lafayette; Metro Rail: Lafayette Square), ☏ +1 716 882-1500. Open by appointment. Custom-designed bridalwear is the specialty here, but even if you're not planning a wedding, you'll find two collections of made-to-measure upscale ladies' clothing in Made by Anatomy's showroom on the ground floor of the Hotel Lafayette. Everything you'll find on the shelves represents the work of local designers (including owner Ali Eagen herself) and has been chosen with a view to an up-to-the-minute fashion style, an impeccable quality of handiwork, an ethos of sustainability and environmental consciousness, and support of the local fashion community. 
• 42.885223-78.8737827 MMW Style Studio, 403 Main St., Unit 103 (In the Brisbane Building; Metro Rail: Lafayette Square), ☏ +1 716 812-0937. M-F 10AM-6PM, Sa noon-5PM. Inside this boutique in downtown's Brisbane Building you'll find not only a huge mural photo of Lafayette Square as it looked in Buffalo's early-20th Century glory days — a symbol of the optimism that inspired owner Nia Badger to take a chance opening a downtown fashion boutique — but also a selection of eye-catching clothes, jewelry, and accessories for stylish urban fashionistas. MMW is a place to go for ladies of all shapes and sizes (from 0 to 3X) looking to make a bold fashion statement for prices that won't break the bank. (updated Nov 2015)
• 42.889042-78.8778568 New Era Flagship Store, 160 Delaware Ave. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 604-9193. M-Sa 10AM-6PM. This exclusive manufacturer and marketer of caps for all Major League Baseball teams and their minor-league affiliates — as well as a licensee of apparel for the NHL, NBA, and over 200 colleges and universities nationwide — has been headquartered in Buffalo since its foundation in 1920. At New Era's flagship store on Delaware Avenue in the former Federal Reserve Building, shoppers can choose from hats representing just about every professional sports team imaginable. As you can imagine, caps for local teams such as the Sabres and Bisons dominate the selections at the store, as well as the New York Yankees, who also boast a loyal following in Buffalo.  
• 42.890697-78.8730069 Sasmita Batik Indonesia, 610 Main St. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 949-0192. M-F 11AM-6PM, Sa 11AM-5PM. Former Indonesia Stock Exchange trader Novi Paluch has guided Sasmita Batik Indonesia from relatively humble beginnings as a stall at the West Side Bazaar, to a larger stall in the historic Market Arcade building, and now to her very own shop in the City Center building. As can be inferred from the title, the stock in trade of this cute, brightly decorated little shop is an exciting and colorful array of fashions, jewelry and loose batik cloth that ably reflect the beauty and culture of Southeast Asia. As well, Sasmita stocks a modest range of accessories, home decor, kitchenware, and unique gifts of the same ilk. (updated Mar 2020)
• 42.892476-78.87239110 Tent City, 674 Main St. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 853-1515. M-Sa 9:30AM-6PM, Su midnight-5PM. Tent City is one of Buffalo's foremost purveyors of activewear, work clothes, and surplus military uniforms. Camping supplies, work boots, winter coats, and apparel from brands like Timberland, Nike, Dickies, Carhartt and Columbia can be found at Tent City's outlet in the heart of the Theater District. 
• 42.892946-78.87230111 Yar Mo's Muse, 700 Main St. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 440-8966. Tu-Sa 10AM-6PM. Selling a range of vintage and modern clothing, jewelry and accessories, Yar Mo's Muse specializes in mixing and matching pieces from among their vast inventory to create one-of-a-kind, head-to-toe ensembles that balance timeless elegance with nods to any of a kaleidoscope of head-turning styles. And "kaleidoscope" is no exaggeration: Yar Mo's merchandise runs the gamut from brightly-colored dresses in patterns inspired by West African mudcloth, to stylish retro pieces that look like something Audrey Hepburn might have worn, to unusual Victorian-era flourishes such as capes. A respectable range of menswear is also offered. (updated Nov 2015)
• 42.886839-78.87276712 Zio and Co., 465 Washington St., Suite 100 (Metro Rail: Lafayette Square), ☏ +1 716 392-8612. M 10AM-10PM, Tu-F 9AM-5PM, Sa 8AM-4PM. If custom-tailored menswear is what you're after (and money is no object), head over to the Sinclair Building for some of the most upscale threads Buffalo has to offer. The Zio experience is a personalized one: you first book an appointment for a fitting with owner Mark Nunziato, then you'll go over fabric and pattern choices together, then they'll build your suit jacket, dress shirt, pants, or whatever the case may be from scratch. As old-school as it gets, and with genuinely friendly customer service to match. (updated Nov 2019)

• 42.892717-78.87637213 David Tiftickjian & Sons Oriental Rugs, 300 Delaware Ave. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 852-0556. M-F 9AM-5PM. Family-owned since 1892, the uncommon longevity of this place is probably creditable to the second-to-none care taken by the Tiftickjian family of their customers — buying an Oriental rug is a complicated process that requires extensive knowledge of what you're buying, and the staff here is not only knowledgeable but also trustworthy, even to the point of allowing customers to "live with" the rugs for a while in their own houses before making a final decision on whether to purchase. As for the merchandise itself, a dizzying variety of rugs and carpets are available, from hand-weaved antiques from Persia to high-quality modern rugs. 
• 42.890042-78.86964314 Scherer Furniture, 124 Genesee St. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 854-1805. M-Sa 9AM-4PM, M & Th till 8PM. Buffalo's oldest furniture store has been in the same handsome brick building at the corner of Genesee and Oak Streets, across the road from the Genesee Gateway, since 1897. Even as similar businesses fled for the suburbs, the loyal customers of Scherer Furniture have continued to travel here from all over the region to purchase quality products including solid oak, cherry and hardwood furnishings for every room in the house, made by renowned manufacturers such as Statton, Wesley Hall, Lexington, Colonial, and Hallagan and sold at reasonable prices with delivery and setup included. Free parking is provided. 

• 42.882506-78.87512715 Diamond Cutters of Western New York, 295 Main St. (In the Ellicott Square Building; Metro Rail: Seneca), ☏ +1 716 854-4455. M-Th 9AM-6PM, F 9AM-5PM, Sa by appointment. "To go to a more direct source, you'll need a miner's hat", so the slogan of this renowned wholesale diamond brokerage goes — and true to form, what you'll find here are carefully hand-select loose diamonds cut and polished by the two award-winning gemologists on staff, mounted into rings, earrings, pendants and other pieces by Diamond Cutters' own goldsmith (a selection of other lines of jewelry designs, including Cordova, Prima New York, and Vanna K are also available), and sold directly to the customer. Staff can even help you custom-design your own jewelry. 
• 42.891284-78.87636216 Melting Point Jewelers, 255 Delaware Ave. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 856-7599. M-F 10AM-5PM and by appointment. Melting Point Jewelers is the place where owner Diane Von Heckler handcrafts personalized custom-designed gold and platinum jewelry for a growing legion of loyal customers — designs which usually include the diamonds and other precious and semiprecious gemstones that Melting Point sells. Melting Point will also appraise, repair or restore your old jewelry or watch, or remount gems from your old piece into a completely new setting. 
• 42.885275-78.87429117 New Generations Jewelry, 403 Main St. (In the Brisbane Building; Metro Rail: Lafayette Square), ☏ +1 716 853-2138. M-F 9:30AM-5PM, Sa 11AM-3PM. Located in the Brisbane Building on Lafayette Square, New Generations is a friendly neighborhood shop that does it all — not only do they sell a wide range of rings, earrings, bracelets, charms, timepieces and other jewelry items in gold and sterling silver, but the store provides complimentary gift wrapping and engraving, and will adjust and replace watchbands and change watch batteries while you wait. The friendly and knowledgeable service at New Generations is matched by amazing prices — customers speak again and again of spending less than half what they would at other stores for items that are of respectable quality. 

• D'Avolio's, 535 Main St. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 342-2167. M-F 10AM-2:30PM. After your meal in the attached restaurant, browse through the sales racks filled with the same selection of high-quality handcrafted extra-virgin olive oils, balsamic vinegars, and other gourmet specialties as at the larger, retail-only locations of this renowned local chain. (updated Jul 2018)
• Fattey Beer Co., 5 Genesee St. (Metro Rail: Fountain Plaza), ☏ +1 716 575-5519. Su-Th noon-11PM, F-Sa noon-midnight. When Blue Monk on Elmwood closed, the loss to the local craft beer scene was staggering. Sure, there's been an explosion of new breweries, bars, and bottle shops emerging in the intervening years, but none of them could match the Monk for sheer variety. That dark age ended in 2019 with the opening of Fattey Beer Company on downtown's Roosevelt Plaza, the brainchild of Nik Fattey, one half of the ownership team of Hamm & Fattey's in Hamburg. The selection goes far beyond the navel-gazing obsession with local brews that you see elsewhere around Buffalo: an enormous rotating roster of over 500 varieties, including some hard-to-find rarities, available to take home or to drink in the onsite bar. Simply put, if you're a beer snob, Fattey is a can't-miss. (updated Oct 2019)
• 42.894442-78.87736318 Fry Baby Do