Things to Do in Winter in WNY

The Buffalo waterfront boasts New York State’s largest outdoor ice rink. Twirl your way around the Ice at Canalside on traditional ice skates, or ride one of Buffalo’s signature ice bikes. Prefer to indulge your competitive side? You can drive ice bumper cars or play curling, a Winter Olympics favorite. Once you leave the ice, grab a hot chocolate, and walk to one of downtown Buffalo’s nearby restaurants for delectable cuisine options.

The Buffalo Holiday Market brings a European-style Christmas experience to downtown Buffalo and nearby Hamburg. For five weeks, you can peruse more than 400 rotating vendors to find the perfect seasonal gifts and indulge in holiday treats. The outdoor market is family friendly with kids’ activities and free admission. Visit the Holiday Market website for up-to-date hours and vendor details.

Within an hour’s drive from downtown Buffalo, our region’s snowfall provides the foundation for some of the most thrilling winter escapes. Ski enthusiasts can traverse Kissing Bridge and Holiday Valley resorts. The tobogganing shoots at Chestnut Ridge Park remain a regional favorite. Tift Nature Preserve, a five-minute drive from downtown Buffalo, offers ample trails for snowshoeing and sledding. Bundle up and break a sweat!

Although Western New York’s natural wonder inspires year-round awe, Niagara Falls State Park is at its most picturesque in winter. After absorbing the stunning views, you can warm up while you check out  the Aquarium of Niagara or browse the nearby Fashion Outlets. Wine connoisseurs can also taste their way across the Niagara Wine Trail with the 2024 Winter Wine Pass.

Hockey fans can watch the Buffalo Sabres take the ice right in the heart of downtown. Buffalo is also home to a professional lacrosse team, the Buffalo Bandits, who won the national championship in 2023. Like the Sabres, the Bandits play throughout the winter months at the KeyBank Center. UB Bulls fans can also cheer on the women’s and men’s basketball teams during wintertime at Alumni Arena on North Campus. Go Bulls!

Connect with nature while staying indoors at the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. Located less than a 20-minute drive from downtown Buffalo, explore the gorgeous plants and living collections from across the globe. 

The Buffalo AKG Art Museum, formerly known as the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, recently reopened after a $200 million renovation. Gaze upon the museum’s extensive collection of modern and contemporary art. Across the street, the Burchfield Penny Art Center, offers 16 unique galleries you can discover, as well as film screenings and live performances. The Buffalo History Museum is also located close by in the northwest corner of Delaware Park, part of the Buffalo Olmsted Parks Conservancy. Learn about Buffalo’s fascinating place in U.S. history.

Buffalo’s theatre district shines along Main Street in downtown Buffalo and will warm your soul all winter. Take in a Broadway musical at Shea’s Performing Arts Center or watch the drama unfold no more than 12 feet from the stage at the theatre-in-the-round at the Irish Classical Theatre Company’s Andrews Theatre.