Boating

Unfortunately, Buffalo doesn't have much in the way of a developed waterfront, but you can find out what Lake Erie is all about on a trip aboard the Miss Buffalo II sightseeing cruises. Narrated tours and lunch cruises, which provide views of Buffalo's unique architecture, depart from the Erie Basin Marina downtown from July to Labor Day (Tues-Sun). Call tel. 800/244-8684 or 716/856-6696.

Playing in the Parks

In Buffalo's heyday, the city hired New York Central Park designer Frederick Law Olmsted to create a parks system unrivaled at the time. That's exactly what he did. If you only have time for one, Delaware Park is a 350-acre gem with wide-open spaces and quiet walkways. On some summer evenings, you can enjoy Shakespearean plays performed alfresco. The other parks are Martin Luther King, Jr., Front, South, Cazenovia, and Riverside.