Evans Bank

With hectic schedules and various other distractions, it is often difficult for couples to make time to just talk and enjoy each other's company. If that sounds like a familiar scenario for you and your partner, then take a little time for a romantic date of a different sort by visiting the Hallwalls Contemporary Art Center. Stroll hand in hand from gallery to gallery as you take in the best in cutting-edge visual arts, contemporary music or innovative performance art. And maybe after absorbing it all, the two of you can find a bench in the corner and share some intimate conversation among these memorable expressions of art.

While many people see the Erie Canal from a distance, getting a closer look will reveal how this body of water works to further the area's economy. The canal is actually quite interesting, and you can learn more about it when you take the Lockport Locks and Erie Canal Cruise. Your tour guide will be quite informative from start to finish, describing how Lockport is known for the area's water "locks" that run approximately 50 feet. When you cruise through the canal on this tour, you'll actually go through the "locks" and see for yourself how these locks are used to move traffic along the river and its uniquely elevated terrain. It's a great tour for the whole family.

Discover Buffalo's natural beauty when you visit the Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. You will be transported to a world where nature is the focal point in an 1890s tri-domed Victorian glass conservatory on the grounds of South Park. See some of the world's most exotic flowers and plants that are housed in over 13 greenhouses that are located on South Park's 150 beautiful acres. The staff members are knowledgeable and helpful, and the kids will enjoy seeing all the different types of plant life and flowers, too. In all, the garden offers an excellent day of family fun through its floral attractions.

Every summer, thousands of hungry guests wait for the doors to open to the Taste of Buffalo. This annual event held in mid-July allows various vendors, restaurants, caterers and other food-related businesses to show off their wares in the forms of free samples, cooking demonstrations, and other types of exhibits. Over 50 restaurants, 7 wineries and many others gather for what is the largest two-day food festival in the United States. Last year's attendance topped a staggering 450,000 guests, so get your fork and napkin and get set for a delicious Taste of Buffalo.