Gains Kriner Elliott

Darien Lakes State Park is known for its challenging, hilly terrain that surrounds the 12-acre Harlow Lake. There are several excellent recreation trails to be found in this naturally alluring part of the area. In addition to the trails, you will also find an impressive 158 campsites, a beach, playgrounds, great fishing spots, and horseback riding trails, too. Additionally, the trails here are open for not only hiking, but for sports like cross-country skiing and snowmobiling as well.

Niagara Falls State Park offers plenty of outdoor activities and attractions, but the most obvious focal point of the entire area are the magnificent, cascading waters that make Niagara Falls such a riveting and compelling vision. The park covers a large area, as it includes the land that borders the American side of Niagara Falls. The area features several islands that act as vital vantage points when experiencing a park this size. These islands include Three Sisters Island, Prospect Point, Goat Island, and Luna Island at Bridal Falls. The park also features a highly informative Visitor's Center, the Niagara Falls Discovery Center, as well as a very popular Observation Tower. The park is open all year round and visitors can enjoy such activities as fishing, hiking, biking and cross-country skiing.

Up, up and away on a tour that is truly uplifting! Experience the one-of-a-kind thrill of riding in a hot air balloon when you experience Balloons Over Letchworth. The Letchworth runs 17 miles and features 20 waterfalls as well as 600 feet of awe-inspiring gorges that you will glide over in your hot air balloon ride. This rustic landscape was once home to the Seneca Indians. The ride also includes the Upper Falls, which are 70 feet high and are truly captivating, especially when viewed from a hot air balloon. For safety reasons, no children under 12 are permitted to take the tour.

The overriding mission of the Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society is to tell the stories about the area that many people may not yet know, but will surely never forget once they visit this highly entertaining venue. Both the pacemaker and Cheerios have their origins tied to Buffalo, and the full stories, among many others, are all waiting to be discovered thanks to the hard work of the county historical society. The society itself is housed in the last remaining structure from the city's 1901 Pan American Exposition, so history is what the Society does best in more ways than one.