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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.

Whether you want to take to the water in your own vessel or just jump right in, Buffalo offers two prime locations for your aquatic recreation endeavors. Buffalo has the geographic advantage of being located near two of the Great Lakes—Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. Such close proximity offers excellent opportunities for watersports when the weather is warm. The kids will love swimming, and dad will equally enjoy taking the boat out for a fishing excursion a little further out from the shore.

The Buffalo Museum of Science has an incredible number of stories to tell. But instead of presenting these accounts in a dry and uninteresting way, the exhibits and special presentations that can be found here bring it all to life in a way that makes learning about the area as fun as it is informative. The museum prides itself in its exhibits that span the various scientific fields, and the depth and breadth of their mission is accomplished quite well. Among the many highlights here are mummies and the biggest Kodiak bears in the world.