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The Beaver Meadow Audubon Center was designed to offer Buffalo's many city-dwellers a great opportunity to get close to nature. This 324-acre wildlife sanctuary includes a forest, a field and wetland areas that are all just a short drive from downtown. In addition to the natural settings, the trail on site stretches for eight miles and the adjacent beach offers still yet another scene in which to absorb some natural beauty. Even during the winter, the center is still open as it offers more outdoor fun in the form of snowshoeing and cross country skiing.

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.

Niagara Gorge Discovery Center captures the essence and impressively tells the story of the Niagara Gorge. The fact that the area's history dates back 453 million years is staggering, but the museum does a highly impressive job of communicating this sweeping span of history in a fun and entertaining way. There are several interesting exhibits as well as larger-than-life presentations that can be viewed in an impressive multi-screen theater.

Reading about art is one thing, but seeing it for yourself takes the experience of art appreciation to a whole new level. That is the mission of the Albright-Knox Art Gallery. This internationally recognized museum proudly houses impressive collections of international sculptures and paintings that will captivate your imagination the moment you see them. Also, there are works from iconic artists like Picasso, Renoir, Matisse and Van Gough that are among the many highlights that you'll see in this world-class art venue.