Free Activities for Families to Experience a Different Side of Buffalo

The Albright-Knox Art Gallery offers free admission on the first Friday of the month courtesy of M&T bank. Plus active-duty U.S. and Canadian military and their families can always get in free at the gallery, which has a mixture of contemporary and modern arts.

From Delaware Park to Cazenovia, Martin Luther King Jr., South and Front to Riverside, Buffalo is home to nearly 200 urban green spaces perfect for a day of exploring in the outdoors.

There are 12 parks that make up the Erie County Parks and Recreation department in the region, and these parks have an array of attractions from beaches to boating, bird watching, hiking, even cross-country skiing and tobogganing.

Start with Shark Girl and take a selfie, walk the waterfront, take a gander at the naval ships, in the summers play in the sand or enjoy a free concert on select days.

City Hall is a gorgeous landmark. The grand architecture alone makes a visit to Niagara Square worth it. However, you can also take an elevator to the observation deck of City Hall and enjoy a view of the entire city! PLUS the Preservation Buffalo society offers architectural tours of City Hall on weekdays.

Check out Allentown or Elmwood for a mixture of antique stores, restaurants, galleries, street art, boutiques and if it's just the adults bars. You'll have to pay if you buy anything but sometimes it's fun to window shop!

We never get tired of watching Niagara Falls. Prospect and Terrapin points, and Green, Luna, Goat and Three Sister islands offer various views of the thundering water. Plus Devil's Hole State Park is just down the road from Niagara Falls and overlooks the lower Whirlpool rapids with a beautiful trail that leads down along the Niagara River.