When people hear that I am from Buffalo, New York, they probably do not think twice about it. It sure is no Los Angeles or New York City or any big city with a legitimate attraction for tourists. However, after being away from my hometown for a little while, I have really grown to miss it and have come to realize how much I took advantage of being from the City of Good Neighbors. You can take the girl out of Buffalo, but you can’t take Buffalo out of the girl. Below are just 15 reasons why I love and miss good ol’ Buffalo.
1. Canalside
It’s amazing how much this area of Buffalo has grown and flourished in the past few years. Canalside used to be just a name of a place to me, but now I love going there. Whether it is for a free concert on a lovely Thursday summer night, a free yoga class or to just admire the beautiful view and the grain elevators after the sun sets, Canalside is such a fantastic part of my city.
2. Having everything within driving distance
Around here at college, we can go to Walmart or Applebee’s. That's about it. Buffalo has everything, from restaurants, to stores, to entertainment, with an abundance of different options for each. From where I live, I can get to just about anywhere in under a half hour. The convenience is a beautiful, beautiful thing.
3. The pizza and wings
Nowhere has pizza and wings like Buffalo does, and especially not our dining hall, that’s for sure. I miss Duff’s chicken wings and Picasso’s, Edie’s, Nino’s and Blasdell’s pizzas, just to name a few. Unless you’re from Buffalo, I’m not quite sure you’d understand. My sincerest apologies.
4. The fan atmosphere
It’s not really a secret that our sports teams aren’t the most successful in their leagues. The Bills may suck and the Sabres might suck, but that in no way means that we won’t be the craziest, most obnoxious, most loyal fans out there. It is hard to explain how us Buffalonians keep coming back each year with more devotion to our teams, but we do. Every year we have that hope that this will be “the year,” and even though that hasn’t been the case yet, I’ll be damned if we ever give up on that mentality. Go Bills!
5. Being so close to Niagara Falls
Sometimes I forget that Niagara Falls is considered a natural wonder of the world. I can get there in under 45 minutes and I couldn’t even count on my fingers how many times I have been there. It’s such a common destination for me that sometimes I forget how truly spectacular the Falls really are. People travel from all over the world just to go see them, so it’s pretty amazing that I can hop in the car and be there in good time.
6. Downtown
Although driving in the area makes me so nervous, Downtown Buffalo is such a beautiful area. I love going down there, whether it’s to go to a sporting event, out to eat or to just go on a walk and take in all of the exquisite architecture.
7. Elmwood
The village of Elmwood is such a secret gem that I am sure many people are not aware of and surely don’t appreciate. I find it arguably to be the heart and soul of Buffalo. Step by step you will find cafés, boutiques, restaurants, salons, specialty shops, nightclubs and more. It is one of my favorite parts of the city.
8. The festivals
Taste of Buffalo. Burger Fest. Italian Festival. Allentown Art Festival. Eden Corn Festival. Erie County Fair. Hamburg Oktoberfest. Music is Art Festival. Those are just a handful of the festivals that take place in the greater Buffalo area and help make Buffalo the diverse and wonderful place that it is.
9. It really is the city of good neighbors.
Whenever I hear this term I always think Snowvember in 2014. If you’re not familiar with this term, let me enlighten you. In November of that year, Mother Nature thought it would be a good idea to pile on seven feet of snow onto our city. Yeah, you read right, seven feet. There was so much snow that when I was walking on my back deck, I could literally climb onto my roof. Anyways, my mom took a picture one day of my whole entire street coming together to help shovel and snow blow our elderly neighbors driveways and sidewalks. No one had to even ask or suggest, everyone just came out and did whatever they could to help. That is just one example of how Buffalo is filled with great people.
10. Mighty Taco
If you are from Buffalo and you go to Taco Bell, I’m sorry but who do you think you are? Mighty Taco is a gift sent from the gods that decided Buffalo would be a good place for the fast-food restaurant to exist in. It’s just one of those things that you can only find in Buffalo and now I’m really hungry and really want a taco.
11. Sahlen’s hot dogs
This is something so little but something that I miss ever so dearly. Sahlen’s hot dogs are so unexplainably good, and no other kind can compare. It is very much so a Buffalo thing. They must be pretty good if they made it onto this list, so I guess all you can do is take my word for it. Or better yet, head to Buffalo, go to Ted’s, and have a foot long for me.
12. Chestnut Ridge
Chestnut Ridge is such an underrated part of the area. The amount of times I go there over the summer to hike, watch the sunset or just enjoy the weather is insane. It is also a destination in the winter when you want to go tubing. It is a 1,213-acre park filled with activities to do when you’re bored and want to take advantage of the weather.
13. Being able to call that fizzy drink pop and not soda
I have never been berated so much for calling it pop rather than soda than when I arrived to college. I was ostracized and never felt so alone. That may be a slight exaggeration, but still. It’s called pop, that’s what I’ve always called it, and when in Buffalo you don’t have to worry about someone tackling you and screaming, “IT’S SODA!”
14. Smelling cheerios
This is such a cliché thing about Buffalo but it is also a signature characteristic of our city. As you drive on the Skyway and slowly roll down your windows, it’s so satisfying to take a whiff of Cheerios as you drive by General Mills.
15. The diversity
It’s really quite incredible how one city can be a host to so many different nationalities and cultures. Block by block you will encounter different people with different cultures, and it is really a humbling thing to see that your city can be the home to so many different types of individuals.
These are just some of the reasons why I love Buffalo, New York. Some may read this list and still think it’s nothing special, but the people from the area that know what I’m talking about will read this article and they will understand. Although I do want to explore what our wonderful world has to offer, I know that at the end of it all I am going to end up back in Buffalo because it is and will always be my home.
