You don't know what you have until it's gone... or until you're gone. Spending a year away from home made me realize all the things I love about Western New York. There are the big things that are obvious to see that are missed but then there are also the little things that only a Western New York local would know about.

Here are the 50 best things about Western New York:

1. Niagara Falls

2. Canalside

3. That good old Cheerio smell

4. Ice Cream

5. Pizza

6. Chicken Wings

7. Sponge Candy

8. Elmwood Village

9. Williamsville

10. Food Truck Tuesdays

11. Sheas Performing Art's Festivals

12. Buffalo Bills and New Era Stadium (The Ralph)

13. Buffalo Sabres and Keybank Center (HSBC or First Niagara)

14. Buffalo Bisons and Coca-cola Field

15. Tim Hortons

16. Delaware Park

17. Botanical Gardens

18. Albright Knox Art Gallery

19. Buffalo Zoo

20. Buffalo's architecture

21. Buffalo Museum of Science

22. River History tours

23. Lockport Locks

24. Pedal Tours

25. Theodore Roosevelt inaugural site

26. Military and Naval Park

27. City Hall

28. Tifft Nature Preserve

29. Rolling Hills Asylum

30. Allentown Art Festival

31. Darien Lake Concerts

32. Sunset Bay Beach Club

33. Wing Festival

34. Martin House

35. Brewery's

36. Old Fort Niagara

37. Riverworks

38. Vidlers

39. St Patricks Day Parade

40. Dyngus Day Parade

41. Charlie the Butchers Beef on Weck

42. Paula's Donuts

43. Silo City

44. Graycliff Estate

45. City of Good Neighbors

46. Buffalo Central Terminal

47. Wegmans

48. Bemus Point

49. Irish and Polish culture

50. Erie county fair

51. Mighty Taco

52. Loganberry

With all that Buffalo and Western New York have to offer it is impossible to be bored. It's an up and coming city and Buffalo is absolutely on the rise. If you get the chance to experience Western New York you should but maybe that's just my bias coming through.