More good reasons for our Canadian neighbors to head over the bridge! There really IS more to Buffalo than the Galleria Mall. 

How to Spend 48 Hours in Buffalo, posted by Derek Flack on BlogTO on July 11, 2016, does an excellent job of getting visitors from Toronto from one end of Buffalo to the other, hitting a good combination of well known and under-the-radar spots. It could also serve as a useful guide for those of us fortunate to live here, but spread out over a few weeks!

Flack starts visitors out at Silo City, suggesting the Vertical Tour offered by Explore Buffalo. A rather audacious introduction to our fair city! Dinner on Ellicott Street follows - choose between Deep South Taco and Seabar. It was not that long ago when there were few choices downtown. A brewski at Big Ditch Brewing and/or Resurgence follows.

Saturday brings breakfast at Ashker's and a side trip to the Richardson Olmsted Complex. Flack mentions lovely neighborhoods (check) and flea markets (really?), but fails to recommend the Bidwell Farmers Market (hmmm). Lunch is on Hertel at Lloyd Taco. Suggesting a peek into the North Park Theatre is brilliant, and records, books and antique browsing are also on the menu. Sending folks to both the Albright-Knox AND the Darwin D. Martin House, with a swing through Delaware Park and a peek at the Buffalo History Museum (no mention of the Burchfield Penney) in a single afternoon might be pushing it a bit (there is waaay too much to do and see in Buffalo), but dinner in Allentown (Allen Burger Venture is suggested) puts visitors right in the heart of our best bar scene. Nietzsche's and Buffalo Proper for cocktails, plus Pausa Art House, The Savoy (for Moscow Mules), and Allen Street Hardware. Top off the evening at the inimitable Old Pink. Right on!

A late Sunday brunch at Five Points Bakery is followed by a drive out Route 5 to Graycliff. Back on the city, a cup of joe at Tipico puts visitors in Downtown, with its many architectural treasures. The Guaranty building and City Hall are mentioned. Finally, the obligatory meal of wings comes up. Refreshingly, the Anchor Bar is eschewed in favor of the far superior fare at Gabriel's Gate, where the locals know to go for wings.

All in all, a great swing through a great city in record time. Put Canalside on the itinerary, and some Larkinville time, and voilá!

Actually, you could spend a month here and still not see it all. Kick back and stay a while, Torontonians. we love having you in town. And not just at the Galleria.

Thanks to Visit Buffalo Niagara for getting bloggers and journalists in town for fine weekends like this one. Be sure to read through the comments and add your own!