Places to Visit Near Buffalo & Niagara Falls, NY This Summer!

Every year, every season, I set out to make these "to do" lists of things that would make a well-rounded family experience (like THIS, and THIS). Sometimes we do a good job at checking things off, and other times we totally blow it.

I'm okay with not checking off every little thing on every single list, but taking the time to create such detailed lists and then ignoring them in exchange for lying on my patio swing for hours while the boys work buckets of sand into their shoes (and in Jake's case, his diaper), seems like a waste.

I've gotten better at streamlining my lists down to the realistic things. Last year I focused on outdoor activities. This year, I'm focusing more on outings.

We live in the Buffalo, NY area, and we just don't take advantage of all there is to do these days. In the past five years alone, our community has created so many things to see and do! There's a saying around town that goes, "If you haven't seen Buffalo lately, you haven't seen Buffalo."

So just in case you are local to Western New York, or you're thinking of crossing "See Niagara Falls" off your bucket list this Summer and you want to know what else to check out while you're here, I'm sharing my list of what we'll be up to around Buffalo this Summer!



1. Transit Drive-In
2. Letchworth State Park
3. Fantasy Island
4. Beaver Island Beach
5. Putt-Putt (anywhere!)
6. The Buffalo Zoo
7. Camping (lots of choices, we like the KOAs around here)
8. Old Man River/Mississippi Mudds (get the sweet potato fries!)
9. Greg's U-Pick (Strawberries in June, Blueberries in July, Blackberries in August)
10. Buffalo Botanical Gardens
11. Glen Falls
12. Sweet Jenny's
13. Buffalo Naval Park & Canalside
14. Tifft Nature Preserve 
15. Arcade & Attica Railroad
16. Harbor Center
17. Olcott Beach
18. Wehrle Golf Dome
19. Transit Lanes
20. Buffalo Science Museum
21. Hidden Valley Animal Adventure
22. Fort Niagara Park & Old Fort Niagara
23. Darien Lake
24. Niagara Falls Aquarium
25. Canal Fest

We will, of course, visit many playgrounds, our three fav ice cream stops (probably way too many times), and watch 4th of July fireworks nearby. Oh - and don't forget to get your Beef on Weck, Wings, and Watsons sponge candy while you're in town!

If you're local - where are you headed this summer? Anywhere I should add to my list?

-

Jenn is a mom of 3 boys living near Buffalo, NY, and blogs about her life and hobbies on her blog, Rych In Love. 

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Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, NY

If you have any small children, chances are you've been to a zoo in the last handful of years. It's a great outing for little ones, and if you live close to one (as we do), it's a relatively easy way to get out of the house without spending a ton of money. While the kids may be into repetition, and you all may develop a little love for the specific animals in your zoo, sometimes the same old place can get boring!

I have a tip for you!

We were gifted a membership to the Buffalo Zoo for Christmas the past couple of years, and with our membership we get free or reduced admission to tons of other zoos.  If you have a zoo membership to many other locations in the Northeast, they'll offer you the same deal - I highly recommend taking advantage of it! (Also, asking for a zoo membership for Christmas from Grandparents is a great way to avoid getting TOO many toys and also have a way to make great family memories all year!) It was really cool to see a new zoo, and they had lots of animals that our zoo doesn't have. Plus, with it being a new place, it was extra-exciting for the kids to get their grubby hands on everything for the first time. ;)

Almost exactly a year ago, my family and I took a quick trip to Syracuse, NY to take advantage of our zoo discount and to visit my sister and her family. They actually just moved back to the Buffalo area recently, but had been living there for a few years. It worked out perfectly!

So on a Friday evening, we loaded the crew in the van and made our way across the state.

The next morning, we went to the zoo bright & early. We ended up getting my entire family in for only $10 - which was awesome! (See? Pack snacks and drinks, and you've got one heck of a cheap family outing!!)

I was expecting this zoo to be really small and not as nice as the Buffalo Zoo (as I've heard from many that Buffalo is the best zoo in Western & Central NY), but I was pleasantly surprised! They did a lot of recent renovating, and it was really cute there!

The first thing we saw was a big octopus - the kids loved it!

  
We followed the twisting hallways and saw meerkats, lemurs, fish, snakes, and all kinds of monkeys. Their lion den was even visible through a hallway, and we found ourselves separated from a massive male lion by only a sheet of glass! It was so crazy to be that close and see him so well - I don't think I've ever been that close to a lion before!! (Coincidentally, I wasn't able to get a good picture because there was a bad glare due to the glass - oh well!)

  

Some necessary goofy picture posing ;)

We saw lots of birds (big and small), tigers, elephants and farm animals (like pigs, chickens, and ponies) before we got some lunch in the zoo's cafe - which was yummy!


Our "Zoovenirs"...haha ;)
They had a great little gift shop, and since this trip counted as a family vacation, I let them all pick out a small souvenir. I was wearing the baby through our whole trip, and as we walked passed a little display of squirty bath toys in all different animals, he reached out and grabbed a lion! I tried to put it back, and even show him some of the other animals, but he insisted on that little lion! I'd never seen him show a preference for something like that before, so that had to be his little toy! The big boys each picked out a Jeep toy, and I picked out a magnet for our fridge.

I would highly recommend a trip to the Rosamond Gifford Zoo if you're in NY or passing through - it's really nicely done, and the kids really enjoyed it!

-
Jenn is a mom of 3 boys living near Buffalo, NY, and blogs about her life and hobbies on her blog, Rych In Love. 


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Spring Activities On Long Island

I feel like it was just yesterday that the snow finally stopped falling here on Long Island. Oh wait, it really was only a few days ago that it was still snowing in the Northeast. That's how long and dreadful this winter has been. But thank goodness spring is officially here and I thought I would share some fun spring activities on Long Island.

First off, there are so many wonderful farmer's markets that start opening up again in the spring. I love going to a few with my daughter and picking up fresh fruits and veggies. Some of them even have a great selection of homemade goods too, like pies and cookies.  Speaking of pies, the warmer weather and longer days give us a boost to head out east for the best peach pies ever at Briermere Farms.

Long Island also has some wonderful farms where you can pick your own strawberries in late spring, early summer. It's a blast to head out east and fill our little baskets with strawberries. It can get a little messy but the berries are just delicious. And of course while you're out east, all of the Long Island wineries have their outdoor areas open again. I love when some of the vineyards have live music playing outside while we sit back and sip our wine.

I also love that it is finally getting warm enough to actually enjoy the beautiful parks in both Suffolk and Nassau counties. This year we have our eye on the Spring Family Fishing Festival at Belmont State Park. All you have to do is pay the parking fee (under $10) and you can fish all day. I don't even like to fish all that much but, hey, it's something new to take our daughter to. There's also so many spring festivals happening across the island. It's a little far from us but we plan on driving out to the Town of Oyster Bay spring festival because it's full of delicious food, a petting zoo and a few bounce houses. That should keep up busy enough for one weekend!

If you happen to like trains, or you have a little one that is obsessed with them, Long Island Live Steamers opens back up in May. You can ride on these small steam engine trains that are a huge hit with the kids. Adults can ride them too!

It's impossible to highlight all of the wonderful spring activities on Long Island. If you find yourself out here this spring, all you have to do is check out any LI website or newspaper and you're bound to find something fun going on!


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WNY Cupcake Challenge 2015

Though I am SO proud to be a Buffalonian in the time of its cultural revival, I sometimes find it hard to take advantage of all the new events and locations that have recently won the hearts of residents and tourists alike. It's tough to get out and take it all in when you're Mom-ing three little dudes in Kindergarten and under, ya know?

Recently, though, I was able to escape with my mom & best friend for a couple hours to attend a REALLY fun event! It was close to home, conveniently timed, affordable - and SO YUMMY!

One of our most popular radio stations, Kiss 98.5, began hosting the Cupcake Challenge last year. Bakeries from all over Western New York set up tables vendor-style in a local event venue, and attendees get to sample a cupcake from each one before voting on categories like best overall, best looking, and most creative. All of the participating bakeries are local small businesses, and this event gives them a really awesome insight into what our community likes. I love the idea that we get to enjoy something that helps local businesses at the same time!

All of my favorite bakeries were there - Muscoreil's, Dessert Deli, Ohlson's...and one I've heard a lot about and have wanted to try - Firefly. Plus 12 more I didn't even know existed! I was really excited to....well, ya know, eat cupcakes...but also discover these awesome local places and see what they're all about.


The three of us staked out a table and, okay, kind of aggressively went about collecting our cupcakes. The competition for a spot in line was pretty fierce - the place was packed! When we had all 17 samples, we sat down to take some pictures and get down to some serious judging - we came to play!

How pretty is that little cupcake party??

My favorite taste-wise was the Peanut Butter & Jelly cupcake from Sassi Cakes (it was seriously accurate, and the peanut butter was to die for!), but there was also an incredible tiramisu frosting, and an crazy delish dark chocolate cake in the crowd, too.

My winners for the other categories:


The White Wedding cupcake from Ohlson's won my vote for best looking - photos did not do it justice. It's very simple, but the shades of white were gorgeous in person, and the edible glitter on it - I was craft nerding all over the place about it. So, there's a tip - if you ever need my vote for something, pour glitter on it. My most creative winner was Doughnuts & Coffee from Muscoreil's. It was basically a tiny doughnut - both in recipe and design - and the middle was filled with coffee cream. It reminded me of their chocolate-chocolate chip mouse filling we had in our wedding cake (that's probably my favorite cake component on this entire planet) with coffee added to it. So, uh, it was insanity. But it was also ridiculously adorable, so bonus points.

There was definitely a bit of sugar overload going on, so I basically just took a bite of each one and packed the rest up to bring home to the kids. My aspiring foodie kid was very appreciative of being able to do his own taste test! I hope to take him with me next year. OH yeah - we will be returning!

I love finding little fun gems like this to do close to home - I often forget how much there is to take advantage of in our area. We are so lucky! And, really, it just makes my heart happy to be from a place with such creativity and art running through it. I am definitely in the right place!

I hope to share more gems from our vast and creative community with you this summer!


Jenn is a mom of 3 boys living near Buffalo, NY, and blogs about her life and hobbies on her blog, Rych In Love.

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NYC Blogger Holiday Brunch

Hey everyone! I hope we can get this NYC Holiday Brunch going. It should be a great time for all! Let's get together to put some faces to names, maybe share some blogging tips and, most important, have some fun! 

NOTE: You must RSVP for this event as I would like to make a reservation for the group. You can email me your info at karenssoiree@gmail.com. Please include your name, blog name, and if you're bringing someone. Please try to respond by 11/21 the latest. Places book up around this time so I would like to have a count as soon as possible. Feel free to email me with any questions!

Thanks everyone!

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Apple Picking in NYS

Fall is here, and one of our favorite ways to celebrate in WNY is to go Apple Picking! A few weeks ago, my crew and I went to our favorite apple picking spot on a Sunday morning.


We like to go to Peter Baker Farm in Ransomville, NY. It's kind of a drive for us, but so worth it. The staff is incredibly friendly, they have two big inflatable bouncy things for the kids to play on, and they sell all sorts of homemade goodies that we cannot resist. Like chocolate covered caramel apples (uhh, yep!), fresh salsas and jams, farm-grown produce, and local honey and maple syrup. So we go for more than just the apples - it's also a day of play and stocking up on yummy, fresh, local yums.


It was an absolutely beautiful day to be outside with the family. We picked a 1/2 bushel of Macintosh, Cortland, and Ginger Gold apples - they are so delicious!

The kids had a lot of fun with it this year - it doesn't show on their faces, or anything ;)


The day we brought the apples home, we made an awesome Apple Crisp with vanilla ice cream (I like to use Betty Crocker's recipe - so simple, so good!) And we've been enjoying them sliced on their own or with caramel dip every day - yum, yum! Next on the list? The only pie I've ever been really good at making: The Pioneer Woman's rustic apple pie. It's SO delish - we've made it a few times before and it's a huge hit around here.

I love this little kick-off to fall each year. It's my fav, and kind of eases the blow of sending my kiddos off to school (wahhh, why can't they be babies for all time?!) We pick our own strawberries and blueberries every Summer, too, and I love getting the kids involved in that. It's not just something fun to do, or even just a tradition, but the kids get to see how food they buy at the store is grown, and even how it gets harvested. The experience opens up ways for them to ask questions about how it gets from tree or bush to the little containers in the produce department.

Here in the Northeast, we've got a apples everywhere this time of year! Though some varieties are already finished, it's not too late to go - there's still good picking to be had! I'm not sure about other states, but if you live in NY, you can find lots of U-pick options here: PickYourOwn.org


I found this chart (above) from a local orchard that lists the timing of their apple varieties, and while this may not be exactly the same everywhere else, it should give you a good idea of when you can find your favs. Looks like it's a good time for the last four on the list, and they're great for baking!

We had a great time picking apples this year, and also came home with a giant sunny yellow mum, a jar of raspberry salsa, a mini loaf of homemade pumpkin bread, local honey and syrup, and a couple chocolate covered caramel apples (because, they're kind of the culinary highlight of my year!)

If you don't normally go apple picking, I highly recommend it. Think of all the yummy Pinterest recipes you'll get to try! ;)

Happy Fall from my little family Rych family! ;)
(My husband decided to take a nap for this photo, haha!)



Find Jenn on her blog, Dainty Revelations (http://daintyrevelations.blogspot.com) where she blogs about life with three boys, crafts, goal setting, home decor, and much more!

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New York, New York

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The North Fork of Long Island

Happy Monday! I'm Karen and I'm happy to be a NY State Rep for the Northeast Bloggers. I live with my family on Long Island and I love it. When I tell out of state people where I live, they either bring up "The Long Island Medium" or the Hamptons. Yea, everybody knows about the ritzy Hamptons where a bunch of celebrities have huge summer houses on the South Fork. But I much prefer the North Fork of Long Island.

First of all, I find it quieter and less congested traffic wise. And there's so many cute towns to drive through.  But, of course, my favorite thing is Long Island wine country! Just driving along Route 25, you can basically hop from one winery to another. And not only are the views from the wineries gorgeous but the tastings are so much fun. There are even a few wineries that have fun family days complete with games and petting zoos. Pindar happens to be a personal favorite Long Island winery for me.

Another thing I love about the North Fork is all of the great farm stands. They carry amazing produce, fresh baked goods, and in the fall, most of them have the best pumpkin picking.  Every October, a group of us always take our kids out east and visit a few pumpkin patches. If you venture further east, towards Orient Point, there's even a beautiful lavender farm called Lavender By The Bay.

And while I am into more modern furniture, there are a ton of shops to hit up for some good antiquing.  If you're in the mood for some great food with a historic vibe, there's Jedediah Hawkins Inn in Jamesport. The brunch there is delicious!

There's so much to love about living on Long Island, from the beaches to the proximity of New York City. And a drive out to the North Fork is just another great thing to do whether you're just visiting or a Long Islander yourself!

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