Much as we love Buffalo Niagara, we all need a getaway every now and then. Here are some cities bigger than Buffalo within driving distance (about 5-7 hours average) from the Queen City.

by Max Fisher

Toronto, Boston, NYC and Cleveland are all just a few hours’ drive from Buffalo

A Change of Scenery is Only a Roadtrip Away

I don’t care how much you love Buffalo Niagara, there comes a point where you want to pack up and get the hell out of here if nothing more than for a change of scenery. Stay in one place too long, even a city you love, it doesn’t matter which one, and everything starts to blend together. Days seem like they are 48 hours long. Your favorite spots to pass the time or hang out with friends lose that spark that made you go to them in the first place. You start to feel like you’re Bill Murray at the beginning of Groundhog Day, just going through the motions hoping for a change. Well, I have news for you. If you’re in the midst of this particular malaise, you can’t hope it goes away. You have to take action! You have to get out of Buffalo Niagara! We’re not talking anything permanent here; of course you’ll be welcomed back with open arms. The community won’t hold a grudge against you, she knows you love her and vice versa, and as a result, she knows you need some space so trust there’s no hard feelings.

On that note, let’s take a look at some cities bigger than Buffalo within driving distance (say 6-7 hours or so) so as to recharge our batteries with the occasional new sights and sounds that we all need from time to time.

New York City

New York City (Empire State Building on the right)

Everyone has heard of the big apple and all its major metropolitan splendor. Sinatra once sang a song about this place, that’ll bring a tear to your eye even if you’re from a far-off land like Minnesota. But what makes New York so unique you ask? Well, the sights and the history, of course! Places like The Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building and Central Park come to mind. The Statue of Liberty symbolizes freedom and promotes our civil liberties which each one of us is entitled to from birth.

The Statue of Liberty is a world-renowned beacon of hope that is worth going to New York just to see, but New York isn’t all about powerful symbolism. It’s also about fun, and what can be more fun than arguably the mecca of tourist attractions: Times Square? Giant billboards, the likes of which look like they’ve been ripped straight out of Blade Runner, promoting whatever popular media of the day warrants discussion. People of all races, creeds, and colors perusing around looking for interesting shops and eateries, street hustlers peddling nice but admittedly questionable goods. Buildings so large and intimidating they give you the joint feeling that anything is possible as well as attainable as long as you continue to reach for it.

This is but a taste of what New York City has to offer to those who visit. So if you decide to go, know that there’s a whole lot more to see and do (you know they don’t call it The Big Apple for nothing, right?).

Cleveland

Downtown Cleveland skyline from Voinovich Bicentennial Park

Cleveland. If you want to see some cool stuff in Cleveland, trust me, you don’t have to look very far. You can go to The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame and check out all the rockers past and present. Just make sure you put aside a few hours to see everything because it’s massive. Cleveland is also home to the largest candy store in the U.S., Sweetie Candy Co., which is equivalent to a warehouse filled with almost every type of candy you could imagine, and even a few you couldn’t imagine unless you were a mad candy scientist. And if none of that has tickled your fancy up until this point, consider that Cleveland has the closest Waffle House to Buffalo, and who doesn’t like Waffle House?

Detroit

Detroit, Michigan

Detroit might seem far at first, but 4 hours through Canada brings you to this mid-American city. Automobiles and grand spectacle are the things that pop into mind when you bring up The Motor City, so it’s no coincidence that some of the city’s best attractions have to do with aspects of those two things. The Automotive Hall of Fame is dedicated to preserving the automotive and labor heritage of Michigan and Detroit. Showcasing cars ranging in all types, styles, and colors creating a tangible visual lineage that’ll have even Jay Leno blush by the sheer amount of cars available to see.

If cars aren’t your thing, however, how about The Fillmore located in the heart of Detroit’s entertainment district? Originally opened in 1925 as a movie house, this elegant venue has been renovated to offer guests a unique concert and special event experience. In the 60s, the Fillmore became a cultural hub for the counter culture movement having bands like The Birds and The Doors play there. The 60s, however, have burned out in a blaze of glory a long time ago, but the Fillmore’s ability to get grade A talent on stage remains even with it being almost 100 years old. It’s still going strong!

Oh, and did we mention Motown?!?

Toronto

Toronto, Ontario. The largest city in Canada is only about 2 hours away

Some may call Toronto “Drake Land”, and all though the Canadian superstar has an undeniable impact on the city, he’s far from its only attraction (plus I doubt you’re going to get a chance to see him if you go, I’m sorry to say). The Bata Shoe Museum is an interesting place to start. When uber-rich businesswoman Sonja Bata got way more shoes in her collection than she could handle by way of all her years of travel, she decided to open her own museum in 1995 to preserve them and show appreciation to them as well. The museum houses more than 13,000 shoes and related objects, including Marilyn Monroe’s red leather stilettos, John Lennon’s Chelsea boots, Queen Victoria’s silk slippers, Madonna’s platform Dolce & Gabbana’s, and Elton John’s silver and red high platform boots. So even if you’re not a shoe enthusiast, there’s bound to be something to your liking.

High Park is Toronto’s largest public park with 400 acres that range from manicured lawns to themed gardens to untouched nature. In addition to the greenery, there are several interactive activities, including a zoo, an outdoor swimming pool, tennis courts, ice skating rinks (or frozen ponds in winter), a dog run, and playgrounds.

So if you find yourself in Toronto on a hot day, head on over to High Park. At worst, you’ll spend a lovely day at a great park. At best, you’ll spend a beautiful day at a park with plenty to do. Pretty good odds, huh?

Boston

Boston, Massachusetts

If you’re anything like me when you think of Boston, Goodwill Hunting and apples spring to mind. Yet I must admit in doing the city and its residents a great disservice by equating the city with a critically acclaimed 90s classic and a nutritious fruit who’s claim to fame is that eating it is supposed to keep the doctor away (I have yet to see substantial evidence that confirms or denies this) and nothing else, so let’s alleviate some of my ignorance (something I’m always happy to do) and see what Boston has to offer! There is Fenway Park, the home of The Boston Red Sox since 1912. The most distinctive feature of this classic baseball park is the 37-foot-tall left field wall known as the “Green Monster.” If you love baseball this is a must see and its one reason that many people move to Boston long-term. As per MoveBuddha, the move costs between Buffalo and Boston can be surprisingly low! The Freedom Trail, is a 2.5-mile self-guided tour of American Revolution sites. It starts at the Boston Common, America’s oldest public park, and ends at the famed Bunker Hill Monument.

District of Columbia

What do you think of our guide to cities chunkier than Buffalo within driving distance? Have a favorite getaway? Where was the last city on the list you’ve been to? Let us know.

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