Just across the border, Buffalo and Rochester offer a weekend escape with art, culture and community

Cross over the Peace Bridge into Buffalo, and in about 1.5 hours from Toronto, you’ll discover a vibrant arts scene, architectural gems, a revitalized waterfront and cool neighbourhoods to explore. Once the eighth-largest city in America, Buffalo still boasts an infrastructure from its heyday around the turn of the century; now, artists and a new breed of entrepreneurs are participating in a creative renaissance, capitalizing on readily available (and relatively affordable) warehouse spaces and office buildings.

Just over an hour’s drive from Buffalo, you’ll find Rochester, which also has a strong arts scene and innovative, large-scale social enterprises. In 2018, it was even named the 17th most “arts-vibrant” city in the United States by SMU DataArts, a national centre for arts research.

As a Toronto-based travel writer, I’ve explored almost every corner of Ontario during the pandemic. But for a weekend getaway, Buffalo and Rochester offer a uniquely fun and arts-filled escape — and they require no more time on the highway than a jaunt up the QEW. Here are a few of the many ways you can experience these two cities just across the border.

Silo City, Buffalo

“You need people to have a city,” says Rick Smith, president of Rigidized Metals Corp. In 2006, Smith bought up 12 acres and over two million square feet of abandoned industrial space, including four sets of silos, two flour mills and a malt house on Buffalo’s waterfront. The destination has now been converted into Silo City, envisioned as a “campus for the arts,” a project the visionary describes as “slow burn regeneration.”

The vibe is low-key in winter. On a recent Sunday afternoon at Duende, a funky bar and event space next to the silos, we lounged on sofas listening to a five-piece jazz band and sipping their signature Vida Vera cocktails (reposado tequila, rosemary and curaçao). But come warmer weather, the place is buzzing, with people sitting at outdoor tables listening to music, enjoying Barbary’s brisket or taking in the cultural programming, such as spoken word and poetry readings, photography workshops, and art installations in the abandoned silos.

Graycliff, near Buffalo

Frank Lloyd Wright fans shouldn’t missGraycliff,an estate designed by the famous American architect as a summer home for his friends and lifelong benefactors, the Martin family, in Derby, N.Y., about a half-hour drive from Buffalo. Wright designed this home as well as the family’s city home, the Martin House, which you can also tour, right in Buffalo.

Located on a bluff overlooking Lake Erie, Graycliff is a fine example of Wright’s “organic architecture,” connecting nature with its interiors. Isabelle Martin, whose eyesight was failing, demanded a view of the lake from every room, and the house is flooded with light. To visit, guided tours are required, and reservations are recommended.

ArtisanWorks, Rochester

Part gallery, part event space, ArtisanWorksis a not-for-profit organization in a renovated factory, where more than a half million pieces of art are on display over 50,000 square feet — the works are eclectic and quirky, and available for purchase. It’s an example of a large-scale urban redevelopment program established in an empty post-industrial building.

While you’re there, check out the Marilyn Monroe and Frank Lloyd Wright tribute rooms, the mock firehouse and, yes, there’s even a car museum. ArtisanWorks is open to the public Friday through Sunday.

Radio Social,Rochester

Radio Social is a funky entertainment complex in a heritage warehouse in Rochester’s North Winton Village neighbourhood. Once a Stromberg-Carlson radio and telephone manufacturing facility, the space now has 34 bowling lanes and loads of other indoor games (Skee-Ball, shuffleboard, pool, ping-pong, giant Jenga and more), and is a place to see local bands, with a dining area and bar.

Order anything from craft cocktails to draft brews, and enjoy upscale Middle Eastern cuisine, with memorable small plates like fried brussels sprouts and duck pastilla; or classic pepperoni pizza, curly fries and burgers from their “short wave kitchen.” The 42,000-square-foot building is a welcoming space for everyone: hipsters out for a night on the town, kids celebrating a birthday party, families getting together, or couples on date night.

Correction — March 27, 2023: This file was updated to correct that Buffalo, New York is accessible via the QEW highway and Peace Bridge. A previous version of this article said it was accessible directly via Hwy. 401 and the Rainbow Bridge. Also, Martin House is in the Parkside neighbourhood and not downtown.

Diana Ballon travelled with some trip support from Visit Buffalo Niagara and Visit Rochester, which did not review or approve this article.

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