Before relocating to Buffalo, NY from the very walkable Del Ray section of Alexandria, VA, my husband and I considered what kind of lifestyle we wanted in our new city and thus, what neighborhood might best suit us.
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| Buffalo, NY, it's pretty close to Canada! |
We looked at several well-known walkable areas in Buffalo. Each area features unique architecture and an individual neighborhood culture:
Parkside - Located adjacent to the Buffalo Zoo and the 350-acre Delaware Park (http://www.bfloparks.org/parksystem/majorparks/36/delaware_park), Parkside showcases some of the best of Buffalo's housing design with a handful of Frank Lloyd Wright homes and broad parkways with lots of green space rolling down the middle of the divided road.
Hertel - One of the up-and-coming areas in Buffalo, this area features a lot of new growth in restaurants and independent shops and boutiques.
Elmwood Village - Located near the center of the city, Elmwood's unique artistic vibe is fueled by great local talent. From the professional musicians playing at Kleinhan's Music Hall to the Albright Knox Art Gallery's world-class collection and independent artist and musician studios dotting the area, there's no lack for cultural experiences here.
Ultimately, we settled on the Village for its proximity to a multitude of restaurants and shops, cultural attractions and cool Queen Anne style architecture. In the end, this central location has us only minutes from the neighborhoods previously mentioned, as well as only 5 to 10 minutes from downtown and the Canalside waterfront (http://www.canalsidebuffalo.com/).
Despite its reputation for snowy winters (any Western New York ("WNY") native will tell you that most of that reported activity actually occurs south of the metro area), Buffalo and WNY also has a great reputation for great weather with lots of sunshine and mild temperatures throughout the rest of the year. This translates to good walking weather.
So, leash in hand, my husband and I have begun exploring our new 'hood, one step at a time. Fortunately, our lab mix has always loved to walk and is always game to go on an adventure.
In the mornings, we typically head north down the broad street in front of our house. Walking in this neighborhood provides much to look at. Beautiful Victorian mansions feature well-planned gardens showcasing flowers in constant bloom, unique greenery, and whimsical sculpture. Tiny cottages get into the game with showy postage-stamp front yards and secret garden sanctuaries.
We turn the corner and head into the heart of the commercial district for the Village. Even here, carefully manicured border gardens line the parking lots. People stop to say hello and pat J's head before continuing on their way.
With so much to see, it's easy to spend an hour simply walking around. We are certainly not speed-walking, but we are getting in a good leg stretch before breakfast. My pedometer measures an average of nearly 5,000 steps just for the morning jaunt, so with a minimum of 2 walks in a day, getting those 10,000 steps in is a pleasurable breeze.
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| Juno, exploring her new environs |
We are looking forward to exploring more of our neighborhood and our new city with our canine companion and as we do, I'll share more of our discoveries.
MJ Courchesne is a freelance publishing consultant, writer, and part-time personal trainer with a passion for gardening, walking, wine, and travel. She lives in a restored 1890s Victorian home situated in the heart of Buffalo with her husband and lab mix, Juno. Her new blog can be found at http://nickelcityboomerang.blogspot.com/.
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