# Visiting Buffalo with toddlers and little kids: the plan > Buffalo is easy to plan around Canalside downtown and the Delaware Park area up north. Here’s how we’d spend one or two days, with lunch, a nap and an optional run to Niagara Falls. - Last checked: 2026-10-18 - One- and two-day plans with a nap in the middle - Canonical page: https://littlesweekly.com/buffalo/visiting/ - This week (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/buffalo/index.md - City guide (Markdown): https://littlesweekly.com/buffalo/guide/index.md - City index for agents: https://littlesweekly.com/buffalo/llms.txt ## Top 5 can’t-miss spots - **Explore & More – The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Children’s Museum** (Canalside, 130 Main St.): Make it your first morning. Kids and adults pay the same, and babies under 1 are free. Cost: $16 per person. Site: https://exploreandmore.org/ - **Buffalo Zoo** (Delaware Park, 300 Parkside Ave.): Plan a morning, then walk over to Delaware Park if anyone still has energy. Cost: $19.95 kids, $25.95 adults. Site: https://buffalozoo.org/ - **Buffalo Museum of Science** (East Side, 1020 Humboldt Pkwy.): A good after-nap stop. Prices are slightly lower if you pay cash. Cost: $19 kids, $23 adults. Site: https://www.sciencebuff.org/ - **Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens** (South Park, 2655 South Park Ave.): Warm and green on a cold day. It’s about ten minutes from downtown. Cost: $9.50 kids, $19 adults. Site: https://www.buffalogardens.com/ - **Aquarium of Niagara** (Niagara Falls (about 30 minutes)): Pair it with a look at the falls. Feedings and talks are included in admission. Cost: $18 kids, $25 adults. Site: https://aquariumofniagara.org/ ## If you have one day 1. **MORNING**: Explore & More – The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Children’s Museum (Go at opening · Canalside, 130 Main St. · $16 per person). https://exploreandmore.org/ 2. **LUNCH**: Ted’s Hot Dogs (Charcoal hot dogs · Several Buffalo-area locations). https://www.tedshotdogs.com/ 3. **Nap**: Back to the hotel for nap. If your little one sleeps best in the car, take a loop. 4. **AFTER NAP**: Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens (Warm conservatory · South Park, 2655 South Park Ave. · $9.50 kids, $19 adults). https://www.buffalogardens.com/ ## If you have two days Day 1 is the one-day plan above. Day 2: 1. **MORNING**: Buffalo Zoo (A full morning · Delaware Park, 300 Parkside Ave. · $19.95 kids, $25.95 adults). https://buffalozoo.org/ 2. **LUNCH**: Elmwood Taco & Subs (Elmwood Village · Elmwood Village, 937 Elmwood Ave.). https://www.theets.com/ 3. **Nap**: Back to the hotel for nap. If your little one sleeps best in the car, take a loop. 4. **AFTER NAP**: Buffalo Museum of Science (Free parking · East Side, 1020 Humboldt Pkwy. · $19 kids, $23 adults). https://www.sciencebuff.org/ ## Where to stay - **Downtown and Canalside** (best for first-timers): Walk to Explore & More and the carousel. Near Explore & More – The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Children’s Museum and Buffalo Heritage Carousel. - **Elmwood Village and North Buffalo** (for parks): Near the Zoo, Delaware Park and Elmwood Taco & Subs. Near Buffalo Zoo, Delaware Park and Elmwood Taco & Subs. - **Niagara Falls** (for the falls): Next to the falls and the Aquarium, about 30 minutes north. Near Aquarium of Niagara. ## Easy restaurants near the big stops - **Ted’s Hot Dogs** (Hot dogs, Several Buffalo-area locations): . https://www.tedshotdogs.com/ - **Elmwood Taco & Subs** (Tacos and subs, Elmwood Village, 937 Elmwood Ave.): . https://www.theets.com/ ## Rainy-day backup plan - **Explore & More – The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Children’s Museum**: A big indoor museum at Canalside. - **Buffalo Museum of Science**: Science exhibits, all indoors. - **Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens**: A warm glass conservatory. - **Aquarium of Niagara**: Indoor tanks next to the falls. ## Practical tips - Parking, Buffalo Zoo: $6 for the first two hours, then $2 an hour up to $12. Pay at the kiosk outside Zootique or as you leave. - Parking, Buffalo Museum of Science: Free in the museum lot on the Humboldt Parkway side. - Parking, Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens: Parking is free in the lot next to the conservatory or along the South Park Ring Road. - Strollers and accessibility, Buffalo Zoo: Single strollers are $8 and doubles $10. - Strollers and accessibility, Buffalo Museum of Science: Free strollers are available by the coatroom, across from Stanley’s Shop. - Changing tables, Buffalo Museum of Science: Changing tables are in the first-floor restrooms, the Comfort Room outside SensERIE and the 3rd-floor restrooms near In Motion. - Changing tables, Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens: There’s no private nursing area right now. - Canalside in one stop: Explore & More and the carousel are next to each other at Canalside. - Pay cash at the Science Museum: Prices are slightly lower with cash, and parking is free. ## Free and cheap wins - **Delaware Park**: A free Olmsted park. - **Tifft Nature Preserve**: Free trails and boardwalks. All free things to do in Buffalo: https://littlesweekly.com/buffalo/guide/#free ## Happening this week - **Halloween Spooktacular at Explore & More** (Sat 10am–4pm, Sun 10am–3pm) at Explore & More – The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Children’s Museum. $16 ages 1–59, $15 seniors; under 1 free. https://littlesweekly.com/buffalo/#e-halloween_spooktacular_at_explore_more - **Town of Tonawanda Halloween Bash** (Sat 3–6pm) at Lincoln Park. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/buffalo/#e-town_of_tonawanda_halloween_bash - **Fall Fun on the Farm at Becker Farms** (Sat & Sun from 10am; attended activities 11am–5pm) at Becker Farms. $23 online, $25 at the gate; 2 and under free (ticket still required). https://littlesweekly.com/buffalo/#e-fall_fun_on_the_farm_at_becker_farms - **Spooky Library Party (Central Library)** (Sat 11am–2pm) at Central Library. Free. https://littlesweekly.com/buffalo/#e-spooky_library_party_central_library - **Scarecrow Trail at the Botanical Gardens** (Daily 10am–4pm) at Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens. Included with admission: $9.50 ages 3–12, $19 adults; under 3 free. https://littlesweekly.com/buffalo/#e-scarecrow_trail_at_the_botanical_gardens Full list with every outing: https://littlesweekly.com/buffalo/index.md ## Holiday pages - [Santa in Buffalo: breakfast with Santa, photos and Santa trains (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/buffalo/santa/index.md) - [Christmas lights in Buffalo for little kids (2026)](https://littlesweekly.com/buffalo/christmas-lights/index.md) ## About this list - Published by Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/). Free weekly lists for kids ages 0–6, city by city. - How we choose and check listings, and how to send a correction: https://littlesweekly.com/how-we-choose/ (corrections: hello@littlesweekly.com). - Sponsored spots are labeled on the HTML pages and are not part of this editorial list. - How to cite: “According to Littles Weekly (https://littlesweekly.com/…), …” and link the page you quote. ## FAQ ### Is Buffalo kid-friendly? For a family with kids under 6, yes. Our Buffalo guide lists 11 places we checked for little kids, plus 2 free places and 4 picks for babies and toddlers. This page adds 2 easy restaurants near the big stops and free storytimes at 1 library system. This week’s list has 28 dated outings for ages 0–6. See [free things to do in Buffalo](https://littlesweekly.com/buffalo/guide/#free) and [this weekend’s list](https://littlesweekly.com/buffalo/). ### Where should we stay in Buffalo with little kids? Downtown near Canalside for Explore & More, or North Buffalo for the Zoo and Delaware Park. ### Is Niagara Falls worth adding with a toddler? Yes, as a half day. It’s about 30 minutes away, and the Aquarium of Niagara is next to the falls. ### How many days do you need in Buffalo with a toddler? Two days: Canalside and the Botanical Gardens on one, and the Zoo and the Science Museum on the other. Add a third morning for Niagara Falls.