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When a city is best known for its proximity to Niagara Falls, its football team's ineptitude (albeit in four Super Bowls), heaps of snow and chicken wings, it's easy for its hidden treasures to go unnoticed.

Situated in western New York on the shores of Lake Erie, Buffalo surprises no one with its long, cold winters. But it also possesses scenic charm and is an intriguing center for highbrow architecture. The Tifft Nature Preserve and Buffalo Zoological Gardens feature a variety of wildlife in natural settings, and Tifft is a popular year-round destination for recreation enthusiasts eager for a brisk day hike or cross-country skiing expedition.

Architecture buffs will marvel at Buffalo's many works by Frank Lloyd Wright — such as Graycliff Estate and Darwin D. Martin House — and the botanical gardens designed by Central Park creator Frederick Law Olmstead. The art-deco city hall offers visitors terrific views of the city and Lake Erie from its observation deck. Lovers of the chicken wing will of course want to make their pilgrimage to Anchor Bar, where the original Buffalo wings were introduced in 1964.

It's easiest to navigate Buffalo and its environs by car, but the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA-Metro) operates bus and rail service throughout the area. The Metro Rail runs between the University of Buffalo and the HSBC Arena, and there is a free-fare zone inside downtown. Trips beyond the free-fare zone cost $1.50. Buses likewise operate on the zone system, with fares ranging from $1.50 for one zone to $2.25 for four. An all-zone day pass is also available for $3.50, and a weekend pass costs $6.

Buffalo Niagara International Airport is just under 10 miles northeast of downtown and is served by Metro Bus Route 24P; the two-zone ride into the city costs $1.75. Cab fare for the trip generally runs between $20 and $25.

Cheer on the Sabres at HSBC Arena
After years of struggles that even included a financial scandal involving their former owner, the Sabres have returned to prominence in Buffalo. The team plays at HSBC Arena, a venue located right on the Lake Erie waterfront that doubles as the home to the National Lacrosse League's Bandits.

Bundle up for tailgating at Ralph Wilson Stadium
It's been a long time since the Bills' glory days, but fans in Buffalo still know how to party on Sundays. Tailgating begins hours before game time, and the team itself even hosts the Gameday Experience at its indoor practice facility, where the food and games come out at 9:30 a.m. for a 1 p.m. kickoff.

Visit a front-runner in the retro-ballpark craze
Now arguably the premier ballpark architecture firm in the country, HOK Sport designed Buffalo's gorgeous Dunn Tire Park as one of its early projects before going on to build such MLB gems as AT&T Park (San Francisco), Comerica Park (Detroit) and PNC Park (Pittsburgh). The field opened in 1988 and was intended as the potential home of a major-league franchise, but as of yet it still belongs to the International League's Buffalo Bisons, Triple-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.

Take a trip through bicycling history
With a sprawling collection of classic antique bikes and memorabilia, the Pedaling History Bicycle Museum is the largest of its kind in the U.S. Highlights of the exhibition include models dating to the 19th century. The museum also hosts special events such as family bike rides and bike history conferences.

Enter North America's oldest footrace
The Delaware YMCA Turkey Trot (Web site) has been held every year since 1896, making it the oldest consecutively run footrace on the continent. The event takes place every November, and the 8K route winds through downtown Buffalo before concluding with a post-race celebration. Entry fees help provide needy families with scholarship assistance and child care.

Albright-Knox Art Gallery
1285 Elmwood Ave.
Buffalo, N.Y. 14222
Little known outside Buffalo, this museum is a hidden treasure. Its more than 5,000 artworks include significant pieces by Picasso, Rothko, de Kooning, Gaugin, Warhol, Pollock and Lichtenstein.
http://www.albrightknox.org/

Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum
263 Michigan Ave.
Buffalo, N.Y. 14203
From early in the 20th century till the Great Depression, Pierce-Arrow was among the premier automobile manufacturers in America. The company produced cars for U.S. Presidents and for the royal families of Saudi Arabia and Japan. These and other of Pierce-Arrow's cars and motorcycles make for a car lover's dream. The museum is building a replica of a Frank Lloyd Wright-designed gas station on its campus.
http://www.pierce-arrow.com/

Darwin D. Martin House
125 Jewett Parkway
Buffalo, N.Y. 14214
This five-structure, Prairie-style house complex is one of Wright's masterworks. Built between 1903 and 1906 for one of Buffalo's leading industrialists, Wright designed this 10,000-square-foot space to complement an intricately layered landscape. You'll marvel at his innovative use of natural light and space. Afterward visit Graycliff (6472 Old Lake Shore Rd., Derby, N.Y.; 16 miles southwest of downtown Buffalo), a two-story, 6,500-square-foot house set on eight acres overlooking Lake Erie, that Wright built for Martin in 1927.
http://www.darwinmartinhouse.org/index.php

Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls, Ont. L2E 6T2
There are two falls — the Canadian and American. You want to visit the Canadian Falls — the 170-foot-high, 2,600-foot-wide horseshoe-shaped avalanche of water that daredevils have descended in barrels. The best viewing spot is on the Canadian side, from Queen Victoria Park. The park features viewing platforms and underground walkways leading to observation rooms that give the illusion of being in the midst of the cascading waters.
http://www.infoniagara.com/attractions/falls/flash/canadian.html

Pedaling History Bike Museum
3943 N. Buffalo Road
Orchard Park, N.Y. 14127
This is the Louvre of bicycle aficionados. The museum traces the history of the bicycle, from the "walking machine" bike of 1817 through the 10-speed models of the 1970s. Along the way, you'll see an 1890s war cycle outfitted with a Colt machine gun, a tandem bicycle with side-by-side seating, a floating paratrooper bike from World War II and a bicycle built for five.
http://www.pedalinghistory.com/

Toy Town Museum
636 Girard Ave.
East Aurora, N.Y. 14052
East Aurora is the ideal location for this museum; it's where toy manufacturers Fisher and Price got their start. You'll find toys and games dating to the early 20th century, including many of America's earliest dolls and playthings.
http://www.toytownusa.com/

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