Ultimate Road Trip: Surprise! Buffalo!
Apr. 6th, 2026 07:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
genderjumperNo bison were harmed or even slightly caught off guard during this journey.
BUFFALO NY (North Buffalo, North Park, Amherst, Kenmore): A-
In my research, I mostly kept Buffalo on the list because that was where Kiddo's father ended up and we promised her we'd give it real consideration. And as I whittled my top 15 down to my top 10 and then down to my top 5 or so, Buffalo quietly sat there and never really dropped in rankings. Before we got here, it had the distinction of being a well-rounded fall back: nothing exceptionally good about it, but literally everything is above average.
Through a dear friend, I met a local couple and one of them led us on a driving tour today. We cruised through all the "indie" neighborhoods, as she described them, and there were a lot! A lot of distinctive cuisine, shopping, and arts events. A lot of nice houses in our price range. A lot of positive experiences in every direction.
The car culture was probably the best surprise: our driving tour was during peak rush hour and we barely noticed. Everything is just down the way from everything else (even in the inner suburbs) and I couldn't get over how patient and friendly the other drivers were. The roads themselves look a bit rough from winter, but they're flat and navigable and uncrowded.
If we had planned a little differently, we'd stay here another night, though I don't know what else we'd need to see. Maybe tour a house for sale or meet a realtor. Maybe stick our heads in the local Subaru dealership and price a new vehicle.
The hardships of road life are getting to us both, and tomorrow we hit the road again.
BUFFALO NY (North Buffalo, North Park, Amherst, Kenmore): A-
In my research, I mostly kept Buffalo on the list because that was where Kiddo's father ended up and we promised her we'd give it real consideration. And as I whittled my top 15 down to my top 10 and then down to my top 5 or so, Buffalo quietly sat there and never really dropped in rankings. Before we got here, it had the distinction of being a well-rounded fall back: nothing exceptionally good about it, but literally everything is above average.
Through a dear friend, I met a local couple and one of them led us on a driving tour today. We cruised through all the "indie" neighborhoods, as she described them, and there were a lot! A lot of distinctive cuisine, shopping, and arts events. A lot of nice houses in our price range. A lot of positive experiences in every direction.
The car culture was probably the best surprise: our driving tour was during peak rush hour and we barely noticed. Everything is just down the way from everything else (even in the inner suburbs) and I couldn't get over how patient and friendly the other drivers were. The roads themselves look a bit rough from winter, but they're flat and navigable and uncrowded.
If we had planned a little differently, we'd stay here another night, though I don't know what else we'd need to see. Maybe tour a house for sale or meet a realtor. Maybe stick our heads in the local Subaru dealership and price a new vehicle.
The hardships of road life are getting to us both, and tomorrow we hit the road again.
