Hamlin Park is a staple site of East Aurora. There is a volleyball court, a hardball baseball…read morediamond, a half-mile track, tennis and pickleball courts, a multi-purpose field and more in the vicinity and lots of kids having fun, running around. I learned the park is 16 acres large and has been around since 1899! The old trees are a sight to see, and the area feels like you're right in nature. The playground is vast and somewhat outdated, but the kids don't seem to mind. Many events take place here, too, including performances by the Aurora Players Theater and the Rotary Bandstand. Cars aren't allowed, and parking is limited; you might have to find parking on one of the side streets. I noticed there are restrooms too, and a couple of picnic shelters. Leave your beer, your dog and your snowmobile at home; they're not allowed, along with some other items you might want to look up before venturing out. It's a great public park and worth a stopover to relax and enjoy nature on one of the benches or bring a picnic and enjoy your time at one of the picnic tables. Truly, something for everyone.

I drank the Kool-Aid that is East Aurora and I would now love to live in this idyllic town. My…read moreboyfriend, his family and I went to Hamlin Park to see fireworks. The park had vendors, people were picnicking, kids were playing, there was a band and baseball field. Hamlin Park was out of a Hallmark Movie. Hallmark should not only continue to use Viddler's as a location for movies, but should also include this park for a summer movie location. There is also a stage in the park that features both free theatrical productions and ticketed productions. Check out Aurora Players for that information.

This is an absolutely lovely park, with wide open spaces as well as trails through the woods. All…read morealong beautiful lake Erie. The grounds are well-maintained and there is strategic seating along most trails. There were these chain link basket devices located around one field and it took me almost a month to find out that it has something to do with a frisbee game. There are bathroom facilities and grills and garbage pails so this is designed to be used by families for picnics. I plan on returning in the summer to see this beautiful park in full bloom.

Beautiful, peaceful park... Perfect stop off on scenic route 5. Camping, fishing, hiking... Looks…read morelike you can find it all here. Wish I had more time, but was just passing through and decided to make a quick stop. Don't miss it, if you're in the area!!

It gets bigger and better every year. No admission charge, and some free events and live music. The…read morecorn is so sweet in peak season

This was my first time here. What a great little festival,…read moresomething to do. Traffic was not the best getting into the parking lot. Very slow moving and took about 10-20 extra minutes waiting in line. I like that the school was using their parking space for fundraising for the sports clubs so you know the cost of parking is going to a good cause. The festival itself was decent. It had a lot of food vendors and a crap load of local shops/vendors (added photos of some hand made items). It actually took a while to look at everything! There was a handful of rides for the kids too. I do wish there was more corn themed food options like elote, or grilled corn, or other food dishes using corn in more creative ways. There was only 4 corn things (that I saw): corn on the cob, corn ice cream, kettle corn and a stand to buy a fresh bunch of corn. Corn on the cob 10/10. Delicious, sweet corn, dipped in butter (pretty sure it's unsalted butter). They had tall stand-up tables set up with salt shakers to eat your corn at or in the tent next door had picnic tables to sit down too (or you can eat in the beer tent... It was crazy to me that they allowed underage people in the beer tent if they were with their parents. They couldn't drink obviously, but allowed the family to stay together. At that point, they might as well just have allowed you to walk around with a plastic beer cup.) I didn't try the corn ice cream but I'd like to next time! Kyle tried the bacon bomb sandwich from Hammi's BBQ truck (photo posted). He says he could eat it every day for the rest of his life. I thought it had too much sausage in the mixture. I'd like to taste more of a bacon/pork flavor than sausage. But other than that it really was good.

Had a fabulous time Ice skating @ Canalside. Rentals were…read more$5 per person. Admission is $8. Lockers $1. Pros: beautiful landscape. Friendly people willing to give out free lessons. Cons: they were out of many sizes of skates due to the demand of people coming in. Skates were hit or miss. Some were good condition, some were completely mangled. Long waits for rentals (so bring your own!!) Parking is sparse unless you are okay with paying ($5-$20). Overall, I would come again. Probably not on the weekend since parking is tricky & the crowding on the ice makes it hard to find your rhythm.

Every time I visit Canalside I am amazed at how much the area has changed since they first…read moreannounced the development. There is a bunch to see and do, and the area itself is just really nice. I love that they often host free events (both family friendly and adult oriented) and also things like fitness classes. There are places to take a seat and relax and there are some nice amenities and fun attractions like Shark Girl. There is ample surface lot parking plus there is the Harborfront garage. There is currently an indoor exhibit that is free (and air conditioned) about the history of the Erie Canal. There is also a canal boat, the carousel and the navel park. The one down side is that there seems to be perpetual construction. There are always fences, road blocks and other construction around. Great that development is happening, but it means that it might be a challenge to get around. A great place to enjoy the Buffalo waterfront and spend some time outdoors.

If they ever bulldoze this soccer field, I'll be like, "omg! They killed Kenney!" But hopefully…read morethat totally never happens. Because I'm a big fan, in fact this is where I played some of the biggest soccer games of my amateur grown-up life once I moved to Buffalo. Under the floodlights late in the evening, playing for the Eagles, we had some great moments here. Through balls, defensive blocks, epic crosses, and a very famous last minute goal by JG (hey if you're reading, that was an awesome strike!), and those memories will last forever. I actually felt like an American on those nights. Like I'd never been born and raised in a pessimistic negative rough and harsh society like I was. As if I'd been one of the dreamers, the Hollywood kids, the baseball kids, the cotton candy Kool Aid kids, and yes I must have been drinking the Kool Aid before writing this. Suffice to say, I always loved this field, and I always will.

I imagine most people come here for one of two reasons. The memorial. Or the soccer…read more This is a field. Hence the name. In the heart of the town the traffic does flow by here. It has various bleacher seats set up for what are presumably soccer games, based on the goals. There are picnic tables under a covered area. Nice for a hot sunny day. Small playground area. Then there's a large veterans memorial here which is beautiful. All names inscribed by military branch. Many trees and benches in honor of the fallen. Large easy parking lot. 1125

This is an update to a review I originally wrote 11 years ago, and somehow, I love Allegany State…read morePark even more now than I did then. I've been coming here since I quite literally fit into a bucket (not exaggerating). Allegany has been a constant for me and probably the beginning of my love for everything outdoors. Growing up, my family spent Columbus Day weekends camping here, originally along McIntosh Trail and later at Summit Trail near the Art Roscoe Ski Area and fire tower on the Red House side of the park. Now, they go extra fancy and stay on Bova Trail. Over the years, Allegany became the backdrop for countless adventures from tent camping, cabin stays, hiking, geocaching, and just being together outdoors. These days, instead of Columbus Day, I usually start the year here by staying in a cabin and doing the First Day Hike with my dad. While my most recent visit wasn't the best, it doesn't erase the years of great memories before it. I've visited Allegany in every season, but autumn will always be my favorite thanks to the foliage. The trails shine in summer and fall. I've backpacked the North Country Trail through the park, hiked nearly every trail, and uncovered some lesser known gems along the way. I participate in the park's hiking challenges, serve on the board of the Allegany State Park Historical Society, and appreciate organizations like Friends of Allegany for the work they do to protect and enhance this place. The Red House Restaurant serves up some good times and great food, too. From Thunder Rocks to the Bear Caves, beaches, creeks, kayaking, canoeing, fishing, geocaching (including night caches and GeoBash!), and endless quiet corners, Allegany surely offers something for everyone. It's located a mere hour and 45 minutes from Buffalo and to me, it's a crown jewel of the New York State Park system. My advice? Do a little research before you go so you can make the most of your visit. Stop by the Administration Building on the Red House side, explore Thunder Rocks or the Bear Caves, and camp if you can. And whatever you do... don't feed the bears!

We always enjoy coming to Allegany. This time we decided to hike up to Bear Caves. If you are in…read moretown don't snooze on Allegany. You won't be disappointed.

The Miracle League of Western New York is held at Veterans Park in Grand Island. It's always a…read morehumbling experience to see the kids with special needs just having a blast no matter what the day holds or what the weather is like.

Went here on July 3rd to enjoy their fireworks display. We arrived hours early out of fear that we…read morewouldn't find a place to watch but that was not the case. Lots of room at this enormous park. They had two food trucks providing ice cream and popcorn as well as food options like hot dogs and hamburgers. The fireworks lasted approximately 15 minutes; an impressive display. The park seemed well groomed and clean. They did lack bathroom options so a lot of people were choosing to visit with nature in a far wooded section. I included the sign that was posted near the park entrance. Certainly had me curious!

Great selection and staff. Very knowledgeable. Even if they weren't, they had videos to show the…read morefireworks. I was here after July 4th, crazy deals!