It takes a lot more goodies than chicken wings to make Buffalo tick. NY1's Valarie D'Elia filed the following report.
Buffalo is not always covered in snow. It’s just one of the stereotypes that saddles the “Queen City,” not to mention that “getting there four times but never winning a Super Bowl” stigma.
One things for certain, this city in western New York State is the birthplace of the chicken wing, where 50 tons are cooked up for the annual festival, attracting clucks from all over.
But to a Buffalonian, there is no competition.
"Anchor Bar, medium, extra crispy, extra saucy. Very specific," said Lonna McCary, Miss Buffalo 2012.
When one is full of wings, what’s next?
"There’s a ton to Buffalo besides chicken wings. We have other great food like roast beef on weck, we've got some of the best architecture in the country, we have some great history in our area as well," says Drew Cerza, the "wing king." "And we have great museums and we’re not far from Niagara Falls. So you put that all together and you've got one heck of a road trip."
From New York city, that road trip could take as much as eight hours and four tanks of gas roundtrip. Flying takes just an hour.
When it’s not frozen over incidentally, Buffalo’s waterfront is quite inviting. On the eastern shores of Lake Erie, one can see vestiges of Buffalo’s grain elevator glory days.
Buffalo’s architecture isn’t just reflected in its buildings, but in its parks and parkways, designed by Central Parks Frederic Law Olmsted.
If you want to stay overnight, the city’s best hotel is a work of art, the Mansion on Delaware Avenue, starting at under $200 a night.
For more information, visit www.VisitBuffaloNiagara.com.