Buffalo's urban escapes: Find your peace

Here in Buffalo, we are fortunate to have an abundance of parks scattered throughout the city. But there are also outdoor spaces that are free and open to the public that don’t immediately come to mind as destinations to unwind. Here are four urban oases to visit and think, turn off your brain, wander, pray, read, mourn, meditate … or just be.

Tifft Nature Preserve

From its beginning, the 264 acres of land at Tifft, located on the Outer Harbor, was preserved not only as habitat for local wildlife but also as a destination for environmental education and passive recreation for residents of the region. Even though it’s just a few minutes away from downtown Buffalo, the expansive preserve feels like the wild outdoors.

“The thing that makes Tifft the perfect quiet escape is the feeling of being completely immersed in nature,” says Director Meghan Dye. “I love different parts of Tifft for different reasons, and all of them provide me the opportunity to reset my mind and relax.”

A boardwalk winds deep into a remnant floodplain cattail marsh, which sings with frogs and birdsong. More than 200 species of migrating and nesting birds, including bald eagles and osprey, pass through Tifft. Several ponds and lakes swim with turtles and bass, and fishing is allowed from designated spots on Lake Kirsty.

Visitors who tread softly on the network of hiking trails are rewarded with sightings of deer, beaver, muskrat, mink and even an occasional river otter. Trails are open from dawn to dusk year-round. In order to protect the wild animals, domesticated ones aren’t allowed in the preserve.

Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens

While walking among rare specimens inside the gleaming conservatory at the Botanical Gardens certainly is a meditative experience, the free outdoor gardens surrounding the iconic glass structure in South Buffalo are a hidden treasure all their own. Each one carries a unique and intentional theme, and all are free to visit.

The Honorary International Peace Garden is a shaded sanctuary to rest in on a warm summer day, while passionate arborists will enjoy exploring the accredited Level II Arboretum, featuring several original Frederic Law Olmsted plantings that are over 125 years old.

The wild Native Garden’s milkweed and blue false indigo make it the perfect place to see pollinators of all different varieties. In the children’s Discovery Garden, there’s a pond, a large sandbox and plenty of butterflies’ favorite flowers. Benches, chairs and a gazebo invite visitors to sit and enjoy the surroundings.

“One of my personal favorite plants in the outdoor gardens is the katsura tree,” says Marketing Coordinator Connor Keenan. “When the leaves start to change color in autumn, they smell like cotton candy.”

Forest Lawn Cemetery

Nowadays we don’t think of a cemetery as a place of respite for the living. But when Forest Lawn began welcoming its first permanent residents in 1850, it was common to spend a Sunday afternoon there relaxing with loved ones and enjoying nature.

“In the Victorian times, people would bring picnics to visit and respect memories of those who have gone before,” explains CEO Julie Snyder. “Once you get inside the gates, it’s a very zen place, and it’s a lot more welcoming than people think.”

Forest Lawn’s 17 miles of roads meander through 269 acres of peaceful landscape bordering Delaware Park, over bridges spanning a rushing creek, past a tranquil lake often visited by swans, among ornate marble angels tucked into hillsides, and under shaded canopy. With more than 4,000 trees, aptly named Forest Lawn is an accredited arboretum and one of the city’s only true forests.

Cyclists, walkers and runners are welcome to visit in all four seasons; dogs are not out of respect for the burial grounds.

Martin House Estate

Just a few minutes down the road in the Parkside neighborhood is the Martin House Estate, a national landmark designed by renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. Nestled among the historic buildings of the 1.5-acre complex is a masterfully designed series of gardens that are open to the public.

Martin House Facilities and Landscape Manager Jeffrey Salmon says Wright purposefully designed the lush landscape to incorporate distinct areas for the Martin family to host outdoor celebrations and intimate gatherings at the turn of the last century.

Today, the plantings in these verdant “outdoor rooms” are maintained by a core group of 30 volunteers, allowing visitors to enjoy peace and contemplation surrounded by flowers all year round.

“Every time you visit, the scene is different,” Jeffrey explains. “The series of blooms are constant and ever changing. I’ve been in this business 50 years and I’m still always amazed.”