One of the great things about living or vacationing in Niagara, is it’s proximity to some pretty outrageous scenery, cities, parklands and more. Delaware Park, in nearby Buffalo, is one of our favorites! It was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, and mainly completed in 1876. Olmsted is of Central Park reknown. https://www.bfloparks.org/ and http://www.pbs.org/wned/frederick-law-olmsted/learn-more/olmsteds-buffalo-park-system-and-its-stewards/ *Also, keep in mind our previous posts regarding America’s Oldest State Park, the Niagara Reservation State Park http://www.niagarafallsstatepark.com/Americas-Oldest-State-Park.aspx
At the beginning of the park is the Albright-Knox Art Gallery. The Greek Revival structure was dedicated in 1905. This is a spectacular building, adding to the ambiance and beauty of the park.
Let’s stroll the perimeter of Hoyt Lake together…
There is nothing like a bike ride around the Lake on a lazy summer day.
Marcy Casino is open to the public as a beer garden and also for private events. http://marcycasino.com/historic-location/
Lovely flowers are placed around the park, especially by the entrance to Hoyt Lake, by the art gallery, and the beautiful rose garden as well. Japanese gardens are on the other side of the park. (Another post, yet to come).
Reading lake-side.
Shakespeare in the Park, a summertime Buffalo tradition.
Weeping willows are an art unto themselves.
Olmsted’s glorious vision.
The end of the park gives way to less manicured gardens, and more natural growth.
Silver light slicing through sky and water as the sun begins its descent.
The sun setting over the statue of David.
A stunning replica of Michaelangelo’s classical statue of David. It stands 17ft high x 5.17ft wide x 3.5ft of depth, not including the base. http://buffalovr.com/david/
Arriving again at the Albright-Knox Art Gallery.
The sun getting low over the museum.
The Buffalo History Museum ‘bookends’ the Albright-Knox on the other half of Delaware Park.
http://www.buffalohistory.org/Visit/
We hope you’ve enjoyed your visit with us, and plan to come back again for a tour of another of our area’s jewels!
2chicks2go 
Gorgeous pictures, gorgeous area to visit!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you, my GORGEOUS friend. 🙂 It really is and pictures can’t fully do it justice, but I thank you for the compliment.
I enjoyed the guided tour. I believe the last great project that Olmsted was involved with was the laying out of George Vanderbilt’s 120,000 acre Biltmore Estate near Asheville, North Carolina. I live in NC and visited the mansion multiple times. A must see!
Originally I’m from NY and started my college education in Syracuse, NY. Upstate NY is very under rated in beauty and aesthetics. Your pictorial and description of Buffalo do it tremendous justice.
Thank you so much! I’m glad you came along with us. I’ve always wanted to visit the Biltmore! It’s on my bucket list.
You are right. Upstate NY is under rated and the oft butt end of a bad joke. I’m not originally from the area, but have lived around the Great Lake Region, either side of the border, for most of my life. It took a bit to appreciate some of it’s more subtle charms, but worth the wait! Thanks again.
Beautiful pictorial tour Sherrie! Photos are awesome!
Thank you, Louella! It is truly a lovely park. Thanks for coming along.
Wonderful pix. What’s a BEER garden?
Thank you!
A beer garden brings a picture to mind of beer bottles growing off of trees and shrubbery. No such luck. Rather it is a garden, often one attached to a bar or tavern, where beer is served. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
I was in Buffalo for a week in the blizzard winter of 1985. The dumbest thing I ever did in my life was walk into the Flamingo Bar downtown wearing my Miami Dolphins jersey. Obviously I made it out alive but just barely.
Oh no! Carl. I’ve done a few things like that in my life too…glad we’ve lived to talk about it. 😉
Aah, I’d love to have a willow tree grow in my garden.
You and me both!! They are spectacular, aren’t they?
I used to volunteer at a hospice last year (when I lived in LA) and always loved to walk right underneath one that was along the way. Sho breezy ‘n peaceful, they are!
Nice way of putting it. I went to a school on the Niagara River where there are plenty of weeping willows. Enjoyed them along the way too and at the property as well. One of my favorite trees!
Reblogged this on 2chicks2go and commented:
It’s a lovely week for a stroll in the park, don’t you think?
The 2chicks have been out and about for a while now, and thought we’d stop in for a re-post. We’ll be back soon!