Don't bypass Buffalo New York
The YMCA Buffalo Turkey Trot is the oldest consecutively run footrace in North America. Starting at 9 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning, this race goes through Delaware Park along Delaware Avenue and ends at Franklin and Niagara. Over 14,000 people take part and many of them come in costume hoping to win the most creative individual and group costume prizes. Visit this New York town and you will wonder how anyone could speed through such a beautiful, diverse town. Check out these attractions to see what Buffalo is all about:
Ralph Wilson Stadium
This first game played at this Buffalo New York stadium was played on Aug. 17, 1973. The original capacity was 80,000 people but the facility was renovated and larger seats were added. Today 74,000 seats are available for fans to cheer on the Buffalo Bills National League Football Team and their opponents. The Bills were the seventh team in the newly formed American Football League. O.J. Simpson was a famous member of this team when he set the record with a 2,003-yard rush in 1973. The team started out playing at War Memorial Stadium but moved when its fan base expanded to become larger than the facilities could handle. The team then moved to Rich Stadium, which was renamed in 1998 as "Ralph Wilson Stadium" after the team's long-time owner Ralph Wilson. Wilson passed away in March 2014 and ownership of the team is up in the air at this time. Grab a red, white and blue jersey and drive your Buffalo rental car to this NFL stadium to cheer on the Buffalo Bills.
Forest Lawn Cemetery
This Victorian cemetery was founded in 1849 and is one of the most well-known cemeteries of its kind in North America. The original cemetery was created following the vision of Paris's famous Pere-Lachais. It was created in the hopes of combining art and nature in a romantic way. The cemetery founder, Charles E. Clarke, wanted the cemetery to be a place for the living and the dead so he commissioned statues to add to the beauty of the natural setting. The first statue here was of Red Jacket, a Seneca Indian chief. Many other statues were added throughout the years to various parts of the grounds. There are also thousands of private memorials and mausoleums. President Millard Fillmore was buried in Section F after his death in 1874. Other well-known residents of the 269-acre facility include 47 Buffalo mayors and other people famous for their contributions to the growth of the Buffalo, New York, area. This is a great place to stroll on a sunny day and enjoy the beautiful sculptures and artwork as well as the over 3,500 trees and countless birds and animals living throughout the grounds.
Frank Lloyd Wright's Martin House Complex
The famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed this house for Darwin D. Martin between 1903 and 1905. It is the largest of Wright's prairie houses in the eastern U.S. and is a National Historic Landmark. Scholars of the architect's work claim it to be one of the best achievements of his entire career. The complex buildings are easily recognizable as Wright's work with their strong horizontal lines and cantilevered roofs. Three of the buildings on the Martin House Complex were demolished due to severe damage. The Martin House Restoration Corporation formed in 1992 to raise funds to restore and rebuild the complex. Reconstruction efforts began in 1997 and continue in 2014. The latest edition to the complex is the Eleanor and Wilson Greatbatch Pavilion where visitors can learn about the architect and the history of the complex. Drive your Buffalo rental car to visit this incredible architectural feat.