CoastieChicks.net
:: Buffalo, NY - cg
Station/Boat Location~
MSO Buffalo

Date there~
July 2002 - July 2005

Weather~
Usually great summers - sunshine without the humidity. Fall is beautiful. Winter is cold and can be long, but there are lots of winter activities. January can get into the single digits with lots of snow. Spring is wonderful when it finally arrives.

Military facilities~
Very small exchange at the Group. There is also another small exchange in Niagara Falls.

Medical~
Tricare Prime Remote. The VA Hospital is an option, but you need to register first. There are also other providers that accept TPR as well as Tricare Standard. I'm aware of only one pediatrician group that participates with Tricare located in Orchard Park (but they are good).

Housing~
It's on the economy, but is very affordable. There are a lot of great suburb areas including Amherst, Tonawanda, Orchard Park (but it gets a lot of snow), and Grand Island.

Shopping~
Galleria Mall is probably the largest, Mc Kinley Mall, Boulevard Mall, and Outlet Mall in Niagara Falls. Also downtown shopping with smaller shops. Major department stores include Sears, JC Penny's, Kauffman's, Bon Ton, and one Lord & Taylor. Grocery stores include Tops & Wegman's. Sorry, no Trader Joe's or Fresh Fields/Whole Foods Markets. BJ's is in Tonawanda and Sam's Club in Buffalo.

Child Care/Schools~
Western New York schools are outstanding, with exception of inner city Buffalo. There is plenty of child care facilities available in the area.

Adult Schools~
Buffalo State, University of Buffalo, Erie Community College, and a number of private colleges.

Fun Activities~
Tons of stuff to do here.
Summer events include free concerts at the canal, square, and other locations (Eddie Money, Goo Goo Dolls, Joan Jett, John Mellencamp, etc.), cruiser night car shows, carnivals, wing festivals, etc.
Darian Lake is near by, Splash Lagoon is just 1.5 hours in Erie (new water park is going to be built in Niagara Falls/CA), Seneca Casino, Buffalo Bills games, Niagara Falls (30 min from downtown), Toronto (2 hrs).
Lots of parks for camping or hiking (Alleghany, 1000 Islands, Letchworth, etc.).
Big running community with lots of races (they serve beer afterwards), the Buffalo Marathon, and Niagara Falls Int'l Marathon - see running clubs: Nickel City Road Runners, Checkers, Buffalo Track Club, etc.
Hockey, ice skating, skiing, are also big around here.
Niagara-on-the-Lake in Canada is less than an hour away with wonderful shops, b&b's, and wine tastings. Albright Knox Museum of Art, Science Museum, and Shea's Theatre - which hosts some fun events besides shows - Martini Gras, Brews Blues & Boos, wine tastings, and much more.

Additional Info~
Definitely my favorite location (we'll be back). People are so very friendly and love to get out and do things. The area has many of the big city amenities without all the traffic, hassles, and expense. The city has a lot of potential and it is very affordable to live here.
The winters do get long - everyone acknowledges that, but it's fine if you take advantage of winter sports - even just ice-skating or sledding! Summer, winter, and fall are sure to be packed with picnics, boating, events, etc.
Don't let the snow scare you, it's a great place to live!

For more info see:
http://www.buffaloathome.com/
http://www.buffalo.com/

Homeport NY

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