Date: May 14–15, 2025
Registration: Open
Buffalo is the second-largest city in New York. There’s so much more to the city than chicken wings and Niagara Falls! It’s home to remarkable art, architecture, history, and cuisine. With Lake Erie as the backdrop, it’s a welcoming place that has recently gone through many transformations. On our overnight trip, we’ll get a satisfying taste of much of what Buffalo has to offer.
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House is a quintessential Prairie house that was built between 1903 and 1905. Wright referred to the Martin House as a “domestic symphony” and a “well-nigh perfect composition.” The Martin House is characterized by its spatial openness, horizontal planes, pier and cantilever construction, stained-glass windows, brick work, sculpture, and palette of natural colors and materials. It is considered one of the great achievements of Wright’s career, resulting from a remarkable partnership between client and architect. The 90-minute tour will include the downstairs and upstairs of the house with time to visit the gift shop or grounds before departure to the hotel.
Set on more than 40 acres of historic green space, The Richardson Hotel is a luxurious National Historic Landmark and was designed in the late 1800s by American architect Henry Hobson Richardson in concert with the famed landscape team of Frederick Law Olmstead and Calvert Vaux. Each guest room blends historical appreciation, modern conveniences, and the complexity and simplicity of nature. The hotel recently went through a major renovation, keeping the best of its historical features and creating a beautiful contemporary style with modern conveniences including Wi Fi, a 24-hour fitness center, one-mile walking/jogging path, and more.
The Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum offers a unique look at the area’s automotive history. Step inside to learn about the vintage vehicles on display and extensive collection of automobilia. The station idea was conceived at a time when Americans were just getting used to the idea of traveling longer distances by car, and Frank Lloyd Wright was the man with the plan who felt that travelers should be met with the comforts of home when out on the road.
Buffalo City Hall is a masterpiece of Art Deco design. Completed in 1931, the lobby features murals by William de Leftwich Dodge, and the Common Council Chambers are highlighted by an extraordinary sunburst skylight.
The collections in the Buffalo AKG Art Museum span some of the greatest moments in art through the centuries, beginning with its first acquisition, The Marina Piccola, Capri by Albert Bierstadt — both the first painting and the first work gifted by an artist to enter the museum’s collection. Impressionism and post-Impressionism are well represented with works by leading nineteenth-century European artists such as Edgar Degas, Paul Gauguin, Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Vincent van Gogh. Cubism, Surrealism, Constructivism, and other movements from the revolutionary early years of the 20th century come to life through significant works by Georges Braque, André Derain, Frida Kahlo, Fernand Léger, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró, Piet Mondrian, Georgia O’Keeffe, Pablo Picasso, and Alexander Rodchenko.
Itinerary
Physical activity level: Moderate amount of walking, museum/exhibit walking, accessible areas.
Wednesday, May 14
- 6:30 a.m. — Depart from Fullington Bus Station by the State College Regional Airport, 2101 Alexander Dr., State College. Free and safe overnight parking.
- 8:30 a.m.— Comfort stop in Lantz Corners, PA, at the Sheetz.
- 11:30 a.m.— Arrive at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House.
- Boxed lunch onsite at the Statler Café. There will be time to visit the gift shop and stroll the grounds before the tour.
- 1:30–3:45 p.m.— Docent-led tour of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House.
- 4:15 p.m.— Check in at The Richardson Hotel.
- 6:30–8:00 p.m.— Dinner at Templeton Landing Restaurant, ranked the “best spot in Buffalo,” with unbeatable views of the Buffalo Harbor.
- Dinner is a choice of garlic grilled chicken, rosemary bistro filet, sautéed broccolini and crispy tofu, or pan seared salmon with mixed greens and assorted desserts. A cash bar for alcoholic beverages will be available (at your own expense).
Thursday, May 15
- 7:30–9:30 a.m. — Check out of The Richardson Hotel.
- Breakfast is included at the hotel’s Café Calvert (coffee, tea, water, orange juice, cranberry juice, assorted yogurt, diced seasonal fresh fruit, freshly baked morning pastries, scrambled eggs, and bacon).
- 9:30 a.m. — Depart The Richardson Hotel for the Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum.
- 10:00–11:00 a.m. — Guided tour of the Buffalo Transportation Pierce-Arrow Museum.
- 11:00 a.m. — Depart from Pierce-Arrow Museum for Buffalo City Hall.
- 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.— Guided tour of Buffalo City Hall’s art-deco architectural features. We will need to go through security upon entering the building.
- 1:00–4:00 p.m. — Time on your own to enjoy the Buffalo AKG Art Museum and Gift Shop and have lunch/early dinner.
- Dining options: The Buffalo AKG Art Museum offers a fast-casual dining experience at Cornelia, located in the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Town Square. Or enjoy refreshments at Sculpture Bar on Floor 2 of the Jeffrey E. Gundlach Building. This coffee and wine bar offers a spectacular view of the campus along with espresso drinks, snacks, small plates, beer, and wine.
- 4:00 p.m. — Depart Buffalo.
- 6:00 p.m.. — Comfort stop in Lantz Corners, PA, at the Sheetz.
- 9:00 p.m. — Expected arrival in State College.
Cost per person
Member pricing
- $570, double-occupancy
- $720, single-occupancy
Nonmember pricing
- $615, double-occupancy
- $765, single-occupancy
Included in cost: Bus transportation, hotel, three guided tours, admission to three museums, lunch at Statler Café at the Martin House, dinner at the Templeton Landing restaurant, and breakfast at The Richardson Hotel.
Not included in cost: Alcoholic beverages at dinner on May 14. Lunch and dinner on May 15.
Register for a single-occupancy Register for a double-occupancy