Long Term Parking in Buffalo Area?

[geegee]

Does anyone know of the best place to leave a car for a week or so in the Buffalo/Tonawanda area whilst doing the Erie Canal route?

[CastAStone]

North Buffalo has street parking on most residential streets without needing permits. As long as nothing is visible inside of it, your car should be safe anywhere north of Amherst St. Same with Tonawanda - no permits, safe to leave a car. An even safer place to leave your car would be on a residential street on Grand Island, across the river from Tonawanda, plus the Grand Island Bridge is pretty fun on a bike (when there's no construction).

If you want to leave it in a lot, Sheridan Park, Ellicott Creek Park, and Nia Wanda park all have parking in Tonawanda. I wouldn't leave it in a park lot overnight in the city.

[CastAStone]

P.S. if you do park in Tonawanda, grab a hot dog at Teds. Local landmark.

[Tourista829]

I use to live in Williamsville, New York off of Sheridan Dr. I would suggest several options, Methodist Church, high school or country club. Maybe you can find an ACO member that might let you park your car, in front of their house. Have a good trip.

[CastAStone]

Tourista, I used to live off of Main St in Williamsville! Howdy former neighbor!

[Tourista829]

Hey neighbor, I went to Williamsville Highschool, on Main Street. I use to live off Sheridan Dr. on Hunters Lane near Mill St. I worked at the Park Country Club. I liked Buffalo. I learned to snow ski, play ice hockey, eat Polish food, Beef on Wick, watch Bills Football, and Canadian Hockey. Sadly, haven't been back in years. We would like to do a bike tour around Lake Ontario. May try next summer. It would be a trip down memory lane. First bike tour in 1963, age 11 1/2, from Seneca Lake Camp to Watkins Glenn 21 miles, in one day. (we had a support vehicle and we camped out.) So it begun, a life long love. 

[CastAStone]

Cool, I also went to that school, under its new name, Williamsville South High School; In fact I biked there almost every day (luckily, I lived at the top of the Onondaga Escarpment, near Garrison Park. I wouldn't have wanted to bike there from Hunters Lane).

I don't imagine they existed in your days there, but I spent my teens (late 90s) biking a series of paths that run from Maple and North Forest up to North Tonawanda, then down to the Grand Island Bridges - A nice 15 mile jog each way. I think the steepest grade is about 1%.

Go Billies!

[Tourista829]

Mill Street was pretty narrow, as I recall. If I went down Sheridan past Mill St. and the Jr. High, there was a way to get to Main St. past the High School. I don't remember where Garrison Park was. The year I left, the other high school was just opening. 1968 Billies (A very long time ago) The route you describe, I wasn't aware of although it sounds good. Have you ever ridden over, is it the Rainbow bridge, to Canada? I think it would be fun, to ride our bikes over the bridge near Niagara Falls but who knows if it is possible or safe. The more I think of it, I want to ride around Lake Ontario. The only thing I remember about North Tonawanda, was I took my driving test at 5pm there and it was a bad time for a newbie to drive.