Things to Do in Western New York

Niagara Shores Park, Lake Ontario, Ontario, Canada | Photo by Leo Kenney

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There are plenty of things to do in and around the Western New York area for those out-of-towners to take in while they’re here:

  • Niagara Falls (the American side!) is approximately 2.5 hours west of Sterling, New York.

  • The Finger Lakes are just over an hour south of Sterling, and are known for their wineries and waterfalls. Oh, and you can find sand also! 

  • There  is a wonderful Geology Museum near Ithaca (Museum of the Earth), roughly an hour and a half from the SandFest 2025 venue.

  • Onondaga Lake Park is a large state park in the Syracuse, New York area, less than an hour from Sterling Nature Center.

  • The New York State Fairgrounds always has something on the go – be sure to check their website’s Events Calendar closer to the event date so you can see what’s happening at this location (which is only 50 minutes south of our venue)!

Some additional recommendations from Western NY-based ISCS member James Rienhardt include: