Buffalo Naval Park

It was exhausting visiting these vessels on a 90+ degree day in Buffalo, but well worth it. Fortunately, they allow you to leave and come back at your leisure so we were able to tour the first ship, leave to get much needed refreshments, then return to finish the self guided tour. There is so much to see that it took about three hours and we still ended up skipping by some exhibits. Shorts and pants are best with comfortable footware to navigate all the narrow, steep stairs, small passageways and openings. Kudos to everyone who takes care of this park and these vessels to allow us to experience this part of history in such a beautiful setting.

Really nice boardwalk area with a lot of activities and food on the canalside. And the naval park itself has a good amount of history available with a small museum above the gift shop. We didn't go on the ship itself but they had that option available but still very interesting for the walk around and great scenery.

Very cool experience for both adults and kids. Be prepared for quite the walk, so wear comfortable shoes. The USS The Sullivan was an easy walk through. You get to read about how the name came to be. There’s a gun up top that you can sit on and move around, so don’t skip that. The USS Little Rock is HUGE. Many flights of stairs both up and down. I wouldn’t recommend this one for anyone who isn’t in shape or has joint issues. There are a ton of dedicated spaces to the different wars and veteran groups throughout that make the long journey worth it. There’s also areas of AC to cool down at. The USS Croaker was very cool. It’s not every day you get to go into a submarine. The space is extremely tight inside with tiny doorways. Anyone who’s taller than 5’8” and on the wider side may struggle in there. At the end of the tour, grab a fresh squeezed lemonade at the stand across from the museum- they’re SO good

All three ships are in great condition. It was my first time going inside a submarine — a fascinating look into the life of submariners. I also boarded a missile cruiser for the first time and learned a lot about naval missile systems. On the destroyer, I had a chance to reflect on the history of our victory over Japan in WWII. Unfortunately, the nearby landing craft exhibit was under maintenance and not accessible during my visit.

Excellent tour of a battleship, destroyer, sub, and other military equipment. They have WWll, Korea, Vietnam, Desert Storm, and Shield. Very interesting tour. The volunteers are passionate about the story behind each piece. There's a self guided tour and an audio tour. Inside the museum, you will see artifacts from each era. The photos are from within the ship of displays the historical society has put together.

Buffalo Boat Tours is the best! I rode the Big Kahuna Tiki Boat Happy Hour Tour and had a blast. Be sure to bring the party, if you want to have a really good time. The staff is great, thank you Captain Morgan. Introduce yourself to the people on the boat and start dancing. Fun, fun, fun. Delicious drinks. The next day, I took the Buffalo History Tour Boat. It was narrated for 2 hours with heavy focus on the grain elevators, I applaud the narrator, he's very good, but should diversify the history with a few more tidbits of anecdotal information. The grandkids enjoyed the tour, again the drinks were good, the boat was clean, the captain and navigator were very good and of course the staff, especially Caitlyn, was excellent. Thank you to all.

Visiting the Buffalo Naval Park on Memorial Day offered a poignant experience. The historical ships stood as silent witnesses to past sacrifices. The atmosphere was respectful and filled with a sense of remembrance. It was a moving tribute to those who served. The exhibits provided valuable insights into naval history.

We had a great time here. The vets who were there were very informative and extremely helpful. It took us from start to finish about 2 hours. We went through 2 ships and a submarine. The gift shop is just the right size. My only complaint is that the person I was with needed a 3X shirt and the largest they carry is a 2x.

Marla the narrator on the Miss Buffalo II is the absolute best. She is very thorough and truly dedicated to her job. If you ever go on the Miss Buffalo and have her as your narrator please be sure to show her your support. Today was cool with a little bit of sun. Very chill and relaxing. I love the flowers near the Hatch. Very pretty with loads of colors. We were fortunate enough to see a lot of monarch butterflies.

WOW. I did not expect how thorough this experience would be. We have toured other boats before that have not had nearly as much to look at and experience. The way the museum takes you through each ship type in such detail really lets you imagine the life each sailor must've lived on board. I loved doing this with my husband who is a Navy veteran and hearing his stories in relation to the history shown. The docents are incredibly knowledgeable. Cool to see veterans on board. Price is very reasonable, with veterans/military discounts. We thought we'd only be there an hour, stayed for 2.5, and could've easily spent another 2 here. Amazing museum!!

I found this gem during a business trip to Buffalo and if I could, I would give it more than 5-stars! Unfortunately, I was not able to tour any of the vessels or the museum because it was closed for the season. Regardless, I was left speechless by the vessels and displays in front of me. I think this is something that your whole family can enjoy from youngest to oldest. I look forward to taking a personal trip with my family and experiencing this all over again the near future!

Five stars because John was like a big kid enjoying every minute- even when the rain started! We had made it through the inside museum, outside memorials, the The Sullivans (Destroyer) and USS Little Rock (Guided Missile Cruiser- last remaining one in the world) & the Croaker Submarine. The volunteers give you a little history lesson when you board The Sullivans and you follow the pathways throughout the ship. Even inside the ships had museum style displays set up packed with military history! I climbed into the 40 millimeter anti-aircraft gun for a photo op, which made John laugh ;) He tolerated me running around butterfly conservatories and botanical gardens, I could appease his nerdy history needs! Get your learning on.

What a fantastic museum and interactive place. We spent 2 hours here and could easily spend another hour at least. There are tons of things to see and do and plenty of volunteers to talk to. The submarine was the best, but if you are claustrophobic or have a hard time lifting your legs, it might be wise to skip the last boat. All three boats have neat things to see and do. There are some great food cart options on the Riverwalk, so you could easily spend an afternoon or evening here if you wanted. If you are a fan of WW2 or Naval museums, this should be on your bucket list for sure.

Awesome place to visit. It's worth going just to see the different kinds of ships. We didn't make it in time but you can do a tour on one of them. Other than that it's a nice walk. They did have some food nearby. It was easy to find parking nearby.

I served aboard USS Little Rock in 1976, just before she was sent back to the States for decommissioning and, ultimately, scrapping. I never expected to see her again, much less walk her passageways and climb her ladders after almost 50 years. Paul, Shane, and the entire Naval Park staff are doing a great job preserving three very important pieces of American naval history. The ships are excellent examples of the Cold War navy that so many US sailors and Marines experienced. Visit if you're in the area and donate if you can! Thank you western NY, Erie County, Buffalo, and the Naval Park for preserving these ships and an important part of my US Navy experience!

This is a historical "outdoor museum" of sorts if you're just passing through on a walk around Canalside. Yet this naval and military park has a lot of information to offer, especially if you have time to read the many placards posted along the walkway. Lot of valuable information you'd be amazed! Or you could take a formal self- guided tour. Tickets can be bought on the website www.Buffalo naval park.org. This allows you to board the vessels and learn more in depth. I have an Uncle who loves and knows all about jets, submarines and "military stuff" coming to town in a couple of weeks. He'd enjoy a tour. A nice way to spend the time together. Another Buffalo landmark! You gotta appreciate our great city!

After running a Tough Mudder close by in the summer we took a few days to stay in Buffalo and do the touristy thing. It was a beautiful day to walk along the waterfront on Lake Erie to check out the views, grab some lunch, and we stumbled into this wonderful homage to US military ships and aircraft along the way. The Naval ships are open to the public for tours. There are also other vehicles such as a tank and helicopter to view. Pretty cool stuff, especially if you're a military history buff.

Our second destination (Day 1, Venue 2) for our Western New York family vacation was the prodigiously named Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park. Having read previous Yelp reviews, I thought I was prepared for the parking situation, but I still had to circle the block once to find a spot that would hopefully not get me ticketed and/or towed. Figuring out where to buy admission tickets was the next challenge, which was apparently a pretty common occurrence, as the family ahead of us at the first ship was turned back because they missed the fact that you had to buy your tickets inside the lobby of the restaurant-looking mini-museum building. If you are not familiar with the Park, it has three sections: a free outside area, the three warships, and a mini-museum on the floor above the Liberty Hound restaurant. The free area was a somewhat cramped-feeling open-air museum with various Cold War-era fighter aircraft, a US Army tank, a Vietnam-era armoured personnel carrier, and a Vietnam-era fast patrol boat that the Park said was Trumpy-class, but Wikipedia amusingly described as actually being Nasty-class. Regardless, the centerpieces of the Park were the three United States Navy warships: USS Croaker, USS The Sullivans, and USS Little Rock. At 311ft long, USS Croaker was the smallest of the three; a Gate-class submarine that served six war patrols during World War II. At 376ft long, the middle-child of the Park was USS Sullivans, a Fletcher-class destroyer which served during both WWII and the Korean War. The big momma of the Park, at 608ft of length, was USS Little Rock. Originally serving as a Cleveland-class gun cruiser right after WWII, she was rebuilt as a Galveston-class guided missile cruiser during the Cold War. Things we liked about the naval park included the attention to the small details on the self-guided ship tours. Other museum ships might display the galley with a few props like pots and pans on the stove, and dishes on the counter, but USS Little Rock's galley was fully stocked, with bags of (fake) potatoes piled up in the corner, bags of limes hanging from the wall, and canned goods on the counters. Likewise USS Croaker's crew mess was stocked with (fake) fresh fruit, coffee cups ready to be filled, and a half-smoked cigar resting in the ashtray. We also loved the era-specific museum spaces; with wall-to-wall carpeting and expansive glass display cases, you almost forgot that you were in a 78 year old warship in the Buffalo River, rather than a brick-and-mortar institution on the land! Our dislikes of the Park were all operational. As others have noted, parking is neither easy nor straightforward. Also, getting tickets to tour the warships was only simple if you knew were to go, so it seemed like there should have been a lot more signage saying exactly that. Our final complaint may be a minor quibble, but if USS The Sullivans was closed for touring due to (completely understandable) maintenance and repairs, but the vessel was 33% of the warships on display, then why did the Park still charge visitors full-price? Other museums we have visited in the past partially reduced their admission prices when a major portion of their exhibits was offline. Just sayin`. Overall, our family very much enjoyed the half-day we spent at the Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park, and would definitely return if in the area.

We were staying across the street at the Marriott Courtyard and looking for something to do. Loved seeing the volunteers who work on restoring and maintaining the ships. There is some climbing the ladders so being in shape helps. It's hard to imaging the brave sailors who served on these ships protecting our country and freedoms. Many did not make it back from these ships and others. The submarine Croaker is tiny. How sailors could live in a metal tube in such tight quarters is amazing.

Buffalo Naval Park is in my opinion is a must see on the downtown Buffalo waterfront. Many people visiting canalside probably don't even pay much attention to it but really should. The ships are all really fun to explore. First time I was in the submarine, the USS Crocker, it made me really think about how SMALL it is and these guys were in it for extended periods of time. Better not be claustrophobic! The battleship is the USS Sullivan and was named after 5 brothers who were in killed in action when serving together on one ship. The larger ship, a destroyer,, is the USS Little Rock. All are fun to explore but a word of warning. Along tight quarters there are a lot of stairs and ladders to climb. Besides the ships, there are also other items around the grounds to check out. Definitely both a fun and/or educational day. If you're like me, and read everything plan on being there a while. But if you're more into just looking around you'll enjoy that also.

Coming down to see these ship is always amazing. You can purchase a ticket a tour the sub the USS Croaker and the ships the USS Littlerock and the USS Sullivan's named after the five brothers who gave their lives during the war.There is also a gift shop for souvenirs. Such an amazing tribute to all those that served our country.

Such a fascinating and historic way to spend an afternoon. You can tour the ships the USS Littlerock and USS SULLIVAN'S which is named for the five brothers that lost their lives fighting in the war and you can tour the sub USS Croaker.There is also a gift shop to purchase merchandise. Such a great tribute for all our service men and women.

A quick shout-out to two of the docents at the Naval Park. I'm traveling across country shooting photos of military weapons and the docent on board the Sullivans--I forget his name but he was a navigator (Quartermaster) on board the USS Nimitz during his career) was super helpful in pointing out places on the USS Little Rock that would be of use to me. Ended up being a great photo--thanks! The other docent, Mark (former US Air Force), went beyond the "call of duty" and took an interest in my project and led me to areas that I would certainly missed if he hadn't taken me on a personal tour. Mark was really great and thanks to him I was able to make other very worthwhile photographs that would otherwise have been impossible. They seem to have a great team at the Park. So glad I visited.

Great place to spend a few hours, wish we had more time to talk to the caretakers. They close at 5, would suggest hitting this stop up no later than 3. We got it all in, but there were a few things we didn't get to. Very knowledgeable staff and where else are you going to find destroyers and a sub this far inland.

My son and I were in town for a concert and needed something to do. We're really glad we came to visit the Naval yard and explore the ship, submarine, and museum. The ships were really fun to explore and the self guided tour was great. There was a ton of information and a lot of great military information. Overall we really enjoyed the experience and appreciated the veteran volunteers who taught us about the submarine!

Along side the canal side is the Buffalo and Erie county naval military park. You pay for the tour inside the naval gift shop. Inside the gift shop you have a small restaurant. You have the option of eating inside or on the patio, over looking the water. Also you have a gift shop area and upstairs is the start of the Naval tour. Heading back outside you see the huge naval vessels (3). You also come across some tanks, jets & view historical exhibits.

Was in Buffalo for a concert and just happened to find this place and since it was such a beautiful day decided to walk around. We went into the visitor center first, this is where you can buy tickets to tour the ships and sub. $12 to tour all three! There is also a bathroom and restaurant connected to the center, as well as a small museum with all sorts of merchandise available for purchase. I loved walking all around the two ships the USS Sullivans and USS Little Rock. Also there ia one sub here the USS Croaker to also tour. There is a well maintained trail with all these different memorials that honor WWII, Korean War and Vietnam War to name a few. So well done! Lot's of benches to sit back and relax and look out on the water. Because of our limited time, we were unable to tour all three but I will definitely be back!

I'm a little bit Nasal right now, but it could be worse. I could be a little bit Naval. Like a Naval Orange. It's become something of a Pokemon hot-spot even though the Naval park and Police aren't thrilled about that. There were times in summer 2016 that over a thousand people were camped out here catching pokemon. And why not. I came here with my then-gf a few years back, and then I came here again last summer after a Canalfest concert. Both times in the dark and both times I loved it. Between those two times, I've been here maybe 3 or 4 times, mostly with out of town friends when I was doing the tourist thing with them. It's always been a positive experience though I don't tend to enjoy military things in general because it reminds me of war, and war reminds me of pain and suffering. Each to their own, I suppose. Actually, coming to this spot in midwinter is bitterly cold, but at any time of year, it's a pretty amazing and secluded part of Buffalo's downtown. Unlike many lakefronts and similar parks around the country, you'll rarely find it swarming with tourists, and you can have a lovely, serene view of the Lake, the Niagara River, Canada across the river, and the downtown Skyline behind you. It's a lovely place and fascinating to visit. If you are in WNY and haven't been around here yet, make sure you check it out. In the summer, the Naval Park becomes the Navel Park as all the girls wear tube tops, crop tops and sports bras. So it's best not to come in the summer, because you wouldn't want to get distracted from the huge ship... yes I said ship... in the harbour. British spelling.

Another fun stop on my bachelor party! So many boats and tours and naval memorabilia! The gift shop is super cool and it's cheap to get a pass to explore the boats. I think it's like $10 or $15 bucks and you can spend all day there. Go inside a real submarine, explore the battleships and other unique vessels. The staff is so sweet and excited to tell you about each boats history. I can't wait to bring my wife and future kids here!

I love going to museums and any sort of place that allows me to see cool and interesting stuff. Living in Buffalo gives you an array of options for this kind of things and last weekend I finally got around to checking out the Buffalo & Erie County Naval Park. This place features 2 large ships and a submarine for you to explore and learn a ton of cool information. From start to finish it took my girlfriend and I roughly 2 hours or so to get through and we had an absolute blast. You get to see where the sailors eat, sleep, and play along with having a first hand look at the sonar rooms, where the mussels are stored, and where all the important discussion at one time happened. My personal favourite part of this experience was getting to go into the submarine and see this awesome piece of transportation up close and personal (ironic enough this very submarine used to be in Groton, CT and I went on it as a kid). Overall, I couldn't recommend coming here enough. Not only does this place offer 3 amazing machines to check out but there's plenty of to see walking around the waterfront as well. If you are on the fence about coming, don't be, come have some fu !

A great tribute to those that have served in our military. You can see Naval ships including the USS Little Rock World War II era light cruisers and the USS Croaker, a Gato-class submarine, that claimed 11 Japanese vessels during WWII. There also are tanks, a UH-1 "Huey" and a Air Force F-101F Voodoo Fighter Interceptor Jet the New York Air National Guard's 107th Fighter Interceptor Group among the exhibits.

Nice place, a little difficult to find parking but worth it. The staff were very pleasant and the displays are decent. We are gonna go back and try the restaurant next time.

While at Canalside you cannot miss the Naval and Military Park. The 3 ships and some fighter jets very obvious next to the Liberty Hound. Many times I have walked by, but so far I have never visited the park. Thanks to Independent Health we were able to enjoy a complimentary tour. The tour starts with USS the Sullivans, named after the 5 Sullivan brothers who served in the Navy. They were all killed during an attack on their ship. It is pretty easy to do the tour, just follow the yellow line and the arrows. The Sullivans is a rather small ship and room inside is limited. Narrow corridors and every door has a separator you have to step over. You tour all the decks of the ships, so plenty of stairs up and down. The USS Little Rock is a much larger ship. The quarters are a little more roomy than on The Sullivans, the bunck beds are still small and close together. On both ships, many rooms are used for displays about different parts of the naval and military history. Maps, photos and mannequins tell you the story of the ships or of the Korean War, for instance. The last ship is the USS Croaker, a submarine. You get there from the Little Rock through steep and shaky stairs. The Croaker shows you how difficult it must be to serve on a submarine. Very small rooms, pipes and valves everywhere and very hard to maneuver through the ship. The doorways are very small and you have to climb through the opening. I cannot imagine living under water for a longer period of time in such a narrow area. For sure do not visit the ship if you are claustrophobic. It was a great tour; I enjoyed seeing this part of US naval history. While in Buffalo, visit the Buffalo Naval and Military Park; highly recommended.

This museum was bigger than I expected. I went in at 2:45 ish and they closed at 5. I spent the most time in the first ship and it turned our to be my favorite. I liked it the best because it was the most original to how it was used back in the day. The second ship was much bigger but had many more rooms turned into exhibits. I rushed through the second ship to get to the submarine. My husband is 6'3 and I had to help him not bang his head when walking through doorways in the submarine. He also had to watch his head on the first ship. I didn't leave enough time to go in the red building but I did see the second floor of the Liberty Hound. The ships were really interesting even if your not a big war or history person. I would caution the elderly or unstable on the feet from taking the tour. The stairs were narrow and sometimes had chain handrails. You had to go up and down many times on the tour. The stairs were mostly coated with the grippy paint. In the summer the rooms can be warm.

We went for an unescorted tour of the 3 ships. We started at the U.S.S. Sullivans, named for the 5 brothers who died 11/13/42 on the U.S.S. Juneau. We followed the yellow tour arrows throughout this and the other two ships. The Sullivans is a large battleship, filled with rooms representative of the way it was during its commission. It is very cramped; I cannot imagine sleeping, eating, living in these quarters for extended periods of time while out at sea. Some if the rooms have mannequins representing the man who would have worked in that space, i.e. the post office room. We climbed up and down way too many "stairs" to count From the Sullivans, we then walked up the somewhat shaky walkway to the U.S.S. Little Rock, a huge destroyer. This ship towers above the Sullivans; you can see most of it from shore. There are many rooms/areas set up to show how this ship looked when it was commissioned. There are a lot of "open" spaces set up with exhibits of model ships, military medals, uniforms, and navel history during wartimes in which the United States was involved. This ship was not quite as close quarters as the Sullivans, except for the sleeping bunks. The bunks are not spaced more than 2 1/2 feet above each other, and many in each room. From the Little Rock we walked across to the U.S.S. Croaker, a submarine. If you are claustrophobic, do not sign up for submarine duty! The quarters are so limited; the passageways narrow. One must fold ones body to go through the "doorways" from one part of the ship to another. I found it difficult to get through and not have my back foot catch on the doorframe and fall. It is an interesting tour; we here in Buffalo are lucky to have this floating piece of history to look and study. Regardless of your stance on war, it is interesting and eye opening to see how our military lived on these ships.

This is an amazing and fascinating park for anyone who has an interest in military history. Its a privilege to be able to walk, touch and in some cases stay on these large military historical treasures. These ships have vast history that has local ties to new york!! Anyone who likes history should make a trip here

The admission is well worth it- for $12 you get: - Access to the museum upstairs, which has exhibits on American wars and battles, an interactive WWII "where did it happen" map, and a few uniforms you can "try on for size". - Access to the other building that houses some air and naval artifacts, as well as a courtyard with a few boats, a ship, and a helicopter - Access to 2 ships and a submarine, which we spent an hour and a half just walking through without stopping very often to read. Someone interested in military history could easily spend a few hours on these. I do not have much of an interest in military history but I found most of the museum and the shops very interesting. A great place to take kids too, lots to see and you can go at your own pace. The staff was very helpful and friendly too. Looking forward to coming here again!

Holy cow this place was amazing! Wish we could have done a guided tour, but our trip to NY didn't fall right with their schedule. Regardless, the self-guided tour was amazing...especially if you have a military-obsessed son like I do! Be prepared for lots of climbing...we put in around 4,000 steps there! So many details included in each of the rooms...just outstanding.

The staff here and town is doing an awesome job protecting the legacy of these ships. Different than other naval museums. You can feel the local love for the ships here!

My dad and my Godfather are old navy buddies for 40+ years. During a recent visit with my Godparents, we decided to go down to the Naval Park for a stroll. We didn't actually tour the ships, just walked along the waterfront. The ships are anchored right next to the shoreline. Even without buying a museum ticket, you can get very close to them to enjoy the scenery. And there is a lot of wonderful history to tour beyond the ships and other military equipment. There are several beautiful monuments along the shore across from the ships. There are memorials for each major war, and a few other special recognitions for things like PTSD suicide awareness, Polish-American soldiers, and Latino-American soldiers. The entirety of the landscaping in this area is lush and beautiful, very well cared for and reverent to the significance of the history around it. You can easily spend an hour viewing the scenic vistas and the monuments, the latter each a work of art on its own. There are ice cream and shaved ice vendors along the way too for refreshments, as you'd like. One of these days we'll actually tour the inside of the ships. But even without going in, there is a lot to see and learn. The navy veterans in my fam' enjoyed it very much. It is both somber and celebratory, soaking up the magnitude of it all, just going for a walk through the Naval Park along the shoreline.

Super nice place to come and sit by the water. If you are into boats and what not they do tours of the naval ships that are there and it is really fun. Please beware though if you are claustrophobic because they are tiny inside! Over all if you are looking for a fun little trip you can walk the water, see the boats and even go see the light house that is down there. Pokemon go players: this is a nice place to play but the stop close at a certain time. Either way pop some lures and get to catching.

This is a lovely park along the waterfront in Buffalo with several excellent monuments to military members from the local area who died in conflicts from the Civil War to Afghanistan and Iraq. There are also decommissioned naval ships to tour. Actually, the whole Buffalo waterfront is a great place to visit, with events and booths at Canalside, tour boats, the naval and military park, and an observation deck at the end of a peninsula adjacent to the Erie Basin Marina. Well worth a visit on a summer day.

I've had the opportunity to explore the Naval Park twice in my life. So far. This is probably one of the coolest places you can explore in Buffalo, if you're into relics of that era, or naval/military memorabilia. Stepping onto those ships is like stepping back in time, and for what it's worth, you get to spend an amazing few hours learning about the history of WWI and WWII, and what it was like to be on the navy ships on display. Being inside of the ships is just so incredibly cool. The floors are all lined with a path you're supposed to follow, numbered so you can keep track of where you are. (I wouldn't suggest veering from those paths, of course; there are parts of the ships that are blocked off for a specific reason.) The interiors of the ships are relatively tight and small, so obviously, they aren't for the claustrophobic. But throughout the ships themselves are informational plaques, a number of different displays, and various things that help explain and show you what it would have been like to be stationed out at sea, back during that time period. I can't really say that I go straight for the army stuff when I'm daydreaming about living during the 40's, but I can't really argue how incredibly cool the Naval Park is. If you're going to explore the ships, don't go on a hot day. Or, bring a lot of water. It can get really hot in some of the spaces, and some portions (especially on the surface of the ships themselves) aren't very well air-conditioned. The one day we went, I was sweating by the time we got through the first ship! Don't forget to check out the museum on the second floor of the building where you pay for your tickets; they've also got a number of cool informational history to explore, such as a display that maps a timeline between WWI and II. And it's nice and cool inside. Savor that. Ghost Hunters also filmed an episode here. You can definitely get some eerie feelings in some portions of the ships. This is a great place to go to if you're into that sort of thing.

Arguably the most interesting site to visit while in Buffalo. The Naval & Military park is located right by the entrance of the Buffalo River and is home to 2 naval ships, 1 submarine, and a few other military items. You can pay a small fee to get onto the actual ships and submarine, and it's definitely a great sight to see if you've never been on an actual military ship before (be warned, some spaces can be quite tight). Otherwise, the park itself is completely free to visit and plenty of good photo opportunities with the giants ships in the background. Street parking is available, but more likely to be found by the couple of paid lots near the marina. We took a double decker tour bus which made a stop at this historic site.

Had a great time here! With ticket purchase you get to explore two large ships and a submarine, plus check out the Naval museum upstairs above the ticket office. You can easily spend a few hours exploring everything here, and be prepared for close quarters and a little bit of stair climbing.

Bitchy employees and won't let us go on with a friend that's 19 when they said to get someone 18 or older to go on with us terrible service. Won't be coming back!

Spent a beautiful weekday here at the museum after my husband had repeatedly asked to go. I finally gave in. I'm not much for military history, but I have to admit I was impressed with all that they have fit into such a small area. Free parking is available if you're visiting, which despite some angry parking patrolman was great. (We apparently parked too close to the business despite the abundance of parking spots on a Monday morning). I guess you don't want to mess with him - so just park in the first rows when you pull in (farthest from the Naval Park of course). Anyways, there's a variety of displays on and off shore. Make sure to check out the red barn, and the second floor of the museum itself - especially if you're looking to learn more about various wars. My husband and I both felt we got our money's worth since we spent at least three hours there on the tour of the ships and submarine. Lots of interesting things - I bet you could be there all day and still not read/learn everything there is to read there. There are a few docents at the start, but mostly I think they are vets just volunteering to get you started in the right direction. The tour is self-guided, and the yellow lines sometimes get confusing. Do your best. The only thing I really didn't like was the smell of diesel that was left hanging on my clothes. When I got home, I HAD to strip and shower because the smell was hanging on my hair like something nasty. ICK. But that's nothing compared to what the guys experienced working these ships in their hey-day. If you're a lover of history, this is definitely a worth-while destination. And it's a great day trip from Rochester too! The ships are not handicap accessible, and the stairsways are sometimes narrow and difficult to maneuver. May not be the best if you have small children in strollers or elderly family members who can't do stairs.

Wow! What an awesome place to visit! There was a museum, two ships, and a submarine to tour. So much to see, it was all so organized and well put together. There are a lot of stairs, some of which are steep, so make sure you have comfy shoes on. Make sure to set aside a few hours if you want to take your time and see everything. Definitely worth the trip!

This is a really special and unique place and I'm very thankful for it's place in Buffalo New York. This living history museum is absolutely full of things to read and learn about and the connections to the real life people who lived on and took part in the events in the military history of our country. The park itself is beautiful on the water and wonderfully decorated and landscaped. There are numerous memorials and statues to honor those who have fallen and for those for their service. The museums the three actual boats themselves are just fantastic! There's so much to see and read and learn you could easily spend an entire day here. The ships themselves are not the most ADA friendly so be aware of that when planning your trip. The tour itself is super easy, just follow the yellow line and see what's along the way. There are loads of events here throughout the year including parties, guided tours, extended hours, and special exhibits depending on the time of year of theme. This is truly something to check out for both locals and visitors alike. There's a lot to see and learn and I think it's a very special and interesting place for people of all ages.

I was here in Feb, with snow on the ground. Loved it! Never knew it was there before. The area has been so nicely spruced up. Cant wait to go back in the summer. Took some nice pics of the boats and the waterfront.

Great day trip! A destroyer, a light cruiser and a submarine all turned into displays that can be toured by climbing through many sections of the ships including the galley, bunk rooms, officer quarters, torpedo room, gun turrets, engine room and several decks. Many areas have been preserved and others turned into small museum rooms. Learn some local history and see how many of our heroes lived while making sacrifices for our freedom. Docents on hand to help you through your self guided tour. Just follow the yellow lines to see everything. Make sure to check out the nearby restaurants, park with war memorial displays and the gift shop.

Impressive naval park along the Buffalo harbor, home to the USS Sullivan, USS Little Rock, and the USS Croaker (submarine). Learned a little bit of history from one of the workers who was kind enough to share some knowledge w/ us: the Sullivan is named in memorial to the Sullivan brothers who were 5 brothers all killed in action on the same ship during WWII. It was after this that they prohibited members of the same family to be enlisted on the same ship. Anyways, this park (which I ironically found on Memorial Day) is pretty nice with memorials in honor of WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. We showed up after the museum closed and the tours were over but I'd like to go back and get a first hand look aboard the ships in the future. Plus it's right alongside the harbor which is always nice.

I wish I had had more time to walk through this museum. Touring the USS The Sullivans and USS Little Rock was a big step into the Naval History of our country. There were more areas of each ship open for visitation than any museum ships I've previously visited. The price of entry covers all 3 ships, the military park, and the small museum building. I ran out of time (my own schedule) before I could visit the submarine, and had to go. If you are into military history, this is the place to go in Buffalo!

I came here for a gerderm DANCE PARTY. Yes, a DANCE PARTY. Let me clarify that some more....ladies and gentlemen...YOU CAN RENT THIS BATTLESHIP! In fact, I bussed six hours just to attend this dance party. When I say dance party, I basically mean "rave", but they don't really have raves like they used to so it wouldn't be quite accurate. Anyway, my experience with the park was mostly limited to the USS Little Rock and the one smaller ship you have to walk through to get to it. I feel like they should open up access to more areas, but maybe these were only blocked off for the event. It's kind of crazy to walk on this thing and think about it being active in the Korean War. Like, people were out to sea serving on this thing, and here I am dancing on it. Wow. The staff was hands-off and polite, very cool. The ship was in great shape, and the party was a blast - pun intended - and the locale certainly helped with that.

I was recently in Buffalo and decided to drive down to Canalside and while I was there I took in the Naval Park. It has three ships from WW2, the USS Little Rock, the USS The Sullivan's (named after 5 brothers who gave their lives) and a submarine the USS Croaker. I didn't have much time but admission is $12 which seems reasonable to jump aboard these floating pieces of US history. This park also contains a well done memorial walk to honor our troops. A Buffalo must see!

A privately owned park with huge ships you can see when you pass by on the thruway, the naval park is really cool if, like me, you have a boy child. My son is a teen and I am so glad we didn't do this when he was at the "carry me" stage of life. It took us a couple hours to rush through and see all we could in the time we had allotted. He admitted to me that he could have spent a couple more hours just reading everything. Much information, videos, explaining the history of the park and its two ships and submarine, are playing in the galley areas. Even if you don't have a kid, your boyfriend or husband may find this a very interesting switch from shopping or yardwork. Yes, there is admission but it takes care of the upkeep of the park. If you call two hours ahead of time you can have a free tourguide take you through the ship as well. We may come back just to do that. The self guided tour was amazing. Caution: There is some ladder climbing between decks, so appropriate footware would be wise. Tickets are for sale in the museum which is alos a very interesting place to browse.

Awesome, Awesome, Awesome. I have not been on the DD-537 Fletch Class, Sullivans destroyer or the CL-92 Cleveland Class, Little Rock Cruiser or the SS-246 Gateo Class, Croaker since I was a young boy. Both are amazingly massive ships of war, and obviously a sub, servicing primarily in WWII. How many people know that there are newly built ships, active today, in the USnavy called the Sullivans and Little Rock? Grab an anti-aircraft 50 caliber dual barreled gun mount, feel the imaginary power of firing at Zeros swooping down dropping torpedoes just feet away from you. Well, if you love war machines and the history of WWII, this is a great place to discover history. And if you're inclined, have a cold one at the Liberty hound, marveling over the size of the behemoths permanently berthed merely a few feet from you.