Wright in WNY Itinerary

Frank Lloyd Wright’s legacy can be found all over Western New York. The architect’s storied friendship with Darwin Martin, who may have been his most important patron, led to the construction of more than a half dozen of his designs here – and made Buffalo one of the best destinations to tour Wright’s work more than a century later.

In this itinerary, we will cover all the Wright stops for your time in Buffalo!

Day 1

Your first day is a big one! With careful planning, you can see both the city and summer estates of the Martin family, which show Wright’s genius across two different palettes.

Please check schedules for both sites in advance, as the properties are operated as separate organizations. We recommend a morning Martin House tour (for example, 10am) followed by an afternoon Graycliff tour (for example, 2pm) to best experience both properties.    

But first, breakfast! Fuel up at JAM Parkside, a corner café in the cozy Parkside neighborhood. The menu features freshly brewed coffee and scratch-made pastries and sandwiches.

This historic neighborhood is home to the Martin House. The family estate Darwin Martin commissioned up-and-coming architect Frank Lloyd Wright to design, along with the Larkin Administration Building (more on this later!).

The Martin House is one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s earliest and most important works. It’s a prairie-style masterpiece characterized largely by its expansive size, open spatial plan, and organic design principles drawing inspiration from nature. Before your visit, make tour reservations online or by phone to ensure availability at your desired time. While on-site, you’ll hear fascinating stories about Wright and his enduring friendship with the home’s owners, Darwin and his wife, Isabelle.

Enjoy lunch at the on-site Statler Café and snag souvenirs from the Museum Store before embarking on a scenic drive along Lake Erie to your next stop.

Twenty years into their relationship with Wright, the Martin family commissioned the architect to design a retreat on the shores of Lake Erie. After years vacationing in Lake Placid, they sought a summer home closer to their urban residence, yet equally restorative. The result was Graycliff, one of Wright’s most ambitious summer estates. This stunning campus spans 8.5 acres, featuring two houses and gardens designed by both Wright and renowned landscape architect Ellen Shipman. The “Jewel on the Lake” captivates visitors with soaring balconies offering breathtaking views in every direction. Tour reservations are required—book ahead to secure your spot before making the picturesque drive south of the city.

Living in snowy Buffalo, the Martin family wanted a warm weather retreat. Enter Graycliff, one of the most ambitious summer estates Wright ever designed. The stunning campus spreads over 8.5 acres and features three structures and gardens of Wright’s design. This “Jewel on the Lake” will wow with soaring balconies offering breathtaking views in every direction.  Tour reservations are required so it’s important to book ahead to guarantee a spot.

As you head back to the city, grab dinner at Johnson’s Landing. The two-story hot spot offers incredible views of Lake Erie with an inventive menu featuring juicy burgers, refreshing salads, and house made brews.

Get a good night’s sleep because there are more Wright designs to see tomorrow!

Day 2

Your day starts with fresh bagels at the worker-owned, BreadHive Café & Bakery. The small shop offers a creative lineup of breakfast sandwiches named after famous women in music. There’s The Aaliyah with scrambled egg and sausage, The Britney with salmon and cream cheese, The Nina with scrambled eggs and feta cheese, or The Shania with tofu and peppers. Fun and filling!

Following breakfast, head to the Fontana Boathouse along Buffalo’s picturesque Black Rock Channel. It was initially designed for the University at Wisconsin crew team, who failed to raise the necessary funds for its construction. In 2007, Anthony Puttnam, a Wright apprentice, was selected to realize the Fontana Boathouse in Buffalo. This beautifully symmetrical structure with Wright’s first perfectly flat roof is now home to the West Side Rowing Club. Tours are available through Explore Buffalo. Check the schedule before your trip.

Your next stop is Forest Lawn Cemetery to visit Wright’s Blue Sky Mausoleum. This was the last of four projects Darwin Martin commissioned from Frank Lloyd Wright (including the Larkin Administration building, the Martin House, and Graycliff). It was yet another project that went unrealized at the time, though. In 2004, Anthony Puttman, a Wright apprentice, completed it. In true Wright fashion, the mausoleum “broke the box” of traditional memorial architecture by seamlessly integrating with the landscape and using the blue sky above as its ceiling.

For lunch, head to Swan Street Diner, a fully restored 1937 diner located in Buffalo’s Larkin District, one of the city’s most impressive transformations. Enjoy breakfast staples like omelets, pancakes, and French toast. Be sure to get an order of mini donuts for the table to share because they are melt-in-your-mouth delicious! The diner is conveniently located within walking distance of the former Larkin Company Administration Building, the commission that first brought Frank Lloyd Wright to the area. There is a pair of informational plaques designating where the office building once stood.

From there, you can cruise on over to The Buffalo Transportation Pierce Arrow Museum for the Frank Lloyd Wright Filling Station. Completed posthumously to Wright’s specifications in 2014, the two-story, 1,600-square-foot filling station features a second story observation room with a fireplace, restrooms, an extensive copper roof, and overhead gravity fed tanks. It nicely complements the robust Pierce Arrow automobile exhibit that celebrates Buffalo’s luxury automaker. Limited tours are available. Check the schedule before your trip.

If time allows, feel free to look into the privately owned Wright designs in the area including the William R. Heath House. As private properties, we ask you to be respectful of the current residents.

End your night at Graylynn, a downtown gin bar and bistro that gives new meaning to pub fare with dishes like Bangers & Mash, Fish & Frites, and Duck Breast.

Buffalo is an unassuming beneficiary of the lasting friendship between Frank Lloyd Wright and Darwin Martin. Securing work here, one of the largest and most important cities in the United States at the turn of the twentieth century, helped put Wright on the map outside of Chicago and paved the way for future prominence.  In just two days, you can see take in restored masterpieces, meticulous landscapes, posthumously-built projects, and stunning vistas…the Wright way.