Drive guide · 2 days, 4 campuses

UB, Niagara, Canisius and St. Bonaventure in 2 Days: A Western New York College Trip

A parent-first plan for seeing the University at Buffalo and Niagara University on day 1 and Canisius University and St. Bonaventure University on day 2, from a base near UB's North Campus: how each visit works, where to park, three hotels from budget to upscale, drive times, things to do with siblings and seasonal weather, every fact sourced.

The Canisius quad seen from above in late fall, a brick-paved walk lined with orange and red trees leading to a stone chapel with a rose window, between tan and glass academic buildings under a gray sky
The quad, Canisius University (Nov 2016). Photo: Andre Carrotflower · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).

The short version

Trip at a glance

Schools
University at Buffalo (Buffalo, NY) · Niagara University (Niagara University, NY) · Canisius University (Buffalo, NY) · St. Bonaventure University (Saint Bonaventure, NY)
Days
2 weekdays: the University at Buffalo in the morning and Niagara University in the afternoon on day 1; Canisius University in the morning and St. Bonaventure University in the afternoon on day 2. Arrive in Buffalo the evening before.
Fly into
Buffalo Niagara International (BUF), about 10 minutes from the Hyatt Place Buffalo/Amherst with no traffic. St. Bonaventure is about 1 hour 51 minutes from BUF, so book a late flight home or stay a third night.
Best base
Hyatt Place Buffalo/Amherst, about 10 minutes from UB's Capen Hall, 12 minutes from Canisius and 34 minutes from Niagara University.
Car or transit
Rent a car: every leg is a drive, and the longest, Canisius to St. Bonaventure, is about 1 hour 56 minutes with no traffic.
Registration
All four schools take visit sign-ups online. Niagara and St. Bonaventure visitors pick up a free or temporary parking pass from campus safety when they arrive.

1. Who this guide is for

This plan is for parents with a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, who want to compare four very different Western New York schools in two days: the University at Buffalo, with its North Campus in Amherst; Niagara University, on a 160-acre campus on Monteagle Ridge about 8 minutes from Niagara Falls; Canisius University on Main Street in Buffalo; and St. Bonaventure University, on 500 acres in the Allegheny foothills of the Southern Tier.

Amherst sits between UB, Canisius and the airport, so you can stay put for two nights and save the long drive south to St. Bonaventure for the afternoon of day 2.

Why this order

  • Day 1 morning: UB's weekday North Campus visit is a 30-minute presentation followed by an hour-and-a-half walking tour.
  • Day 1 afternoon: Niagara's personal visit pairs an informational overview with an admissions counselor and a student-guided tour of Monteagle Ridge, about 34 minutes from UB.
  • Day 2: Canisius's weekday visit is a campus tour and a chat with an admissions counselor; most St. Bonaventure visits last 60 to 90 minutes, with an admissions overview and a walking tour led by a student ambassador.
Register first: each campus handles visitor parking differently
  • University at Buffalo: park in the Fronczak Lot off White Road on North Campus, near Capen Hall, and pay at the booth at the lot entrance.
  • Niagara University: stop at the Campus Safety office, across from Dwyer Arena at University Drive and Monteagle Trail, for a free visitor's pass, and leave it on your dashboard.
  • Canisius University: directions and parking details are emailed to the address you register with.
  • St. Bonaventure: get a temporary parking permit at the Office of Safety & Security in Doyle Hall, open 24 hours; bring proof of vehicle registration.
Tour availability varies by season.
  • UB's Discovery Day, an enhanced visit with tours, academic programs and admissions sessions, is Wednesday, November 11, 2026, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
  • Canisius holds an Open House on Saturday, November 7, 2026, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Montante Cultural Center, 2001 Main Street.
  • Niagara's upcoming open houses include a Mini Open House on November 11, a Fall Open House on November 21 and a Winter Open House on December 5, 2026.
  • St. Bonaventure offers Saturday Personal Visits on November 14, December 5 and December 12, 2026.

2. The suggested 2-day plan

  • Drive times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, using addresses geocoded with OpenStreetMap Nominatim. Add a cushion for snow in winter and for traffic on I-190 and the Grand Island bridges.

Arrival evening: fly into Buffalo Niagara and check in in Amherst

  1. Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) → Hyatt Place Buffalo/Amherst (5020 Main St.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~10 min, 3.8 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Rent a car at BUF
  • UB notes that Buffalo Niagara International is about an hour's flight from New York City, Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago and Washington, D.C.

Day 1: University at Buffalo in the morning, Niagara University in the afternoon

  1. Hyatt Place Buffalo/Amherst → UB Office of Admissions, 12 Capen Hall (North Campus, Amherst)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~10 min, 4.5 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Car required
  2. UB North Campus → Niagara University (Lewiston)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~34 min, 22.4 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Car required
  3. Niagara University → Niagara Falls State Park

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~16 min, 5.5 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Car required
  4. Niagara Falls State Park → Hyatt Place Buffalo/Amherst

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~33 min, 21.7 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Car required
  • UB asks you to arrive 15 minutes early and check in at the Office of Admissions, 12 Capen Hall. Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the outdoors.
  • Grab lunch at UB's Student Union before you leave: Union Marketplace & Eatery has five restaurants and is open weekdays 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
  • Niagara is reached from Buffalo by I-190 North over the Grand Island bridges to Exit 24, Witmer Road (Route 31).

Day 2: Canisius University in the morning, St. Bonaventure University in the afternoon, then home

  1. Hyatt Place Buffalo/Amherst → Canisius University (Main St., Buffalo)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~12 min, 6.8 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Car required
  2. Canisius → St. Bonaventure University (3261 W. State St., Allegany)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~1 hr 56 min, 80.0 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Car required
  3. St. Bonaventure → Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~1 hr 51 min, 72.7 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving
    Car required
  • Canisius asks you to arrive 15 minutes before your tour and check in at the Office of Admissions, 3rd Floor Science Hall. Tours go indoors and out, so wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather.
  • Book an afternoon St. Bonaventure visit so the drive south fits. Use 3261 W. State St., Allegany, in your GPS (it isn't the mailing address); the main entrance is at Route 417 and Constitution Avenue.

3. Campus by campus

A quiet campus road on the University at Buffalo's North Campus lined with golden-yellow trees beside a tall red-brick building, with a glass-fronted building and more brick buildings ahead under a cloudy evening sky
North Campus in autumn, University at Buffalo (Oct 2022). Photo: Andre Carrotflower · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

University at Buffalo (Buffalo, NY)

Where visits start
  • Admissions offers walking tours of both the North and South Campuses; tours are typically 1.5 to 2 hours long. Register online, and directions and parking details come by email after you sign up.
  • North Campus tours check in at the Office of Admissions, 12 Capen Hall; arrive 15 minutes early.
Visitor parking
  • UB's tour page says to park in the Fronczak Lot, off White Road on North Campus near Capen Hall. Pay at the booth at the lot entrance.
  • Daily parking in the Fronczak Lot is $5 before 1 p.m. and $3 after 1 p.m., Monday through Friday. Campus meters are enforced 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday, and on weekends you can park in almost any lot after 3 p.m. Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday.
Getting there
  • UB's North Campus is about 10 minutes from the Hyatt Place Buffalo/Amherst and about 18 minutes from Canisius with no traffic. UB notes that Amtrak serves the region at two stations, Exchange Street in downtown Buffalo and Depew.
What to know
  • The UB photo in this guide shows fall color along Mary Talbert Way on North Campus. UB's visit page points out the Bronze Bison, Baird Point on Lake LaSalle and Abbott Library.
Contact
UB Office of Admissions, 12 Capen Hall, North Campus, Buffalo (Amherst), NY.

Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: UB: Visit · UB: Visitors Parking · UB: Paid Parking Spaces

A shady garden at Niagara University with wooden benches around a flower bed and a white statue, tall leafy trees overhead and the wooded far side of the Niagara Gorge in the distance
Campus garden, Niagara University (2008). Photo: Banderas · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

Niagara University (Niagara University, NY)

Where visits start
  • Personal visits run several times a week: an informational overview with an admissions counselor, then a student-guided tour of Monteagle Ridge. A confirmation email with visit details follows registration.
  • You can add meetings with academic departments or Financial Aid; Niagara appreciates two days' notice.
Visitor parking
  • All visitors stop at the Campus Safety office, across from Dwyer Arena at University Drive and Monteagle Trail, for a free visitor's pass to display on the dashboard. The office is open 24 hours.
Getting there
  • From Buffalo, take I-190 North over the Grand Island bridges to Exit 24, Witmer Road (Route 31). Niagara puts Buffalo Niagara International about 30 minutes away and Niagara Falls International about 10 minutes.
What to know
  • The Niagara photo in this guide shows a garden with a bench and statue on campus. Niagara's visit page notes the Maid of the Mist is about 10 minutes away and Canada is just across the river.
Contact
Niagara University Office of Undergraduate Admissions: 1.800.462.2111, admissions@niagara.edu.

Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: Niagara: Visit · Niagara: Campus Map and Directions · Niagara: Open House

The Canisius quad seen from above in late fall, a brick-paved walk lined with orange and red trees leading to a stone chapel with a rose window, between tan and glass academic buildings under a gray sky
The quad, Canisius University (Nov 2016). Photo: Andre Carrotflower · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

Canisius University (Buffalo, NY)

Where visits start
  • First-year students can book a weekday visit (a campus tour and a chat with an admissions counselor), or a Saturday information session, offered year-round on select Saturdays and holidays.
  • Information sessions cover academics, student life, admissions and financial aid, followed by a campus tour with a current student.
Visitor parking
  • Directions and parking details are sent to the email you register with. Check in at the Office of Admissions, 3rd Floor Science Hall, 15 minutes before your tour.
Getting there
  • Canisius is about 12 minutes from the Hyatt Place Buffalo/Amherst and about 8 minutes from The Westin Buffalo downtown with no traffic.
What to know
  • The Canisius photo in this guide shows the quad in November. The Buffalo Zoo is about 1 mile away, roughly 3 minutes by car.
Contact
Canisius University Office of Admissions, 3rd Floor Science Hall, Buffalo, NY; 716-888-2200, admissions@canisius.edu.

Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: Canisius: Visit & Events · Canisius: Information Session

Campus

St. Bonaventure University (Saint Bonaventure, NY)

Where visits start
  • Most visits last 60 to 90 minutes, with an admissions overview and a student-guided walking tour of academic buildings, residence halls, dining facilities and athletic spaces.
  • Personal visits include a one-on-one conversation with an SBU admissions counselor. Parents and family members are encouraged to come; list the number of guests when you register.
Visitor parking
  • Visitors get a temporary parking permit from the Office of Safety & Security in Doyle Hall, open 24 hours a day year-round. Bring proof of vehicle registration.
  • Enter at Route 417 and Constitution Avenue, about two miles from I-86 exits 24 or 25; a pull-off with a lighted campus map is just inside the entrance.
Getting there
  • St. Bonaventure is about 1 hour 56 minutes from Canisius and about 1 hour 51 minutes from BUF with no traffic; the university itself estimates 1 hour 45 minutes from Buffalo.
What to know
  • Besides Hickey Dining Hall, campus food spots include the Reilly Center Café, Café La Verna and the Rathskeller.
Contact
St. Bonaventure Office of Undergraduate Admissions: (716) 375-2400.

Last checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: St. Bonaventure: Visit SBU · St. Bonaventure: Maps & Directions · St. Bonaventure: Vehicle Rules

4. Where to stay: two nights in Amherst, minutes from UB's North Campus and the Buffalo airport

Price tiers (Budget, Mid-range, Upscale) follow each hotel's star class on Expedia. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Hotel · Our pickMid-range

Hyatt Place Buffalo/Amherst

5020 Main St., Amherst, NY

Why here

  • It's about 10 minutes by car from UB's Capen Hall, 12 minutes from Canisius, 34 minutes from Niagara University and 10 minutes from BUF, so it works for both days.
  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 3-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Good to know

  • St. Bonaventure is about 1 hour 51 minutes from here with no traffic. Confirm parking and amenities on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateBudget

Red Roof PLUS+ University at Buffalo - Amherst

42 Flint Rd., Amherst, NY

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 2.5-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's the closest of the three to UB, about 5 minutes by car from Capen Hall, and about 15 minutes from Canisius and 13 minutes from BUF.

Good to know

  • Confirm parking and amenities on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateUpscale

The Westin Buffalo

250 Delaware Ave., Buffalo, NY

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 4-star property, so we place it in the Upscale tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's downtown, about 8 minutes by car from Canisius and about a 22-minute walk from Explore & More at Canalside, but about 22 minutes from UB's Capen Hall and 18 minutes from BUF.

Good to know

  • Confirm parking and amenities on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Book two nights in Amherst: UB is 10 minutes away, Canisius 12 and the airport 10, so you never repack. St. Bonaventure is the one long drive (about 1 hour 51 minutes back to BUF), so plan a late flight home or add a third night.

5. Meals between tours

Hours change, so check before you go.

UB's Student Union

Union Marketplace & Eatery in the Student Union has five restaurants, including Union Station subs and wraps, Halal Shack, Piza Pizza and Fowl Play chicken tenders; it's open weekdays 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

St. Bonaventure's campus cafés

Besides Hickey Dining Hall, St. Bonaventure Dining Services runs the Reilly Center Café, Café La Verna, the Rathskeller, Freshens Café and a Library POD in Friedsam Memorial Library.

6. Things for siblings along the route

With siblings

Niagara Falls State Park

Niagara Falls, NY

America's oldest state park is open 365 days a year and about 16 minutes by car from Niagara University, an easy stop after the day-1 afternoon visit; Cave of the Winds is open year-round.

Official page →

With siblings

Buffalo Zoo

300 Parkside Ave., Buffalo, NY

About 3 minutes by car from Canisius; open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with last entry at 4 p.m., and parking is available for a fee.

Official page →

With siblings

Explore & More Children's Museum

130 Main St., Buffalo, NY

Buffalo's children's museum at Canalside, where the Erie Canal ends, is open Wednesday through Sunday, usually 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Official page →

With siblings

A Bulls, Purple Eagles, Golden Griffins or Bonnies game

Buffalo, Lewiston or St. Bonaventure, NY

Check the UB, Niagara, Canisius and St. Bonaventure athletics calendars for a home game on your dates.

Official page →

7. Practical tips

Driving and parking

  • UB visitors park in the paid Fronczak Lot; Niagara visitors get a free pass from Campus Safety; Canisius emails parking details; St. Bonaventure visitors get a temporary permit in Doyle Hall.
  • UB to Niagara is about 22 miles and 34 minutes, and Canisius to St. Bonaventure about 80 miles and 1 hour 56 minutes, with no traffic.

Flying in and out

  • Fly round trip through Buffalo Niagara International (BUF), about 10 to 13 minutes from the Amherst hotels and about 1 hour 51 minutes from St. Bonaventure.
  • St. Bonaventure notes that commercial flights also land in Erie, Pennsylvania, and Niagara notes Niagara Falls International, a small regional airport about 10 minutes from its campus.

Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: Buffalo Niagara International Airport)

  • Spring: April averages about 55°F highs and 37°F lows, with about 3.4 inches of rain and 2.5 inches of snow.
  • Summer: July averages about 80°F/63°F, with about 3.2 inches of rain.
  • Fall: October averages about 60°F/44°F, with about 4 inches of rain; November averages about 7.8 inches of snow.
  • Winter: January averages about 32°F/19°F, with about 26.7 inches of snow, and December about 25.3 inches, so leave extra time on the roads.

Parent checklist

  • Register for a UB North Campus tour and a Niagara personal visit for day 1, and a Canisius weekday visit and an afternoon St. Bonaventure personal visit for day 2.
  • Book two nights in Amherst and a rental car at BUF.
  • Note where each visit starts: UB's 12 Capen Hall, Niagara's Campus Safety office for your pass, Canisius's 3rd Floor Science Hall and St. Bonaventure's Doyle Hall for your parking permit.
  • Bring your vehicle registration for the St. Bonaventure permit, and pack comfortable shoes and outdoor layers: UB's walking tour runs an hour and a half.
  • After each visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.

8. Student-athlete recruiting visits

For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.

Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.

Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.

4 Division I

NCAA basics for parents

  • Unofficial visit: any campus visit you or your family pay for. You can take as many as you like; in Divisions I and II each one has to come after the first permissible date for your sport.
  • Official visit: a visit paid for by the school. Each school can offer your student only one. Before a Division I official visit, your student must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, be on the school's institutional request list, and the school must have their high school transcripts.
  • Division I (University at Buffalo, Niagara University, Canisius University and St. Bonaventure University): on an official visit the school can pay for travel for the student and up to two family members, lodging, up to three meals a day for the student and up to four family members, and up to $60 a person in entertainment, including five home-game tickets. On an unofficial visit there are no free meals, but the school can give up to three home-game tickets. Division I uses recruiting calendars with contact, evaluation, quiet and dead periods; in a dead period, no in-person contact and no visits.
  • Rules change. Confirm with the coach, or check the NCAA's recruiting page and recruiting calendars, before you plan dates.

Planning around the season

  • Check each school's athletics schedule (linked above) before you pick dates, so a coach meeting doesn't land on a road trip or game day for your sport.
  • Our recommendation, not a school rule: ask the coach whether they can line up an admissions session or tour around your meeting. If not, book the regular family tour yourself through the official sign-up links in this guide, and leave time between the two.

Trip planner

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Sources

All checked Oct 28, 2026. Tour schedules change constantly, so always confirm on each school's official sign-up page. Photo credits are under each photo and on our About page.

  1. University at Buffalo Undergraduate Admissions: Visit
  2. University at Buffalo: Campus Tours (official sign-up)
  3. University at Buffalo: Campus Visit and Tours, North Campus (official sign-up)
  4. University at Buffalo Parking and Transportation: Paid Spaces
  5. University at Buffalo Parking and Transportation: Visitors Parking
  6. UB Dining: Union Marketplace & Eatery
  7. Canisius University Admissions: Visit & Events
  8. Canisius University: Undergraduate Visits (official sign-up)
  9. Canisius University: Information Session Registration
  10. Niagara University: Visit
  11. Niagara University: Schedule a Campus Visit & Tour (official sign-up)
  12. Niagara University: Campus Map and Directions
  13. Niagara University: Campus Safety (parking regulations)
  14. Niagara University: Open House registration
  15. St. Bonaventure University: Visit SBU
  16. St. Bonaventure University: Schedule Your Visit (official sign-up)
  17. St. Bonaventure University: Maps, Directions & Accommodations
  18. St. Bonaventure University: Vehicle Rules & Regulations
  19. St. Bonaventure University: Dining Services
  20. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), driving profile
  21. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), foot profile
  22. OpenStreetMap Nominatim geocoder
  23. NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 Monthly Normals, Buffalo Niagara International Airport, NY (USW00014733)
  24. Expedia listing: Hyatt Place Buffalo/Amherst (star class, checked 2026-10-28) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Buffalo-Hotels-Hyatt-Place-BuffaloAmherst.h9456445.Hotel-Information)
  25. Expedia listing: The Westin Buffalo (star class, checked 2026-10-28) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Buffalo-Hotels-The-Westin-Buffalo.h13451237.Hotel-Information)
  26. Expedia listing: Red Roof Inn PLUS+ University at Buffalo - Amherst (star class, checked 2026-10-28) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Buffalo-Hotels-Red-Roof-Inn-PLUS-University-At-Buffalo-Amherst.h5727.Hotel-Information)
  27. Niagara Falls State Park
  28. Buffalo Zoo: Visitor Info
  29. Explore & More, The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Children's Museum: Plan Your Visit
  30. Buffalo Bulls Athletics: Calendar
  31. Niagara Purple Eagles Athletics: Calendar
  32. Canisius Golden Griffins Athletics: Calendar
  33. St. Bonaventure Bonnies Athletics: Calendar
  34. Canisius University: Open House 2026 registration