East Aurora in New York is a charming small village with fun things to do.
Historically, this small village situated a few miles southeast of Buffalo is where the nation’s arts and crafts movement started.
Up to this day, East Aurora is renowned throughout New York for its vibrant arts community, while its charming historical and natural attractions add more beauty to this village.
With that in mind, East Aurora should be your next travel destination, especially if you’re coming from Cleveland, Toronto, or Pittsburgh, since it’s a few hours away from these big cities.
East Aurora is excellent for people who appreciate beautiful landscapes, dreamy streets, arts, history, and outdoor activities.
From museum hopping, art gallery visits, hiking, sightseeing, and wildlife viewing to relaxing, there are dozens of activities to enjoy in East Aurora.
So, read this travel post to find out the best things to do in East Aurora, New York.
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The best way to start your East Aurora travel adventure is by visiting the famous Roycroft Campus along S. Grove Street.
This magnificent arts and historical attraction in East Aurora is home to an extensive community of artists and craftspeople who initiated the Arts and Crafts Movement in the nation in the late 19th century.
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Elbert Hubbard, a proud son of East Aurora, founded the group and eventually named it the Roycroft Movement, which contributed immensely to American architecture design in the 20th century.
Visiting this place is somewhat remarkable, considering the campus is one of the nation’s most well-preserved and complete complexes of buildings.
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Historical enthusiasts and art lovers would love roaming through Roycroft Campus’s fascinating sections divided into various craft workshops.
At the same time, it also features numerous galleries, historical artifacts, and other fascinating memorabilia relevant to the campus’s backstory.
Millard Fillmore Museum is one of the local museums to visit when in East Aurora.
This one holds fascinating artifacts of former president Fillmore’s political and law career in New York.
Before it became a museum, the building served as Fillmore’s residence in 1826 for his wife, Abigail.
Suppose you’re looking for more historical attractions in East Aurora; this one is an excellent place to drop by.
The Aurora Historical Society manages the museum and provides tours for those who wish to see inside.
For a laid-back activity in East Aurora, visit 42 North Brewing Company along Pine Street.
It’s one of East Aurora’s most famous local breweries specializing in their signature craft beer served on tap or bottle daily.
To taste its fine craft beer, check out its taproom along Pine Street, where you’ll taste all of its best offerings.
To enjoy this place, pair its craft beer with its delicious farm-to-table menu while listening to entertaining music.
Suppose you don’t want to head out and explore East Aurora; you’ll surely appreciate the taproom’s cozy ambiance, perfect for unwinding.
To learn more about the Roycroft Arts and Craft Movement, head to the Elbert Hubbard Roycroft Museum along Oakwood Avenue.
This unique museum in East Aurora is considered a hidden gem for art lovers, especially Roycroft enthusiasts.
Each corner of the museum offers visitors a surprising discovery through its furniture, furniture, artworks, metal ware, glass arts, and leather crafts about Hubbard and Roycroft’s influence on art.
This place in East Aurora is truly a magnificent place for arts and history that you won’t want to miss visiting.
Hamlin Park is one of East Aurora’s oldest parks, offering visitors and parkgoers various outdoor activities and amenities.
Like most excellent community parks, Hamlin Park features top-notch amenities from playgrounds, sports facilities, barbeque pits, picnic areas, and lush greenery.
However, most locals and visitors in East Aurora know that Hamlin Park is famous for the Aurora Players.
These local performers in East Aurora are famous for their wholesome outdoor stage plays and theatrical performances.
After spending your day enjoying the park’s amenities and peaceful environment, you can proceed to watch an entertaining show perfect for the whole family.
Catch some classic live performances such as Alice in Wonderland and much more courtesy of these famous performers.
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Knox Farm State Park along Buffalo Road in East Aurora is a picturesque natural area excellent for various outdoor activities.
Historically, it is where the Roycroft Arts & Crafts Movement was born and became the former residence of former United States President Millard Fillmore.
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The entire park spans over 633 acres of grasslands, wetlands, and woodlands featuring the local flora and fauna of New York.
Visitors at Knox Farm State Park can enjoy various outdoor activities like hiking, skiing, horseback riding, and wildlife viewing.
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For a relaxing activity, visitors can enjoy nature walks through guided tours by the New York Audubon and the Buffalo Audubon Society.
For those who want indoor activities, Knox Farm Visitor Center is the best place to visit.
A nine-minute drive to Elma, north of East Aurora, takes you to an impressive store to buy your needs and wants.
Situated along W. Maple Circuit, this shop features various premium quality products ranging from shirts, food, local produce, garden sculptures, figurines, and outdoor gear.
You can enjoy spending a few hours passing the time at the store while grabbing some snacks and refreshments before you continue your journey exploring East Aurora.
Majors Park is probably one of the most tranquil places in East Aurora.
Suppose you’re yearning to shake off stress from the city’s hustle and bustle; Majors Park is an excellent place to go.
Situated along Olean Road, it is known for its half-mile elevated boardwalk, which takes you through wooded meadows.
It is less crowded than other parks in the village.
It features a peaceful ambiance where you’ll only hear birds chirping and the tree branches rustling through the winds’ gentle breeze.
Strolling through its trails gives you a tranquil experience that will soothe your mind and body.
In addition, you’ll also spot numerous local wildlife like birds, deer, and insects.
Meanwhile, numerous off-shoot trails take you to Cazenovia Creek’s eastern branch, another natural attraction worthy of seeing.
To get to experience East Aurora’s best local offerings, head to its farmers’ market at Aurora Village Shopping Center.
This charming marketplace is where most locals buy their daily needs.
It’s one of the best places in East Aurora to visit; suppose you want to see how locals spend their mornings buying local produce and other food items.
East Aurora Farmers’ Market has been running since 1978; it features fresh produce from local farmers around New York.
In addition, many vendors sell various products from food, preserves, cheeses, meats, pastries, wines, ciders, etc.
You’re guaranteed to have fun visiting the farmers’ market, especially watching the locals and vendors getting busy doing business.
At the same time, get delighted to see fresh fruits, vegetables, and delicious food displayed throughout the market.
East Aurora Farmers’ Market is open every Wednesday and Saturday from morning until noon and is only available from May to November.
Suppose you want to see wildlife like rabbits, deer, turkeys, and birds, then head to the Hunters Creek County Park, southeast of East Aurora.
This charming natural area in East Aurora is home to various local wildlife while enjoying a hike through its forested areas and meadows.
This park spans over 760 acres between East Aurora and the neighboring town of Wales.
Aside from wildlife viewing, people love to visit this park for other recreational activities like mountain biking, picnicking, and horseback riding.
So, you know where to visit in East Aurora to spot local wildlife while enjoying the outdoors.
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Watching a movie inside a historic theatre is a fascinating experience you must not miss.
Thus, head to the historic Aurora Theatre to see the magnificent theatre operating since 1925 in East Aurora.
For almost a century, the Aurora Theatre continues to mesmerize locals in East Aurora with its vintage-style cinema experience.
Over 3,500 movie patrons visit this theatre monthly to watch movies, live performances, and private affairs.
This theatre is the epitome of a vintage cinema where you’ll be greeted with its classic signage and lights.
At the same time, its original interior remains intact, giving you that nostalgic feels while enjoying a movie.
You can also pose and take photos at the theatre’s main and spacious lobby, featuring its old-fashioned concession stand and box office.
Also, pose at the Margaret Evans Price murals, created during the theatre’s opening in 1925, and the original 35-millimeter projector used back in the day.
Owens Falls Sanctuary is considered one of the hidden gems in Western New York.
This tranquil natural area is surrounded by hemlock forest with a stream meandering through a ravine and cascading shale rock formations.
Its focal point is the two magnificent waterfalls that rush through the stream during spring, giving visitors a breathtaking view of the place.
With that in mind, visit Owens Falls Sanctuary for some quality nature photography for a memorable photo souvenir.
The sanctuary spans over 57 acres of an unspoiled natural area filled with wetlands, meadows, and forests, home to various wildlife.
To explore the entire sanctuary, you can traverse its 1.4-mile trail, which takes you to its best spots for nature photography.
One of its best access points is at Center Street in East Aurora.
Health-conscious travelers in East Aurora can check out Homegrown Kitchen, famous for its top-notch vegan menu.
This local restaurant along Main Street serves delicious healthy eats such as grain bowls, smoothies, salads, and wraps, using the freshest locally-sourced ingredients.
Suppose you’re following a strict diet while visiting East Aurora; this is your go-to place to grab lunch and snacks before heading back outdoors.
Homegrown Kitchen’s must-try menu includes avocado toast, jackfruit panini, Cuban cashew bowl, and buffalo tofu wraps.
For a guilt-free meal in East Aurora, drop by this local eatery.
Check out Bluebird Studio along Elm Street and see a different side of East Aurora’s vibrant art scene.
This charming art studio is famous for revitalizing fiber arts through awareness and education.
It’s widely known throughout the village and Erie County for its prowess in fiber arts.
At the same time, it educates the public on ethical wool production, conscious consumption, and slow fashion.
Its owner, Tami Fuller, an accomplished fiber artist, offers workshops for enthusiasts in this type of art at the studio, which you can join.
There is so much learning and fascinating art-related stuff at this art studio in East Aurora.
So, don’t miss listing this attraction in East Aurora in your itinerary.
Before returning home from your visit to East Aurora, buying artwork at one of its local art studios would be memorable.
One of East Aurora’s highly-recommended places to buy excellent artworks is the Meibohm Fine Arts along Main Street.
This local art shop has been renowned throughout Erie County for its unique collection of artworks for home decorators and art collectors since 1957.
It mainly features vintage and limited edition decorative prints from contemporary artists worldwide.
If you can’t imagine an excellent souvenir from East Aurora, head to this local art shop.
East Aurora is an excellent travel destination with dozens of attractions and activities for art lovers, nature enthusiasts, and history buffs.
East Aurora’s uniqueness and fascinating historical and arts scene give avid travelers a new destination worth visiting.
For a handy itinerary, don’t forget to pin or bookmark this travel post about the best things to do in East Aurora.
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