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Elevator Alley Kayak is not only easily the most reasonably priced of the myriad new kayak rental outfits that have popped up in Buffalo, but their staff is also a strong contender for the most helpful — they're as adept at advising visitors on the practical side of kayaking as they are at pointing out the landmarks along the Buffalo River — and Mutual Park presents a much less daunting scenario for the novice kayaker, with only a small step down from the launch into the boat. Once on board, you're free to paddle around the river and harbor at your leisure for however long you're reserved the boat (but do make sure not to overstay your reservation; they tend to get prickly otherwise). However, if you prefer, you can also opt for a slate of scheduled guided tours that focus on either Buffalo's industrial history or the natural environment that's beginning to reclaim a place along area waterways, presented by the staff in conjunction with Explore Buffalo or the Audubon Society and the Western New York Land Conservancy, respectively. And if you leave your Elevator Alley Kayak session hooked on this hot new pastime, you can check out their retail shop in the historic Barrel Factory two blocks away on Vandalia Street.
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The crown jewel of the Buffalo River Greenway, a partially completed chain of parks and green spaces along the shores of the Buffalo River, Red Jacket Riverfront Park was established in 1997 on four acres (1.6 ha) of reclaimed industrial land in The Valley. A hundred years ago, the scene at the foot of Smith Street was dominated by railroad tracks, trains, industrial facilities, and freighters plying their way up and down the river, but the only legacy of that period left today are a couple of railroad bridges and the foundation of a traffic control tower that was demolished in the 1980s. What Red Jacket Riverfront Park does have is plenty of shady spots for fishing and picnicking, great views of the inland end of Elevator Alley (including the quarter-mile-long (400-m) Concrete-Central Elevator, Buffalo's largest), walking trails, and a boggy wetland area that's reminiscent of what was here before the encroachment of industry. Also present in the park is a monument to its namesake, a Seneca Indian chief and orator who eloquently plead his people's case before the U.S. Senate and received a medal from President Washington in return.
Though an outing with Buffalo CycleBoats is really more of a "booze cruise" than a sightseeing tour like those that populate the rest of this section, it's also a unique and fun way to get out on the water among the imposing monoliths of Elevator Alley. These 15-seat, pedal-powered craft offer two-hour jaunts along the Buffalo River, past Canalside, and through other area waterways, with an onboard bar (BYOB) and lively music to help the good times roll. And there's a "cheater motor" on the boat to do the work for you if you get tired. Reservations are strongly recommended: they're fully refundable if cancelled 10 days or more in advance, or you'll get a voucher for a future cruise if you cancel three to nine days in advance (or if they cancel on you due to inclement weather).
The Grand Lady is an 80-foot cruise ship that's been offering scheduled cruises and private charters since 1998, first on the upper Niagara River from their former home at Rich Marina in Black Rock, and since 2017 of Elevator Alley from RiverWorks. Passengers on the Grand Lady have their choice of itineraries: the Buffalo River and adjacent areas of Lake Erie are the focus of 90-minute narrated afternoon sightseeing cruises (some departures include a three-course plated lunch; see schedule); dinner cruises are a longer (2½-hour) more elaborate affair with live entertainment, a cash bar, and an elegant three-course meal; craft beer-themed cruises and evening casual cruises are also offered. The schedule is variable, but in general it features one to two of both types of cruise weekly; it's recommended you reserve as early as possible. The Grand Lady sails rain or shine.
Opened in 2019, this 20-acre (8-ha) park right at the center of the Outer Harbor action is the destination of choice on the Buffalo waterfront for the more active visitor. The Lakeside Complex features a grassy lawn perfect for a pickup soccer or baseball match, a pleasant bike-ped trail along its outer perimeter, and — the pièce de résistance — an exciting mountain-bike obstacle course with loops, a pump track, and rock and tube hazards for the kind of experience you definitely won't find on the Shoreline Trail or any of the on-street bikeways around town.
The Flat Man sure gets around: from its creation in 1963 through today, this 30-foot (9-m) sculpture — the work of Buffalo's own Larry Griffis, whose other works of public art around town include Birds Excited Into Flight on Bidwell Parkway and Spirit of Womanhood in Delaware Park — has been moved from its original site at the Kissing Bridge ski resort in Colden, to the 400-acre Griffis Sculpture Park in Cattaraugus County, to the Essex Arts Center on the West Side, to his new home on the Outer Harbor, where he's giving Canalside's Shark Girl a run for her money as a popular destination for selfie-snapping visitors. Sculpted in the artist's preferred medium of cold-rolled steel (milled just down the road at the Lackawanna Steel Plant), it's an oversized, abstract depiction of what its title indicates, with a heart-shaped opening in its chest promoting a message of love and inclusiveness for all.
Opened in 2012 on a 35-acre (14-ha) site that used to be home to a chemical dye plant, the Heritage Discovery Center contains space for community organizations and events as well as a pair of small museums that celebrate various aspects of Buffalo's industrial history. As money from government organizations and private donors continues to flow toward the restoration of the old Buffalo Color buildings, more developments are on the way.