‍WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 2027 – Transportation from Buffalo Niagara International Airport to Embassy Suites Buffalo Downtown has been arranged. Your bags will be stored at the front desk until your room is ready. You will have time to explore the hotel’s neighborhood and enjoy a bite of lunch at any of the restaurants within a quarter mile of the hotel (see included list). If you have the inclination, the hotel is about a 10-minute car ride from the Anchor Bar, legendary home of the Buffalo chicken wing. In the afternoon, meet your tour managers – Teresa Watkins and Tony DeSormier – in the lobby before heading over to the Erie Basin Marina Trial Gardens. “These gardens are unusual because they are specialty annual trial gardens. Visitors can view specialty cultivars that are grown and evaluated for the coming years. There are new annual varieties – more than 3,000 plants! – from all over the world.” After returning to our hotel and a chance to freshen up, meet in the hotel lounge for a welcoming reception followed by an included dinner at Bella Ciao.  (Reception, D) Overnight: Embassy Suites by Hilton Buffalo.

‍THURSDAY, JULY 15, 2027– Begin the morning with an included breakfast at the Embassy Suites, where guests can enjoy a generous hot buffet along with made‑to‑order omelets prepared by the hotel’s culinary staff. Once fortified, we set out to explore Open Gardens Buffalo—the intimate, behind‑the‑scenes preview of the world‑famous Garden Walk Buffalo. This experience offers a rare opportunity to wander through several of Buffalo’s most character‑rich neighborhoods, each showcasing the city’s distinctive horticultural flair. ‍ ‍

Our day includes a visit to the Cottage District and the Elmwood Village, including the imaginative garden of Jim Charlier, co‑author of Buffalo‑Style Gardens: Create a Quirky, One‑of‑a‑Kind Private Garden with Eye‑Catching Designs. His garden exemplifies the playful artistry and bold creativity that have made Buffalo a nationally celebrated gardening destination.  Mid-day we’ll pause to enjoy lunch at a local eatery—an easy, relaxed stop that reflects the welcoming spirit of the city’s neighborhoods.‍ ‍

The evening is yours to explore and dine at leisure. A wide selection of excellent restaurants is located within walking distance of the hotel, offering everything from casual comfort food to refined regional cuisine. (B, L) Overnight: Embassy Suites by Hilton Buffalo.

‍‍‍FRIDAY, JULY 16, 2027 – Make sure your passport is ready—we’re heading to Niagara Falls on the Canadian side. After breakfast, our first destination is the Royal Botanical Gardens, Canada’s largest botanical garden, showcasing more than 100 acres of cultivated gardens and an expansive arboretum. A boxed lunch will be provided to enjoy on the bus as we travel toward Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens. ‍‍ ‍

Our visit to Niagara Parks begins with a brief photo stop at the iconic Niagara Floral Clock, one of the most photographed landmarks in the region. From there, we continue to the Niagara Botanical Gardens, where your admission includes entry to the magnificent Butterfly Conservatory—an enchanting glasshouse filled with lush tropical plantings and thousands of free‑flying butterflies. ‍‍ ‍

Next, we make our way to the Floral Showhouse, more exotic tropical oasis featuring orchids, seasonal displays, and the imaginative Whimsical Creatures topiary exhibit. And of course, no trip to the Buffalo/Niagara region would be complete without time at the Falls themselves. We are scheduled for the unforgettable “Journey Behind the Falls,” offering a dramatic, close‑up perspective of this natural wonder. ‍‍ ‍

Dinner this evening will be at the Queen Victoria Place Restaurant, followed by a return to the hotel. (B, L, D) Overnight: Embassy Suites by Hilton Buffalo.

SATURDAY, JULY 17, 2027 – Breakfast then on the bus to head off for another Garden Walk; today it is to the East Side where featured gardens offer an eclectic mix of community gardens and private residences with a chance to speak to the home gardeners about their innovative, themed designs. Afterwards, we will stop in East Aurora for lunch and some shopping. You can indulge in a little nostalgia and check out Vidler’s 5 & 10, the self-proclaimed “largest ‘5 & 10’ variety store in the world”.

‍We’ll spend the afternoon at the Roycroft Campus, “the best preserved and most complete complex of buildings remaining in the United States of the ‘guilds’ that evolved as centers of craftsmanship and philosophy during the late 19th century.” We will go on a tour to learn the history and get an overview of the campus. There will be time to explore the campus on your own and shop for antiques and souvenirs. A lovely dinner will be provided at the Roycroft Inn where we will dine amidst the historic Arts and Crafts ambiance. (B, D) Overnight: Embassy Suites by Hilton Buffalo.

‍‍SUNDAY, JULY 18, 2027 – Today’s focus is the celebrated Prairie Style architecture of Frank Lloyd Wright. After our included breakfast, we depart by motorcoach for Frank Lloyd Wright’s Graycliff, the magnificent Lake Erie estate featuring formal gardens and lush landscaping designed by Ellen Biddle Shipman, the American “Dean of Women Landscape Architects.”‍ The docent-led Home & Garden Tour highlights the history and restoration of Graycliff’s historic gardens and grounds, including viewing the interior of the first floor of the main house.

‍‍We continue to Buffalo’s AKG Museum, where Impressionism and Post‑Impressionism are represented through works by leading nineteenth‑century European masters including Edgar Degas, Paul Gauguin, Claude Monet, Pierre‑Auguste Renoir, and Vincent van Gogh. You will have time to enjoy lunch at the museum’s delicious café, Cornelia, choosing as your appetite suggests.

‍‍The afternoon features a grand tour of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Martin House, constructed between 1903 and 1905. This extraordinary residence—one of Wright’s greatest achievements—showcases his architectural vision through its celebrated home and gardens. ‍‍We conclude our final evening together with dinner at Bacchus Wine Bar and Restaurant, known for its seasonal menu crafted from exceptional local and regional ingredients. (B, D) Overnight: Embassy Suites by Hilton Buffalo.

‍‍MONDAY, JULY 19 -- After our last grand breakfast, we depart for the airport with hearts and minds full—enriched by Arts and Crafts mastery, inspired by modern garden innovation, and carrying home Buffalo’s neighborhood’s floral pride, and a lifetime of memories traveling with us. (B) Overnight: Home.

Key to included meals: B – breakfast, L – lunch, D -- dinner‍ ‍