Re: Any cool places to boat in WNY for a few days?
Isle View Park - River Road in the Town of Tonawanda - free boat ramp with facilities second to none for any trailer boater. This will give you access to the Upper Niagara River, the Erie Canal, Lake Erie, the Buffalo Harbor (a boater's destination in itself) and The Welland Ship Canal in Canada (bring passports and call the Ontario Customs on a cellphone ahead of time).
Beaver Island State Park Marina - Grand Island, NY - transient dockage for a nominal fee. Includes sand beach, picknicking, shelters, bathrooms and showers. Water and power on the docks,
Erie Canal Harbor - City of Tonawanda / North Tonawanda - both sides of the canal. Free dockage, free power and water, dock attendants, pump out, showers, give the attendants a donation for their help. A dozen fast food places within a block and a half dozen good restaurants within walking distance. Watch the band concerts from your boat on Wed. evenings.
Both dockage sites within a 5 minute drive from the ramp.
Homeland Security has a strong presence - just wave at them and smile and they will treat you with the same respect. Bring photo ID just in case. If you are inspected, you will be boarded. Canadian Waters are OK - just don't anchor or raft with another boat or you WILL be boarded, smile or not.
Fort Niagara State Park - Youngstown, NY. Another fine launch ramp - $5 fee, no over night dockage. Oclcott Beach, NY - 18 miles east of Youngstown - secluded protected ramp - $5 fee, overnight dockage available. Stay there and a quaint little town is within walking distance. Both these facilities have access to Lake Ontario and the Lower Niagara River.
The lower Niagara has scenic views, a shoreline that reached hundreds of feet in the air, and the current approaches 25 mph at a few places. Awesome feeling to be going upstream planing with the engine roaraing, while the land is standing still!
All clean fresh water, clear in the Lake down to 25 feet or so and fish for Bass, perch, Pike, Salmon and Trout all in the same day.
You can travel the Erie Canal and actually enter the Finger Lakes through another side canal. But that would take about 5 days for the round trip if you abide by the speed limit. The fishing isnt as good and the scenery not as dramatic, but a good destination as well.
I'm sure you can google the names i've given and find them on a map.
