Buffalo and Erie County Naval & Military Park Reviews

Only those who have served have any concept of the amount of space, privacy or "creature comforts" that we as regular citizens take for granted. What a wonderful assemblage of Military behemoths that have played important parts in our nations military History. But most of all; what a sacred, solemn and and respectful way to remember all the Servicemen and Servicewomen who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their Country. It reminds us not to forget and to perhaps have the humility and humbleness to strive for peace but ever remain vigilant against Man's Tyranny.

The park holds an impressive historic collection. There are interactive areas and plenty to see. The best part: the tour around the vessels!!!

Great area, hard to park, but at the end of the naval park there is a free parking lot, just look for it, only a short walk to the ships. Nicely landscaped, several river cruises depart from this area. Thoroughly enjoyed our time there. Highly recommend the historic canal tour at $21 for 90 min. narrated tour, fascinating info about Buffalo.

I went through the area of Canalside known as the "Military Memorial Park" - a path of verious monuments adjacvent to the battleships of the Naval Park - and it is truly inspiring. There is a fee to go aboard the ships but you can also just wander the path of monuments at no cost - and still get some awesome views of the ships too! There are memorials for the various conflicts from the Civil War to the present (Iraq and Afghanistan) as well as monuments dedicated to Polish, Irish, Hispanic and soon to be (I have heard) African American servicemen. The newest monument is to those who survived a conflict but ultimately succumbed from "The Battle Within" - really moving. The path is easy to walk and surrounding area of the Buffalo River with the grain elevators, lighthouse and beautiful waterway makes it a worthwhile adventure!

While in Buffalo for a wedding, some of us headed down to the Canal area and visited the Naval Museum, Garden & Monuments. A student of history, I was looking forward to seeing the ship named after the Sullivan Brothers (WWII). If in Buffalo, I would highly suggest a visit to this area.

I was so glad I went! This was worth every cent of the $20 admission price. Explore the WWII-era Light Cruiser "Little Rock," the destroyer "The Sullivans," and the submarine "Croaker." The walk along the waterfront was very nice and I imagine it will be awesome in the warmer weather.

The Naval Park and the entire Buffalo waterfront is an exceptional experience! We also took the river boat history tour of the harbor. There are plenty of restaurants and activities for every age. The waterfront is another wonderful Western New York discovery.

I'm a big fan of museum ships and the Buffalo Naval Park does not disappoint. They have 3 vessels to tour. If you follow the yellow line, you start on the destroyer USS Sullivans. I liked it the best. There seems to be more to tour and feels to be better preserved. Gun turrets, engine room, bridge, crew spaces. You go everywhere. I would have liked to have had a better look of the twin 3" mount though. After the destroyer, you climb to the USS Little Rock. I feel like the missile storage was the best part of this tour. There is much more space on board so there are more museum style exhibits to see. A lot of reading. They also conduct group stay overs and the off limits areas on the tour can be distracting. Also, because there is so much real estate, there are fewer completely restored areas, especially on deck. The Croaker is tge smallest vessel to visit. The tours are really nice, and if I lived closer I would visit yearly to see the improvements that the crews make!

The three ships are awesome to see!! To be able to see how our sailors lived out on sea is something else. You don’t realize how truly big the ships are until you get on them. Very educational as well.

Located right in downtown Buffalo - small, but well done museum with two warships to tour. Both offer extensive access and detail as well as have tons of interesting memorabilia onboard. Worth spending a few hours to view as there is a great deal of content. Nice gift shop located in the museum. Street parking can be a bit of a challenge, so opt for the inexpensive Key Bank Center parking garage which is located a thee minute walk from the museum. Note it can get hot on board the ships so bring some bottled water.

Decided to stop by as we had a few hours to spare. With museum and self guided ship tours can take approx 2-3 hrs. Well spent! Museum well laid out and informative while honoring Buffalo’s veterans with pictures on all the walls. The ships have A LOT of steep ladders to climb up and down on all the ships. Lots of small spaces in the submarine so if you are claustrophobic I would skip the submarine.

On a sunny chilly Saturday I had the pleasure of walking around at Canalside . The new Little Rock was in the Buffalo Harbor along side of the USS Little Rock. The commissioning was to take place the next week. The new ship was so much smaller then the old one.
I toured the ships this past summer. It is a must do if you visit Buffalo. A guided tour is the best way to experience the ships. The docent’s have a wealth of knowledge about the ships and their personal experiences being in the Navy.

While doing a day trip to Buffalo, this was a new stop for us. You should plan to spend a few hours here because there is a lot to see.
We happened to come on a Saturday that there was a cancer run/walk, but it was just ending as we arrived. Parking is definitely something that could be improved.
Once inside they do have a little souvenir shop. On site they can make your own personalized dog tags. Prices are reasonable, they also have AAA/CAA discounts for those of us that aren't seniors. Inside the upper level goes through each of the wars and has displays. Unfortunately none of the tv screens that play documentaries were working.
Once outside you go onto the first ship and it is amazing how big these things are. Its a floating city with everything you would need. The first thing I noticed was the smell, not very nice. Very stale and moldy. You get a pamphlet that takes you thru each of the markings. Follow the yellow line and each place is numbered.
There is a lot of information on both ships, so make sure you plan accordingly.
Lots of up and down on ladders so be prepared and wear the right kind of shoes.
Unfortunately while we were there the submarine was not available for us to view.
Would definitely do this again down the road.

Interesting an inspiring walk through history with the boat tour. The boat/submarine walking tour can get claustrophobic -- and it was very hot that day. I'd suggest good walking shoes (not flip flops) because you are going up and down steep staircases withing the boat. Also plan for the time you need to see it all -- probably 3 hours at least. Bring snacks and take a break on the lawn!

My family often travel to Buffalo for hockey tournaments and this has always been on our list of things to do in Buffalo. I'm so glad we finally went and plan on returning again in the spring.
I dropped my family off since it was raining and parked at the Harborcenter since my son was playing a game there that afternoon; the price was $3. I walked over and it was about a 3 minute walk.
There is a museum, restaurant and souvenir shop where you purchase your admission. There are good exhibits in this building and my children loved it!
We then went aboard all 3 vessels. The tour is very easy to navigate as we used our pamphlet and looked for the placards to assist in describing what we were looking at in the vessels.
You do have to navigate a lot of stairs, watch overhead and navigate confined spaces. The kids enjoyed it as it was more of an adventure! There is a lot of history to see and read, my 3 and 8 year old were more interested in exploring than reading.
There is also and outdoor area that has other military vehicles and aircraft that we all enjoyed looking at.
This is well worth the stop and I would highly recommend it! I'm an Army veteran but it is always cool to see other branches vehicles, boats and equipment.

i have been to many shipyard all around usa. This was very sad. The tour is self guided even though there are many veterans there just sitting. Lots of nice displays but we wish there was someone explaining it all and giving facts. Its still cool to see and a good visit. was just disappointed. Also was a little shocked they did not sell dog tags in the souvenir shop. Which i have never been somewhere that did not.

Love this park! The ships are amazing- the crew and volunteers are happy and proud to answer questions. The area is clean and safe with several restaurants nearby to choose from.

We visited this gem of a park in Mar 2022 and were impressed by the grandeur of submarine and navy ships. The war related memorabilia are a gentle reminder of sacrifices of people who have given their lives for World peace. We could not go inside the naval ships as we were running late but enjoyed them from outside and loved that.

We got here right when they opened to avoid the crowds(highly recommended). We were able to walk through ships and learn about the history and artifacts aboard the ships. Make sure you have comfortable shoes, there is some "stair" climbing involved. I don't recommend being 7.5 months pregnant like I was! I went through like a champ but it was exhausting. We would like to come here again when our kids are a little older.

Set aside 2-3 hours to visit the destroyer and cruiser. Lots of climbing. Amazing history lesson and appreciation for our military. Nice canalside area. Places to eat, clean restrooms, illuminated grain elevator, historic boat ride, kayaking, and more.

Buffalo is rediscovering its heritage and the canalside area is a good place to spend the afternoon. The river/lake trips look interesting although we didn't have time to take one.

We took our 4 yr old through the tour of the 3 ships, and she LOVED it! My husband, a history buff loved it and me (not really interested in historical ships) was pleased with the fun that everyone was able to experience on our recent trip to Buffalo.

I am a military vet and enjoyed touring the 3 boats. The location was great to walk down the harbor. We did not get to tour museum due to time.

Took grand kids down to canal side and toured the boats. Great morning and afternoon trip for little ones.

Date of Visit: Saturday, April 6th, 2019

In addition to being a great place to walk and explore this is a great bit of military history,
Honoring the military service women and men.
You will enjoy a visit to this park, exploring the monuments, the artifacts, and the ships.

Lots to see and do. Exploring a war ship was cool for the grandkids, $12.00 for a tour. We walked around the canal and ate ice creme.

We recently traveled to Niagara Falls Ontario and wanted to cross into New York for the afternoon and visit Buffalo. My boys are 5 & 7 and are really into Top Gun and love learning about the military so when I noticed this museum on top things to do I knew we had to bring them. And, I’m so glad we did because this place completely exceeded my expectations!! My boys loved it and said it was the best part of their trip. We spend at least 2 hours exploring the ships and submarine. It was such a good educational experience that was also a lot of fun for them. There were volunteers that were also very knowledgeable. We were able to really explore the USS Little Rock and it was really neat to walk through it. I would definitely recommend it!

This is an interesting place to check out if your at Canalside. It’s interesting to look at, but for a pretty reasonable rate you can actually walk through the two ships and submarine. That’s cool by itself, but they’re also filled with interesting rooms and plaques that discuss the history of the ships. What life was like, the stories behind some of the soldiers, and so on. The submarine is a bit of a squeeze at times, but it’s perfectly doable (I even saw a 90 year old woman while going though it). Now, I took my cousins on the tour. The eldest was 13, youngest 8. I don’t think I’d take kids younger than 6 on this tour. There are too many places for them to run off to, and the submarine might get a little too dark at times.
In addition to the ships, there’s a nice museum in the same building where you get your tickets. Although it’s on the smaller size, it’s packed with interesting bits of history. Overall, it’s a great place to check out some history or just take a nice walk.

If you are in Buffalo, walk around this park. It isn’t very big but it’s pretty amazing. The memorials and statues done to honor the military are great and kept up very well.

I enjoyed the tours of the 3 boats/ships/sub. There are a lot of stairs/walking if you're traveling with anyone who is wary about that. But the history around it and the upkeep that's been maintained is very cool to read about and see upclose, and it's all situated so well downtown to do so many other things before/after also that it should definitely be on anyone's list.

WOW -- Just amazing -- So much history. The memorial and monuments are so heartwarming. I cried for those lost, such brave men and woman. The vessels are a site to see. We enjoyed our visit and highly recommend for any history buff.

Very interesting. Experiencing our history with actual artifacts, takes you back to past era. Enjoyed the museum. Grounds & building well kept. However the museum needs funding. The ships need repair.

Excellent facility, a Buffalo treasure, a must visit for adults and children, this was probably my fifth visit.

Had a very unique business dinner on board the ships. We were able to do the self guided tours of the ship and the submarine. Very interesting to see how tight naval vessels are inside and how the soldiers would have had to work.

This was a planned excursion, another of my bucket-iist items to satisfy -- three hours touring The Sullivans (DD-537), the USS Little Rock (orig CL-92, conv to CLG-4);, and the USS Croaker (SS-246, conv to SSK-246). Altogether a very satisfying experience, climbing up & down ships' ladders from deck to deck. The destroyer is the most faithful to its original WWII configuration, and as a WWII naval buff, I was truly impressed with this museum ship. No I didn't really inspect every rivet, but not for lack of trying. The light cruiser is impressive for its size, and for the "comfortable" living space for its sailors, compared to the DD, and the submarine. Many of the cruiser's larger spaces were stripped of the original equipment and converted to museum-style history display rooms, BUT with no indication of the original purpose of that space. The most impressive feature of this ship is its conversion of the aft turrets to guided missile storage, loading and launching -- a major modification of the aft superstructure and of much of the aft below-decks spaces. Another feature I appreciated was the visitor access to one of the forward main gun turrets. I did not visit the bridge; not sure if that was part of the tour or not. The submarine is a quick and informative tour from the forward torpedo room to its stern counterpart. Having once spent two days "inspecting rivets" in the excellent museum submarine (USS Cod) in Cleveland, we spent only a half-hour or less in this sub.
We were both grateful for the benches provided on the main decks where we could rest our 82- and 72-year-old bodies. We both found this experience enjoyable and instructive, and a little tiring, at the very reasonable senior admissions rate (less than $15, with an extra buck off for my being a veteran). In deference to our tiring bodies, we did not explore the many displays in the Military section and the Hangar building. Will save it for another trip to the Canalside district.
One caution: there is no parking dedicated to this attraction, so close-in parking is scarce. But there is a public parking garage a couple blocks away on Pearl Street.
For those who are good for a longer outing, this park is at the very north end of the Canalside boardwalk. Not part of the Park, but adjacent to it, is a bar and grill with comfort food.

Pretty cool & informative tour. Husband really enjoyed! It's a self directed walking tour which includes climbing several sets of narrow stairs. The submarine was very compact...just to see how little space the crew had leaves you in awe!

Great experience to appreciate the living conditions of our military and the sacrifices they made. Went through two ships and a submarine. The stairs are narrow and steep and may be difficult for someone with mobility issues.

This was a wonderfully moving place to visit, especially after the recent D-Day anniversary. A great combination of history, gardens and promenade.

I've driven by this naval park for years but it has always been while heading to/from somewhere. This time I planned a specific outing to visit the park.

The ships are interesting, especially the guided missile cruiser as it was the first time I had been on one, but overall the feeling is of a facility slipping into disrepair. I suspect funding is a challenge, and I empathize, but it was a surprise as I've visited other US military museums on both coasts and none left me with that impression.

Worth visiting once, just don't set your expectations to high.

This was a very informative site. I absolutely loved the detailed info for each war. My favorite part was the memorial for the Purple Heart

If you appreciate big ships, small ones, and respect our hero's and tradition, thos is a great place to visit. I'm looking forward to coming back and touring every inch of the park and the history that they've made available to us.

So much to see on the self-guided tour of three ships. Was recommended at the entrance that it would take 3 hours. We went pretty quickly and it still took at least 2. Pretty cool to see! Retired military staff at the entrance and throughout were super friendly and helpful.

By far one of the most enjoyable war-time museum / memorial attractions we have visited. One could do this in a few hours, but I highly recommend that fans of this type of attraction should be prepared to spend at least a large portion of your day here. So much knowledge and so much fun!!

Park has a tribute to New York military who made the Ultimate sacrifice. Worth seeing and paying your respects. Tours for the ships available

Nice to see some Naval history right on the water. If you start at the museum, you get tickets on the first floor and can walk or take elevator to the second. On the ceiling is a P-39 Airacobra, the only WWII aircraft with the engine behind the pilot to accommodate the 37 MM cannon in the nose. You will see various items like uniforms, patches, medals, equipment, tools, and medicines with a focus on Western NY in the war going back to the Civil War and a video in a field tent focused on the Naval Yard.

You can then walk across the way to the Outdoor Exhibit Yard to see the Army M-41 Tank, UH-1 "Huey", Air Force F-101F Voodoo Fighter Interceptor Jet, PTF-17 Patrol Boat and a few other vehicles.

Then you can see the three ships on the water. I started with the USS The Sullivans, named after the five brothers from Waterloo, Iowa, and was the only ship in the Navy to be named after more than one person. This Fletcher-class Destroyer, DD-537, was the largest and most important class of U.S. Destroyers used in World War II and saw action in Korea and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Some of the downstairs area are not open due to Covid but you can still see numerous rooms on first level from control room to kitchen area.

You then would take a stairs up to the big ship, the USS Little Rock CL-92 (CLG-4) is a Guided Missile Cruiser, the only surviving vessel from the Cleveland Class of light cruisers in World War II so you can only see this type of ship here. The stairs were a bit shakey but I made it up and this ship is impressive. They had some training going on so would occasionally run into soldiers getting hair cuts on deck or listening to trainings. There were nice looks into various rooms as well as many displays of deep diving suits, wooden models, uniforms and other items dedicated to the military.

I climbed down to the last ship, the USS Croaker SS-246 which is a decommissioned Gato-class submarine that served in World War II. These stairs freaked me out and I had to go backwards and worried I would drop my cane or myself into the water but I did make it. I love submarines and while a challenge with my foot problems and height, I made it through numerous hatches and enjoyed seeing torpedo rooms, bunks and other rooms in this amazing sub.

I left this ship and bit sweaty, wishing I had twice the time to have gone through the ships. Walking back, you pass by the Monuments Garden which has numerous monuments to honors several lifetimes of service in the U.S. Armed Forces. The green grass and well kept park is nice to walk through even if you don't want to see the ships and museum.

This is an amazing tribute to our armed forces so make sure give yourself enough time. To see the ships you really need to be in decent shape, esp if taking the stairs to the USS Little Rock. I use a cane due to issue with right foot and it was a somewhat nervous, esp with the stairs between the Crock and Little Rock. Almost better to go back and try to enter submarine from the dock.

The submarine is also a tight fit, and might not be easy for some people to make it through the ship.

The respect level is at all time high, understandings what a soldier goes through. The grind and sacrifice for us as Americans.

The harbor front is beautiful . Lots of beautiful sail boats .You can go for a dinner cruise out on the water. You can have a tour on the military boat, cost is 15.00 American. Lots of things to do.

If you are interested in American History, and U.S. Navy history, you will enjoy these floating museums. We only planned for about two hours, but we could have stayed longer. Informative exhibits. Lots of walking on deck and inside. It would be a challenge for those with limited mobility. A small, dedicated crew of workers were chipping rust and painting the exterior, in a never ending battle. The inside compartments and passageways were clean and well taken care of. The volunteers added some soul to the visit.
We found metered parking at the curb, on the street. About $3 for 2 hours. There are nearby pay to park lots too.

Went on the one hour tour. Unfortunately could not get on the Sullivans or submarine because of weather but the experience exceeded my expectations ! Tour guide was so informative. Museum was small but still very moving. I enjoyed the wall to write about a veteran you know! I would recommend anyone to go see this! There were some steep stairs on the tour just fyi.

Nice option for a stroll along the harbor, view the assorted ships, submarines (and the odd tank) for free...

Small area. Ships, restaurants, gardens, paths to walk, bench to sit and view the waterfront. Wonderful place to visit when the weather is good.

What a great space to see the USS Sullivans and Little Rock, along with tanks and planes and helicopters used by our military. The park itself is just beautiful and the history there is amazing - so glad i got to see it all

This was a great destination for people visiting Western New York. We saw the original Erie canal, the US Sullivan, and two others. The gardens and memorials make a beautiful stroll. The whole Canalside area is very tourist friendly with lots of activities and places to see. We loved the silo area and the food at Pearl Street Brewing was delicious!

Navy is well represented. Yes a few USAF plans as well.
Take a nice walk and just enjoy the sun. There were vendors selling food when we were there but I don’t think that is normal.

Spent an afternoon with my family walking through the naval park, the USS Little Rock, the USS Sullivans and the USS Croaker and could really feel what life would be like about one of this classic navy ships. They are well preserved. The adjacent park hosts war memorials for several wars/conflicts honoring Buffalo service person that had fallen in battle. An excellent tribute to the local armed services. A must see for any Buffalonian and city visitor.

With one ticket was able to visit the ships and museum. Get the feel of the how the crew lived on the ship, though scary thinking about the war and all the consequences of it.
New experience for the kids.

A close friend of mine from high school was in town and I took him to see the Buffalo Naval Park. He said the Naval Park is full of history that everyone should see. On display are a guided missile cruiser, the USS Little Rock; the USS Sullivans, the largest and most important class of U.S. destroyers in WWII; The USS Croaker, a Gato-class submarine; the exhibit also includes a X-Ron Rotorcycle helicopter, Army M-41 tank, Marine M-84 Armored Personnel Carrier, UH -1 "Huey", Air Force F-101F Voodoo Fighter Interceptor Jet, PTF-17 TrumpyClass Fast Patrol Boat, Navy FJ-4B Fury Jet and an P-39 Airacobra.

Great museum with two ships, a sub and small collection of planes and tanks. Lots of history including some veterans giving talks and informal tours. Price was appropriate. Definitely worth it.

We took our grandson (along with his parents and uncle) to the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park on a Saturday afternoon in June. What a great day we had walking the self guided tour of the two naval ships and submarine. Our eleven year old grandson loved it and just had to climb onto the seat pretending to fire the big gun, and try out the sailors' bunks below deck. We were able to tour the the deck and below deck on the USS Little Rock, the deck of the USS Sullivans and inside the USS Croaker (a WWII era submarine). A word of warning to other grandparents: the tour includes a lot of stairs but is well worth the effort. The park docents, of whom many are US Navy veterans, told us the history of the ships, interesting stories, and the various uses of the equipment onboard each vessel. Included in the park is a small display of other military vehicles, armament, and aircraft along with food vendors and a small museum. A great way to spend an afternoon on Buffalo's waterfront.

Great to see and fell what the people of our Navy have gone through. Fascinating to see the interior of the ships and submarine.

Very glad we didn't pay to just see the museum or we would have wanted a refund. The ships are the big attraction here!

Fun day trip right near home. I got a little claustrophobic in the sub! I am 6'2" and can not understand how anyone over 5' 5" would feel comfortable.

We had a few hours to kill before our flight out of Buffalo so I came here with my eight grade (twin) boys. They were fascinated (as was I). We spent several hours here- you get to walk all over the ships and submarine. So much to touch and explore. We highly recommend this activity!

This is a really awesome place to bring teens. Show them how it was during the war. They have a sub and a destroyer named the Sullivans. Wonderful story behind that.

This place is really cool...the only weird thing is that there were a few different places that the exhibits were in. There were three separate ships to tour, along with other naval vehicles to see. Right on the lake with some great views as well.

My son took me on a tour of Buffalo NY this was on our itinerary. I must say one of my favorite spots he took me to.

We walked through the park and looked at all the monuments there dedicated to so many people. A great tribute.

When we had time to kill, we decided to visit the Naval and Military Park--it was close to our hotel. The visit was very interesting with going through 3 different ships, including a submarine. Keep in mind that there are lots of stairs up and down as you're going through the different levels of the ships. But very educational as to what life on a ship looks like. We're glad we visited.

we just go there to take a look to the battle ship, there are 2 ships, one is bigger, one is smaller. we didn't enter it, as it already closed when we arrived, and it has heavy rain when we get there, not much photos can take, but even in sunny day or you enter the ship, it's difficult to take the whole picture of the battle ship.

It's not just amazement at the airplanes and the ships and the memorials....it's the feeling of pride and gratitude that you get from the courage of our service men and women, the sacrifices made. Kids will enjoy climbing in and on and around the various ships and so on, but you will feel humbled as you occupy spaces formerly occupied by our brave soldiers and sailors!

Super interesting trip into history! We had a great time exploring this park. The guides were so eager to fill in with extra details about the ships in the yard. We picked this on a whim to kill an hour or two before we headed to lunch in the city and it did NOT disappoint!! Each of the vessels is rich with history and perspective on life of a naval servicemen.

Really found seeing the Fletcher Class destroyer the USS Sullivans. Provided lots of information on both the ship itself, destroyers and the naval war during WWII on board. The cruiser which is also part of the display has vast information on both the cruisers that fought in WWII and the changes to the ship to make it a guided missile cruiser after the war. The only WWII cruiser I know of that you can still see. The military museum attached to the park gives displays from all wars with specific history about unit from Buffalo which is interesting. Also included is information on the war industry in buffalo in WWI and WWII. The displays are well laid out and seemed very complete. There is a submarine also available to visit.

We were quite surprised at this attraction. It has been decades since I had been in this area of Buffalo. The amount of work and revitalization of the waterfront is a hats off to the city!

On Saturday my wife and I had some spare time, while staying just outside the city, and took a drive downtown. Once there we opted to park and take a stroll around.

For $12 each we decided on the tour of the two ships and submarine. The self guided tour of the three vessels was fantastic and extremely informative.

There were many historic details and stories encountered throughout the tour. The history was brought to life with displays, memorabilia, videos and volunteers. There are many memorial rooms covering various military and peace time campaigns.

We were happy it was not overly crowed not extremely hot as were we afforded time to wander undistracted. The park staff were extremely great and informative. I wished I had made note of the gentleman's name on the submarine Saturday. We learnt so much from him and it was great as he explained so many things in great detail about this submarine as well as newer ones he had served on.

I was impressed with the various associated local story connections. I was unaware of a few such stories, such as Rear Admiral C. Wade McClusky's connection to the city.

Buffalo has a lot to be proud off. This attraction, as well as the revitalization of the city is a wonderful thing and were happy to visit our neighbor's across the border.

All in all it was great day at the park and we will certainly return to the Navel Park.

The naval ship tours are the main attraction here -- cruiser, destroyer, and small submarine. The museum building is small but interesting for those interested in WWII military history, and the outdoor displays of land military equipment are also very good, though it is not a large area. But the ship tours are fascinating, and you can spend several hours if you take them slowly and observe carefully. The ship tours do require at least average mobility as you need to be able to navigate the steep ladders within the vessels. I'm not the most coordinated person but I had no difficulty; but someone with genuine mobility or balance issues would not be able to navigate it.

This is one of the more interesting attractions I have been to in the last few years, and a great value if your interest level enables you to make the most of it.

There is no direct on-site parking but metered parking is available a short walk away, immediately adjacent to the park area and a few hundred yards from the building.

Attending the 2018 National Marine Corps League Convention in Buffalo during the moth of August 2018; many attendees visited the Buffalo & Erie County Naval and Military Park. I felt honored to be present, to share the history and pride the city and county have for their veterans.

The navel and military park is dominated by the The Sullivans destroyer and the Little Rock missile cruiser together with a conventional submarine. The land covers some historic naval aviation together with land and sea weapons not be be expected so far in-land the U.S.A. and only possible under the historic and geographic conditions in Buffalo and the Great Lakes.
Take your time if you tour the ships. They give bravery and the heroic story of an American family giving name to the destroyer and the efforts and the technology of the cold war times. Here the Talos-missile system brought a missile factory both conventional and nuclear on board a ship.
Any questions, no problem. Friendly and educated people will help and guide you with details and history if you like.
The Naval and Military Park is one of the better places at Buffalo worth a visit.

Going on the ships was a great time. We learned quite a lot on our tour. The volunteers were great and answered all of our questions. I would highly recommend touring the ships.

Great memories for my father reminiscing from his tour of duty aboard the Little Rock during the 1960s

A lot to see here in three different kind of boats. Rare chance to see so many navy boats in one location without visiting a coastal city. There is a destroyer, a guided middle cruiser, and a sub all from the World War II era. The tour route connects all boats instead of touring one, getting off, and touring the next one. Didn’t actually like this method as you couldn’t take a break from touring the boats without starting all over from the beginning.

The tour starts in the destroyer and the entire destroyer boat is open to tour. The tour next moves to the cruiser, which is the largest boat but you can only tour one floor of the boat, which is disappointing. Would be nice to have the option to go to the bridge floor. Finally, you move from the cruiser to the sub, where you can see the entire submarine.

If you have small kids, moving between boats and the floors of the boats can be a little bit dangerous. The stairs on the boats are steep and not the easiest to climb up and down. Another thing that could be improved is the positioning of the docents. Docents are on board to answer questions but they all seem to be congregated on the destroyer and none on the other boats; they should be spread out more.

Admission is $16/adult and $10/youth (under five is free). Veterans receive a discount. There is limited free parking if you go past the museum and continue on the one way Marine drive. There is an entrance gate farther down the street to the parking lot. Drive back in the lot towards the museum. There are about 10-15 free parking spots for the museum.

This attraction will be of interest to veterans. The exhibits are well placed and the tour is well designed. I really like the location of this attraction, and the area surrounding it is nice. I initially stopped in as I was passing by just to kill some time before heading to the airport to fly home. I was pleasantly surprised, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

We came to Buffalo specifically to come to the Naval Park. We started planning our trip the first of the year. My husband's father served in WWII on a ship like the Sullivans, and he has always wanted to see one and see some of the things his dad mentioned. Unfortunately, the ship sank this spring. We were following its repairs and hoped it would be open when we came in July. It was not but touring the other ship and the sub made it worthwhile! Very nice history lesson!

The Naval Park allows you to explore three ships on a tour that takes you through the decks of each of them: a WWII destroyer, a Cold War guided missile cruiser and a WWII submarine. While I had toured submarines and other warships before, the guided missile cruiser was new for me and especially interesting. There are lots of signs explaining the different ships and their history and related exhibits about naval combat and technology. It would probably take most of a day to see everything on the ships and in the park.

There is also a small museum on the site as well as a small enclosure with planes and tanks that has not been well-maintained.

It is awesome, but what made it so good was our tour guide from the double decker bus tour. You can walk and look at how awesome the ships and planes are but when you have a guide that is so knowledgeable about everything there it’s just better. Really enjoyed it

Went down to canalside to have lunch and then went for a wander around the USS The Sullivans, USS Little Rock and USS Croaker. Took about 2hrs total. Very interesting

It was a first class and 100% hands-on museum experience showing clearly how these young men risked everything to serve their country in a time of war. It was especially poignant that a number of long retired navy personnel were there to share their first hand navy experience.

I spent 2 hours just exploring 2 ships and 1 submarine. It was awesome. Veterans who are welcoming you are so knowledgeable, they know everything about history and war. I would love to listen more from them.

We only had a short time on our stopover in Buffalo, and this is one of the places we visited. We didn't tour the ships, but it was still a great experience to read about some of the history and see the ships (and some aircraft) up close and personal. On-street parking at the meters is affordably priced and the walk along the water is beautiful.

Just 4 minutes' drive down the road is the Erie Basin Marina that has a small beach area and an observation tower for a great view of the lake.

This is a stop you can make as long or as short as you want, depending on if you choose to tour the boats or just walk the park. Other than parking, there's no cost to visit the park.

Even in the winter with no tours, it is still inspiring to be able to walk by and see these ships on display. There are plenty of memorials and dedications as well to read and be thankful for the people they represent, protecting our freedoms. I would really like to be able to be back in the summer to go onboard.

Visited with my cousin who was visiting from Colorado. We went through the Sullivan and Little Rock. We enjoyed touring the ship and learning the history. It gets hot inside so go early. Also stairs are very steep, so wear appropriate shoes. We had fun!!

Glad the little rock is still afloat. I was stationed on her sister ship Uss Springfield CLG 7. I was on the Little Rock in August of 1970 when the Springfield relieved the Rock in Geata Italy. The Springfield is scraped now so the rock is close to identical. Good tour but disappointed the tour doesn’t include engineering spaces where I stood watch. Like the fire rooms or engine rooms. That would be a great tour!!!!

We enjoyed our visit here and learned quite a bit. It was a beautiful day and great views. It's very interactive employees were very welcoming

Having these ships in Buffalo is really special. My family totally enjoyed touring them, all docents were wonderful and informative. The ships themselves are such an important piece of history and I was happy to have my kids experience walking through them. One of my kids was afraid and didn't want to go on any stairs. Staff was very accommodating and helped us find alternate routes so that we could still stay together as much as possible. Don't visit Buffalo without seeing this special place.

Went down to Canalside expecting to do some shopping thinking that is what is down there got there and was a little disappointed at 1st because there didn't seem to be much going on we were there on a Wednesday afternoon but then we walked up to the Naval and Military Park I wasn't excited about doing this but my husband loves this kind of attraction so I went along with Boy was I surprised about how interesting it really is there is a lot of going up and down stairs but who doesn't need a little exercise lol I would have to say this is really worth the effort

If you like military history, and seeing old naval ships, his is a must. Be forewarned, it is a lot of walking and climbing of steep stairs. You tour a Light Cruiser, a WWII destroyer, a WWII submarine as well as see a PT Boat, a Vietnam era fighter plus the museum with old uniforms and artifacts.
There is even a restaurant/bar next to it that also is open for lunch. While visiting, you can easily walk over to Canalside and see the Western Terminus of the old Erie Canal plus other attractions to see. In summer, paddle boats and kayak rentals, concerts and more. In winter you can Ice skate.

This was much more interesting than we expected. We went on all three ships, which includes the submarine. Fascinating! Makes me appreciate the guys work and service during that time. It would have been hell to live there, and especially to fight from those positions. Wear your comfy shoes, lots of stairs to climb up and down.

In the middle of all that happening downtown you are on late model navy ships. So cool to see the small on board barracks especially on the sub. I heard the ship is haunted. Great for overnight on the ship banquets on its deck and a nighttime view that's to die for.

The USS Sullivans is a Fletcher Class destroyer which was a vital piece to our defeat of the Japanese Navy in WWII. The Fletcher Class destroyers played an important role in ll of the ship to ship actions in the pacific and it was a very special time for me to be able to do a self guided tour through this well preserved ship. The cruiser Little Rock and the submarine were just icing on the cake for me. The museum, although small, was packed with paraphernalia from all the conflicts from the origination of the United States. I was especially intrigued by the P-39 Air Cobra hanging from the ceiling as they are extremely rare. They are not well known in U.S. WWII history but the Soviet Union used them as ground attack planes against German armored divisions with great effectiveness. The P-39 was an unsung hero of WWII. This display is worth double the cost of admission and the restaurant on the grounds is just as good!

I loved my self guided tour of the park. I would recommend putting aside 2-4 hours to really be able to take everything in and read all the exhibits. It was also really cool to do more research on the ships after the tour at home.

The Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park is home to three naval vessels: USS Little Rock, a WWII guided missile cruiser; USS The Sullivans, a destroyer named in memory of five brothers who lost their lives during the World War II Battle of the Solomon Islands; and USS Croaker, a WWII submarine. The well-marked self-guided tour leads guests in an orderly manner through all three vessels. We appreciated the opportunity to see the size and complexity of the vessels and gain an understanding of the various roles of crewmembers needed to man them. Space is at a premium, and every nook and cranny is utilized for the running of the ships/submarine and housing of the crew. Touring these vessels certainly gives us an appreciation of our naval service men and women.

In addition to the ships and submarine, a museum is housed on the second floor of the building where visitors purchase tickets, and another small building houses other displays. The main building has a restaurant on the first floor as well as a gift shop. We did not dine at the restaurant, but the aromas were certainly tempting.

This park is definitely worth the time to tour. Due to the nature of touring the ships and submarine, only those with good mobility will be able to tour – lots of stairs and some tight places. Do it if you can!

Nice sunny day so decided to go for a stroll and what a great place this turned out to be. The dedication and recognition of all our military branches and conflicts was truly touching. The monuments are beautiful and I teared up more that once. The ships and other machinery that you can see or take a tour of is really cool. Well worth a visit when in the area. Busy place but very clean and well maintained.

Words can't explain how honored that our Group of Veterans was able to have a "NAVY VETERAN" guide our Group on a Tour of the ships in this Naval Park Museum.

The history, touch and feel of these ships, as well as walking through a submarine was awesome and eye opening.

HIGHLY recommend taking the tour as an individual, better yet, share our Naval history by taking the entire family.

This is not a short attraction. Expect to spend a few hours combing through 2 naval ships and a submarine. Not ideal for anyone who doesn't like enclosed spaces. In the hot summers, it can get pretty stuffy on board the vessels.

Incredibly rich in military history and a huge collection. There's also 2 museum exhibits, as well as a military park with a number of military equipment.

the kids loved the ships, submarine was q treat for them. museum were nice . worth a stop as it gaveus time to relax and use up the kids energy

My husband and I were really impressed by the Buffalo & Erie Navel and Military Park. Unless you experience the self guided tour of the ship and submarine you really have no clue about what it was like to set sail on these vessels. You can see it was a lot of work for our soldiers to maintain all the gears and live in close quarters ready to defend themselves at a moments notice. We give our Navy a lot of credit.

Nice experience with the family while in Buffalo. Walkable and pleasant. Make sure to visit the ship building shed

This is a good self guided tour lots to see you can climb in and out of both boats it was both interesting and informative there is also a cool submarine to explore the self-guided so take your time and explore all levels and all rooms and enjoy

Ships are in the Canalside area of the city. These ships have a lot of history. If you're a military buff this is something you need to see.b

Buffalo has the only naval park of this kind in the Great Lakes. The park has two ships and a submarine. An excellent family adventure. Parking is no problem. A wonderful place to visit and remember why we are free today.

They have two ships and a sub with a few planes and other machinery... lots of plaques with information and names of soldiers from the area who gave all for their country... I didn’t get the guys name but even though I didn’t show up until after closing he still stayed and talked to me and gave me all the information about the park... the hours of operation say until 5 so I got there at 4:15 and they were already closed they sell the last ticket at 4pm so make sure you get there before 4 but even tho my experience wasn’t what I hoped for I still recommend you give it a try

went here for my birthday, had a great trip was a beautiful sight to see. It is all outdoors for the most part so check the weather before you visit!

I have never been on a navy warship from any war. But as we toured the vessels here at the Naval park I had nothing but respect for the men who served on these ships in wartime (or in peacetime for that matter). The accommodations were so tight, the stairs so steep and the danger just seemed everywhere. It was fascinating and humbling! God bless them all!

Being from a Navy family, I always visit any military museums while I am on vacation. Here you get to tour 2 Navy ships and a submarine. There are also other military vehicles, planes, tanks, jeeps. Then there are the memorials. A very patriotic and emotional afternoon. Thank you for your service to past, present & future military.

Was here for a ceremony for the sub's 75th anniversary of it's christening, a very moving event. A full tour by one of the docents was just amazing. The various rooms and inside locations are full of original items just as they would have been in WWII. Great restaurant, Liberty Hound, within the building, also wonderful. Walk right inside history at this waterside museum & park.

Buffalo & Erie County Naval and Military Park is a big yard and park compared to some of the ship sites.

USS Little Rock and Croaker, the Sullivans

they offer overnight stays! groups, schools.

nice yard next to the area

The volunteers are nice.

Nice gift shop for the ladies to shop while us old salts toured the ships. They brought back old memories. The attached bar survied great food and drinks too.

This is a beautiful tribute and remembrance of the men, women and machinery that served our country. It is all set against the background of the beautiful Buffalo waterfront. Great educational opportunity for young children but also a time to reflect for all ages.

We stopped here to visit, but due to the pouring rain and cold breeze, it limited our visit. If we had time it would have been a great chance to visit each of the ships and submarine. There are multiple examples of each branch of the military on these grounds. There are monuments to the various wars and exhibits to honor those that lost there lives to each war from Western New York.

What a great experience. Walk thru parts of the ship and learn what it was really like to live aboard ship. a very different experience from watching a special. Being in such close quarters makes the history real.

It is amazing what the city of Buffalo has done to Honor the Military..They have transformed the old harbor of old and made it accessible to all..Beautiful Park,Canalside,Erie Basin...The entire are their and near the Light House has been transformed for the "FAMILY" to enjoy..I was very impressed...

Awesome tours, and there are not only a variety of navy boats & submarines but also a few air craft are on display as well. There is a beautiful garden honoring our fallen warriors & hero's/service men & women as well.

I enjoyed this installation. Well preserved and laid out exhibits and very well kept and preserved. The site is downtown and easy to walk or get to. Surrounding area is nicer to walk around.

There are two ships and a submarine you can tour. The two ships have a yellow line on the floor you follow on the tour with numbers so you know what you are looking at and in what order to follow. The sub is basicly a tour you enter at one end and exit at the other end. All three give a good representation of how a sailer lived and worked on their ships. It was a hot day when I toured and their is air movement but it was still pretty warm in the ships. Also there was a Navel ceremony on the large ship and you could not tour 3/4 of the ship. Kind of disheartening.

Tour the ships, view the aircraft, observe memorials from the Civil War through Afghanistan. Real-life is WAY bigger than the big screen, please take your children (boys AND girls) to see how their freedoms have been earned and defended. A humbling reminder for us adults too, the park celebrates local service members but embodies the patriotic warmth of our nation for those who have, and continue to serve.

The Buffalo & Eire County Naval and Military Park is full of history. I was amazed at how the ship is still in tact and the tour was very exciting . I would love to have been able to spend more time there. So I guess I'll just have to go back for another visit! The waterfront was very relaxing.

You can tour or you can just visit. The history is unbelievable and the men and women are very well remembered here.

Plan on spending some time here. As you walk through you can feel history can to life and see what they through to make this country great.

We were looking for things to do around Buffalo. Stumbled upon the Naval Park. We were thrilled with our tour. Well designed self guided tour. The only thing I think the website could use is some directions for parking. We ended up being there more than three hours. We found it to be very informative. We learned a lot.

I am not a history buff (but my husband is) but I still found the tour of the ships and submarine to be informational and enjoyable. You can go at your own pace and chose what you want to see and what you don't. There is a lot of up and down stairs so I recommend pants and sneakers or flats.

Yes, a submarine is considered a "boat," and not a "ship." This park has a World War 2 submarine, plus two ships, along with ground armaments and airplanes. Your admission price (only a 10% discount with Military ID -- that needs to change!) also includes a visit to the inside (aka, air-conditioned) second-story museum. The shop (no admission for that) has many fascinating gifts and memorabilia for purchase for friends, relatives, and for the little ones. There are some of the items that you can see (aircraft, ground arms, etc.) that you can view without buying the ticket to view the museum and the naval vessels.

Must see in Buffalo. Self paced tour, so you can go as slow or as quickly as you would like. Exhibits in each of the ships brought us closer to the history.

The tour starts with the USS The Sullivans. This ship was very interesting and you were able to see most parts of it. The entire family enjoyed touring The Sullivans. Next, you proceed to The USS Little Rock. This ship is more of a museum and not really a tour of the ship. In addition, there was an ROTC program (or something similar) going on with different parts of the ship being used as classrooms and other areas being closed. Several times we had to walk through the "classrooms" while everything was going on. Sometimes we didn't know if we were supposed to go through or go another way. Finally, we boarding the USS Croaker. I was disappointed we didn't get to see a little more of the sub. All in all, I would recommend visiting, probably would have been better if not for whatever was going on aboard the Little Rock.

We arrived at closing so we were unable to enjoy the full blown experience. It was nice to walk alongside the vessels and see the massiveness of them.

The park consists of four parts - 1. The General information section on the second floor which gives insight to the history of early 19th century when there was serious battles between British & US forces. The minute details of then are described and detailed meticulously. 2. The second one is the tour of the second world war veteran of USS Sullivans. The story of how she got the name is sad. That was incredibly fantastic. The way the old ship is preserved and the access to most of the details of the war ship was very interesting. 3. Tour of USS Little Rock. It is believed that this is the only ship with a guided missile system open for public view. The way everything was managed is well described in the audio provided. History of the second world war is easily understood by the excellent displays. After the visit to USS Sullivans, the ship with the name Little Rock appeared quite large and spacious. The Korean war Museum and the Polish section were unexpected pleasant surprises here. 4. The last one was USS Croaker, a submarine. A very exciting tour which gave a lot of engineering details in an entertaining way. When we came out of the USS Croaker, I was feeling unsatiated after more than two hours of tour since the whole tour was such a wonderful experience making one feel like asking for more. The entrance fee is USD 15 per head but there are serious discounts for veterans, senior citizens (over 65 years) and children. The tour was worth much more than the fee collected.

One of the staff members (a sailor) gave me a good piece of advice the first time I came here many years ago: "Lean BACK walking DOWN, lean FORWARD going UP!" I told my son this when we visited because the metal stairs were freaking him out (he thought he would fall or hit his head on the low ceilings). We practiced this advice a few times until he was comfortable. Keep in mind, tall people, that you should watch your head! A lot of walking up and down, hard on a super hot day (the deeper you go, the hotter it gets, especially on the submarine). Follow the arrows or take a tour if they are giving one. Make sure you catch the 2nd floor exhibits in the main building. There is no parking onsite, so pick a lot, park, and enjoy the walk (or take the subway from UB's Main Street Campus).

Very interesting to see this display. Unfortunately we didn't do the tour because it was closing in an hour and we didn't want to rush, but would recommend for sure . To see the history inside the museum was neat also. The location is beautiful also they are fixing up the downtown.

They do an outstanding job of showing you life aboard a Navy ship. Working with what they have, these place is very nice, lots to see and very nicely arranged that you can go from one ship to another.
Our youth need to see this and get a better understanding of our military.

All branches of service are represented in this impressive display on Lake Erie. Even the Merchant marines are honored and you will find my father immortalized in the monument. A tranquil location at the mouth of the Buffalo river with Canalside offering many more activities right next door.

We went with a tour group of retired navy men and wives, excellent experience! The men could tour a submarine, a destroyer and another ship. There was a museum and restaurant in the premises.

We stopped here on our way back from Niagara Falls. I am so glad that we did stop. Honestly, I would probably make the 6 hour drive, just to come here. There was a submarine and two destroyers that you cam tour. The volunteers and staff were absolutely amazing and answered any and all questions. You will need about 2.5 to 3 hours to go through all of ships. There's also a very small, but very informative display upstairs of where you buy your tickets. Parking is either in a lot down the road or on the street down the road. I highly suggest visiting this piece of history. You will not be disappointed. As a side note, I suggest wearing sneakers and nothing with open toes as you will be exploring the ships and going up and down ladders and in and out of smaller doors.

Was on a military reunion- thought this was a great place to go. Volunteer tour guides were exceptional. Rain put a damper to it

There are two ships and a submarine to tour. The volunteer staff seemed to all be veterans and were eager to talk to the visitors and share insight. It happened that the Blue Angels were practicing for an air show later that week so having the jets zoom over and around the area of the Naval Museum was very exciting!

The museum site is huge with all the still exhibits , the Millertry , and the Navy Destoyers and the Submarine .

Parking was nearby and was only $5 for 12 hours. The upstairs museum really does not have much. Was great to go on and in the boats to see how the men lived and worked while at sea. There is lots of items and memorabilia very well displayed. We did not do the submarine due to my spouse being claustrophobic. Very interesting for sure!

The museum is small, the ships are interesting. It’s self guided, you follow the yellow arrows and the numbers on the brochure they supply let’s you know what your looking at. We were only able to view parts of the first 2 ships as we had a disabled vet with us whom could not do the stairs. They are extremely steep and some have just chains for hand rails. We were aware this would most likely be the case but none of the staff questioned us or mentioned it. When we came back to the area we got on the gentleman there was a tad rude, he informed us we needed to complete the tour as the sub has the exit. We explained that was not going to happen with a disabled individual in our party, he reluctantly let us exit.

The military park where they have the monuments however is beautiful and worth exploring and the best part. I am sure you can walk this for free.

These wonderfully maintained ships and assorted artifacts provide a glimpse back to an America many don't think of, or don't know of. Walking through the ships is like taking a trip back in time and seeing what it was like for the brave sailors in a bygone era. Truly a great history lesson and one the filled me and my daughter with feelings of gratitude toward the brave sailors who were stationed on these ships. The area is very well maintained and there is a wonderful museum above the gift shop with model boats, and exhibit dedicated to the war of 1812, WWI, WWII and much more. Well done for such a relatively small space.

not much to see here. couple of boats and a submarine you can tour but expect a foul odor. cant remember how much it was for the tour but didn't seem like it was worth it. much more exciting things to do and see right around the same area

This was our first time down to the Naval park. Located at Canalside Buffalo River, very scenic location.

With a great memorial for branches of the services. They've done a great job in making the area a place to visit.

Going on board the ships & submarine was very educational. And our little girl has fun on them also. There are also tanks & planes & helicopters etc to see.

There are other amenities available in the area, like a sand /beach area for kids to play in. As well as boat hire facilities for water activities. Along with restaurants.

Would like to go back & make time for hiring a boat/kayak.

Enjoy

Great place To visit. They offer a reduced entrance for veterans and seniors. Not for the unsteady on their feet going on and off the ships and through very narrow passageways requires good balance . An Easily spend a few hours here and they also have a small museum.

If this review is helpful, please give me a "thumbs up" or "helpful" vote.

1. Bottom Line Up Front/frame of reference for my remarks. I am a retired Marine Corps Infantry Officer, history buff and a tour guide aboard another museum ship. As such, I have high expectations of museum ships (I have visited over 20 in the United States). This attraction is well worth a visit.

2. Caveat. My reviews of museum ships normally contain more detail regarding the individual ships; since there are three ships at this attraction, I have abbreviated my remarks.

3. Namesake(s)

3.a. USS Croaker. World War II submarines were named after fish and other sea creatures.

3.b. USS The Sullivans. Destroyers are typically named in honor of persons of note. The five Sullivans brothers were from Waterloo, Iowa and were all killed 13 November 1942 during the Battle of Guadalcanal when their ship (Light Cruiser USS Juneau) was sunk by a Japanese torpedo.

3.c. USS Little Rock. During this time, Cruisers were typically named in honor of U.S. cities: Little Rock, Arkansas.

4. Details of my visit

4.a. Date & Time. Sunday 9 April 2023 (morning-afternoon).

4.b. Other patrons. During my visit, there were approximately 25 other patrons. I think the low attendance can be attributed to the fact that the attraction has only recently opened for the season.

4.c. Length of visit. I spent approximately 4 hours here: 30 minutes in the museum/visitor center; 30 minutes aboard the submarine Croaker; 1 hour aboard the destroyer The Sullivans; and 2 hours aboard the Cruiser Little Rock.

4.d. Travel. I flew in to the Albany airport; visited the Destroyer Escort Slater and departed via the Buffalo airport.

5. Location/accuracy. I plugged the address (listed on the website) in to my iPhone and it took me directly there.

6. Access

6.a. Passenger vehicles. Easily accessible.

6.b. Buses and RVs. This site is not easily accessible by large vehicles.

6.c. Parking. There museum has a number of parking spaces in the lot that is shared with an apartment complex on the north side of Marine Drive. The entrance to the parking lot indicates it is for apartment residents only but there are a number of spaces dedicated to museum visitors and are marked as such. The lot is paved and parking is free.

7. Admission. Check the museum’s website. Visitors should be aware of how much it costs to maintain and improve an attraction of this magnitude. When they were in active service the sub, destroyer and cruiser required 60, 300 and 1,200 Sailors respectively to maintain them. Additionally, consider the effects that winter weather has on the ships. Lastly, these ships were not intended to last this long: Destroyer-80 years old; Submarine-79 years old; Cruiser-78 years old.

8. Hours of operation. Check the museum’s website for current information.

9. Type/nature of visit. Visitors may conduct un-guided tours; I do not know if guided tours are available.

10. Handicap access. The ships' main decks are somewhat accessible via a ramp. The above and below decks of the ships and sub are accessible only by climbing up and down quite a few steep/narrow ladderwells (staircases).

11. Child friendliness. The ship is safe for children but I would caution parents that if they intend on negotiating ladderwells (staircases) to the superstructure (above) or belowdecks, it is unsafe to carry children. A good rule of thumb on ships is to maintain three points of contact (both hands on the handrails and one foot on the steps at a time) when negotiating stairs.

12. Areas open to the public - Submarine Croaker. Visitors enter at the bow (forward torpedo room) and make their way through the entire sub to the stern (rear torpedo room).

13. Areas open to the public - Destroyer The Sullivans. Currently, visitors may only tour the upper decks. Last year (2022), The Sullivans began to list significantly and suffered severe flooding/water damage.

14. Areas open to the public - Cruiser Little Rock (not all-inclusive).
14.a. Bridge (for Captain of ship).
14.b. Flag Bridge (from which an embarked Admiral commanded).
14.c. Enlisted Berthing Compartments (living quarters).
14.d. Galley & mess decks (kitchen and eating area for Enlisted Sailors).
14.e. Chief Petty Officer (senior Enlisted Sailors) Berthing Compartment.
14.f. Officer Staterooms (living quarters).
14.g. Brig (jail).
14.h. Marine Detachment compartment.
14.i. Magazine (ammunition storage) for huge Talos anti-aircraft missiles.
14.j. All weapon systems on the weather decks (those areas on exterior main deck and superstructure (areas above the main deck): twin Talos anti-aircraft missile launcher; one dual 5" gun; one triple 6" gun.

15. Details / History - Submarine Croaker.
15.a. Crew. 60.
15.b. Commissioned. 21 April 1944
15.c. Decommissioned; and recommissioned twice. Went through upgrades and reclassifications.
15.d. Final Decommissioning. 2 April 1968. Served 24 years.
15.e. Speed. 21 knots.
15.f. Armament (as built). 1 x 20mm anti-aircraft gun; 1 x 40mm anti-aircraft gun; 1 x 3" deck gun; 10 torpedo tubes (carried 24 torpedoes).

16. Details / History - Destroyer The Sullivans.
16.a. Crew. 300.
16.b. Commissioned. 30 September 1943.
16.c. Decommissioned. 7 January 1965. Served 22 years.
16.d. Speed. 35 knots.
16.e. Armament (as built). 5 x 5" dual purpose guns; 10 x 40mm anti-aircraft guns (in dual mounts); 7 x 20mm anti-aircraft guns; 10 x torpedo launchers; 2 x aft depth charge racks; 6 x "K-gun" depth charge projectors. Presently, she has a somewhat different array of weapons.

17. Details / History - Cruiser Little Rock.
17.a. Crew. 1,200.
17.b. Commissioned. 17 June 1945.
17.c. Decommissioned, Recommissioned, Re-fitted, Re-designated.
17.d. Final Decommissioning. 22 November 1976.
17.e. Speed. 32.5 knots.
17.f. Armament. 21 x 20mm anti-aircraft guns; 28 x 40mm anti-aircraft guns (in dual and quadruple mounts); 12 x 5" dual purpose guns (in dual mounts); 12 x 6" guns (in triple mounts). Many of these guns were removed to make room for the dual Talos anti-aircraft missile launcher on the stern.
17.g. Sea planes. 4 x OS2U Vought Kingfisher float planes. These aircraft were launched via catapults and stored below the aft end of the ship in a hangar belowdecks.

18. Amenities

15.a. Restrooms. Visitor's Center - yes. Ships. Available aboard the USS Little Rock only.

15.b. Water fountains. Visitor's Center - yes. Ships - no.

15.c. Climate control. As best as I can estimate, the ships are not climate-controlled but there seemed to be temporary heaters in some spaces.

15.d. Food & beverages. There are a limited amount of bottled beverages available for purchase in the Visitor's Center.

15.e. Gift shop. The Visitor's Center has a fairly robust gift shop.

15.f. Note. There is no visitor center/museum ashore like most other ship museums.

16. Recommended clothing, equipment and supplies

16.a. Clothing. It is not a good idea to wear flip-flops due to the requirement to negotiate narrow/steep ladderwells. Check the current weather forecast to determine appropriate clothing.

16.b. Equipment. Large backpacks will be a hindrance when negotiating steep ladderwells inside the ship.

16.c. Supplies. Water is recommended during hot weather.

17. Lastly. If you are interested in other attractions of this type, see my other reviews.

Although the time of year we visited the visitor centre and tours were closed at the park, you were still able to walk about and see the ships and other military vehicles. A lovely walk along the canal and touching memorials in lovely gardens along the path, worth a visit.

A must-visit if you're in Buffalo. This museum consists of two warships and a submarine - all of which you can explore fully. There's a "yellow" ribbon to follow around the ships making it easy to do and ensuring you don't miss anything. Retired seamen are on hand to talk to you and regal you with stories - and there's a lot to see and read about so make sure you allow plenty of time!

It's not for those with young children or the disabled as you are having to climb up and down steep stairs and navigate narrow places - and I wouldn't recommend the submarine if you get claustrophobic! But a great day out for families or anyone interested in history.

Wasn’t able to get into the shops or the shops as we went on a Tuesday. However you can get a close look at all the shops and other military equipment outside.

The whole park area is a wonderful attraction, parking is metered $2 hour.

Good visit have been there many times. Will probably visit many more time's was stationed on the uss little rock it is a floating museum

My ten-year old son loved this site - warplanes and warships in all their glory. It was a bit much in the way of up and down steep stairs and ladders for the four-year old girl, who was less impressed but still enjoyed it. Plenty of American pride and glory and lots of history well-displayed. Worth multiple visits.

There's more and more to see and enjoy along the Naval and Military Park. Enjoy seeing the additions each year...

My grandson and I accompanied a friend who was in Buffalo on vacation from Ireland to this museum, and had the most spectacular experience touring two naval ships and a submarine.

We stopped at the Buffalo & Erie County Naval Park to see the newly commissioned USS Little Rock, The next generation destroyer replacing the older, previous generation USS Little Rock. Interesting that the new ship only needs a crew of approximately 70 versus some 1200 sailors on the previous one. The Naval Park and Museum are well worth a visit.

It was great to hear about the ships and submarine! The USS Little Rock was cool since I am from Arkansas. I like having the devices so you can here about each section and history about it!

We recently went to the Buffalo & Erie County Naval and Military Park to visit several iconic war ships that are literally docked in our back yard on the Buffalo Harbor. Parking can be a challenge, but we were able to access a parking spot on Marine Drive that someone just so happened to be leaving - perfect timing. Our tickets were $12.00/each adult which gave us access to three ships. We were greeted and told how to "self-tour" the ships which was quite easy as we followed a yellow line with periodic red arrows along with diagrams and visuals with detailed text about what we were viewing. Close-up views while walking around the massive decks, peaking into internal spaces, and being within feet range of military ammunition was incredible especially when we were thinking that these ships were actually used in combat and that our United States Navy fleets used these floating spaces as their homes for months at a time. This was near and dear to our hearts as our uncle was in the US Navy sometime ago. Comfortable shoes are a must especially when navigating the stairs, walking the decks and entering/exiting tight spaces. The nature of any ship as with the Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park is not accessible, but viewing these ships from the shore can still be quite exciting.

Take as long as you want ... or walk a brisk pace ... the painted arrows guide you through multiple ships and a sub. Neat to see.

My husband and I were bike riding along the shoreline trail and passed this attraction. We did not tour the ships but would have liked to do so. Several people were in the area. Will go back.

I learned alot about the ships and submarines that are there. The self guided tour is quite informative.

Here for work but couldnt past on looking at these. The view was great and even though it was closed we could get close enough to take pictures and enjoy the scene.

True American history. What a wonderful place and beautiful setting for these three American naval vessels. The two ships - the Little Rock and the Sullivan’s are both historic and have amazing backstories and the submarine Croaker is also a historic sub

Please go visit and support their efforts with the USS The Sullivan’s

Go enjoy

This is an awesome experience, knowing ww history while relaxing and enjoying the scenery. Our tour guy is amazing knows a lot of things❤️ we will recommend this tour.
Please support this business 🙏😇..
Thanks for a wonderful experience

Wasn’t crowded and you could go at your own place. Should have allowed more time as 2 hours was not enough.

My home away from home. I love my military family, even if I never see any of you again! This place will always feel like home for me. Great place for families and learning about Buffalo's Naval history.

There were three military ships
Each was devoted to different times in American history including WWII,corean and Vietnam wars. One of the ships is submarine. Very interesting.You see the life on the ship and how difficult it was to be a sailor and once you become one, you will always miss it.

We arrived Buffalo in the late afternoon and did not get to board the ships as they were already closed by the time we got there. But it was a nice evening on the canal side just walking in the park in our own pace and seeing the ships in a sunsetting backdrop. The entire area is very nice to visit and there are many restaurants and bars, although they tend to get busy around dinner time especially on weekends.

If you are a history buff you are gonna be like a kid in a candy store and if you are not you will enjoy your time here. Went on a weekday at opening time and purchase my ticket there. There were no crowds and that works for me. It's a self guided tour but there are veterans that will welcome you and give a bit of information. This place is educational and so entertaining because you immerse yourself in a different time in history. There are 2 ships and 1 submarine. There are some parts closed to the public because of safety issues from some damage that the ship has endure. You really shouldn't mind because there is plenty to see. I went with my daughter and we spent a bit more than 4 hours. The place is well maintained, it has clean bathrooms and parking in the street. If you like to take pictures you will have plenty of opportunities here. Recommend visiting 100%

We had a fantastic time touring the three vessels. Even though it was a cold, blustery day, we spent the vast majority of our tour warm inside the Little Rock. The variety of vessel types was perfect, and the sheer amount of artifacts and displays on the Little Rock was staggering. We could have spent an hour more than we did just looking at and reading it all.

The Buffalo Naval park is the gem of Canalside...whether you tour the three navy ships on a guided tour (recommended ) or by yourself,this is definitely "a must see" when visiting Canalside..The history of "The Sullivans"is worth the visit in itself...The docents (tour guides) offer information about the brothers who all perished when a torpedo sank their ship in less than 5 minutes...Dine at the Liberty Hound Restaurant right on the harbor while enjoying the view as well as people watching...Imagine this area being overgrown with weeds and debris no more than 8 years ago ...It is now a "destination" when visiting Buffalo...Everything you need on this visit is within walking distance from any point at Canalside...Fine dining,coffee, cocktails and ice cream..You've got it all in one AWESOME location!

Right in the middle of the city action, easily accessible. Great for the fans of navy equipment. We loved the organisation of the exhibits – just follow the yellow line and read descriptions of each area. You get to visit USS Little Rock cruiser, USS The Sullivans destroyer, and USS Croaker submarine. In addition there is a small yard of other military machinery and a small interactive museum on the second floor.
There is also a garden commemorating the lives of those fallen in many battles.

On a cold and snowy December 16, 2017, we witnessed history in the making, the Commissioning of the USS Little Rock (tickets required by the Dept. of Navy) which took place alongside the decommissioned (in 1976) USS Little Rock (In 1977, was transferred to the Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Servicemen's Park in Buffalo, New York. In 1979, was opened to the public as a memorial museum ship.

If you ever need to have fun for a full day, you have to visit the Harbor Front. Bring the entire family and a picnic basket and blanket. From the Naval ships, the light tower and the rediscovered original sight of the Erie Canal, you will have plenty to do all day. Take in a long boat and walking tour of the antique grain elevators and learn about the beer brewing. Just watch your step getting on and off of the boat. We were there when two seniors took an unwanted swim in front of the grain silos, do not try to hold hand side by side on the gangplank, walk single file.

An excellent waterfront park to visit and soak in Military History. There is something there for all branches of our Military. You could easily spend an entire day there and it would be well worth it. This is a "must see" for people visiting the Buffalo area.

Incredible area with a lot to see. 2 ships and a submarine. I’m sure it’s better during the summer, but it was a great stop.

Plan on spending 3 hours between the museum and touring the ships. A lot of stair climbing in touring the inside of the ships from all levels of the ships. Well worth the price.

Great fun for the family. Really enjoyed the history and the explanations are really well done. Good family fun.

Have you ever had the opportunity to go inside a World War 2 submarine? I didn't think so! You will have the opportunity to do that at the Naval and Military Park. The park's website is a good source of information of what you can see and do there. However, it is important to note that this tour is not for everyone! You will have an interesting and enjoyable experience but keep the following in mind:

--As some of the other reviews have mentioned, there are many sets of very steep stairs, almost ladder-like. These posed some problems for one of the seniors in our party.

--Wear comfortable, well-fitting shoes and don't bring a stroller! In addition to the ladders/stairs, doorways are raised and need to be stepped over.

--In the submarine especially, there are very tight spaces. I think this would be difficult to navigate for anyone claustrophobic or significantly overweight.

--I would recommend taking this tour on a day when the weather is cool. It can get very hot inside the ships and it doesn't feel like there's much ventilation inside.

Bear these cautions in mind but don't let them discourage you from a unique Buffalo experience! This is an opportunity to explore Buffalo's beautiful waterfront and all that there is to do nearby.

Canalside in Buffalo improves every year. The Buffalo & Erie County Naval and Military Museum is a key feature. There is a recent addition of a veteran memorial. Go for a morning or afternoon. Be sure you tour the boats.

I enjoyed walking through the ships. When we arrived, we first entered the ship and a man doing maintenance stopped us and explained the entire process. He was extremely nice and friendly. He didn't have to help us out but he did . The walk through all the ships was amazing. It like a time machine. Highly recommend -

I Rate the Buffalo Erie County Navel Military Park A Full 5***** and it is a great place to go to and be at I Highly recommend

We didn't have the time to visit on board the ships, but went to the shop and visitor centre and strolled along the canalside frontage, past all the Military monuments. Very moving.

I received a membership to the museum when I moved to Buffalo- it was wonderful to be able to go a few different times in order to really go through all the ships/submarine. I highly recommend for families with kids over 5. You get to see it all here - working stations, mess hall, sleeping quarters- how did those brave Navy men live like this for months?! Impressive, informative and fun!

My friend and I did not go into the ships. We enjoyed walking around the park like area that has many, many monuments and memorials to those who have served and given their lives.

We really enjoyed visiting the Sullivans and hearing the history of the Military Park. The animated stories shared via the host of our Double-Decker bus group made the ship come alive.

This is a cool place to visit if youre interested in Navel ships. You can board the ships and tour them, or even just walk around to see the sights. Near by you can take a cruise on a charter sailing boat on the great lake.

Every city with slip space has an old war ship or two that you can do a self-guided tour through. Kids love to climb all over these ships. It is a little expensive to enter the ships, and these places should be free to the public. There are two ships and submarine in Buffalo, plus some aircraft behind a fence.

We went here for my dad, since he loves submarines. He said it was totally worth it! The workers here were very kind and would answer just about any questions you have. They don't just have ships they have a helicopter, planes, cannons and more. Just know that one the ships there are some small spaces and very tiny steps. Just be careful. Close tosed shoes recommended. Photos can be taken.

My 12 yr old daughter stayed on the USS Little Rock with the Sea Cadets. Great people, great experience!!!

Awesome weekend thing to do with or without kids. You get to see and explore 2 ships and a submarine as well as a small indoor museum and outdoor park with tanks etc.. we have done several of these across the US but this one was definitely the most for the money.

Great experience for kids and visit three ships at once. Submarine is unique visit.
You can’t go wrong for the price and it’s free for five and below.

This should be a must visit if you go this area around. And don’t do that historic boat tour which was depressing.

Took self guided tour, it was nice seeing what a ship and sub looked like.
Make sure you pay close attention to the yellow line and markings that shows the way around, or you will miss some of the tour.
Well worth the time
Also did the inside museum, also worth it
Spent around 2 hrs

Seeing the ships and other vehicles used by the Navy was very cool. I never realized the PT boats were made mostly of weed. The also offer tours of the ships.

Had an additional day in Buffalo without any plans. Decided to visit the Naval Park for the afternoon. $12 per person seems like a bargain for the amount of material available and the experience!

First experience onboard a decommissioned ship, and was amazed at the work that has been done to create such a wonderful and informative self guided tour. Spent about 3 hours, but wish we would have had more time to take in everything on the ships/submarine/museum.

Highly recommend making time to visit this great tribute to our military and learn the history behind these ships!

The navel park is an interesting and educational walk down the waterfront. It's great because you have the option to stroll thru the park free of charge or board the ships for a closer hands on visit.

We have been here a few times and really enjoy it. Climb aboard the ships and the sub or just stroll through the military park. There is a lot to see and do.

Really enjoyed this visit. Navigating some of the stairs were a little challenging, but you really get a feel for being on the ships.

I made a solo tour of the two ships and sub. It took about two hours. May take longer if you read a lot of the articles and spend more time at each exhibit. Was extremely interesting, having never been on a ship or sub. (I am an Army Vet) They give Veteran and Senior discounts. Enjoyed my tour very much. Would recommend it to any Navy enthusiast,

Awesome piece of history. Beautiful park includes two different style of U.S. Naval ships and also a submarine. Also a couple of jets on display as well. You can tour the ships as well as an indoor museum. Canal side is right there as well. Great place to visit! Also a few options for food/dining on or near site.

Must see for an military or naval buff.
Tour the USS Little Rock, USS The Sullivan's and Submarine USS Croaker.

Two museums and lots of monuments to look at in the park.

Very enjoyable . We didn't walk onto the battleships and submarine. Will do next time . You could spend a couple of hours reading all the plaques . very eye opening and full of our history!

We visited with 3 children ranging in age from 9-14. They all enjoyed seeing how men and women in the Navy lived on those ships/submarines for months at a time. The gentleman who gave us our directions when we walked onto the first ship (follow the yellow strips and arrows) was so nice and had a great sense of humor. It was a nice "welcome" to the start of our tour. There were some steep stairs and tight spots that some people may have trouble with. There was a lot of history aboard the ships about different wars.

I was staying up the street at the Hyatt Regency and this exhibit was an easy walk down the street. For only $12 it's a great deal. You get an extensive self tour of the USS Sullivan, visiting multiple decks, and everything from common areas, berthing rooms, and action stations. You continue on to the USS Little Rock where you also visit multiple stations on multiple levels. On the Sullivan most of the exhibit is as it was during operation. On the Little Rock some of the rooms have been remodeled into various memorials or memorabilia rooms. Lastly you go inside the USS Croaker submarine.

There is a land exhibit with a few more water craft and land vehicles as well as a museum. I went on a summer Saturday afternoon and the crowd was not bad at all. I spent 2 hours touring but could have stayed even longer if I had stopped at every item. Definitely worth the visit!

Just walking on board the navy ships they have tied up brought back so many memories from my time in the navy. Right off the bat, a ship SMELLS like a ship. It took me right back to being a young 18 yr old on my ship. Then I saw a coffee mug with my ships logo on it in a display case and that sent chills up my spine.

This was my first time down to the Naval park and was amazed by everything there. The memorial is interesting for all branches of the service. They've done an excellent job in making that area a place to see.

A great chance to see some incredible pieces of our history. There are numerous exhibits around the location to be viewed and the War rooms inside the Little Rock are outstanding. Anyone who enjoys American History and/or Naval History will love it here! Absolutely awesome!

Rainy day but impressed by Buffalo's rebirth.
Clean, informative signage, and evident additional progress in the area

If you're into WWII ships...great place. Lots of climbing up/down narrow ladders. Not for flip flops!!! 2 ships and 1 submarine. Also a museum with a great deal of information.

The children too will enjoy some time here as well as the adults. It is interesting and asoa great place to simply just take a stroll.

A great display of naval vessels includind aircraft carriers, jets and submarine. Well worth a visit.

What a great place - easy to get to with the light rail. A solemn walk through history and well done!

I've been to many naval museums around the country; some in good shape, others not doing so well. This one is excellent in every aspect. The museum building houses history of the region going back to the War of 1812. And the static display is unique. But the premiere part of the museum are the three warships. They are well maintained and have excellent descriptions along the passageways and decks. If you're in Buffalo, this is one you have to put on your must-see list.

My older teenage son and I went last week and loved it. We went through both ships and the sub in their entirety. Sub does not take long, but the two ships are large and can take quite a while to really look at everything. We spent about two hours. Tours are self-guided. One of the ships is partly a museum. You do need to be in semi-decent shape if you want to navigate every area, as we did, because there are many different levels in the ships with lots of narrow stairs. All the people there at the same time as us were only walking around the outside decks, but going inside the ships is the best part! Nice little gift shop which is very reasonably priced. There was a large free parking lot across the street. Highly recommend it if you are interested in military history.

Took my 2 daughters to the military park kicking and screaming, they thought how boring. By the end of the tour I had to practically drag them out, thanks to the gentlemen who volunteer to man the vessels for the tours.

spent 5 days in buffalo with a group of navy buddies. was really interested in the museum, the price is right for the day pass or become a year member if you live close.the tour for the day proved to be an excellent one. to see the ship named for the Sullivans and the Dixie,plus the submarine,need i say more? you really can not see everything in one day. they have tours where you can spend the night on one of the ships so for a cub scout or boy scout or even girl scout group you could see what it would be like to live aboard a navy ship, you would have to contact them for prices and when they do the overnight tours. again i would look the museum up on line and check them out. so good luck and spend the day checking out the museum.have a great day!!!!!

For anyone who has an appreciation of history, your time is well worth going through the Ships and Museum. Incredibly interesting self-guided tour, kind of like Ikea, one way in and one way out. Just make sure you go to the bathroom before getting on the ships as there is no working bathroom there if needed. The folks staffing it could not have been more helpful and informative.

Unfortunately, it just wasn't my thing. My friend, however, found it more interesting than I did.
We saw a WW2 cruiser, destroyer and submarine.From my perspective they were absolutely enormous.They almost seemed like tiny cities unto themselves.
Visitors are permitted to explore both ships.Some folks with mobility issues may have difficulty with the very steep ladders leading to various levels.
If there was public access to the submarine, we couldn't figure out where it was.
There was a wedding taking place on one of the ships. Frankly, I found the brides maid's and flower girl dresses more interesting than the gray, depressing war ships.
But it did give me a sense of what life was like aboard these huge vessels for the young men who fought for our country over seventy years ago.

Along side the canal side is the Buffalo and Erie county naval military park. You pay for the tour inside the naval gift shop. Inside the gift shop you have a small restaurant. You have the option of eating inside or on the patio, over looking the water. Also you have a gift shop area and upstairs is the start of the Naval tour. Heading back outside you see the huge naval vessels (3). You also come across some tanks, jets & view historical exhibits.

One thing I wondered before arriving was how much of the ships and sub do you actually get to tour, no one (not even the website) really mentions this. And the answer is pretty much every inch! The USS Sullivans is amazing! This is the smaller of the 2 ships and was never upfitted since it went into service in 1943. You could easily spend a couple of hours touring this boat alone. I kept looking over at the USS Little Rock thinking if the Sullivans is this cool, that huge monster has to be even better. That Ship is so big that they used a lot of the spaces inside for displays so it is a little different experience. And I couldn't even imagine living aboard that sub at any point and time let alone war-time. You can easily spend an entire day here and still not see everything. We will definitely be back.

I sure would go back to the Buffalo & Erie County Naval & Military Museum in a heart beat I loved it and I Highly Recommend That Every One Should Check It Out Big Time

Many naval statues and memorials to see in the park along the water. Nice, quiet places to take it all in as well.

This self guided tour of the naval ships, USS Sullivan and USS Little Rock, and submarine, USS Croaker, was a wonderful experience for all ages! The docents, all US Veterans, were so friendly and clearly take so much pride in their work. It was awesome to walk through and see the conditions that our service men and women experience in defense of our country. When you're in the area, this is definitely a great place to stop and visit!

My dad was in the US NAVY during WWll and almost didn't come back alive. You should see how the military had to live day in and day out to protect our country! It was not what you can even imagine. Take time out of your busy schedules of work, relaxation and entertainment to appreciate what our service people gave up for our FREEDOM!

Part of the Canal-side-Marina complex. a good stroll even if you do not visit the military boats, great if you do.

Spent Father's Day here. What a nice place....did a WOW when I seen the ships and navy boats here. You pay one price to go on all the ships and submarine. The we walked the canal to Lake Erie and back. They did a very nice job of laying out the park. Plenty of places to eat or snack with lots of benches. Parking appears to be free in the park area but we parked in the garage which was $3.00 for all day. Would come back again.

Canalside is a great place to visit if you have family coming to town, and when you do, visiting the Naval and Military Park is well worth it. There is a small but informative museum before you board the three ships that are permanently docked there. You follow a well-marked path through the ships, seeing all the major areas in ships and subs in the World War II era. Many of the rooms also have exhibits, telling you about the people who worked on these ships, the story of the Sullivan Brothers, for whom the USS Sullivan was named, uniforms from the era, other human interest stories, and more. It took my family a couple of hours to do it justice. We were all adults, but teens would enjoy it too. Small children would enjoy seeing the ships but would probably not get much out of the exhibits. I definitely will take other family there when they come to Buffalo.

After visiting this exhibit the news reports involving naval issues will make more sense. (Comparing the sizes if destroyers and cruizers, etc.

Located at Canalside Buffalo River, very scenic location. Walking through a naval ship is amazing, very educational. Park like grounds, Other activities, restaurants and waterfront adjacent make this a must see in the Western NY area.

The park and exhibits are excellent. Being from Waterloo, Iowa, the USS The Sullivans had extra meeting. The guides are excellent and the gift shop has some very interesting items.

We went for a tour and it was really cool! The Little Rock ship is massive and the story about the sullivans is cool! You need to check it out!

Needed to kill a few outs before heading to the airport, and my 19 yr old son found this jewel. Super friendly staff, very historic and interesting piece of history. My favorite was the submarine. Amazes me how 40 people lived in such small quarters. The tour was well organized even though we did not use the audio tour. Had a Groupon which helped as week. Highly recommend for all ages.

We enjoyed touring the ships and sub. Liked that it was a self guided tour. They give you a little info when you first board, tell you how to go about touring, then you’re on your own. I like that so you can either move faster or stop whenever you want. Its pretty well marked on how to get around. You just follow the yellow lines all throughout. They have little descriptions in most places to let you know what your looking at (or not if it’s obvious). A lot of good info scattered about too.

We were there about two hours. Enjoyed by everyone in our group from teenager to 60s. Adults could’ve probably spent a little more time, but the teenager didn’t stop as much. we kept going sometimes when I would have stopped and explored/read a little more. So I’d say anywhere from 1.5-3 hours would be what to plan on.

I read on their site that some areas would be closed because of COVID. We did notice some things blocked off but it was still very enjoyable.

We had a hard time finding parking at first. There is a fenced lot across the street but the entrance of it said for residents only. We circled around and couldn’t find any parking anywhere. We ended up finding a lot back beside the fenced parking area under the overpass (it was across the street and back a little from the naval park entrance). As we walked past the fenced in lot there were signs (if you enter and go all the way to the right) saying parking for Buffalo naval park. So just ignore the residents only and head far right and there are some spots there.

Don't miss this interesting and touching park. I actually teared up at one point. Kids seemed to really be interested in the history and memorials. Tours of the boat are available. I am glad I went.

The Buffalo & Erie County Naval and Military Park is located at the end of the light rail line and is definitely worth a visit. Talk about getting up close and personal with some battle proven ships and planes. Seeing the "USS The Sullivans" and knowing the fate of the 5 Sullivan brothers was especially rewarding. We took the self guided tour. While we didn't get to go inside any of the great warships, we did got some great exterior views. Glad we went!

Really interesting and historical museum and naval ships. Great tour but many steps throughout the ships.

Enjoyed ourselves touring the ships and soaking in all the history. There are many informative displays and exhibits within the ships and we also chatted with some of the veterans available. Stayed for three hours and left feeling pleased that we’d visited.

Too little time and too much fatigue to do all 3 ships but the Sullivans alone is worth the trip and price of admission. Many ladders and companionways and it's warm inside on a hot day, but you can wend your way to the bowels of the ship if you so choose. More extensive access and exposure than any other ship tour I've ever taken. Would love to go back and complete the trio. Pay station parking available ($3) up Pearl street under the Skyway. Tickets available at the Liberty Hound restaurant at park entrance. (have a quick beer on the patio)

Worth seeing even though the submarine was closed at time of our visit. My husband gave us a tour since he is a retired vet. He was aboard a Coast Guard Cutter. Everyone loved the tour. He wished there were more areas accessible to people though. Enjoyable. Well worth it.

I have visited this spot in Buffalo several times as parents sharing with our kids, years later as grandparents, with friends attending concerts. In all cases, it was time well spent. The tour of each vessel is worthy of your time, but that's especially true of the submarine. Have the kiddos lay down on a bunk in the sub and try to picture it as their bedroom when they are an adult! It's history coming true in the moment and watch their eyes widen....

This was such an interesting site to explore. You can enter and go below deck, imagining how it must have been to serve on one of these huge ships. The history and facts are well presented, and there are guiding lines to help you navigate. So much is documented here. There are three ships to explore, each different and unique.
The location of the Naval park is right on the Canal, so when you're finished, take time to enjoy the other sites along the canal.
ps there is free parking in the marina, just a short walk away. The Canal side area is beautiful. There is a huge core of volunteer gardeners, who have made this area a real sanctuary.
pss. I don't believe this is handicap accessible, there are steep stairs, and narrow passageways, you might think twice if you're claustrophobic.

So beautiful. Made me appreciate all that our servicemen have done, are doing, and will do for our freedom!

My husband and I spent several hours touring these three retired navy ships: a destroyer, a cruiser, an a submarine. All were very interesting. The docents were happy to answer any questions. You could tell they enjoyed their work.
Also, there is a park on site with several war monuments.
This place is well worth a visit.

The park itself is beautiful. The flowers were outstanding everywhere and maintained by volunteers. Parking is close and free. There is also a canal ship being built in a separate building that can be viewed and is manned by very friendly people to answer questions. The main part of the park, the three ships, are all open to varying degrees. It is easy to get an overview of them and if you want, the submarine is an adventure for all ages to tour with lots to experience.

Very interesting to walk through the old ships. Definitely worth the $15/each to walk through the ships. Meant for able-bodied folks—-lots of narrow passageways and tough ladders. Plenty of restaurants and restrooms nearby for a lengthy walk up and down the boardwalk.

We visited the Park with our three grandchildren and while we - and they - enjoyed it; we cut the trip short due to rain. We only made it through the first 2 ships before having to turn back and head home but will say that there is a ton to see as both ships have most areas of the ship open and available for viewing. Great activity in dry weather!

I've enjoyed Navel museums across the country and this was one of the best. The museum offers access to most of the ships. I particularly enjoyed walking through the engine rooms as this is not an area open to the public at most navel museums.

From the museum, to the guides, to the organization of the self-guided tours, this is a must see! History buffs, ship lovers, military honorers, you’ll all love it here. There are 3 ships, and they are so much bigger than you would expect. There is a lot of signage explaining about various parts of the ship and the history as well. We spent about 2 1/2 hours and it was closing, but we could have spent even more time. Great way to spend an afternoon.

We are from San Diego Ca. And my husband and I have talked about this Trip to Buffalo. And Niagara. Falls for several. Years and it got canceled. more than once do to my husband being transfered for work, we are both Department of Defense employees and he is retired US Navy, so we finally got to take our trip thi past August an had a wonderful time it was relaxing ad was the best Vacation. We have had together. In years, one of the several places we visited was the Buffalo & Erie county Naal and military park there was a lot of good history both with the navy ships and submarines that are tied up as museum's were real interesting an all the different monuments that represented all branches of military service it was very knowledgeable and excellent US History.

Very interesting and much more than I anticipated. USS Little Rock was impressive, along with the USS Croaker submarine and The Sullivan’s destroyer ship. The museum explains the history of this military park well, it was truly a sight to see.

To hear the guide speak of this ship, the history it exuded, I was spellbound. A must see when in Buffalo. I am in awe of the magnificence.

If you are into military stuff this is a must place to visit in Buffalo. You will see the Little Rock Cruiser, huge ship, a destroyer, submarine, PT Boat, tank, jets and so on. There are monuments to the fallen for all wars with beautiful gardens all around. Download the App and listen to a walking tour of the monuments or buy a ticket and tour the ships. It's an awesome display of what this country can produce to defend us.

Good trip back into naval tour of 2 diiffferent ships and 1 Sub. well worth the money for this area. Very frienly staff

Plenty to see and to do
Took us about three hours but you can see a bit go away for a while and come back later as the wrist band lasts all day.
Two ships and a submarine to see for a $12 adult admission.
Admission also permits you access to the red hanger area and the museum up the stairs in the shop, these were a waste of time, not a lot to see.
You are welcomed aboard the main ship, USS Sullivan by naval veterans who give you a bit of the history about the three vessels, before heading off to explore the vessels alone.
You could just walk along the public pier to see the ships from the dockside but you have to enter and tour the ships properly to experience the full effect of how the naval personnel lived aboard

Visited on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2017. Touring the boats was great. There was lots of history here. We had our German exchange student with us and some of the museum had facts on WWI and WWII. It was very humbling to experience this with him. The sub was good but if you are tall, you may want to skip this part. It rained the entire time we were there, but the self guided tour was good even with the wet weather. We bought a family membership so we can go back when we are in the area.

Amazing!!! So much history! My husband and son loved this! Be prepared to climb up lots of narrow steep steps and crawl in the submarine, might not be good if you have neck/back issues or kids who don’t like to do those things.

Great representation of honor those who serves. At a great location with wall passage to the lake and public parking. Must see when in Buffalo.

We went on an overnight trip with my son's Cub Scout pack a few years ago. It was a great trip for the scouts to get to see military history up close and personal.

The boats were unavailable (not sure if it was the cold, snow, or holiday weekend), so we just saw the museum. They did charge us less, but we probably would have chosen to go somewhere else if we'd known ahead of time. Museum is o.k. I suspect if the boats were open for tours, this would have been a great place to visit -- so I suggest calling ahead and make sure tours are available on the day you go.

This is a must see attraction. Make sure you have comfortable shoes - lots of stairs/ladders. So many interesting things to see. I’m always amazed to see how small & cramped the sleeping areas were

We were in Buffalo visiting family members and were looking for something to do. We decided to go down the pier and found this park. The park is well maintained and there are different memorials throughout the park.

At this park there is also three US ships, a guided missile cruiser, the USS Little Rock, a World War II destroyer, the USS Sullivans, and a Gato-class submarine, the USS Croaker. For a reasonable fee, $12/person and anyone under 5 and under are free, you are able to go inside these ships. A word of advice is that the cruiser and destroyers are huge it will take at least 2 and a half hours to see just these two ships. The submarine is considerably smaller and takes about 15-30 minutes. There is also another exhibit across from the two ships which is pretty informative they have a tank, two jets and other military equipment. Overall a great exhibit and well worth the $12. But you will need some time to see everything.

Also you are able to leave and enter the ships as you please throughout the day. Which is really convenient especially when you have hungry children?

If you are in Buffalo and are looking for something interesting to do come down to the pier and enjoy the Buffalo & Erie County Naval and Miitary Park. The area also has ample parking but I would advise if you are visiting Buffalo to go on the week days.

The Park is also near Canalside which is also very nice and kid friendly.

History come alive.
Nothing like seeing some of the marvels of human engineering and American might. Amazingly close and amazingly spectacular. Kids would enjoy. Lots to do near and around. Easy to find parking.

We took our son here and it was great experience for the entire family. It's incredible getting to see how little space people had on ships and subs.

I have visited the Naval Park before, but this was my wife's first visit. The helpful staff both in the gift shop/snack bar and on the ships provided much information about the park and it's premiere attractions--the naval vessels. Being able to wander freely throughout almost every part of the vessels is the best way to make the historical part of a visit to the park come alive. The hardships that the crews had to endure (especially under combat conditions during wartime) is made more clearly understandable as you squeeze your way down a cramped corridor or through a tiny hatch or crawlspace. The feeling of being confined/claustrophobia while in the submarine is very strong for some, and all the ships in general are quite warm during the summer...another glimpse into what life was like for the sailors. I highly recommend visiting the park, even if you've been before...it's a valuable experience and the park's mission to preserve the vessels (and history) is well worth it.

We were visiting Buffalo as a quick stop over from Niagara Falls back to home and this Navy and Military Park was a great way to view life at sea, in a submarine or warship. Our 10 year olds enjoyed walking through and pretending to be a warfighter.

This was fun mixed with education. We took our 15 and 17 year old sons and we all enjoyed the experience.

Could see a large war ship with the history and Might of American militry force .
Was not lucky to get inside a sit was close for some renovation .
However enjoyed the park around and the beautiful look of the Giant ship .
Lovely place to visit with family.

This is a wonderful area to visit, with many patriotic displays honoring service men and women of all branches of the service. I especially liked seeing the USS The Sullivans destroyer christened in 1943. My family has watched the classic movie, "The Fighting Sullivans" ,so many timesthat my 3 sons knew most of the lines by heart. It was the story of the five Sullivan brothers who all joined the Navy at the start of WWII , and served aboard the same ship. All died when the ship was sunk by Kamakazis. Sad, but great story about the "Greatest Generation.

If you've never been in the belly of an old WWII ship, visit the Buffalo Naval Military museum and park The three ships docked at the mouth of the Buffalo River are an adventure for youngsters and a history lesson for everyone. It is a revelation to see the crew's sleeping and eating quarters, the officers' accommodations, the ships' guns and rockets. There are displays of uniforms, arms, and equipment, with signage, in some of the larger areas. Touring the various compartments of the submarine is a challenge-lift your feet and duck your head. In summer it is cooler below decks. Volunteer veterans are usually available for questions. We took over three hours and did not get to read everything but the self-guided tour can take as little or long as you want. There are videos playing in some areas which allow you to sit and take a break. Not to be missed.

This museum and the ships you can tour is well worth the price of admission and time. So much interesting history to read about and view. Being on the ships really points out the difficulties our service men and women have to deal with. The submarine was especially enlightening!

We just did a tour with our school band trip to Buffalo. We toured all 3 vessels with our group of 5 adults and 10 11/12 year olds. Our tour guide was amazing, our kids were engaged the whole time!

History buffs will appreciate this "museum' with so much to see. Thoroughly enjoyed looking at everything it has to offer. You could spend all day but plan on at least 2-3 hours walking through the museums, touring the ships and submarine, looking at historical artifacts, photos, military vehicles, uniforms and more. I found it very fascinating and worth the time to go. There is also a small restaurant/bar on site with a beautiful view of the lake. Highly recommend it! Kids of all ages will love this!

I am a big military history buff and have gone and visited many related sites and museums. For the price (also look for a discount on Groupon) it is totally worth it to see the three boats, small museum, and the surrounding monuments and aircraft, etc.

I really liked the experience, the ships in particular. There are two ships and a submarine. This was the first time I went inside a destroyer and a submarine and I was awestruck.

The total trip is going to take between 2 and 3 hours, if you follow the yellow lines and not take any short cuts. There are also nice small museums inside the ships if you are into that kind of things.
Now, there are some cautions to keep in mind.

1)Please don't be "that" guy who follows his own path. The passageways are very narrow. It is best if all the visitors walk in same direction. So please follow the yellow arrows.
2)The ships are full of pointy steel corners and bare bolts. The floor is also made of hard steel and coated with coarse teflon like paint. So make sure you are safe and the kids are in your control. Any kind of fall is going to hurt, this is the worst place to stub your toes :)
3)This trip requires basic physical fitness. There are multiple narrow and steep staircases up and down, all the doors have high thresholds and the space is cramped.
The submarine particularly is going to be a challenge for large people.
Going inside the submarine may also be a bad idea if you are claustrophobic.

Overall, I was really happy with this tour. The $12 ticket seemed a bargain. I would recommend everyone to visit this place.The deck has a nice view. Just that people have to carefully consider whether or not they want to go inside the belly of the ships and the submarine.

We visited the Naval and Military park in the city of Buffalo during our one day trip to the city.It was indeed an awesome and informative experience .The park has an attractive and impressive display of various equipment/ armament/aircraft apart from the two ships and a submarine tied alongside .Ship visit is conducted efficiently.The guides explain to you to follow the guiding yellow marking line marked clearly to go into various compartments/ below deck areas .Informative posters and placards are suitably displayed at various locations/compartments/posts for the visitors.The ship visit gives a very clear idea about the type of life and action faced by the crew of the ship.A very informative visit and good exposure to common public about the hardships at sea.

It was very interesting walking through the ship and hard to imagine life on that ship. I never realized how big the ships were. It was a real learning experience. Each man/woman had a job to do. I got to see where they slept, where they ate , where they cooked the meals and where they socialized. It seems it was pretty tight quarters. It gave me a whole new appreciation for the Navy.

Ok, I have an undisputed bias - I’m a (Westpac) Navy Veteran. Of the two ships - the destroyer (named for the Sullivan brothers who died together while at sea during WWII, may they rest in honored peace) predates my experience in the early 1970’s; while the light cruiser - as it carried missiles - represents an entirely different genre of ships than the old “amphibious boats” I served on. But you get the idea. My family (ages two and up!) loved crawling around these “old beauties,” and dare I say, gained some perspective on Dad’s old “war stories.” They kept asking me questions anyway. The folks there do a very nice job with their displays. If you’re in downtown Buffalo - take a walk over towards the lake and visit these iconic American vessels. Anchors away!

Very cool to walk around both ships and the submarine. Little pieces of history throughout as they have museum-type areas set up all through. You need to be somewhat fit to walk up and down the very narrow and steep steps. There was a boyscout troop camping overnight which I thought was a great experience for young kids.

We had a great time checking out the ships and sub. We had three little kids with us but they all enjoyed. Lots of steps so leave the stroller behind.
Well marked so you can go through each area of each ship. Very impressive.
We also enjoyed walking through the memorials to all our countries amazing vets who fought hard for us.

We were so excited to be able to tour these 2 ships and the 1 sub. It really gave civilians a good feel for the inside of these military battleships along with their battle history.

Teen boys enjoyed exploring ships and submarines. Took about 2 hours and we did not have time to explore the museum. The audio tour doesn’t work very well.

Located in the Buffalo waterfront, the park features three decommissioned World War II ships, a cruiser, destroyer and submarine. Allow at least 3 hours to walk through the ships. Outside one can find a plane, helicopter and other smaller vehicles. There’s also a small indoor museum and gift shop.

Having an opportunity to visit these ships was fantastic. The Veterans on board were great and offered insights and stories. A great way to see and understand some of our naval history.

A place the whole family can enjoy! Tour guides are awesome!! All veterans which is wonderful! They even share their stories!!! Great experience, come and see!!

The old lady (in her 60s) working at the ticket count was plain rude and racist. She walked away after serving the last white customer in front of me and my child. She was pretending to be busy folding clothes.

Racist people like her should be fired, as she tarnished the image of this great country.

After getting your arm bands in the museum building you proceed to the ships. We were limited in time and primarily interested in the Croaker submarine. I would allow three hours to adequately tour and absorb all three ships. To get to the sub you have go through the other two ships so we briefly saw them as well. The ships are very clean and the displays lead you through every aspect of their history ... super for vets like me and for the younger folks to get them a taste of naval history. The Croaker was especially well preserved, documented, and easy to walk through from one end to the other ... amazing history and we spent almost an hour and a half on only the one boat. The mooring and adjoining park is very pretty and accessible with more artifacts and commemorative monuments and plaques. For a city display this rivals the national ones in DC ... very well done!

Didn't enter it

But nice pictures from outside .. very big .. liked the idea , nice cafe on the canal side

Soooo much history in this park. I spent the night on the battleship with my son during a boy scout outing and they treated us so well. We have learned so much and i also went with my fiancé and son on a separate occasion because we loved it so much.

The 3 ship naval Park on the newly enhanced Buffalo waterfront is a great place to spend the day with the family and / or friends. The U.S. Little Rock ( Fletcher Cruiser ) The USS Sullivan's ( Destroyer ) and The USS Croaker ((Submarine ) .One ticket each will take you thru all three ships , the diff. levels ,sections and displays. Plus the planes , boats etc before you get to the ships. We found it a great place to take the kids but if your a little older it might be a little tougher climbing up and down the ship stairways. Hours being 10 am - 5 pm daily from the end of March to end of Nov. so if you get there early you would still have plenty of time to tour. ($12-A)($6-c) ($8- Sr) Plus like us if you were looking for more to do there are plenty of other attractions , Restaurants and areas to just sit around and take it easy. So you can go down and spend a couple hours or the day

This place can have its good and bad days; but if you pay attention, observe,read and comprehend and most of all listen. There WILL BE many things to absorb!! This is ANOTHER example of see touch and feel the magnificence in the sacrifice of AMERICANS FOR EACH AND EVERYONE OF US!

Enough history for the Naval buff and beyond...Fantastic store for souvenir shopping too!
Top notch outer wear and apparel, lots of memorabilia! Impressive "brick walks" commemorating those who have served. Be sure to check out "the Sullivans", highly recommended tour for families! Many ancillary attractions for the easily bored too!

No cruise ships here . Here we have the tools of WW 2 that kept us free . Thanks to all the men and women who put on a uniform to keep us free. Thanks to the merchant marines who kept the supply's flowing . Many plaques/ walls honor the fallen . A good place to educate our younger people of the sacrifice so many have given. Brothers , fathers ,uncles , cousins .

2 Ships and a Sub! It’s a great informative tour, on your own as slow or as fast as You like. The service men aboard were very helpful and kind.

Very very nice. Full of military displays of aircraft and battleship and destroyer. USS Little Rock is open for tour. Your average Military Park and museum. I enjoyed my time there!

The Naval and Military Park in Buffalo allows yo'u to explore 3 ships that were used at sea by the navy. There are paths that guide you through the ships so you do not get lost, and there are cases of memorabilia and fake demonstrations throughout. You get to see the living quarters, kitchen, missile room, even a barber shop throughout the boats. The submarine is a little tricky for claustrophobic people.

Stayed in Buffalo for a night close by the naval park, so visited it early in the morning before it actually opened. You can walk around and take pictures of many of the displays without having to pay the cover charge, and the only thing you are really missing is going on board some of the ships. They have a great collections of ships, and also some tanks/APCs, helicopters and fighter aircraft on display.

A couple of interesting ships to venture onto but more important is the beautiful waterfront. Nice place just to hang out on a summers day.

Highly worth the visit for all ages. Count on a minimum 2 hours. Don’t forget to walk around the surrounding gardens and monuments.

Really enjoyed it. Got a group on coupon and got to see the museum, tour 2 large ships and a submarine. We spent about 3 hours there and the kids enjoyed it. If anyone has mobility challenges I would discourage you from going as there are flights of steep steps