Theme & Amusement Parks in Erie

The third-oldest zoo in the United States, the Buffalo Zoo was originally founded in 1875 as a deer park in the northwest corner of Delaware Park. Since then, it has grown into a 23.5-acre home for diverse species of mammals, birds, reptiles, and fish, all under the care of the Zoological Society of Buffalo, an organization dedicated to advancing the conservation of the world’s exotic, endangered, and ordinary animals. Within its habitats, creatures ranging from Asian elephants to poison arrow frogs serve as ambassadors from far-off kingdoms, and at the Delta Sonic Heritage Farm’s 1800s-era barn, a collection of berkshire pigs, southdown sheep, and other farm animals represents the fauna that once commonly lived along the Erie Canal. To carry out its educational mission, the zoo regularly hosts programs such as behind-the-scenes workshops and Zoo Snooze, in which kids can stay over for the night and wake up alongside the lions roaring angrily at their rooster alarm clocks.

It is estimated that 3,500 snow leopards currently make their home in the wild, where they use their claws and predatory stealth to scale central-Asian cliffsides in search of wild goats and rabbits. These secretive cats rarely let out so much as a purr, preferring solitude to contact with humans and even each other. Nevertheless, humans have helped their dwindling population grow in recent years through conservation efforts at zoos and habitats throughout the world.

Safari Niagara counts itself among the world’s safest havens for these downy cats. In working with the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the animal park provides a home for snow leopards and more than 500 other species of mammals, reptiles, and birds. The park’s conservationists lead educational presentations on threatened species and aim to shape children into the world’s future caretakers through up-close interactions with the park’s most social residents. Alpacas, river otters, grey wolves, and falcons are among the many animals that prowl the 110-acre facility, which also hosts an amphitheater where guests can watch musicians shimmy and shake in their natural habitat.Safari Niagara

With two decades of racecar driving under his belt, Mr. Uli Bieri sought a means to safely share motorsports with other enthusiasts. In 1997, he found it in the form of Cayuga Dragway Park, a former airstrip built in 1955. He purchased the land, and over the years added a 3-kilometre road course that could be reconfigured for drivers of different skill levels and extensive noise-reduction berms. He constructed the tracks with a strong focus on safety, keeping the ground flat and providing ample runoff area. In 2001, he rechristened the two tracks Toronto Motorsports Park, providing a venue for amateur racers to compete, practice, and engage in instructional programs.

Today the dual stretches of pavement serve both education and entertainment for the motorsports community, regularly holding massive events featuring professionally modified vehicles and legendary drivers. Amateurs still get plenty of track time to try out new vehicles with the Test & Tune Program and race custom rides in the Bracket Series.