In Tonawanda, trails and park amenities go hand in hand with a tangible connection to local history. When planning, you can choose between activities by the water, a paved recreational route, and historical subjects.

Parks and Waterfront Trails

Isle View Park is a long, 39-acre park owned by Erie County in the Town of Tonawanda and is part of the Shoreline Trail System/Riverwalk. A pedestrian bridge connects Niawanda Park with Isle View Park. The park can therefore be viewed both in terms of its connection to the trail system and its named bridge connection.

At Ellicott Creek, visitors can walk along the banks; the paved trails are suitable for inline skating and cycling. Ellicott Creek Park also has an 18-hole disc golf course for beginners. The activities differ in form: walks follow the creek banks, inline skating and cycling take place on paved trails, and disc golf offers a separate activity in the park.

A Paved Recreational Route

Tonawanda Rails to Trails connects Buffalo and the Tonawandas as a recreational trail. The paved trail is 12 feet wide and has several access points, as well as small parking lots at both ends. Walkers, runners, cycling enthusiasts, and families use the route. Its width, surface, and access points give the trail a different character from the individual park amenities: here, the focus is on a linear connection, while Ellicott Creek brings together trails along the banks and activities in the park.

Isle View Park also offers its own connection to the water: there are four ramps for launching boats and jet skis. This amenity adds a different focus to the pedestrian bridge and the park’s connection to the Shoreline Trail System/Riverwalk. When choosing an outdoor theme, you can therefore distinguish between a recreational route, trails along the creek, and the opportunities at Isle View Park.

Local History in a Historic Building

The Tonawanda-Kenmore Historical Society and Museum is located at 100 Knoche Road in one of the oldest surviving original buildings in the Town of Tonawanda. The building was completed in 1849 as St. Peter’s Evangelical Church. A specific building is therefore associated with a clear historical date; the building’s history offers a distinct way to explore Tonawanda’s past.

The historical society preserves and displays materials connected with the Town of Tonawanda and the surrounding areas. Its subject matter therefore extends beyond the building history of the museum itself. This distinction can help with travel planning: an interest in a specific historic building differs from exploring materials about the history of the town and its surroundings.

Highlights for Your Stay

The different offerings can help you choose the focus of your stay: getting active on a paved trail, walking and enjoying other activities at Ellicott Creek, exploring Isle View Park’s connection to the water, or learning about local history at the Tonawanda-Kenmore Historical Society and Museum. The differences lie in the specific activities and subjects, not in any prescribed order. Choose based on whether trails and park amenities or Tonawanda’s history are your priority.

Discover more destinations: Clarence Center, Depew, Snyder, Orchard Park, Grand Island, East Aurora, Getzville, Clarence.

For the broader travel overview: Erie.