Buffalo Naval and Military Park

The Buffalo and Erie County Naval and Military Park is one of the most unusual museums in the Great Lakes, and the kids in your group will probably not forget it. Ships and a submarine sit at the water's edge at Canalside, open for self-guided exploration. The destroyer USS The Sullivans is named for five brothers from Waterloo, Iowa, who were killed together when the USS Juneau was sunk in 1942, and the ship stands as a memorial to them and to all who served. Beside it is USS Little Rock, a Cold War guided-missile cruiser, and USS Croaker, a Gato-class submarine from the Second World War era. Visitors walk the decks, climb ladders, peer into gun mounts, step into crew quarters and wardrooms, and squeeze through the narrow passages of the submarine. The park has long been billed as the largest inland naval park in the United States, and it also displays aircraft, vehicles and veteran memorials on the grounds, so the experience is as much about service and sacrifice as about machinery.

What makes the visit work is its hands-on scale. On a destroyer you can see the bridge, the combat information areas, the galley and the sleeping bays, and read about daily life at sea. On the cruiser you can examine larger systems and the later era of naval technology.

The submarine is the tightest and most atmospheric, with a cramped control room and a torpedo room that give an immediate sense of how crews lived in close quarters. Signs and exhibits explain the ships' histories, and volunteers, many of them veterans, add personal stories when they are on duty.

The Sullivan brothers story, in particular, tends to move visitors of all ages.Practical tips help. Wear shoes with good grip because decks and ladders can be steep and slippery, and be prepared for stairs and low doorways, which make some areas difficult for people with limited mobility. The park is seasonal in its fullest form, with the ships open for regular visiting in the warmer months and reduced access when the weather turns, so check the schedule before you go.

A standard visit takes about two hours, longer if you are a naval history enthusiast. Combine tickets, special events and educational programs may be offered, and there is a gift shop and a small amount of indoor exhibit space.Because the park sits at Canalside, it fits neatly into a waterfront day. Spend the morning aboard the ships, have lunch at a harbor restaurant, walk the promenade, and consider a sunset stroll or an evening hockey game at the arena.

Families with children who like ships, history lovers and veterans will find this a rewarding stop, and even travelers who normally skip military museums often leave impressed by the sheer physical presence of the vessels.

If you plan on exploring the submarine, bring patience: it can be tight, crowded and warm, and some visitors choose to enjoy it from the dock instead. Bring a camera and a water bottle in summer, because the steel decks hold heat, and consider arriving at opening time to explore the ships before the crowds and the sun reach full strength.