“Western New York Explorer’s Guide” & book signing events

From the grandeur of Niagara Falls to small tucked-away towns, whatever your interest, you find it in Western New York. “WESTERN NEW YORK: An Explorer’s Guide: From Niagara Falls and Southern Ontario to the Western Edge of the Finger Lakes” (The Countryman Press, June 2008), is the only guidebook that focuses specifically on the western region of the state. This second edition of the guidebook, which will begin appearing on store shelves within the next few weeks, has been updated with hundreds of new listings.

Included in the guide are all the well-known attractions, along with places not mentioned in any other travel guide; such as the numerous antique shops in the tiny village of Angelica in Allegany County, the serenity of the Abbey of the Genesee in Livingston County, and the scenic beauty of diminutive Findley Lake in Chautauqua County.

Western New York has something to offer everyone, and this guide is filled with practical information to help visitors navigate their way around and decide what to do and where to stay. For history buffs, there are hundreds of museums, big and small, as well as close to 30 designated National Historic Landmarks, along with numerous towns and villages with historic architecture of interest.

For wine connoisseurs, there are over 70 wineries, which are prevalent in the Finger Lakes region, as well as in Niagara and Chautauqua Counties and Southern Ontario. And that’s not all; Western New York offers a wide array of theaters, art galleries, and other cultural institutions. There is also a variety of recreational activities, spanning all seasons, from fishing and boating to camping and hiking and golfing and skiing.
This comprehensive guide includes opinionated listings of inns, B&Bs, hotels, and vacation cabins; hundreds of dining reviews, from diners to four-star restaurants; up-to-date maps; an alphabetical “What’s Where” subject guide to aid in trip planning; and handy icons that point out family-friendly establishments, wheelchair access, places of special value, and lodgings that accept pets.

Author Christine Smyczynski, a native western New Yorker with a longtime interest in regional history and local attractions, is the author of hundreds of articles about the area. She writes regularly for The Buffalo News, The Democrat & Chronicle, Western New York Family Magazine and several other local and regional publications. She lives outside Buffalo, New York with her husband and four children.

Ms. Smyczynski would like to announce the following promotional events in May and June. Books will be available for purchase.

Travel Talks
Thursday May 22 at 7pm, Audubon Library, 350 John James Audubon Parkway, Amherst, 716-689-4922. Learn about some local getaways, just in time for Memorial Day Weekend.

Tuesday, June 3 at 6:30pm, Williamsville Library, 5571 Main Street, Williamsville, 716-632-6176.

Monday June 30 at 7pm, Clearfield Library, 770 Hopkins Road, Williamsville, 716-688-4955.

Book Signing
Saturday, June 14 from 1-3pm, Present Tense Bookstore, 101 Washington Avenue, Batavia, 585-815-7640.

The book, which retails for $21.95, is available at bookstores, specialty retailers, museum shops and online at www.countrymanpress.com, www.buffalobooks.com and www.amazon.com. For more information about the book; visit http://explorewny.home.att.net