Major city · United States
Cattaraugus
Cattaraugus is a village in Cattaraugus County, not the county seat: give it half a day on Route 353 — two free Main Street museums and a diner lunch — then drive on.
Cattaraugus is a small village in the northwest of Cattaraugus County, New York, on State Route 353 between Buffalo and Salamanca. Its two Main Street museums are free and open only a few hours a week, so the village works as a two-to-three-hour stop on a Southern Tier drive, not as a base. Most travellers sleep in Ellicottville or Salamanca and pass through.
More ways in
Local time, weather, currency, airports
- Weather
- see forecast
- Currency
- USD
- Best months
- Jun–Oct
- avoid Jan–Feb (lake-effect snow and ice)
- Airports
- BFD · BUF
- Nights
- 0–1
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
- North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
- North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
- North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
- United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
- United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
- United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
- United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.
What is in this basic guide9 covered · 4 not yet ▾
In this guide
Not in this guide yet
- Walking areas with bag rules
- Day plans checked against opening hours
- Airport-to-bed timings and the last safe connection
- Field-checked times and prices
Official sites
Emergency numbers for Cattaraugus911 ▾
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- Cattaraugus County Sheriff (non-emergency)716-938-9191
- Poison Control1-800-222-1222
Tap a number to call from your phone. These are the numbers listed in this guide; a row marked check has not been verified.
EssentialsQuick answers and what things cost
Essentials
Quick answers and what things cost
Quick answers
The questions people ask first about Cattaraugus, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.
- Cash or card?Currency is the US dollar (USD, $).United States-wide
- SIM or eSIMAT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.United States-wide
- Tap waterTap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.United States-wide
- TippingSit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.United States-wide
- Plugs & powerSockets A/B. US/Canada (A/B): fits · UK/Ireland (G): adapter · Australia/NZ (I): adapter. 120 V: UK and AU 230 V-only devices need a converter; most chargers are dual-voltage.United States-wide
- SafetyThe genuine risks here are rural driving — ice, deer at dusk, unlit roads — and long gaps between fuel, food and phone signal.
Show all 12 answers
- RestroomsFree public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations.United States-wide
- Emergency numbers911 police, fire, ambulance · 716-938-9191 Cattaraugus County Sheriff (non-emergency) · 1-800-222-1222 Poison Control
- Sundays & holidaysFederal holidays close offices, banks and post offices; national parks stay open.United States-wide
- Your embassyFind your embassy's 24-hour line before you fly.
- AirportBFD Bradford Regional, Pennsylvania (Closest field with scheduled flights; small commuter service via Pittsburgh…
- Getting aroundYou need a car.
Cost cheat-sheet
Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.
- CoffeeCoffee and a diner breakfast$8–15
- Museum or sight ticketMuseum entry (cutlery, historical society, Otto)Donations usualFree
- Budget bedMotel room in Salamanca or Olean, a night, per roomUS$70
- Mid-range bedFarm-stay guest room, a night, per roomUS$150
- High-end bedFarm-stay guest room, a night, per roomUS$200
A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$55 · Mid US$95 · High US$180
Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →
DecideWhat it is known for, and when the weather works
Decide
What it is known for, and when the weather works
At a glance
What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.
- Airports
- BFD Bradford Regional, Pennsylvania (Closest field with scheduled flights; small commuter service via Pittsburgh, a few flights on weekdays and weekends — confirm current schedules before relying on it.) · BUF Buffalo Niagara International (The practical gateway, roughly 1 h 15 min by car via I-90 Exit 55 and US 219.)
Best months at a glance
From the guide's best and avoid lists
Jan
Avoid
0°C (32°F)32°F (0°C)
Feb
Avoid
1°C (34°F)34°F (1°C)
Mar
not flagged
6°C (43°F)43°F (6°C)
Apr
not flagged
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
May
not flagged
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
Jun
Best
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
Jul
Best
26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)
Aug
Best
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
Sep
Best
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
Oct
Best
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
Nov
not flagged
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
Dec
not flagged
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
Best: Jun–Oct. Avoid: Jan–Feb. Month by month →
Warmest Jul (26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)), coolest Jan (−9°C (16°F)16°F (−9°C) low), wettest Dec (17 rain days), driest Jul (11). Averages, not a forecast.
Weather and climate
Cattaraugus: next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Air quality
Loading…
Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.
Jan
0°C (32°F)32°F (0°C)
−9°C (16°F)16°F (−9°C)
16 rd
Feb
1°C (34°F)34°F (1°C)
−9°C (16°F)16°F (−9°C)
13 rd
Mar
6°C (43°F)43°F (6°C)
−5°C (23°F)23°F (−5°C)
14 rd
Apr
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
1°C (34°F)34°F (1°C)
14 rd
May
19°C (66°F)66°F (19°C)
7°C (45°F)45°F (7°C)
13 rd
Jun
24°C (75°F)75°F (24°C)
12°C (54°F)54°F (12°C)
12 rd
Jul
26°C (79°F)79°F (26°C)
14°C (57°F)57°F (14°C)
11 rd
Aug
25°C (77°F)77°F (25°C)
13°C (55°F)55°F (13°C)
11 rd
Sep
21°C (70°F)70°F (21°C)
10°C (50°F)50°F (10°C)
11 rd
Oct
15°C (59°F)59°F (15°C)
4°C (39°F)39°F (4°C)
13 rd
Nov
8°C (46°F)46°F (8°C)
−1°C (30°F)30°F (−1°C)
15 rd
Dec
2°C (36°F)36°F (2°C)
−6°C (21°F)21°F (−6°C)
17 rd
High / low, both scales · rd = rain days
Arrive & moveAirports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Arrive & move
Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in
Getting around
You need a car. Main Street (Route 353) is walkable end to end in about 10 minutes, and the museums, diner and library all sit on it. Everything else — Otto's museums and pottery studio, the farm stay — is 3–6 miles out on county roads with no bus service.
Nearest full guides
Straight-line distance, not travel time
See & doDay-trips, door to door
See & do
Day-trips, door to door
Day-trips
Door to door: About 30–40 min
Drive Route 353 south, then local roads via Little Valley
Best nearby base for food and beds; ski hills in winter, hiking and mountain biking in summer.
Salamanca
goDoor to door: About 25–30 min
Route 353 south for about 15 miles
I-86 access, motels and the Seneca Allegany casino; useful if you are heading to the Southern Tier.
Door to door: About 35–45 min
County roads north-east; confirm the route before setting out
The county's largest town: supermarkets, chain hotels and the full range of services.
Door to door: About 15 min
Route 353 south-east
Home of the former Cattaraugus Cutlery Company; pairs naturally with the cutlery museum.
Door to door: About 30–35 min
County roads east; confirm the route before setting out
Small village; only worth the detour if you are already touring the county's back roads.
Door to door: About 45 min
Route 353 south to I-86, then east
Adds up as a loop with Salamanca rather than a stand-alone trip.
Eat & sleepWhich area to sleep in
Eat & sleep
Which area to sleep in
Where to sleep
Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.
Cattaraugus village centre
One farm-stay property on Snyder Hill Rd; no hotel strip. Book ahead or plan to sleep elsewhere.
Ellicottville
About 25–30 min south-east; the county's main bed base with inns, condos and restaurants.
Salamanca
About 25 min south on Route 353; motels and casino-adjacent rooms, handy for I-86.
PracticalWhat a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Practical
What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card
Cost per day
- Budget
- $40–70 excl. bed
- Mid
- $70–120 excl. bed
- High
- $120+ excl. bed
Trip budget
| Motel room in Salamanca or Olean1 × 1 night × US$110 | US$110 |
| Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$95 | US$190 |
| Fuel, about 60 miles of county driving1 × US$12 | US$12 |
| Diner breakfast or lunch2 × US$15 | US$30 |
| eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15 | US$30 |
| Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge | US$37 |
| Trip total≈ US$205 per person per day, bed included | US$409 |
2026 estimate in US dollars; sales tax added at checkout. Your choices stay in this browser.
Prices of common things
| Coffee and a diner breakfast | $8–15 |
| Diner lunch main | $10–18 |
| Friday fish fryFriday dinner only at the village diner | $14–20 |
| Museum entry (cutlery, historical society, Otto)Donations usual | Free |
| Handmade stoneware mug at the Otto pottery studioStudio hours by phone; season May 1–Dec 24 | $25–60 |
| Gallon of petrolVaries by week | $3.20–3.80 |
2026 estimate; check locally.
Watch out
Safety
- Museum hours are short and seasonal: the cutlery museum runs Thursday–Sunday afternoons, the historical society is by appointment, and the Otto museum opens Sunday afternoons in July and August only.
- Cell coverage is patchy on the county roads east of the village; download an offline map before leaving Route 353.
- Winter driving on Route 353 and County Route 12 is the real hazard here — snow, ice and unlit rural roads after dark.
- Fuel and groceries are limited: the village has a dollar store, not a supermarket. Fill up in Olean, Salamanca or Ellicottville.
Emergency numbers
- Police, fire, ambulance
- 911
- Cattaraugus County Sheriff (non-emergency)
- 716-938-9191
- Poison Control
- 1-800-222-1222
Pocket card
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CattaraugusCattaraugus
Pocket card · Voykit
My bed tonight
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Give the street number and Main Street; drivers know the village centre.To this address, please
Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- County Sheriff (non-emergency)716-938-9191
- Poison Control1-800-222-1222
Embassy
No consulates here. Nearest consulates-general are in Buffalo and Toronto; national embassies are in Washington, DC.
My embassy: —
Fare anchors (2026 estimate)
- Buffalo Niagara airport → Cattaraugus by car: about 60 miles, 1 h 15 min
- Salamanca → Cattaraugus on Route 353: about 15 miles, 25–30 min
- Fuel top-up in Olean or Salamanca: fill before the county roads, not after
Say or show
- Main Street is Route 353 through the village centre. — Where is Main Street?
- Museum hours are short — call ahead. — Is it open today?
- Cards are fine in the village; carry some cash for small stops. — Card or cash?
Print this card: museum hours are the thing most likely to sink your stop.
Deep diveWhat this guide covers so far, and its sources
Deep dive
What this guide covers so far, and its sources
Not a trip line yet
This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Cattaraugus. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.
What we know, and what is coming
On this page
- Best months: Jun–Oct · avoid Jan–Feb (lake-effect snow and ice) · month by month →
- 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
- Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
- Cost per day in 3 bands
- 6 day-trips, door to door
- 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers
Coming as the guide grows
- Field-check the three museum opening windows (cutlery, historical society, Otto) and post the exact 2026 hours.
- Confirm the farm-stay rate and minimum nights, plus any second room option in the village.
- Add a Route 353 winter-driving fixture with snow-route status and fuel stops.
- Build place pages for the two Main Street museums and the Otto pottery studio with last-entry times.