The Chautauqua Institution

Chautuauqua Institution is probably the best place to spend your summer in the area, since there isn’t much else here in Western New York!!
It’s expensive, but no more than any other place, and offers hundreds of different activities! You can take classes, listen to lectures and concerts, go shopping, anything you can imagine! My favorite thing to do every summer is to simply walk the grounds, which are beautiful on a summer day. It’s filled with friendly people.
Hundreds of students come every summer, especially musicians and singers. I’ve taken summer enrichment there. Every day there is a lecture, concert, or some kind of event you can attend, and there’s also a craft show every year.

beautiful setting and great summer music, but i don’t know that i’d be inclined to visit had i not had friends performing/studying there. the institution is kind of creepy in a pleasantville-esque sort of way. we actually had to sneak OUT the next day because they check passes on the way out as well as in (ours were only good for a few hours on one day).