An aerial view of Sprague's Maple Farm in nearby Portville.

St. Bonaventure University

Attractions Near SBU


Situated in the southwestern corner of New York state in an expansive region of natural beauty known as the Southern Tier, St. Bonaventure benefits from a location that is ideal for a residential college.

The campus is nestled between the city of Olean on the east and the village of Allegany on the west, so you're just minutes from some of the best restaurants in the region and stores to fill every need, from the familiar big-box centers to small specialty shops.

And if you're looking for fun in the great outdoors, whether it's hiking, biking, skiing, canoeing, or just enjoying one of the most spectacular fall foliage color shows you'll ever see, our outdoor playground, known as the Enchanted Mountains, offers something for everyone. You can start with a 5.6-mile ribbon of fun and fitness right in our own backyard, and across our front lawn: The Allegheny River Valley Trail. The looped, paved-surface walking, jogging and biking trail runs along the banks of the scenic Allegheny River and through portions of the city of Olean and town of Allegany before returning to campus

Olean walks the talk with street transformation, incubator
The city of Olean, located just to the east of campus, recently completed an $8.85 million project to revitalize its North Union Street downtown district known as Walkable Olean. The Olean Business Development Corporation spearheaded a project to renovate the former Olean Business Institute building, which now houses the new Olean Business Incubator that provides help to start-up businesses. It also serves as the home of Greater Olean Area Chamber of Commerce and the Cattaraugus Region Community Foundation. Learn more about Olean Business Development Corp

The city is home to a number of manufacturing stalwarts. Dresser-Rand/Siemens, a global supplier of rotating equipment solutions to the oil, gas and energy markets, operates its largest manufacturing facility and state-of-the-art technology Center in Olean. Also making its home in the city is Cutco Corporation, parent company of Cutco Cutlery, the largest manufacturer of kitchen cutlery in the U.S. and Canada, and of KA-BAR Knives Inc., manufacturer of military, sporting and utility knives.

Cattaraugus County

Home to Allegany State Park (the largest state park in New York), Ellicottville ("The Aspen of the East"), The Amish TrailRock City Park, Griffis Sculpture ParkSprague's Maple Farms, and the Seneca Nation of Indians and its Seneca-Allegany Casino and Hotel, there's something for everyone in Catt County.

Visit The Enchanted Mountains, the official website for tourism and visitor information.

Kayakers on the Allegheny
Enjoy the beauty of our local trees by walking the Allegheny River Valley Trail, and the Allegheny River is a very popular destination for recreational kayaking and canoeing.

Below are links to additional websites that you might find helpful in learning more about Olean, Allegany and the Southern Tier.