Overview
Little Valley is the county seat of Cattaraugus County, New York.
1 sights · 3 things to do · 3 places to eat · 1 bars & cafés · 3 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Little Valley
Little Valley Speedway
Western New York's only half-mile (800m) dirt racetrack is a multi-purpose one, hosting exciting races of stock, sprint, modified, and late-model cars every year, as well as an annual schedule of four demolition derbies,…
Mansfield Area Historical Society Museum
In this small museum inside the Mansfield Town Hall are preserved artifacts and records related to the history of the Town of Mansfield and surrounding area.
Cattaraugus County Fair
Held annually since 1842 at the end of July and beginning of August, the fun and entertainment that the Cattaraugus County Fair brings to the people of Little Valley takes myriad forms: whether it be exciting carnival ri…
Little Valley Horse Park
Home of The Little Valley Riders Club since 1952, this expanse of state-owned land just outside of the village center not only contains its own horseback riding trails for all skill levels, but also links up with the 12-…
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Sep. Summer highs reach about 80°F; winter lows dip to about 19°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Sep and Oct. (climate data from nearby Buffalo)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- BFD Bradford Regional Airport, Bradford — 32 mi away. Directions
- BUF Buffalo Niagara International Airport, Buffalo — 48 mi away (major hub). Directions
Coming from Jamestown, Erie, and points west, get off at Exit 16 of the Southern Tier Expressway (I-86) in Randolph, then follow Route 394 eastbound for 3 miles (5 km) until its junction with Route 242 just outside of East Randolph. Turn left and follow Route 242 for another 9½ miles (15½ km) and you'll be in downtown Little Valley.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Places to stay listed here: about $75–$120 a night (typical $102), from 6 listed prices.
- Estimated daily budget per person (room, two meals, local transport and an activity): budget ~$120, mid-range ~$180, comfortable ~$290.
Options are grouped as Bed and breakfasts, Campgrounds in the Sleep guide ↓.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Mansfield Area Historical Society Museum, Cattaraugus County Fair
- Lunch Cornerstone Market
- Afternoon Little Valley Horse Park, Little Valley Speedway
- Dinner Hughes Hotel
- Evening The Bear Brick
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
By car
Coming from Jamestown, Erie, and points west, get off at Exit 16 of the Southern Tier Expressway (I-86) in Randolph, then follow Route 394 eastbound for 3 miles (5 km) until its junction with Route 242 just outside of East Randolph. Turn left and follow Route 242 for another 9½ miles (15½ km) and you'll be in downtown Little Valley.
Coming from Olean, Corning/Elmira, and points east, get off at Exit 20 of the Southern Tier Expressway (I-86) in Salamanca, then follow Broad Street for half a mile (1 km) until its intersection with Center Street (Route 353). Turn left on 353 and continue northward for a little over 6 miles (about 10 km), bearing left at the merge with Route 242. Just over a mile (about 2 km) ahead is downtown Little Valley.
Coming from Buffalo and points north, take US 219 south into Ellicottville. At the corner of Washington and Jefferson Streets, continue straight on Washington via Route 242 westbound. Downtown Little Valley is a bit more than eight miles (13 km) down the road.
By plane
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Bradford Regional Airport (BFD) in Bradford, Pennsylvania, which is served with daily commuter flights from Pittsburgh via Southern Airways Express: four on weekdays, two on Saturdays, and three on Sundays. In practice, however, arriving in Little Valley by plane usually means flying into Buffalo Niagara International Airport.
By bus
Little Valley is located on Coach USA<nowiki>'</nowiki>s Jamestown-Olean line:
- Eastbound buses depart daily at 6:45AM and 4:45PM from the Jamestown Gateway Train Station at 217 W. 2nd St. in Jamestown, passing through Randolph and various points in between and arriving in Little Valley roughly 45 minutes later.
- Westbound buses depart daily at 9AM and 6:30PM from the parking lot of the Olean Center Mall at 400 N. Union St. in Olean, passing through Salamanca and various points in between and arriving in Little Valley roughly 55 minutes later.
See
Do
Do Cattaraugus County Fair
Held annually since 1842 at the end of July and beginning of August, the fun and entertainment that the Cattaraugus County Fair brings to the people of Little Valley takes myriad forms: whether it be exciting carnival rides, lumberjack competitions, the annual 4-H horse show, pig races, monster truck rallies, tractor pulls, or live musical performances (the 2017 fair brought in Grammy-nominated country singer Joe Nichols), this weeklong event is a surefire hit for the whole family.
Do Little Valley Horse Park
Home of The Little Valley Riders Club since 1952, this expanse of state-owned land just outside of the village center not only contains its own horseback riding trails for all skill levels, but also links up with the 12-mile (about 19.5km) Pat McGee Trail where you can ride all the way northwest to Cattaraugus or southeast to Salamanca.
Do Little Valley Speedway
Western New York's only half-mile (800m) dirt racetrack is a multi-purpose one, hosting exciting races of stock, sprint, modified, and late-model cars every year, as well as an annual schedule of four demolition derbies, including one on July 4th and another one to coincide with the Cattaraugus County Fair.
Eat
Eat Hughes Hotel
A menu of homestyle stick-to-your-ribs American pub grub — burgers, hot and cold sandwiches, a wide variety of deep-fried finger foods on the appetizer menu, specialty pizzas (these especially are what customers rave about), platters of Buffalo-style chicken wings, a few salads, and hearty country-style mains such as meatloaf and oven-roasted smoked chicken dinners — served up in the country roadhouse ambience of one of the oldest buildings in town (erected 1834). The bar has quite the range of beers on tap (mostly big-name domestics, but with a few imports and craft brews for good measure), and live music happens frequently.
Groceries
Eat Cornerstone Market
Small-town supermarket with an adequate if limited selection of groceries and a menu of hot prepared foods. Prices are a bit high, but if you're looking for a full-fledged grocery store, they're the only game in town.
Eat Dollar General
Standard dollar-store setup with a limited range of packaged groceries, frozen foods, a few milk and dairy items if you luck out.
Drink
Drink The Bear Brick
A friendly, well-kept neighborhood tavern smack-dab in the middle of the village center, The Bear Brick is the place to go if you're looking for a more easygoing, low-key experience than you'll find at some of the rowdier watering holes around these parts. At the bar you'll find decent beers and mixed drinks but slow service, and there's also a somewhat limited menu of pub grub (fish fry packs the normally empty house on Friday nights).
Sleep
Bed and breakfasts
Stay Bush Bed & Breakfast
A picture-perfect 19th-century farmhouse brimming with charm and offering a relaxing getaway for all four seasons of the year, Bush Bed & Breakfast comprises your choice of four comfy guest rooms, each with their own decorative schemes, unique antique furnishings (many of which are for sale — ask the owners), and individual amenities: "Katherine's Simplicity" and "Sophie's Rose" each feature a queen bed and a small sitting area and share a bathroom between them, while "Stanley's Den" boasts an ensuite bath and "masculine" decor in navy blue, and top-of-the-line "Molly's Blush" upgrades to a canopy bed and also features a pullout sofa and larger sitting area. ("Thomas Station" — a fifth room, smaller and with a double bed — is only available in conjunction with one of the four other rooms.) The common sitting room contains a TV set and a selection of board games and other rainy-day pastimes, and that's also where guests are regaled each morning with a full spread of country-style breakfast specialties. Kids welcome.
Stay The Manor House Bed & Breakfast
This 1850s-era horse farm turned charming bed & breakfast markets itself to wintertime visitors who come to hit the slopes in nearby Ellicottville, but it's a perfect country getaway for other times of the year too (and with cheaper rates offseason to boot!) Situated on 130 acres (52.5ha) of property, you'll find the Manor House tucked away in a grove of pines and surrounded by verdant frog ponds, manicured gardens, and a network of onsite hiking and horse-riding trails. Two guest rooms each contain a king bed, sitting area, a large closet with extra pillows and blankets for those nippy winter nights, a TV with in-room DVD player, and a private bathroom with glass-doored shower stall. Additionally, the somewhat more luxuriously appointed second-floor room boasts a futon, an antique pedestal sink in the bathroom, and access to the back porch, where cool mountain breezes caress you on a summer's day and the stars come out brilliantly at night. Breakfast is a hearty country-style affair that takes place between 8AM and 9:30AM according to your preference, the sunken Japanese-style hot tub just off the dining room strikes a romantic note, and you can enjoy your own private après-ski in the first-floor common room, playing checkers or curling up with a book in front of a roaring fireplace.
Campgrounds
Nearby
Cattaraugus
City / town · 9 listings · 7 mi away
Ellicottville
City / town · 28 listings · 7 mi away
Salamanca
City / town · 6 listings · 7 mi away
Randolph
City / town · 10 listings · 11 mi away
Allegany State Park
Park · 29 listings · 13 mi away
Franklinville
City / town · 20 listings · 19 mi away
Bradford
City / town · 3 listings · 22 mi away
Olean
City / town · 47 listings · 22 mi away
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