Ralph Wilson Stadium
Ralph Wilson Stadium, colloquially known as The Ralph, was a stadium in Orchard Park, New York, in the Southtowns of the Buffalo metropolitan area. Its operator is Pegula Sports and Entertainment. Worth the trip, Highmark Stadium is 0.3 mi off.
A stadium & arena inside Orchard Park
One of the most looked-up attractions in the U.S.
About 125K people a year read its Wikipedia article, more than for 97% of the 7,799 attractions we track.
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 17°, with about 109" of snow a year. When to go ↓
You can stay in Orchard Park
Ralph Wilson Stadium is inside Orchard Park, which has 8 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
Best months: May, Jun, Jul, Aug and Sep
May, June, July, August and September are the mild months, with highs of 68–80°. When to go ↓
An airport 12 miles away
Buffalo Niagara (BUF) has airline service, about 12 miles from Ralph Wilson Stadium.
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
Choosing a month
Here are the months at Ralph Wilson Stadium, with their weather.
Ralph Wilson Stadium
Ralph Wilson Stadium, colloquially known as The Ralph, was a stadium in Orchard Park, New York, in the Southtowns of the Buffalo metropolitan area. It served as the home venue of the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL) from 1973 to 2025. The stadium opened in 1973 as Rich Stadium and remained that until 1998. It was known as Ralph Wilson Stadium from 1998 to 2015, New Era Field from 2016 to 2019, Bills Stadium in 2020, and Highmark Stadium from 2021 until its closure following the 2025 season. The stadium was demolished over the course of spring and summer 2026 upon the completion of its replacement, also named Highmark Stadium.
- Type
- Stadium & arena
- Opened
- 1973
- Run by
- Pegula Sports and Entertainment
- Wikipedia readers
- 125K a year
Overnight near Ralph Wilson Stadium
Rooms are nearest in Orchard Park (8) and Buffalo (43).
- 1Highmark Stadium
- 2Niagara Falls
- 3Eternal Flame Falls
- 4KeyBank Center
- 5USS The Sullivans
- 6Sahlen Field
- 7USS Little Rock
- 8Horseshoe Falls
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Ralph Wilson Stadium | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orchard Park | in town | — | 8 6 hotels · 1 motel · 1 RV park | 29,804 | $361K | B |
| Buffalo | 9 mi northwest | 15 min | 43 30 hotels · 8 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins · 1 hostel · 1 campground | 274,613 | $164K | D− |
| Cheektowaga | 10 mi north | 15 min | 39 34 hotels · 2 motels · 1 lodge or cabins · 2 campgrounds | 88,160 | $185K | D |
| Hamburg | 4 mi southwest | 5 min | 13 6 hotels · 2 motels · 3 inns & B&Bs · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 campground | 60,768 | $251K | B− |
| Niagara Falls | 25 mi northwest | 35 min | 114 57 hotels · 15 motels · 37 inns & B&Bs · 3 lodges & cabins · 2 hostels | 47,255 | $115K | D |
| West Seneca | 5 mi north | 5 min | 9 7 hotels · 1 motel · 1 lodge or cabins | 45,469 | $233K | C+ |
| Amherst | 17 mi north | 25 min | 35 28 hotels · 4 motels · 1 lodge or cabins · 2 campgrounds | 130,442 | $312K | C |
| Lancaster | 12 mi northeast | 20 min | 18 12 hotels · 4 motels · 2 lodges & cabins | 45,075 | $278K | B+ |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Places to add to Ralph Wilson Stadium
A wider trip can take in these, within 26 miles.
Big draw1in town Stadium & arenaHighmark Stadium
Big draw226 mi WaterfallNiagara Falls
35 mi WaterfallEternal Flame Falls
48 mi Stadium & arenaKeyBank Center
59 mi MuseumUSS The Sullivans
69 mi Stadium & arenaSahlen Field
79 mi MuseumUSS Little Rock
826 mi WaterfallHorseshoe FallsPhoto credits
Highmark Stadium: James161723, CC0 · Niagara Falls: Robert F. Tobler, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Eternal Flame Falls: Mpmajewski, CC BY-SA 3.0 · KeyBank Center: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0 · USS The Sullivans: Unknown, Public domain · Sahlen Field: Quintinsoloviev, CC BY-SA 4.0 · USS Little Rock: PH2 J.E. Higgins, U.S. Navy, Public domain · Horseshoe Falls: Ujjwal Kumar, Public domain
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Quick answers on Ralph Wilson Stadium
Is Ralph Wilson Stadium in Orchard Park?
Yes. It’s inside Orchard Park, NY.
When is the best time to visit Ralph Wilson Stadium?
May, June, July, August and September, with highs of 68–80°.
What is the closest airport to Ralph Wilson Stadium?
Buffalo Niagara (BUF), about 12 miles away.
Where should I stay near Ralph Wilson Stadium?
Buffalo (9 mi, 43 places to stay), Cheektowaga (10 mi, 39 places to stay) and Hamburg (4 mi, 13 places to stay).
Orchard Park has the answers
Questions and tips go in Orchard Park’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.