Things To Do
Strong Museum of Play
Recognized as the National Museum of Play, the Strong Museum is great for kids and adults alike. There's also a butterfly garden and a miniature, kid-sized Wegmans.
Strasenburgh Planetarium
The Strasenburgh Planetarium offers showings throughout the day as well as exhibits within the building.
Highland Park
Depending on the weather, Highland Park is often home to groves of lilacs which often are still in bloom around this time of year. There's also several lovely trails for a quick getaway within the city.
Lamberton Conservatory
A beautiful conservatory in the heart of Highland park. Be on the lookout for quails underfoot and Lucky the Duck!
Java's Cafe
A quirky, artsy, and delicious stop for coffee and lunch-time sandwiches of all varieties (meat, veggie, and vegan!).
Aladdin's Natural Eatery
Great, cheap eats and perfect for vegetarian and vegan options! There's a second location as well in Pittsford directly on the Erie Canal and you can eat overlooking the water if you don't mind the drive.
Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
If you love BBQ and cornbread, this is the place for you. Often hosts live music on evenings.
Nick Tahous
Home of the original Garbage Plate, it's a Rochester tradition. It's also great place to try a Rochester "White Hot" — a Rochester variation of the hot dog.
Equal Grounds
A mellow, chill spot to grab coffee and quick bites. They also stock plenty of board games.
The Little Theatre
Rochester's best Indie-theater showing current independent & foreign films in a historic building. Also home to a small, casual cafe.
ARTISANworks
A funky and fun mix of art studios and gallery space for the contemporary art lover.
Rochester Museum & Science Center
With over 200 hand-on-experiences and exhibits, this is a great place to spend a day exploring the natural world. Especially great for those with kids.
George Eastman House
The home of Kodak founder George Eastman now is a museum, but also hosts a variety of exhibitions and has a lovely garden. The Dryden Theatre here also hosts showings of classic movies on a regular basis.
Susan B. Anthony House
Home of Susan B Anthony for 40 years as she worked in the Women's Suffrage Movement. You can also visit her grave in Rochester's Mount Hope Cemetery and the National Women's Hall of Fame in Seneca Falls, NY.
Seabreeze Amusement Park
A local amusement park with rides and a water park. It's home to the 4th oldest operating roller coaster, the Jack Rabbit, which opened in 1920.
Letchworth State Park
A gorgeous state park filled with trails and waterfalls about a 45-minute drive from Rochester. A great day trip for the outdoor enthusiast.
Finger Lakes Wine Tours
The Finger Lakes (about an hour-or-more drive from Rochester) are home to many wineries! Visit a particular winery or take an organized tour.
The Corning Museum of Glass
Corning Museum offers glass exhibits as well as make-your-own glass experiences where you can craft your own objects from glass. Many are day classes and require no previous experience. It is about a two-hour drive from Rochester.
Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls is about an hour-and-a-half drive away from Rochester. If you plan to cross to the Canadian side, remember your passport! One can walk the bridge into Canada over the river for a great view of the falls.