A plan for Rochester

With more than 210,000 residents (2020), Rochester is the fourth-largest city in the state of New York, after New York City, Buffalo, and Yonkers. Lake Ontario lies to its north, with the Genesee River flowing northward through the city and over a set of three waterfalls. The historic Erie Canal also runs along the city's borders.

But Rochester is much more than just its waterways. The city loves to celebrate its long history of industry and invention, taking pride in the many innovators and social reformers that have made their marks here. It also looks to the future, to the new places to which today's innovations will lead. And when it's time to relax, few cities of its size can compare when it comes to the variety and quality of its cultural and recreational events.

Above all, the city's primary trait may be perseverance. Epitomized by the yearly collective slog through another snowy winter, this perseverance also manifests itself in the way Rochester has reinvented itself over the years. Even today, as the city tries to chart its course through the 21st century, its people plunge forward with that same determination, carrying with them not just the hope, but the certainty that springtime will arrive and with it, growth.

History

Rochester has always been defined by water. It was born in the early 19th century as a small village on the Genesee River, a few miles south of Lake Ontario. The village was constructed around flour mills that took advantage of the three waterfalls on the river for power. When the Erie Canal was built a few years later, it was routed through Rochester, and the small village became 'America's first boomtown' a major trade center for grain being shipped east and goods being shipped west. It soon garnered the nickname "'The Flour City'", and its products were known as far away as England.

Rochester may not be the most popular place for sightseeing, but the Genesee River gorge and its three waterfalls are certainly worth a trip. For nature lovers, the most scenic of the city's parks is probably Highland Park, although Genesee Valley Park has more recreation options.

Where Rochester shines is in its selection of cultural attractions; the variety and quality compare favorably to cities twice its size. The most prominent of these is the Strong National Museum of Play, absolutely a can't-miss attraction if you have young kids with you or enjoy a sense of nostalgia. The Rochester Museum and Science Center also has fun hands-on exhibits and an adjacent planetarium. History buffs will want to stop by the Susan B. Anthony Museum & House, one of the most important sites in the country for students of the women's rights movement. And fans of photography will be awe-struck by the collections at the George Eastman Museum.

Parks

Famed landscaper Frederick Law Olmsted designed Rochester's first large public parks, which today comprise Highland, Genesee Valley, Maplewood, and Seneca Parks. Each remains a popular destination for locals and visitors alike, supplemented with an array of smaller city parks.

1 Cobb's Hill Reservoir Park. Cobb's Hill provides a great panoramic view of downtown. Located on the corner of Culver and Monroe, it is an easy walk from the cafes on Park Ave. Large duck pond, baseball diamond, tennis courts and a nice (although steep) trail to the top of the hill, where the reservoir is located. A path popular with runners circles the reservoir. Adjacent to Washington Grove, 26 acres of old-growth Oak–Hickory forest right in the middle of the city.

2 Genesee Valley Park, Moore Rd (take Elmwood Ave or E River Rd west from Mt Hope Ave). Daily 7AM-11PM. At the confluence of the Genesee River and the Erie Canal, the park is a great place to step off onto the Genesee Riverway Trail, the Genesee Valley Greenway, and the Erie Canalway Trail (see below). It's also known for its golf course, one of the major public courses in the area. (updated May 2024)

You might sometimes catch residents complaining that there's not much to do around Rochester, but a little research reveals a wealth of opportunities, even during the long winters. Nearly everything is family-friendly, too; Rochester is consistently ranked one of the best cities in the world for visiting with kids. In addition to the many parks and museums, kids will have a great time at Seabreeze Amusement Park in Irondequoit, near the mouth of the bay (see listing, below).

1 Rochester Riverside Convention Center, 123 E Main St (Park at South Ave Garage), ☏ +1 585 232-7200. Rochester's convention center is centrally located and, true to its name, right on the river. It's connected via Skyway to the South Avenue Garage (and thus to the Hyatt Regency Hotel). It also connects via Skyway to the former Rochester Riverside Hotel, which will, with luck, reopen someday. (updated Jul 2024)

Festivals

Once May rolls around, snow becomes less likely, and Rochester's renowned festival season begins. Pretty much every weekend from May through October, there's at least one festival of some sort going on in Rochester or its suburbs. Rochester's festivals run the gamut, focusing on such diverse subjects as horticulture, music, crafts, and food—and admission is free for almost all of them!

The flagship festival is, of course, the Lilac Festival, which has been drawing visitors from out of town to Highland Park for over a century. Newer, but no less popular, is the Rochester International Jazz Festival, which has quickly grown into one of the country's top jazz festivals. Less well-known outside of Rochester is the Corn Hill Arts Festival, but it epitomizes the local festival scene and shouldn't be missed if you're in town in mid-July. Rochester's diversity is on display in the many cultural festivals around the city and the local areas, including Greek, Puerto Rican, and Ukrainian festivals. (The local Oktoberfest, which was a huge event held in Irondequoit for decades, is now a bit smaller and held in Webster.)

Dining in Rochester is typical of most mid-sized American cities. The immediate suburbs are crawling with large chain restaurants, but you can find more original fare in the city proper, and in outlying areas away from the biggest commercial strips.

There is one mainstay of local cuisine that travelers with a large stomach and no fear of cholesterol should absolutely try: the famous Garbage Plate of Nick Tahou's Hots. For a few dollars, a "Plate" comes with your choice of meat served on top of macaroni salad, home fries, and onions, topped with "hot sauce" and ketchup and/or mustard. Most suburbs of Rochester have a local "Hots" (Penfield Hots, Empire Hots, etc.); each of them, not to mention nearly every other burger joint and diner around town, has its own variant on the "Plate", and its own local partisans who declare it to be the best. And while most folks won't claim Tahou's has the best plates, they are still the originals.

A "hot", by the way, is simply a hot dog, but they come in two varieties: red hots (traditional hot dogs) and white hots. White hots are filled with uncured and unsmoked meats, which causes the color difference. The flavor is similar to a mild sausage. Zweigle's is the local brand; don't even bother with any other brand if you're going to try a white hot. "Hot sauce", rather than the expected mouth-scalding pepper blend, is usually a mildly spicy meat sauce to put on hots, especially on garbage plates.

Of course, if you do want mouth-scalding sauce, Buffalo-style chicken wings are almost as popular here as they are in Buffalo. (Surprisingly, neither Anchor Bar—the inventor of the dish—nor Duff's succeeded in their attempts at entering the Rochester market; Bar Bill Tavern on Empire Blvd is the latest Buffalo chain to make the attempt.) Most any bar, bar-like establishment, or pizza joint will have "wings" on their menu (no need to specify "Buffalo wings"; it's assumed). Everyone has a favorite location for wings, but Jeremiah's Tavern has some awards to back up their claim.

The big local brew is Genesee, along with its label-mates Genny Lite and Genesee Cream Ale. Don't believe the wags who tell you the beer is "brewed from the waters of the Genesee"; although the river is clearer than it used to be, you won't find its influence in the local beverages. Genny isn't as popular around town as you might expect for the eighth-largest brewery in the country, but it's working at making a comeback, and few locals would turn down a Cream Ale or Original Honey Brown if offered one. As the saying goes: if a bar doesn't serve Genny, even if no one you know drinks it, it's not a real bar. A visitor's center and tasting room is located inside the Genesee Brew House (see the Do section).

Microbreweries have become big in Rochester, thanks in part to an early start by some key players and more recent changes to state law. Genesee was once the only brewery in the city; now there are dozens.

Sitting as it does at the edge of the Finger Lakes, Rochester is also a good place to get some high-quality wine. Finger Lakes wines can be found in many restaurants throughout the city and its suburbs, although just as many forgo the local stuff in favor of the same old Californian and European selections. If you can, seek out the places that serve local wine; it gives you a better taste of the region and is better for the environment to boot.

Bars & clubs

Rochester nightlife has gotten somewhat more localized in the last two decades. Some once-busy bar districts now consist of a few isolated outlets that people go to and then leave, rather than hopping from bar to bar.

Nonetheless, there's still a wide variety of bars around, from trendy, to sports bars, to dive bars. Rochester is known for it wide selection of cocktails and micro-brewed beers. Visit any mid-range to upscale bar/restaurant and they will probably have a great selection. Ask for their martini menu!

Some great times to drink in Rochester include during the Rochester Cocktail Revival (see #Festivals, above) and the Rochester Real Beer Expo, both in June.

Most people will tell you that a car is a virtual necessity for getting around Rochester. Although largely true, especially taking into account the suburbs, the adventurous can manage to see a lot of attractions on foot or bicycle, and the patient can take advantage of the municipal bus system to traverse the entire county.

Of course, in winter all bets are off. Driving becomes potentially hazardous, biking becomes impossible, and walking is very much hit-or-miss.

Rush hours in Rochester are approximately 7AM–8:30AM and 4:30PM–6PM on weekdays, though travelers from more crowded cities might not even notice.

By car

Six major rental agencies have desks at the Greater Rochester International Airport: Avis, Budget, Dollar, Enterprise, Hertz, and National. Most also have locations scattered throughout the city and surrounding towns, and they will usually come pick you up if you're coming in from, say, the Amtrak station. Contact your preferred agency for details and locations.

Those who balk at needing a car to get anywhere in the Rochester area can at least take heart that it is a very drivable city. A common local maxim is that the travel time between any two points in or around the city is twenty minutes. The expressway system was designed in the 50s, when Rochester's population was booming; this growth slowed to a stop soon afterward, leaving a network of high-capacity roads that rarely see congestion. You'll encounter some mild rush-hour slowdowns, especially on Interstates 390, 490, and 590, but visitors from more populous areas will scoff at what Rochesterians call "traffic".

Construction and severe winter weather can disrupt Rochester's normally placid roads, however. In winter, pay close attention to traffic advisories, and if they say "no unnecessary travel"—they mean it. Most of the time, though, drive slowly and carefully and you'll be fine. It takes locals a snowfall or two to remember this every November, so be extra-cautious early in the season.

Like most other cities, Rochester is generally safe but there are areas that are more prone to crime than others. Potentially dangerous areas exist in the northeast and southwest city neighborhoods. However, there is nothing in these neighborhoods of any particular interest to non-residents so it is unlikely that the average visitor would encounter these areas. Use common sense and situational awareness and crime will not be a problem.

The suburban areas of Rochester generally enjoy a low crime rate.

Call 911 in case of emergency. You can also text 911; be sure to provide a very specific location, as the dispatcher won't automatically receive location information.

There are two primary healthcare networks in the region, Rochester Regional Health and the University of Rochester Medical Center. If you need medical assistance, there are several local hospitals:

7 Strong Memorial Hospital, 601 Elmwood Ave, ☏ +1 585 275-2100. Strong has the regional trauma care center and the area's largest emergency room. It's URMC's primary teaching hospital.

8 Rochester General Hospital, 1425 Portland Ave, ☏ +1 585 922-4000. RGH is the primary hospital in the Rochester Regional system.

9 Highland Hospital, 1000 South Ave, ☏ +1 585 473-2200. URMC's secondary hospital.

10 Unity Hospital, 1555 Long Pond Rd, Greece, ☏ +1 585 723-7000. Rochester Regional's secondary hospital.

The region also has numerous urgent care facilities, open during business hours, that can handle minor medical needs to relieve pressure on the hospital emergency rooms. Notable among these:

11 Behavioral Health Access & Crisis Center, 89 Genesee St (enter from Chili Ave, just W of Genesee St), ☏ +1 595 368-3950. Daily 9AM-9PM. Rochester Regional Health operates this facility, which serves a similar purpose as urgent care centers, but for mental health. They can treat non-life-threatening mental health issues (including addiction and relationship problems) or at least connect you with other resources.