Rochester (New York)

Big-city culture and small-city charm combine in Rochester, a mid-sized city on the shore of Lake Ontario. The birthplace of amateur photography, Rochester was synonymous with Eastman Kodak for much of the 20th century, but the city's fame was established well before George Eastman came on the scene. Today, its historical treasures complement modern family-friendly attractions that rival those found in much larger communities.

In Rochester, you can find the only museum in the world dedicated to play; award-winning music, dance, and acting ensembles; a dense festival calendar covering nearly every weekend of the year; minor-league sports of the highest caliber; and a trio of majestic waterfalls right in the middle of the city. The gateway to the scenic and culinary delights of New York's Finger Lakes region, Rochester is the perfect place to begin your exploration of Western New York.

Understand
With more than 210,000 residents, 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.

As time went on, and farmland opened up in the Great Plains, Rochester's flour industry faded, to be replaced by a succession of others, including clothing, shoes, boats, and horticulture. By the middle of the nineteenth century, Rochester's nurseries and gardens had led to a new nickname: "The Flower City", celebrated each year with the famous Lilac Festival each May. Rochester also became a center for social progressivism. The great abolitionist orator Frederick Douglass made his home here for many years, and suffragist Susan B. Anthony was a lifelong resident.

In the early 1900s, the modern city began to take shape, molded in large part by the philanthropy of George Eastman, whose Eastman Kodak camera company became the area's largest employer. The Eastman School of Music, the Eastman Theatre, the George Eastman Museum, and numerous other buildings and institutions remain today as testaments to his influence and generosity.

Since World War II, Rochester has seen a decline in population but has also seen periods of urban renewal funded by industry. In the 1960s and 70s, the city became known as the leading jazz town in upstate New York, a legacy recalled today by the annual Rochester International Jazz Festival in June. Around the turn of the century, Rochester started calling itself "The World's Image Centre", based on the local prominence of imaging giants Kodak and Xerox and optics company Bausch & Lomb. Those "Big Three" have all downsized in the years since, however, forcing yet another Rochester reinvention.

The industrial decline has been painful, but it has been countered by a rise in world-class historical and cultural attractions as the city learns to take advantage of what makes it unique.

Climate
Rochester is unashamedly part of the Snow Belt of the United States, competing every year with its upstate neighbors for the "coveted" Golden Snowball Award (for most snowfall). Although snowfalls in Rochester were once legendary, the lake-effect snow lately has favored Syracuse and Buffalo. Indeed, Rochester has experienced several winters in the 21st century with less than six feet of snow. (Yes, that's low.)

Visitors are often surprised by the sheer amount of snow Rochesterians will put up with. It takes multiple feet of snow or biting cold frostbite-in-ten-minutes temperatures to close schools; anything less and you just put another layer on and grab the shovel. And forget about work or college being canceled; unless the governor has declared a state of emergency, you'll find commuters dutifully plunging forth across barely-plowed roads and highways. And sometimes, even then....

Simply stated, snow is a daily fact of life in Rochester winters, and the traveler must be prepared to deal with it as the locals do: with a hearty grumble of resignation, the assertion that "at least we don't have earthquakes, tornadoes, or hurricanes", and the knowledge that better days lie ahead.

Fortunately, those "better days" are truly gems, and few cities appreciate them more when they arrive. "The weather is beautiful" headlines can often be found in the news media when a wave of pleasant weather hits. July and August can be very humid at times, but relief is rarely more than a few days away. May, June, late August, September, and early October have the most comfortable temperatures. Outside of those months, partly sunny days alternate with overcast conditions and heavy precipitation, ranging from light fluffy snow to heavy wet glop to cold damp drizzle.

But all this emphasis on winter should not overshadow Rochester's short but beautiful springs, mild summers, and very colorful autumns. Rochesterians make the best of winter, but they really take advantage of every nice day the rest of the year&mdash;and so should you.

Talk
Rochester is part of the "Inland North" dialect region of the United States, with only a few minor local variations. There is, though, one language issue that separates Rochester from the rest of the region: American Sign Language. Rochester has one of the highest populations of deaf people (per capita) in the United States, so sign language is not an uncommon sight around the city. Now, it's not a given that you'll see ASL being used if you visit Rochester (unless you drop by the Rochester School for the Deaf, or the National Technical Institute for the Deaf at Rochester Institute of Technology), but you never know.

For deaf people, few cities in the world are as accommodating as Rochester. Most businesses, especially in Henrietta and Brighton, are accustomed to working with deaf customers and many can receive SMS text messages. Many major events will be interpreted, either by default or upon request. At RIT, nearly all events have both captioning and interpreters. Wherever the event is held, a quick phone call to the venue or sponsor is often all that is needed to ensure the presence of an interpreter.

If you encounter a deaf person but don't know sign language, remember not to shout. You can raise your voice slightly, but it's most important to speak clearly and directly, being careful not to hide your mouth with your hand. If all else fails, find a piece of paper and write back and forth. If an interpreter is available, be sure to address the deaf person, not the interpreter. The deaf person will watch the interpreter, but you should be looking at the deaf person and listening to the interpreter.

By plane


To travel to/from the airport:
 * RTS Route 23 (West Ave./Airport) ($1 for a single trip, $3 for a day pass) operates between the airport and the RTS Transit Center downtown. Buses come every 30 minutes on weekdays or every 60 minutes weekends and nights.
 * Taxis cost $2 plus $3/mile; $10 minimum; $2.50/add'l passenger. Monroe County Airport Taxi Service is the only taxi company contracted to have cars waiting for arriving passengers.
 * Rental cars from most of the major agencies are obtainable at the airport.
 * Hotel shuttles are free from many of the hotels on the west or south sides of the city.
 * Ridesharing Services vary in cost based on destination, type, time of day, and a variety of other factors. You can access these services via their websites or via their respective mobile applications on compatible IOS or Android devices. The most popular services in the Rochester area are Lyft and Uber.

By car
Because Rochester is so close to Lake Ontario, the New York State Thruway (Interstate 90) doesn't pass through the city: it runs a few miles to the south, through the southern suburbs. It still provides the quickest route into the area from the east and west, though. Whichever way you're coming, you'll take I-490 to get into the city proper; it leaves the Thruway eastbound at Exit 47, passes through downtown Rochester, then rejoins the Thruway at Exit 45.

Exit 46, between them, is for I-390, the primary route into Rochester from points south. I-390's south end is at I-86, and it also connects with U.S. Route 15 out of Pennsylvania.

From the northeast, if you don't want to head south to the Thruway, most drivers will take State Route 104, a former federal route that constitutes the main rural drag through the northern part of Western New York. 104 also works if you're coming from the northwest&mdash;the northern part of the Niagara Frontier&mdash;but an alternative is the Lake Ontario State Parkway, which starts northwest of downtown and follows the lake shore to the Rochester harbor.

By train

 * Routes stopping at Rochester:
 * Empire Service operating twice daily between Niagara Falls (New York) and New York City including stops in Buffalo, Buffalo (Depew), Rochester, Syracuse, Rome, Utica, Schenectady, Albany (Rensselaer), Hudson, Rhinecliff, Poughkeepsie, Croton-on-Hudson, and Yonkers.
 * Maple Leaf operating daily between Toronto and New York City, in partnership with VIA Rail Canada. Stops between Toronto and Niagara Falls (New York) include in Oakville, Burlington, Grimsby, St. Catharines, and Niagara Falls (Ontario). Stops between Niagara Falls (New York) and New York City are the same as those made by the Empire Service. Border crossing processing takes place in Niagara Falls, where passengers must detrain with their baggage. Train crew members are staffed by VIA Rail within Canada, and by Amtrak within the United States.
 * Lake Shore Limited operating daily between Chicago and Boston or New York City. It makes stops at most stations along the route, though it does not stop at some of the smallest stations. Trains consist of train cars from both branches between Chicago and Albany (Rensselaer). The trains split into separate branches between Albany (Rensselaer) and both Boston and New York City. Stops between Chicago and Albany (Rensselaer) include South Bend, Elkhart, Waterloo, Bryan, Toledo, Sandusky, Elyria, Cleveland, Erie, Buffalo (Depew), Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, and Schenectady. Stops between Albany (Rensselaer) and Boston include Pittsfield, Springfield, Worcester, Framingham. Stops between Albany (Rensselaer) and New York City include Rhinecliff, Poughkeepsie, and Croton-on-Hudson.
 * Lake Shore Limited operating daily between Chicago and Boston or New York City. It makes stops at most stations along the route, though it does not stop at some of the smallest stations. Trains consist of train cars from both branches between Chicago and Albany (Rensselaer). The trains split into separate branches between Albany (Rensselaer) and both Boston and New York City. Stops between Chicago and Albany (Rensselaer) include South Bend, Elkhart, Waterloo, Bryan, Toledo, Sandusky, Elyria, Cleveland, Erie, Buffalo (Depew), Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, and Schenectady. Stops between Albany (Rensselaer) and Boston include Pittsfield, Springfield, Worcester, Framingham. Stops between Albany (Rensselaer) and New York City include Rhinecliff, Poughkeepsie, and Croton-on-Hudson.



By bus
Someday, the plan is to upgrade the rail station to incorporate a bus terminal for intercity buses. Until then....


 * New York Trailways has a temporary bus station just across the street from the train station, at 186 Cumberland St. It is some distance north of the RTS hub, although several routes stop nearby.
 * Greyhound doesn't even get that much; their busses stop out in the open at 120-124 Pleasant St, at St. Joseph's Park across from the St. Joseph's Garage. But at least it's a very short walk to the RTS hub.
 * Megabus, the low-cost carrier with fares as low as $1 (in theory), now uses Trailways for their upstate bus network; if you book a trip from Megabus to or from Rochester, it will most likely be on a Trailways bus, at the Cumberland St. station.

By boat
With the Erie Canal, Genesee River, Lake Ontario, and Irondequoit Bay, waterways are a rare but not unheard-of method of getting to Rochester.

Coming from Lake Ontario, you have two main options. Irondequoit Bay has a large number of slips throughout its several miles of coastline, but the bay is only open April through October. (Then again, who's out boating in November or March?) You can also head up the Genesee River, where you have a few options. On the west bank, 3-hour courtesy dockage is available right in front of the terminal building, while the nearby Port of Rochester Marina has 30 transient slips (as well as 54 seasonal slips, for you long-term visitors) and a whole host of amenities, including a ship store, utilities, and laundry. The cost for a transient slip is the length of your boat in feet times $2.50 per day. The east bank has commercial marinas like Shumway Marine, with similar amenities, as well as mechanics in case your boat needs some repairs.

If you're entering from Canada, you must immediately report your arrival to U.S. Customs. Nominally, this must be done in person – tricky for boaters, since Rochester's customs office is at the airport! Fortunately, there are alternatives. Most conveniently, the CBP ROAM app lets you report directly from your phone. If you can't use the app for whatever reason, there are tablets available at the Port of Rochester Marina and at Shumway Marine.

If you're on the Erie Canal coming from points east or west, you can often moor in one of the villages along the way, including Pittsford, Fairport, and Brockport, although these are all a few miles outside of Rochester. You could also take the canal to the river, then turn north; you can tie up at Brooks Landing near the University of Rochester, or at Corn Hill Landing just south of the I-490 bridge. Both landings are on the west side of the river.

Get around


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"&mdash;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.

Outside of downtown, any place you want to go will have its own parking lot of some sort. Downtown, you'll find a mix of dedicated lots, street parking, public lots, and parking garages. Most surface lots are $5/day or thereabouts, with higher prices near the Blue Cross Arena on game/concert nights. The garages are generally priced reasonably as well. Street parking is free evenings and weekends; the same is true at some of the garages, though special events will negate that.

Expressways
The highway system is designed as two loops, the unofficial "Outer Loop" and the official "Inner Loop", with feeders coming in from the west, east, and south. (North is Lake Ontario&mdash;no highways there!) As of November 2014, the Inner Loop is no longer continuous; this urban expressway used to circumscribe the nominal downtown area, although some "downtown" attractions&mdash;Frontier Field, High Falls, and most of the museums, for example&mdash;lie outside the Inner Loop. The portion of the loop that remains is now a fairly straightforward spur off of I-490, a convenient way to access the northern side of downtown.

I-490 runs east-west right through the middle of the city and formed the bottom portion of the once-complete loop. It is the feeder expressway that connects the Outer and Inner Loops on both the east and west sides of the city, eventually connecting up with Interstate 90, the New York State Thruway, on both ends (several miles out).

The Outer Loop runs very close to the official city limits. I-390 comes up from the south (where it connects with the Thruway), then turns sharply west at a junction with I-590, which heads east. The two spurs curve out and up to the north to form the bottom part of the loop, until they each reach I-490 on either side of the city. Their Interstate designations end there, but the highways each continue north as State Routes 390 and 590. 390 passes State Route 104 and continues north as an expressway to the Lake Ontario State Parkway, just west of the Rochester harbor. 590 also passes Route 104, but then becomes an unnumbered surface boulevard for the rest of its run to the lake, at Seabreeze near Irondequoit Bay.

New York State Route 104 is a major east-west route and forms the northern part of the Outer Loop, although it's only an expressway on one side, from the river east. It's also the main feeder route from the northeast and northwest.

Surface roads


The expressways will get you close to your destination, but navigating the surface streets is necessary as well. Rochester's early founding as a milling village means that its major avenues were laid out to facilitate traffic to outlying and neighboring settlements&mdash;namely, in a radiating pattern. In general, "avenues" radiate outward from downtown and "streets" connect the avenues, but this is not set in stone and there are almost as many exceptions as there are examples.

The only place it's really tricky to drive is downtown. There is a small selection of one-way streets, just few enough to confuse you when you encounter one. There are also some turning restrictions on weekdays, especially for turning onto Main Street; watch the signs carefully. Outside of downtown, you shouldn't have any problem navigating the surface streets; most are well signed.

By bus
The area bus system is the Regional Transit Service (RTS), run by the Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority (RGRTA). While the buses are clean, efficient, comfortable, and cheap, the low frequency and inconvenience of the bus routes can make using the service frustrating.

The bus routes are designed as a hub-spoke system, optimized for travelers headed to and from downtown. The hub in this case is the downtown between North Clinton Avenue and St. Paul Street, just north of Main Street. As a result, travelers trying to get from one suburb to another often have to ride one bus all the way into the city, then another all the way back out. The system works great for getting to the center of downtown, but the typical rider will be faced with a walk or another bus ride to get the rest of the way to his or her destination.

If the bus routes are convenient for you, though, RTS service is hard to beat, especially when the roads get slushy in winter. Every RTS bus has a bicycle rack on front, which can provide some flexibility if you're willing to bike to a bus stop.

Fares are $1 per ride, or $3 for an all-day pass. You can also prepay with RTS Go via card or mobile app; debits are capped at $3 per day and $56 per month. Cards are sold at the transit center and online. Discounted fares are available for children and seniors (although you'll need a Medicare or RTS low-fare card for the senior discount). Kids under five ride free, and youngsters must be at least age 11 to ride without an adult. The $1.00 fare is valid for an hour so you can change buses without paying again; be sure to ask the driver for a transfer ticket.

Bus schedules are available online and throughout the city, especially at transit hubs and information centers.

RTS also operates an On Demand service within seven separate suburban areas. Using the RTS On Demand app, you can schedule a pickup anywhere within an On Demand zone and the wheelchair-accessible vehicle will take you anywhere else within that zone. If you're going to or from a connection hub (which lets you connect to the regular RTS Connect bus routes), the fare is only $1; it's $3 if you want curb-to-curb service.

By foot
Downtown Rochester is very walkable, at least for eight months out of the year. Traffic is light outside of rush hours, and crosswalks are plentiful. You will still see some remnants of the Rochester Skyway, once an extensive system of enclosed elevated walkways and underground tunnels connecting numerous buildings downtown, but there's not much left. Its continuity was severely disrupted when Midtown Plaza closed in 2008, and subsequent walkway removals resulted in just a couple of disjointed connections remaining, mostly from parking garages to office buildings.

On the surface streets downtown, most areas are relatively safe, but be careful in the northeastern area (bounded by E. Main Street, East Avenue, the Inner Loop, and N. Clinton Avenue), especially at night.

Outside of downtown, there are a number of pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods, including Park Avenue and the South Wedge, but they are not well connected to each other, or to downtown. Safety and navigation become issues the farther out you get from tourist attractions and recreation areas. Especially at night, you'll want vehicular transportation available.

One exception to the general lack of walkability is the Genesee Riverway Trail, an almost-completed walking and biking route along the river. Once completed, this trail will take you from the Erie Canal on the south edge of the city all the way to Lake Ontario at the harbor. It also connects with other trails, especially the Genesee Valley Greenway south of the city.

Outside of the city, the inner suburbs are similarly hard to walk in, but there are pockets of village-like atmospheres where walking can be pleasant, such as Twelve Corners in Brighton and the Titus-Hudson area of Irondequoit.

By bicycle
Rochester has (outside the winter months) a bike-share program operated by Veo. They have e-bikes and electric scooters available throughout the city (either at some set locations or wherever previous users left them). The cost is $1 to unlock plus a small per-minute fee, and you'll need the VeoRide app to unlock the vehicle and pay.

Whether you use Veo or bring your own bike, much of the advice above for pedestrians applies to you as well. A network of paths runs through the city and its suburbs, including the Genesee Riverway Trail, El Camino Trail and the Pittsford Trail System, which are fully accessible for bicycles. The low traffic in Rochester is a boon for cyclists, allowing brave ones to take to the highways (but stay off the expressways!). Also, as noted above, all RTS buses have bike racks mounted on the front, which can be a great convenience.

By taxi
You can hire a taxi, but you'll need to call ahead to have one pick you up unless you're at the airport or the Amtrak station. Prices are set by the city at $0.50 per, plus $2.00 per additional passenger ($2.50 to/from the airport). $10.00 minimum to/from the airport; $5 minimum otherwise. Local limousine companies can provide more luxurious transportation for a somewhat higher fee.

Uber and Lyft provide ride-hailing service throughout the county, though availability is sketchy overnight.

By boat
Most boating in Rochester is exclusively recreational in nature, but you may find it a convenient way to travel between destinations.

The Genesee River is not navigable through downtown; you can go downstream from the south (Erie Canal) as far as the Anthony-Douglass Bridge (I-490), or upstream from the north (Lake Ontario) as far as the Lower Falls, but the three waterfalls and the downtown area are no-go. That still leaves some options, however. Mooring is available at the harbor near Lake Ontario and at Brooks Landing and Corn Hill Landing between the canal and downtown. The Erie Canal passes along the southern city limits, providing access from points east and west to the upper river. It's doable, but be sure to plan for the additional transportation you'll need once your boat is docked.

The Erie Canal is drained every November and not refilled until the end of April.

See


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.



Ontario Beach Park and Durand-Eastman Park are also important locations, but they're better known for their beaches and are covered below.

Museums and galleries


Rochester's art scene flies a bit under the radar, but there's a lot around if you're willing to look for it. For a nice sampling, you can check out First Friday, a monthly event in which small galleries throughout the city open their doors to expose works from lesser known artists to the public (6PM-9PM, first Friday of every month). Or wait until June, when the Rochester Contemporary Art Center sponsors the annual 6x6 exhibition of tiny 6 in square tiles, each created anonymously by a different local artist (or celebrity!); only after they're auctioned off to benefit RoCo do the buyers find out the names of the artists!


 * RMSC also operates the Cummings Nature Center in Naples.
 * RMSC also operates the Cummings Nature Center in Naples.
 * RMSC also operates the Cummings Nature Center in Naples.
 * RMSC also operates the Cummings Nature Center in Naples.
 * RMSC also operates the Cummings Nature Center in Naples.
 * RMSC also operates the Cummings Nature Center in Naples.
 * RMSC also operates the Cummings Nature Center in Naples.
 * RMSC also operates the Cummings Nature Center in Naples.
 * RMSC also operates the Cummings Nature Center in Naples.
 * RMSC also operates the Cummings Nature Center in Naples.
 * RMSC also operates the Cummings Nature Center in Naples.

Neighborhoods




Do
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).



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&mdash;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.)

Among the suburban festivals, be sure to check out Fairport Canal Days in early June. Of the many festivals centered on the Erie Canal, this may be the best, and it's held in the quintessential canal town.

The closest Renaissance Festival is in Sterling, Cayuga County. It's about 45 minutes away, but it's worth the trip. It's open weekends from July through mid-August every year.

The listings below are only a sampling of the top festivals.

Spectator sports
Rochester's sports scene is in flux. The city was once the best in the country for minor-league sports. The first decade of the 21st Century saw the city with as many as seven professional sports teams, including high-level lacrosse and women's soccer teams. There was even talk of Rochester getting a team into Major League Soccer, thanks to the runaway popularity of the Rochester Rhinos.

But today, as in many cities, the situation is quite different. No MLS team ever materialized. The Red Wings and Amerks remain beloved, but all the other teams have folded or relocated. Even the lacrosse Knighthawks are a replacement for the original, now-departed team.

But that's just context for talking sports with locals. Don't let it keep you from checking out the excellent competition, especially since tickets won't break the bank, unlike major-league sports.



Film
As befits the home of Eastman Kodak, Rochester is a destination for film buffs. The flagship film festival, the High Falls Film Festival, is no more, though The Little Theatre continues its legacy with its Women In Film series. The local LGBTQ+ film festival, ImageOut, continues, along with the venerable Rochester International Film Festival for short films. (See the Festivals section above for details on those.) Polish and Jewish films are also highlighted in local series.

Rochester has a few multiplexes remaining, but it's also home to some charming small cinemas, where the atmosphere is almost as important as the films.



Local multiplexes are Cinemark Tinseltown in Gates, Regal Eastview in Victor, AMC Webster, and Apple Cinemas in Greece and Pittsford.

Live theatre and music
The prominence of the Eastman School of Music means that some of the world's best musicians have passed through Rochester during their school years, and many have stuck around to enrich the city's cultural life. If big arena concerts make it to Rochester, they usually go to the Blue Cross Arena. But there are many smaller venues in the city as well.



In addition to Montage and Water Street, there are other bars and clubs that present live music frequently, most notably The Bug Jar. See Drink, below.

Gaming
Rochester in is in the midst of a mini-boom in spaces designed to get together with friends and have some fun playing games. Time will tell how many of them last, but for now you have several options, and some of them have surprisingly good food and drinks to go along with the games.



The Strong National Museum of Play (see, above) also maintains a selection of playable vintage video games and pinball machines. And don't forget Millennium Games (see the Buy section, below), which has a huge tabletop game room (and some snacks) inside their enormous retail store.

Golf
Golf experienced immense popularity in Rochester starting in the mid-20th Century, culminating in the Ryder Cup coming to town in 1995, not to mention hosting the LPGA Championship from 2010 to 2013. Interest has waned a bit since then, but major men's tournaments continue to show up periodically to play at storied Oak Hill Country Club in Pittsford, home to one of the best golf courses in the world. (The next major tournament scheduled for Oak Hill is the 2027 U.S. Amateur, and it also wouldn't be a surprise to see the 2033 PGA Championship come to town, as it's been visiting every 10 years since 2003.)

Golf's historic popularity locally isn't just about the pros, though; it's also reflected in the number of high-quality public and semi-public golf courses to be found in the area. Most of them are in the rural suburbs, of course, but there are a few close in to the city:



If your tastes run a bit smaller, maybe try miniature golf.



Beaches and boating
For a city with so many waterways, it's surprising that waterfront activities are so far down the list for most visitors. True, neither the river nor the canal is suitable for swimming (and the lake only barely so), but boating can be a great way to spend an afternoon.

There are two beaches in the city proper:



Boats can be launched at the Port of Rochester where the river empties into the lake; on Irondequoit Bay; or along the canal in many surrounding suburbs like Pittsford and Fairport.

If you don't have your own boat, try booking a river cruise:



Hiking
Three major (albeit under-improvement) multi-use trails pass through the Rochester area, and they all meet up inside Genesee Valley Park.



Aside from the trails, there's not much hiking to do without heading for the suburban parks, though the various city parks might tide you over.

Winter sports
Winter sports are not as popular in Rochester as one might think given the climate, but there are plenty of opportunities. The nearest downhill ski resort is Bristol Mountain north of Naples (or south of Canandaigua) in Ontario County; it's a popular day trip for Rochesterians.

In good (meaning cold) weather, the city maintains an outdoor rink at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Square Park, near the Strong Museum. Several indoor ice rinks around Rochester offer public skating sessions, though mostly in the fall and winter:



There are also some public skating hours at rinks in the suburbs, such as the Webster Ice Arena.

Buy


Shopping around Rochester is dominated by the major suburban commercial strips: Route 104 (Ridge Road) in Greece, and Route 252 (Jefferson Road) in Henrietta. You'll also find major big-box retailers along Route 104 in Irondequoit and Webster, Route 31 (Monroe Ave) in Brighton and Pittsford, and Route 96 in Victor. The three area indoor shopping malls are in Greece,  in Henrietta, and Eastview Mall in Victor. Pittsford Plaza is an upscale and very large strip mall on Monroe Avenue in Pittsford.

Within the city proper, you won't find many large chains, but rather a wide array of independent shops and boutiques. Park Avenue is a particularly rich location for such shops, as well as great dining options. Along with University and Monroe, the three Avenues make for lovely local shopping, with gift shops, bookstores, and other surprises. You'll also find quaint shopping districts in Charlotte near the harbor and along Exchange Boulevard on the east side of Corn Hill.

Also in the city is one of the nation's best public markets:

One unique space you won't want to miss is on North Goodman Street between University Avenue and East Main Street, part of the "Neighborhood of the Arts". It doesn't look like much from the outside, but on the inside it's an old industrial space filled with small independent retail shops and eclectic restaurants. The upper floor also houses space for artists' workshops, so it's almost like a free art gallery up there.

Some other places of note for shoppers:



While the usual generic liquor stores abound, there are specialty shops that are worth a second look:



Eat


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&mdash;the inventor of the dish&mdash;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.

If you're looking for something a little more traditional, Rochester's beaches spawned a great set of local burger joints (most of which don't call them burgers; they're "ground steak sandwiches"). The two big local chains are Bill Gray's, with their flagship location at Seabreeze, and Tom Wahl's, which started south of the city in Avon. While they're both owned by the same family now, they do maintain differences: Tom Wahl's is famous for their root beer floats and homemade ice cream, and Bill Gray's has incorporated Abbott's Frozen Custard into several of their locations. Both have great burgers and classic old-time atmospheres.

Speaking of Abbott's, it's the place to go for ice cream&mdash;only it's not ice cream; it's frozen custard, which is richer and creamier than regular ice cream. With about a dozen locations around Rochester (not counting Bill Gray's), you have no excuse not to drop in and try some.

DiBella's is a chain of local sub shops that many locals swear by, though true fans note a recent decline in quality. DiBella's restaurants have a classic 1950s atmosphere, with lots of neon, chrome, and checkerboard patterns. The sub rolls are made fresh in-house each morning, and they're solid and big enough to hold all the toppings you could want. The "Godfather" and "Dagwood" subs are quite popular.

For pizza, everyone has a different favorite. The local style is a doughy, medium-rise pie somewhat similar to Neapolitan pizza. The oldest local chain, dating from 1947, is Pontillo's, but quality varies widely from location to location. The best Pontillo's pizzas are truly outstanding, but the worst are truly bad. More consistent quality can be found at another large local chain, Salvatore's, though pizza aficionados may be disappointed. Mark's Pizzeria is also popular, and Cam's is expanding and popular with college students. True New York-style pizza is hard to find, though the Pizza Stop on State Street downtown probably comes closest.

It's not just pizza, either. Rochesterians love all sorts of Italian food; it seems like around every corner is another favorite neighborhood Italian-American restaurant, at least in the suburbs. You'll also find a lot of places owned by Greeks, from greasy spoons like Nick Tahou's to classy family restaurants, although they usually toss in plenty of Italian and traditional American entrees as well. A staple at local Greek- and Italian-American restaurants is Chicken French. It's a breaded chicken breast sauteéd in a lemon-wine sauce. It's so popular that veal and even artichokes can be found "Frenched" on local menus.

All this focus on the lower end of the dining spectrum shouldn't obscure the upscale dining available, mostly in the downtown area. The options are neither as exclusive nor as pretentious as those in other, bigger cities like New York, but that doesn't mean you won't want reservations, and you will want to dress up a bit.

Finally, no trip to Rochester is complete without stopping in to a local Wegmans supermarket. No joke: residents frequently take their out-of-town guests to Wegmans, not necessarily to buy anything, but just to see the place. "Wait," the guests say, "you're taking us to a grocery store?" But Wegmans is something special, and Rochesterians are justifiably proud of their hometown grocer. Customer service is paramount at Wegmans, consistently ranked one of the best companies to work for in the U.S. The stores are attractive, clean, and well-stocked. Wegmans was among the first big grocery chains to feature in-store dining; their Market Cafes include pizza, wings, subs, sushi, soups, and salads, all very popular for weeknight takeout dinners. Of course it's all made in-store from Wegmans-branded grocery items. Wegmans' sub shops were modeled after DiBella's, complete with fresh-baked rolls.

There's only one Wegmans left in the city proper, but the suburbs are loaded with them. The flagship location is on Monroe Avenue adjacent to Pittsford Plaza.

Budget
Rochester's cheapest options are epitomized by the burger joints that sprung up along the lake shore in the middle of the 20th century&mdash;Bill Gray's, Vic & Irv's, and Don's Original at Sea Breeze near Irondequoit Bay; and Schallers west of the river. The greasy spoons like Tahou's are also easy on your wallet (if not your arteries). The Rochester Public Market (see the Buy section, above) hosts many vendors who sell prepared foods, including a number of ethnic specialties like empanadas; in many ways it's like an enormous food court.

For an actual food court, check out Mercantile on Main inside the Sibley Building downtown. Far from the chain restaurants found at malls, the vendors here are small, local entrepreneurs. In many cases, they're just starting out in the restaurant business and refining their concepts. They're a bit like food trucks in that respect, but in a consistent location with good breakfast and lunch foot traffic.

Speaking of food trucks, Rochester was a latecomer to the scene, but it's exploded with a variety of creative trucks appearing around the county. You'll find them downtown at lunch, of course, but also at most festivals and at occasional food truck rodeos (such as the one held monthly during the less-frigid months at the Public Market). The most well known food trucks in Rochester are Macarollin', Le Petit Poutine, Marty's Meats, Wraps on Wheels, The Meatball Truck, and Rob's Kabobs, but there are many more plying the streets.



Mid-range


The middle ground is where most of Rochester's restaurants lie. A variety of ethnic cuisines are available, if you're willing to look around a bit.



Bars and Grills
There are a few sports bars around that are more well known for their food than their drinks. They get crowded when there are big events to show on TV (most notably Bills games), but they can be a good place for a family dinner too.



Splurge
Rochester's reputation as a staid company town is slowly dissolving, and more and more restauranteurs are opening upscale establishments to cater to a growing taste for more adventurous cuisine and more personalized service. Rochester's local chefs are no doubt ready for the challenge, as the improving business climate brings more businesspeople on expense accounts to the city.

Drink
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, above) and the Rochester Real Beer Expo, both in June.





Craft beer and brewpubs
The craft beer scene is rapidly growing and Rochester is no exception. Home to a diverse and rapidly expanding selection of breweries, here are some great places to check out.

Wine bars
A handful of excellent wine bars have popped up in Rochester.

Cider
With so many apples grown in Western New York, it was only a matter of time before craft hard cider started being produced locally. Now there's a cider-only bar in the city:



Coffeeshops & cafes


Rochester has its share of Starbucks locations, although the mega-chain is not yet ubiquitous. Much more popular around Rochester is the coffee at Canadian donut shop Tim Hortons.

But venture beyond the big chains and you'll find a number of cozy little coffee shops perfect for lounging around and meeting new people, or mooching the free Wi-Fi.



Cannabis
Recreational marijuana is legal in New York State. There are a large number of dispensaries already open in Rochester, but for on-site consumption, the business is just getting started and no specific lounges have established themselves yet.

Sleep


There are fewer than a dozen traditional hotels within the Rochester city limits, and only a couple within the Inner Loop. The city hotels aren't cheap, but most travelers will be staying in one of the numerous suburban hotels. No matter where you stay, though, you probably won't be far from an expressway, which means you can get pretty much anywhere you want to go in 20 minutes or less.

Many&mdash;maybe even most&mdash;hotels in the area offer free shuttle service to and from the airport. Several of them even have "Airport" in their names, but pay attention to the map; they may be miles away in reality.

Within the city limits
If you look around, there are also a number of bed-and-breakfasts in the city, but they don't publicize themselves much.



In the immediate suburbs
The innermost suburbs are loaded with chain hotels of every size and shape; here are a few of particular note.



Connect
The area code for Rochester and the surrounding area is 585. You don't need to dial the area code locally.

Many businesses offer free Wi-Fi. If you need a computer, head to any public library branch; you'll need a free guest pass to access the computers if you don't have a library card.

The area's main post office is actually south of the city, in Henrietta:



Stay safe
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:

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:

The US Border Patrol has a significant presence in Rochester (arguably more so than Buffalo, which is physically located on the US-Canadian border) and regularly patrol public transit and long distance buses and trains. Persons approached by an officer will be asked their country of citizenship and if not a US Citizen, for their passport, I-94 card or visa (if applicable.) Having these documents handy will prevent delays, see United States of America.

Print media
The local daily newspaper is the Democrat and Chronicle ($3.50 daily, $4.50 Sundays). While it's a much thinner paper than it was in its heyday, and the news is often a day or two old, it remains the top source for print news.

Rochester's alternative monthly is City (free), with extensive arts and entertainment listings as well as journalism (some of it on topics the D&C won't touch). Rochester Beacon is an online-only source for in-depth coverage of local issues.

For business news, the Rochester Business Journal provides comprehensive weekly coverage, while The Daily Record is published every weekday and focuses on legal and real estate transactions and notices.

(585) is a bimonthly glossy magazine covering the entire Rochester region, covering arts, entertainment, food and drink, and culture.

Broadcast media
When a blizzard arrives, or other significant news hits, Rochesterians turn en masse to radio station WHAM, 1180 AM. George Eastman himself came up with the catchy call letters for Rochester's 50,000-watt clear-channel station. It remains the local gold standard for school closings and other emergency information. In calmer times, WHAM runs a lineup of syndicated and local conservative talk programs.

For the morning drive-time, locals who want some strong radio with their coffee turn to WAIO (95.1 FM), and listen to long-time radio personality Brother Wease, the outspoken, liberal host of one of the longest (and longest-running) morning shows in America. Some of Wease's former colleagues from his many years at WCMF (96.5 FM) are still on their morning show, known as the Break Room. Those looking for less intense morning fare go with the WHAM Morning News, or Tony Infantino on WRMM, Warm 101.3 FM.

WGMC, Jazz 90.1 FM, is one of the last remaining full-time jazz stations in the country, although on the weekends they mix in some ethnic flavor.

For specific genres of radio:
 * News and talk: WYSL 1040 AM, WHAM 1180 AM
 * Sports: WROC 950 AM, WHTK 1280 AM
 * National Public Radio: WXXI 1370 AM & 105.9 FM
 * Classical: WXXO 91.5 FM
 * Jazz: WGMC 90.1 FM
 * Country: WBEE 92.5 FM, WDVI 100.5
 * Oldies/Classic hits: WLGZ 102.7 FM
 * Variety hits: WFKL 93.3 FM, WBZA 98.9 FM, WNBL 107.3 FM
 * Adult Contemporary: WRMM 101.3 FM
 * Classic rock: WAIO 95.1 FM, WCMF 96.5 FM
 * Alternative: WBER 90.5 FM, WZNE 94.1 FM
 * Top 40: WPXY 97.9 FM, WKGS 106.7 FM
 * Urban: WDKX 103.9 FM
 * College: WRUR 88.5 FM, WITR 89.7

Libraries
Libraries are your best bet for public Internet access, though many businesses have Wi-Fi hot spots. Fortunately, the city and its suburbs have an excellent network of libraries, the Monroe County Library System. There are a total of eleven library branches in the city, and more than twenty in the suburbs. If you want to check out any materials, there's a $30 annual membership fee for non-residents of the county.



Places of worship
Rochester is large enough that you can find a church or temple for just about any religion and denomination you can think of—if not in the city, then somewhere close by.

Roman Catholicism is the largest single religious denomination (the Rochester Diocese is headquartered at in the Maplewood neighborhood of the city) by far, but there are plenty of Protestant churches (mostly Baptist, Episcopalian, Lutheran, Presbyterian, and Methodist) as well.

Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, and Buddhism each have multiple congregations in the area.

Go next
First and foremost, you'll want to check out the many attractions in Rochester's immediate suburbs, especially the canal communities of Fairport and Pittsford on the east side and Brockport and Spencerport to the west. There's also much to be seen in suburbs such as East Rochester and Victor.

Rochester is also the perfect jumping-off point for forays into the incredible Finger Lakes region of New York. Several destinations in that region stand out:
 * Canandaigua &mdash; only a little over half an hour from Rochester by car, this small city offers excellent lake-front activities, a nice small water park, and the beautiful Sonnenberg Gardens
 * Letchworth State Park &mdash; "The Grand Canyon of the East" features a second set of three waterfalls on the Genesee, mirroring Rochester's trio; the Mount Morris Dam is also a sight to see
 * Seneca Falls &mdash; a cradle of the women's rights movement, this village houses the Women's Rights National Historical Park and is a great place to visit after seeing Susan B. Anthony's home in Rochester

Only about 90 minutes away from Rochester is one of the world's greatest natural attractions, the spectacular Niagara Falls; if you've never been, you owe it to yourself to take this easy day trip. You could also swing by Buffalo, the state's second-largest city and home to historic architecture, major league sports, and plenty of Buffalo wings. To the east, Syracuse is also 90 minutes away.

For onward travel, New York City and the scenic Adirondack mountains are both a six hour car trip to the east. Cosmopolitan Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is even closer by and can be reached by a three-hour drive around Lake Ontario.