To different people, Rochester is known for different things. To some, it’s the flower city and the lilac capital of America. To film and history buffs, Rochester is the birthplace of Kodak, Xerox, and the home of Susan B. Anthony, a women’s rights activist instrumental in the women’s suffrage movement. All things considered, it’s an LGBTQ+ friendly city with rich culture, diverse food scene, and a place where you can find a brewery, a distillery, and a winery within city limits.
For those looking to enjoy the city to the fullest, a long weekend is strongly recommended. But even a single overnight would make for a great city break. This Rochester city guide has something for everyone, whether you travel solo or with a full car.
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This trip was hosted by Rochester Tourism Board who did not review or approve this story.
What to see & Do in Rochester
A lot of your time can be easily spent exploring Rochester on foot or by bike. Walking around you will come across a wide range of arthictrual incfluences and remnants of the industrial era. Many of these factories have been repurposed into restaurants, distilleries, and cultural centers.
One of the city’s newest neighborhoods, the Neighborhood of Play, located around the infamous Strong National Museum of Play, for example, was a road used by Kodak factory workers. Today, it is a vibrant community tastefully inspired by the gleefulness of The Strong Museum. The museum is a year-round cultural attraction, housing the world’s largest collection of toys (from video games to, well, the stick). Make sure to cut through Sesame Street to the Butterfly Garden.
Admission: $25+, half price on Friday evening.
Strong Museum of Play annual pass holders often treat the museum as their local arcade centre.
The Memorial Art Gallery is located near the Neighborhood of the Arts (NOTA), a good area to stroll though to see some public art. The Memorial Art Gallery spreads across two floors and contains a range of wonderful pieces from the permanent collection and touring exhibitions. The gallery building is enclosed by 10 acres of public gardens with sculptural pieces of various sizes spread around the park. The first sculptures you will likely notice, however, are the cute round-faced characters by Tom Otterness.
The Memorial Art Gallery, 500 University Ave., map link
Admission: $9+, half price on Thursdays and Second Fridays after 5 PM.
Further into the city is world’s oldest photography museum: George Eastman. Founded in 1947 by the creator of the Kodak camera, the first ever consumer-friendly point-and-shoot camera, it is the hub for all things photography and film. The museum was originally a Eastman’s home and parts of it still very much look like it. The Eastman Menison also has spectacular gardens.
George Eastman Museum, 900 East Ave., map link
Admission: $9+, free for children under 4.
The museum collection includes over 400,000 photographs from 14,000 photographers dating from the beginnings of the medium. On the left are a few pieces from the museum collection chosen to demonstrate connections between photography, cinema, technology, and culture. On the right are images by Annie Wang, Taipei photographer who took an annual photos with her son for 17 years.
The colourful mini jars are powdered synthetic dye collected by the Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation 1929–1975.
One of the newer cultural additions to the city is ArtisanWorks. The building is a 40,000-square-foot renovated factory that operates as a self-funded, not-for-profit art space. This art collection includes new works by student artists, current contemporary talent, vintage pieces, and memorabilia, rounding up to nearly 500,000 pieces.
ArtisanWorks, 565 Blossom Rd # L, map link
Admission: $10+, free for children under 5.
A short drive from the city center will take you to the Record Archive, a massive retail shop and music venue. Time permitting you could spend hours here flipping through vinyl and other music memorabilia concluding your evening with a live performance in the back room. Much like the rest of the space this room’s interior design is composed with repurposed furnishings and has a very casual living room feel.
Record Archive, 33 1/3 Rockwood St., map link
Admission: Free.
For those looking for more family-friendly activities RMSC Museum & Science Center has three floors of interactive science and history-themed exhibits. On the property is also the Strasenburgh Planetarium and 12 miles of forest trails at the Cumming Nature Center. The planetarium occasionally hosts adult dance parties.
RMSC Museum & Science Center, 657 East Ave., map link
Admission: $21+ for museum GA, $11+ for planetarium, $3 for the nature center
Among other free activities in the ROC is, of course, a visit to High Falls, on of the Genessee River waterfalls you can see from Genesee Brew House. A walk across the Pont de Rennes pedestrian bridge, however, will offer a broader view of this 96-foot tall natural wonder. Lastly, Rochester Public Market and the surrounding district are home to local produce and craft vendors and quite a few other local businesses, including bars, bakeries, and juiceries.
Rochester bars & Restaurants
Rochester is a great spot for foodies. Chef Ryan Simpson, from Good Luck restaurant, described the city as “diverse, eclectic, seasonal, casual, communal” and those words are fully reflective of the city’s food scene. Depending on the length of your visit, you can spend each day restaurant and bar hopping, one neigbourhood at a time, which is how we will approach this Rochester food and beverage guide portion. If your time is limited short Uber rides will take you anywhere, any time.
A popular one-stop destination is Radio Social, a large playground with a great bar and dining area leading into a bowling alley and games room. With a terrace, spacious bar, 34 bowling lanes, and plenty of other activities (like shuffleboard and darts) this place is an absolute vibe.
Radio Social (21+), 20 Carlson Rd., map link
Bowling prices: $39.95+, reservations recommended.
Deeper into the neigbourhood, you will find Jack’s Extra Fancy, a divey Irish bar/restaurant that many locals pointed us to for cocktails. Crossing Blossom Street past Living Roots Co. and Black Button Distilling (more on those later), we head to Park Ave. With old homes converted into restaurants, patios spilling out onto the street lit by twinkly lights, this charming street really comes to life at night. The four restaurants on the street – Leonore’s, Vern’s, Roux, and Dorado – are operated by the same group, serving up different cuisines in uniquely different atmospheres.
Leonore’s cellar decor is reminiscent of a cave decorated with sharp twine, all of which works in a very cool way.
Ziggy’s in the market became an instant favourite. The casual atmosphere, talented and friendly bar team, and delicious food drew us back here multiple evenings over the weekend. The cocktail menu is robust with classic, original, and tiki selections to choose from. The bar regulars seemingly gravitate to Genessee beer which pairs well with bar snacks like chicken wings and the juicy cheeseburger served with tator tots. The two nearby recommendations are Velvet Belly, for seafood and fun cocktails, and Cure, for steak and frits, vibes, and drinks.
Restaurant Good Luck is tucked away on a residential street not far from the George Eastman Museum. The space is dark and eccentric with exposed brick, copper finishes, and other reprupsoed industrial decor. At the back is a trophy shelf showcasing various bartending competition wins. The rotating seasonal menu is a lineup of world-inspired dishes like Sicilian pizza, red lentil curry, and lamb tagine. A block down you will find Melo Coffee & Kitchen, recommended for a hearty lunch and, of course, coffee.
Locals Only is another popular spot for breakfast, lunch, or brunch; mimosas optional. While in the area, pop into Ugly Duck Coffee for some of the best coffee in Rochester. In the evening, the place to be in this area is Aqua Vitae, a moody cocktail bar with an impressive backbar selection.
Certain seasonal events will take you Downtown where a new food court concept is taking shape, Mercantile on Main. Inside is La Bola, a restaurant and bar cooking up dishes with Spanish and Mediterranean influences. In addition to interesting world wines La Bola also has a great selection of specialty cocktails and rotating sangrias. Make sure to leave room for a dessert.
A few dinner courses from La Bola, Rochester.
Breweries, distilleries & An urban winery
Pre-prohibition Rochester had around 50 breweries but naturally, the liquor regulations took their toll on these businesses. Today, with many of the breweries located within the city core the brewing history is not lost on Rochester. There are currently eight breweries with the two most talked about being Genesee Brew House and Strangebird Brewing.
Genesee Brew House is the oldest brewery in New York State and one of the largest and oldest continually operating breweries in America. The red brick building overlooking the High Falls is a bar, restaurant, and shop. The Genesee roots run deep through the city’s bars where vintage posters are hung up on the walls. It’s a go-to order for menu locals who ask the barkeep for a Genny (pronounced “Jenny”) as soon as their bottom hits the seat. Make sure to try the Bavarian Pretzel with beer cheese dip.
Strangebird Brewing is a much newer outpost set in the old mechanic and grocery shop. Strangebird was a popular name in conversations with many locals regarding it as the best brewery and pizza in the city. On a late weekend afternoon, both the terrace and interior were busy with folks patiently waiting to order their artisanal pints and made-from-scratch food at the counter. And the pizza was delicious.
For those looking for something a little stronger, there are a few local distilleries, like Iron Smoke, where artisanal straight bourbon is made. The more historic stop is Black Button Distilling, Rochester’s first grain-to-glass distillery since prohibition. The business was originally located near the public market but outgrew the space, recently relocating to a bigger space with factory windows welcoming the afternoon sun into the tasting room. Black Button repertoir includes bourbon, gin, vodka, and whiskey, using locally sourced ingredients and sustainable practices.
Diagonally across the street is perhaps Rochester’s most unique beverage experience, Living Roots Wine & Co. This building used to be a stamp factory and today serves as an urban winery and tasting room. Founded by Sebastian and Colleen Hardy, who leaned into their six generations of wine-making history. The company has three outposts: the Rochester tasting room, vineyard in the Finger Lakes, and a vineyard in Australia. The two vineyards create an interesting dichotomy for wine production (hot and dry climate versus cold and wet).
Some of the processed grapes travel in refrigerated containers from Australia to Upstate New York, and that’s just one of the many innovative techniques “Seb”, the winemaker, uses. “He’s crazy, but in a good way,” our host chuckled, talking about the red resilsing in my tasting flight (yes, you read that correctly). The Living Roots menu includes four tasting flights appealing to different kinds of wine drinkers. My choice for the afternoon, for example, was Off the Beaten Path inclusive of Session Gold (inspired and, in a sense, made like an IPA), two types of Pet-Nat, and the red Resilsing, aka Rizza.
The colour in Rizza is achieved by fermenting the 100% Riesling grape juice on Cabernet Franc skins.
The marinated sheep and goat cheese seen above also comes from Australia. The cheese is so decadent and delicious, I too would like to order it by the barrel.
Year-round events in Rochester
Residents of Rochester love to go out and this reflects in the city’s 140 festivals taking place throughout the year. From the annual Casino Night (May) to the Indie Comics Expo (April) and an actual Sheep Shearing Festival (April) just in spring there is a lot to choose from. While you can plan your entire Rochester itinerary around eating and drinking adding an occasional event is a great way to break up this vacation.
Rochester Fringe Festival (September) was recently named “one of the country’s most prominent multidisciplinary events” by the New York Times, and the variety the event offers certainly supports this statement. The fringe grounds are set up Downtown with full amenities, outdoor movie theatre, outdoor games, and multiple bars. Last year the unearthly attraction was Alan Parkinson DAEDALUM – Architects of Air. This immersive blowup structure involved multiple tunnels and sensory experiences, bringing the audience into the art itself.
Cirque du Fringe: Varieté!, on the other hand, is the classic comedic circus by Las Vegas legends Matt and Heidi Morgan. For this addition, the audience was treated to Argentinian gauchos, trapeze, and a hair hang aerialist, among other performances. Hair hang aerialist performance was certainly jaw-dropping – do not try this at home, kids. The nightly performances also included music showcases, comedy, and theatre but for many, the favourite was Shotspeare, a hilarious take on Shakespeare by a local comedy troupe. Much like the original Shakespeare performances, this showcase was engaging, interactive, and different from night to night.
The DAEDALUM structure feels alive, breathing, and moving around you, following the pace of the people slowly moving through it in amazement.
The George Eastman Museum also plays a crucial role in the preservation and promotion of film and film history. So naturally, the ROC holds a few film festivals throughout the year, including the Rochester International Film Festival (May), The ImageOut Film & Video Festival (April), The JCC Ames Amzalak Rochester Jewish Film Festival (July), and The Polish Film Festival (fall, TBA).
In May, Rochester’s Highland Park is overcome by visitors for the Annual Lilac Festival (May) to witness, and surely photograph, 1,800 lilac bushes. The festival runs for a week and includes live entertainment, meetups, a farmers market, a parade, and other events. The music theme continues in the Rochester International Jazz Festival (June), a nine-day event bringing to the stage over 1,500 artists. The vinyl collectors will also enjoy Rochester Record Fair (April) taking place at the Radio Social.
LGBTQ+ celebrations and community spaces are prevalent in the city year-round, but the main celebration is July Pride. The festivities begin with a Pride Picnic and culminate with the Pride Festival and Pride Parade.
With all that cocktail culture, it is no surprise that the city also hosts a few spirit-forward events. Rochester Cocktail Revival (RCR) is returning for its 12th year in June. Over the course of a week, the festival welcomes bartenders and spirits experts for a series of events, including bar pop-ups, pairing dinners, parties, tastings events, educational seminars, and other celebrations. Rochester Tiki Week (August) is a lesser-known festivity but is top of mind for the local and neighbouring bar community.
Where to stay in Rochester
Hampton Inn & Suites Rochester Downtown is the newest hotel in the city located in the new Neigbourhood of Play. The hotel is inspired by the Strong Museum, with colourful decor and abstract art. This full-service property has a pool, gym, and a beautiful on-site restaurant with a fresh and seasonal menu. Read the full review.
The Strathallan Rochester Hotel & Spa is situated on the other side of town, close to the Memorial Art Gallery and the Eastman Museum. Another full-service property with great dining options, including a rooftop terrace with a great city view. For a more intimate feel Inn on Broadway will offer a boutique experience and unique vintage decor.
Further out of the city, but within a short driving distance, is the Woodcliff Hotel and Spa. This is a stunning remote resort with a full-service spa and a 9-hole golf course.
Getting to & around Rochester
Rochester is located in Upstate New York, almost directly opposite Toronto across Lake Ontario. Getting here can be quite easy. The drive from Toronto (around the lake) is 3 to 4 hours, depending on the traffic. The drive from New York City is about 6 hours and cuts through the state and the Finger Lakes on the way in. You could easily add a few days in the Upstate Wine Country to this trip.
For the two closest major cities train is also an option: a bit over 5 hours from Toronto with VIA Rail and about 7 hours from New York with Amtrack. Flying, however, might be a much easier option for visitors in the US. Delta, United, and JetBlue offer direct flights from NYC, American has direct flights from Boston and Southwest from Orlando.
The city is not particularly large and quite walkable. Your days and evenings can be planned to explore various neighbourhoods on foot, or you can hop across town in an Uber with ease.
