TOP 5 THINGS TO DO IN ROCHESTER NY
Aside from offering one of the most pleasant environments in New York, Rochester city is also home to some fantastic sites. Being a city located on the shores of Lake Ontario, it is popular with tourists and people going on vacations. Despite being highly famous for the music culture of its people, that isn’t the main reason people visit Rochester city. Here are some activities you can indulge in and good places to explore while in Rochester city.
1. Explore your inner child at the National Museum of Play.
Topping our list is a unique museum that is dedicated to children. The Strong, formerly The National Museum of play, was established to research the history of toys and can be an exhilarating experience for both adults and children alike. It makes for an excellent destination for families since it can bring out the child in everyone. The 150,000 square feet exhibit space is solely meant for board games, video games, books, toys, and pretty exciting fixtures such as a 100-year-old carousel and an indoor butterfly garden. This fun-filled adventure is excellent for kids’ development since the facility is dedicated to children in their early learning stages.
2. Go wine tasting at Finger Lakes Wine Country.
This is the perfect activity for wine lovers. Finger Lakes Wine Country is home to some exquisite wine flavors that are only made possible due to the unique nature of the environment. The finger lakes are made up of eleven narrow lakes that resemble fingers, hence the name. The area experiences a unique climate and has breathtaking views of nature. Due to the unique climate created in the area by the lakes, it favored the growth of grapes even during winter. As a result, many wineries flocked the area, producing different wines such as Pinot noirs, Chardonnays, and Rieslings. You could organize a guided wine tour to get a taste of some of the locally made wines and see the insides of some of the wineries in the area.
3. Take part in the summer city festivals
There’s no better time to visit the city of Rochester than in summer. During the first week of June, you will get to experience the Rochester Harbor Festival, which is an annual event held at the Genesis River. The festival is usually packed full of entertainment such as live performances, lots of food tents, and it is a great way to learn about the history and culture of the city. Another festival you could look forward to is the Maplewood Rose Garden Festival, which is held at the peak of the blooming season. As the name suggests, the event mainly features the different species and varieties of roses grown in the Rose garden.
4. Go for a hike in Mendon Ponds Park
Another great attraction for hikers is Mendon Ponds Park. It is the perfect spot for hiking enthusiasts since it offers exciting activities for the winter and summer months. In the cold months, when the pond freezes over, tourists take part in activities such as country skiing and other cold-weather activities. In summer, the pond is the perfect place to cool off with a swim after a hike. Mendon Ponds Park has several hiking trails that offer beautiful scenery and activities such as birdwatching, geocaching, horseback riding, biking, and camping. You can also take part in fishing, kayaking, sledding in some areas or enjoy a picnic in one of the playgrounds.
5. Pay a visit to the Eastman Museum/Mansion
Completed in 1905 by the father of modern photography, George Eastman, the Eastman Mansion boasts a superb colonial revival style that is still a work of art even today. The mansion is a museum that contains various historical photographic collections such as the Medicus collection of Civil War photographs, the Gabriel Cromer collection, and the collection of Eastman Kodak Company. Lovers of photography will definitely enjoy spending time in this film archive. The mansion was donated to the University of Rochester upon George Eastman’s passing but was later donated to the museum.