Discover Rochester

Rochester offers a variety of ways to shape your stay: outdoor trails, gardens, art collections and museums with historical connections. If you’re looking for a hotel in Rochester, you can start by considering which of these themes matter most for your trip. The places differ in subject and location, making it easy to include them in your plans according to your interests.

Trails and scenery in northwest Rochester

In the Charlotte neighborhood, near Lake Ontario on Rochester’s northwest side, lies Turning Point Park. Its trail connects to the Genesee Riverway Trail. This trail offers more than 16 miles to explore through Rochester, from Ontario Beach Park in the north to downtown in the south. The connection is a useful reference for anyone planning to spend time on a longer route during their stay. Two geographic reference points stand out: the park near the lake and the trail’s route between the northern park and downtown.

Highland Park has a different focus. It is a planned and planted arboretum designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. Anyone interested in designed landscapes will find it a distinct alternative to a stay focused mainly on museums and exhibitions. The two parks therefore offer different ways to experience Rochester outdoors, without requiring you to have the same interests for both.

Art, photography and history

The Memorial Art Gallery presents art from around the world spanning 5,000 years. Its wide range of periods and places is at the heart of a visit to the gallery. For travelers interested in art, it offers a different way to experience the city than the historic sites and houses associated with particular people.

The George Eastman Museum combines changing exhibitions with tours of the historic mansion and gardens, as well as a historic theater. Its different elements make it appealing to people who want to combine exhibitions with architecture and a historic setting. The Susan B. Anthony Museum & House, by contrast, focuses on a specific episode in history: the house is a National Historic Landmark. Visitors can see the parlor where Susan B. Anthony was arrested in 1872 for voting.

The cultural attractions differ considerably: the Memorial Art Gallery focuses on art from many countries and centuries, while the George Eastman Museum includes several parts of a historic estate. At the Susan B. Anthony Museum & House, the visit centers on a particular room and its connection to an event in 1872. You can use these differences in focus to help plan your time in Rochester.

A museum for children and adults

The Strong National Museum of Play is located in downtown Rochester and appeals to both children and adults with its interactive approach to learning. It complements the art and history museums with a different experience: learning through interaction is the focus here. This makes the museum quite different from an art gallery or historic house. The range of cultural attractions can help you choose according to the interests of your travel group, without planning every stop in the same way.

Planning your stay and hotel search

In May, Highland Park hosts the Lilac Festival, with games, arts and crafts, food and entertainment. The program may change; if the festival is important to your trip, check the event dates and program information in advance. The May date gives this event a clear seasonal setting, while the museums and parklands offer other ways to shape your stay.

When looking for a hotel in Rochester, you can first decide which attractions you want to shape your stay: the connection between Turning Point Park and the Genesee Riverway Trail, art, the history of particular places, the museum downtown, or a visit to Highland Park.

Discover more destinations: Pittsford, Webster, Brighton, Penfield, Fairport, Brockport, West Henrietta.

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