Reader’s Top Travel Tips for Rochester, NY

Wow, I really didn’t expect that much advice from my hometown of Rochester. We in Rochester are used to losing our Olympics applications, our jobs at Kodak and Xerox, our area code to these Buffalo assholes. But this week we were the winners by sharing over 140 comments with tips for visiting and living in upstate’s greatest city. All tips can be found in the staff tab under the original post . Read more about the highlights below.

Every Monday onHack Your City, we ask readers for the best tips about the city: driving tips, restaurant tips, entertainment, and any other tips for visitors and locals alike. Then, on Thursday, we present the best comments. We work in the USA and around the world.

Festivals

Rochester loves festivals ,” says Kara . “The Rochester Fringe Festival is one of my favorites and just wrapped up this weekend. There are also many art festivals ( Corn Hill , Clothesline , Park Ave ), film festivals ( ImageOut , One Take Film Fest , High Falls Film Festival , The Nitrate Picture Show , etc.), Music festivals (the largest of which is Jazz Fest ). and more. “

The most famous is the Lilac Festival. “The lilacs (as well as azaleas, magnolias and rhododendrons) in Highland Park are impressive if you come here in the spring. It is fitting for Flower City that the Lilac Festival spontaneously kicked off one beautiful Sunday in 1898, when the people of Rochester just wanted to smell the flowers and enjoy the spring, ”says Jason .

“Be sure to check out the Rochester Fringe Festival in September,” says Emily . “More than 500 performances over 11 days in theater, comedy, music, dance and other styles. This year I’ve seen drunken Shakespeare, the immersive igloo musical experience, improvisation and plays about Poe and Peggy Guggenheim. “

Sea breeze

“Head to Lake Ontario’s Seabreeze Amusement Park at Irondequoit for the longest running roller coaster in the country, and the longest mini golf course in the country is a block away. So is Lake Ontario, where you can enjoy a gorgeous sunset on the beach with your favorite alcoholic drink at Marge’s, ”says TFT .

“The park is smaller and the rides aren’t as exciting as the modern chain parks that everyone thinks of today, but the park is very clean and well maintained. The most popular attraction in the park is the Jack Rabbit, a wooden roller coaster built in 1920. Jack Rabbit still uses classic brake levers to control the ride, you just don’t see it anymore. I find the wooden roller coaster to be one of the smoothest, ”says Rochester Greg .

“Seabreeze exudes love for its story. Stop by the carousel (a reproduction of their historic carousel that burned down in the 90s). The carousel building has a beautiful exhibition dedicated to the history of the park, the Wurlitzer organ (also a copy of the original) and one of the largest collections of music scores for it in the country, ”says Weatherglass .

House of George Eastman

For a long time, Rochester was built on Kodak money, and the home of Kodak founder George Eastman is now the world’s oldest photography museum . “The Dryden Theater at George Eastman House showcases classic films and has been visited recently by many celebrity actors (Meryl Streep, Michael Keaton) to celebrate certain films,” says MyHonestOpinion .

Rochester Public Market

“The Rochester Public Market is a great place to enjoy Saturday mornings and buy fresh produce (and the best empanadas from Juan and Maria),” says TFT . “In the summer, go to Food Truck Rodeo parties with live music,” says Dani W.

“This is more than a farmers’ market, there are small eateries, cafes, bakeries and kiosks that sell everything from kitchen clothes to clothes. If you live there, you can buy trendy groceries for a week for less than $ 40, ”says Racy Rebel . “The bounty of farms in the Finger Lakes region brings people from hipsters living off the farm to new immigrants, wealthy suburbanites, urbanites with more modest means and everyone in between,” says Jason .

Mendong ponds

In fact, I grew up half an hour south of Rochester in Lima, a town with one traffic light. There is one good place in Lima – George’s diner. But north of Lima is Myeongdong Ponds Park, where I used to go sledding as a kid, with 21 miles of hiking trails, and is a favorite of Lifehacker readers.

Myeongdong Ponds are a popular birdwatching spot. “It’s a beautiful corner of nature where you can go to a nonprofit and learn about birds of prey. The last time I was, they even had two bald eagles, ”says HartoffArchness . “Bring the seeds. The tits around Wild Wings will eat out of your hands, says Weatherglass . Mr. Meep praises the park’s “glacial geology” (including a bowler hat called “Devil’s Bath”).

Strong game museum

“There are tons of interactive children’s things, but there are also many interesting things: old toys, doll houses, history of video games, full arcade (Dance Dance Revolution ftw). Spent three hours there and still feel like I missed a ton of things. You can also take a walk in the winter butterfly garden , ”says ZombieRunnerFive . Your kids will “run out of energy before you run out of things to see and play with,” Spelgester says. “Whether you have kids or not, this is a lot of fun,” says GeekDad .

Genesee Brewery

“I know it’s cheap beer, but the food is good here and they have a lot more on draft drinks than Genny Cream. If you come there in the summer, the rooftop is a great place to watch the falls, ”says Atlanta East Guy .

PaigeDoerner123 also shouts out “small breweries like Rohrbach’s, Roc Brewing Co., Three Heads, and Swiftwater Brewing.” Emily adds, “Living Roots is a new urban winery that produces both FLX and Australian wines in a beautiful, welcoming setting on University Avenue.” Rlaber adds: “In the Rochester Public Market area, you’ll find Black Button Distilling , the first small distillery to open in Rochester since the ban.”

“Breweries are welcome at many festivals, but events like the Rochester Cocktail Revival receive national coverage from spirits aficionados. It also has the second largest wine region in the entire country nearby, ”says CPClemens , referring to the Finger Lakes region.

Susan B. Anthony Museum and House

“History buffs will love a visit to the National Museum and the Susan B. Anthony home, where Susan B. Anthony lived during her 40 most politically active years,” says Rlaber .

“I forgot about the election day tradition at the grave of Susan B. Anthony!” says Jason . “Such a cool thing, unique to Rochester. For years, women have gone there to put “I voted” stickers on her gravestone. In 2016, understandably, it was a huge event, and our Mayor and Congressman were present! The city had to put up boards to collect all the stickers (as they can damage the stone itself). “

Food

Don’t actually pick up the trash dish sober, but watch others get it out. “Rochester is also known for its trash cans. Originally created by Nick Tahu Hoots, you can now find them in every suburban café / burger, ”says Rochester Greg .

“Skip Nick Tahu and go straight to Dogtown for a plate,” says Dani W. “I would recommend not going [to Tahu] as it gets a little risky,” says IwasOnTheSexBoat . “Note: In all other places, they are called” put in a garbage dish, “says Wittks .

Another local classic is Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, a New York-based chain that actually started in Syracuse and has branches throughout the state and in New York. “Ditch the dinosaur barbecue and go to Sticky Lips,” says Racy Rebel .

In fact, Wegmans is Rochester’s greatest culinary establishment. This upstate grocery chain is giving a slap in the face . It’s trendy but affordable, combining local products with international offerings. “Whole Foods doesn’t compare to Wegmans in Pittsford because Wegmans has local food that people eat at reasonable prices,” says HarthofArchness . If you go down to the branch in the trendy suburb of Pittsford, Disco32R recommend of The Burger Bar .

Etc

  • “The city is inexpensive, accessible and offers many opportunities for art and culture. Rochester was recently named the 17th most vibrant city in the nation by the National Center for the Arts Research – and is on the “Big Cities” list, which means we are ranked next to major metros such as New York, Los -Angeles, DC, etc. “- rlaber
  • “Be careful with the pronunciation of the cities of Charlotte (Charlotte) and Chile (Chi- le ).” – Das-Flyuchen
  • “The Genesee Countryside Museum, a 600-acre living museum with a historic village with costumed translators covering everything from patchwork, farming, printing, blacksmithing, wool spinning, gunsmithing, pottery and more.” – Mr. Meep
  • Readers recommend coffee at Starry Nites, Fuego, Ugly Duck, Makers Gallery, Glen Edith, Spot, and Java’s.
  • “Take lessons at Hochstein School, a community school with music and dance classes for all ages (from babies to seniors). This place has a long history: it was once a subway stop, it was a church where memorial services were held for both Frederick Douglas and Susan B. Anthony. It is now a first-class concert hall with many concerts all year round, many of which are free. “- J.K. Hanson.
  • “The Guitar House is a must if you are interested in music” – El Darto
  • “If you are into bicycles and not into spandex, then you should visit Yellow Haus Bicycles on Monroe. They are one of the very few Rivendell Bicycle Works dealers in the US. ” – Bill, second grade.
  • “Sites such as the historic Mount Hope Cemetery and the Genesee River show remnants of the natural landscape created by glaciers that erupted here many years ago. There are three waterfalls in Rochester, right in the city on a river that flows northward into the Great Lake. The landscape we have is unique because of all this glacial history and is fun to explore. ”- CPClemens

These are all the highlights; read a lot more tips in the original thread . And back on Monday when we travel to Brazil.

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