I love discovering unexpected family vacation destinations that are not on my radar. Rochester, New York area is one of those places. We recently had the opportunity to visit this surprisingly wonderful, historically rich and beautiful area, and could not have been more impressed. There is so much to see and so much to do for families, if it is not already on your list of places to visit, it should be. Check out our 10 top reasons to take the kids to the Rochester area for your next family vacation.
1. Letchworth State Park
Known as the Grand Canyon of the East, Letchworth State Park is home to some of the most stunning waterfalls in the country. Surrounded by lush forests, the Genesse River runs through a gorge over three major waterfalls between cliffs as high as 600 feet. You could spend a full day at this park hiking, biking, horseback riding or just gazing at the waterfalls. To learn more about the geology, wildlife and botany in the area, stop at the brand new Humphrey Nature Center and be sure to plan to have lunch at the lovely Glen Iris Inn, which overlooks the magnificent falls.
2. Erie Canal and Fairport, NY
Fairport is a picture-perfect town where the Erie Canal serves as a second Main Street. We took a wonderful narrated sunset dinner tour on the Colonial Belle, where we cruised under extremely low bridges (so low you could not stand on the upper deck while passing underneath), experienced being lifted tens of feet on one of the 35 locks on Erie Canal, and learned about the history of the canal and its importance in the development of not only the area, but of New York City, all while passing lovely homes and towns. The Colonial Belle offers several tours a day and also offers themed tours such as fall foliage tours and 4th of July tours on select days.
3. Seabreeze Amusement Park
Located on the shore of Lake Ontario, the family-owned Seabreeze Amusement Park is home to the oldest continuously operating wooden roller coaster in the U.S., a waterpark, several thrill rides, family rides, kiddie rides, games, an arcade and an acrobatic Cirque En Vol show. Even though it has been in continuous operation since 1879, this park is so well maintained and clean that it feels brand new. While I am sure it gets busier on the weekends, on a weekday the crowd was just the right size; if there were lines at all, they were very short, so we had time to spend the day having fun.
4. The Strong National Museum of Play
Not only is The Strong National Museum of Play home to the National Toy Hall of Fame and the World Video Hall of Fame, it is also the ultimate play destination and a trip to Rochester is worth it just to visit this museum alone. The kids (and the kid in you) will absolutely love this museum. The museum itself is an architecturally stunning and houses the world’s largest collection of toys, dolls, board games, video games, other electronic games, books, documents, and other historical materials related to play. Included among the thousands of items are toys such as the original monopoly board (hand painted on the back of a table cloth), the original (and super creepy) Thomas Edison Talking Doll from 1890, the first twelve Star Wars toys, the first lego sets, the first Barbie dolls and more and more and more.
In addition to the displays of original toys, the museum has a huge array of hands-on exhibits and play areas for all ages. Highlights include a Pinball Playfields exhibit where you can play your way through more than 80 years of pinball history; every generation can play its way through the history of video games in the highly interactive eGame Revolution exhibit where you will find dozens of original video games and video game consoles, and one of a kind games such as a giant Tetris, a four play Pac Man Game, a giant light bright and so much more; explore seven decades of super heroes and villains in the American Comic Book Heroes: The Battle of Good vs. Evil exhibit and stop in Super Powers School with several hands on activities. There are also several interactive temporary exhibits at any given time (currently there is a Have a Ball exhibit featuring games of all sorts played with balls, including video games and a Raceway Arcade exhibit dedicated to racing video games).
For the little ones, there is a life-size The Berenstain Bears: Down a Sunny Dirt Road play area complete with life-sized Mama, Papa, Brother, and Sister Bears and exciting activities await at the stores and businesses inspired by the book; in the Can You Tell me How to Get to Sesame Street Exhibit there are interactive components that invite children to explore concepts about letters, words, numbers, and diversity; Reading Adventureland is life-size pop-up book invites guests to laugh, play, learn, and read; and kids can run the store at The Strong’s Wegmans Super Kids Market, a children's sized supermarket where children can fill a grocery cart with colorful products that look amazingly real and "work" as a cashier or the deli, meat, seafood and bakery departments. There is also Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden and a Discover Garden, located just outside The Strong’s main entrance, through a dramatic garden gate into a 9,000-square-foot urban oasis.This is by far the most incredible museum I have ever had the opportunity to experience. From the nostalgia, to the expertly curated exhibits, to the magnitude of hands on activities for adults and children of all ages, we could have spent two entire days here.
5. Seneca Park Zoo
The delightful Seneca Park Zoo is a perfect stop for the little animal lovers in your family. This 15.5-acre zoo's mission is to Connect, Care and Conserve and to further this goal it is home to over 90 species including mammals, reptiles, birds, amphibians, fish, and arachnids. Be sure to check out the Lion Experience where you can watch a trainer get up close and personal with one of the resident lions, while you stand just a couple of feet away.
6. George Eastman Museum
The George Eastman Museum is world's oldest museum dedicated to photography and has one of the world's oldest film archives. This museum is housed in the stately and beautiful home of philanthropist George Eastman, who founded the Eastman Kodak Company in 1892. Tour the grand historic home and lovely grounds for a glimpse into the life of the Eastman family, and view photography exhibits and historical photographic artifacts like some of the world's oldest photographs and cameras.
7. Susan B. Anthony Museum and House
The National Susan B. Anthony Museum & House was home of the legendary American civil rights leader, and the site of her famous arrest for voting in 1872. This home was the headquarters of the National American Woman Suffrage Association when she was its president. This is also where she died in 1906 at age 86. A stop at her house is an inspiring history lesson for your kids, teaching them that many have fought hard for rights we now enjoy and sometimes take for granted. It is hard to believe that less than 100 yeas ago, women were still fighting to be counted as equal citizens. Learning more about her incredible and inspiring story is one of those experiences you will be proud to count amongst your memories. (Additional stop: The cemetery where Susan B. Anthony and human rights leader and abolitionist Frederick Douglas are buried is nearby as well, and is a popular stop for visitors to pay their respects.)
8. Rochester Museum & Science Center
There is so much to do at the Rochester Museum and Science Center, it would be impossible to list all of the fascinating exhibits in this article. Some of our favorites were visiting the Expedition Earth exhibit to learn about Glaciers & Giants, You & Your Earth and An Ever-Changing Planet; checking out the Science on a Sphere exhibit to learn about the earth, moon and other planets; learning about the night sky and the recent solar eclipse at the Strasenburgh Planetarium; and watching bolts of musical lightning produced by twin Tesla Coils in the Electricity Theater. Once again, this is a destination where you could spend an entire day.
9. Genesse Country Village and Museum
Just 20 miles away from Rochester, visitors can step back in time at the third largest living history museum in the country. The Genesse Country Village and Museum is a 19th-century working historic country village with the largest and most comprehensive collection of historic buildings in New York State. Costumed interpreters keep the village running and offer live demonstrations in the pottery, cooper shop, tinsmith and blacksmith buildings. You may even have the opportunity to taste 19th century recipes and flavors (the American Heritage Spiced and Iced chocolate drink was a favorite).
10. Casa Larga
Ok, this one may not be entirely for the kids, but since this region of New York is known for its wine and vineyards, and the wine at this particular vineyard is so delicious (I highly recommend the Lilac Hill), we had to add this to the list. Casa Larga is a beautiful vineyard offering not only tours and wine tastings, but has several special events throughout the year, including the family -friendly Purple Foot Festival. (Held in September, The Purple Foot Festival is one of the largest grape stomping festivals in the U.S. where families can stomp grapes in large wooden barrels and enjoy children's activities such as crafts and karaoke in a dedicated children's area.)
Where to Stay
Recently renovated and conveniently located, I recommend staying at The Doubletree by Hilton Hotel Rochester. In addition to the modern, comfortable and spacious rooms, the Doubletree has a great indoor pool area and large restaurant and bar, both located in the bright and airy atrium lobby. And, of course, the famous Doubletree warm chocolate chip cookies at check in are always a big hit with this family.
Side note: If yours is more of a camping family, take a look at the Camp Grounds of NY webpage, they have all of the information you need to find the perfect campground for your family!
Where to Eat
Downtown you will find a fabulous and area-famous barbecue joint called Dinosaur Bar-B- Que. And, if you aren't familiar with Wegman's grocery store, plan a stop to see what all of the fuss is about - they have a huge variety of everything you can imagine in their market cafe and restaurants.
From natural beauty to world-class museums and a rich history, Rochester, New York really has it all. I highly recommend you add the Rochester area to your list of must-see family destinations; you will not be disappointed!
DISCLAIMER: The author was a guest of Visit Rochester for the purpose of this review. Accommodations, meals and activities were complimentary. As always, all opinions are those of the author.
