Now, perhaps what primarily recommends Rochester for visitors who are looking to spend a night or more in the city is the well-known Park Avenue Festival that’s held in its beautiful parkland every summer. Full to brimming with the excellent works of artists from the area and beyond, it’s a terrific several-weeks-long event for all the family, with markets, concerts, long-distance runs and many other activities too. And yet, Rochester is far from merely a one-season destination for non-locals; there truly is so much to check-out in the city – and all-year-round, at that…
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Perfect Pittsford
Actually, located in the heart of Rochester, this picture-perfect village is a must-visit for simply anyone enjoying a short-break in the city (especially if they’re staying at one of the Rochester best hotels). It may be famed for being home to the glorious greasy-food restaurant that’s Hungry’s (adored by locals and tourists alike for its irresistible ‘Garbage Plate’ dish), but you’ll also find here the Pittsford Dairy, which serves terrific ice-cream and chocolate milk made on the premises, while even the village’s community library’s worth popping into for its sublime panoramas of the Erie Canal below. Actually, speaking of which…
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Wonderful South Wedge
This is the bustling, lively district of the city when you’ll come across some of its finest restaurants, such as Butapub (offering up eclectic Asian-pub-fusion cuisine), while the delightful deli at charming convenience store Mise en Place is complemented by its fine, homely atmos. There’s so much going on in South Wedge, in fact, that a visit to the Historic German House, for instance, may afford you a swing dance lesson (on Wednesday nights), while there’s the coffee shop Boulder Coffee and cheesecake bakery Cheesy Eddie’s, as well as a Thursday daytime farmers’ market. Who could ask for more?
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The charismatic Eerie Canal
One of Rochester’s features that ensures it feels undoubtedly upstate, the canal looks utterly beautiful on an autumnal night (but, frankly, it does on most nights of the year) thanks to its illuminating by the lights of Schoen Place. And yet, to take a trip on the canal – or, more likely, walk its towpath – is to enable you to get to practically anywhere in the city and out into its suburbs, as it cuts right through the heart of the place. Moreover, alongside the canal is the perfect place to relax by enjoying a stroll or to try more heartrate-raising pursuits like jogging, running or roller-blading. Whatever takes your fancy then, really.
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The awesome Auditorium Theater
This is undoubtedly the venue to head to should you fancy experiencing a terrific slice of theatre-based entertainment while staying here (perhaps at one of the boutique hotels in Rochester NY?). Sure, it may not exactly be Broadway, but don’t get the wrong idea; a whole slew of terrific touring productions of shows – everything ranging from The Phantom of the Opera to Wicked – have played the Auditorium Theater in recent years and very much continue to do so. It’s awesome, indeed!
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Be beguiled in Kodak Hall
Finally, no time spent in Rochester is complete without checking at Kodak Hall; you really may well kick yourself if you’re not able to squeeze it in. For this sublime, first-class performing space in the renowned Eastman School of Music boasts not just a beautiful interior but also truly superior acoustics. No surprise then that, not just hugely talented music students, but everyone from Tony Bennett to Renée Fleming have performed here.
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