Historic places in Rochester

18 historic buildings, sites and memorials in Rochester.

Ranked with the travel guide's picks and well-known places first.

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Auditorium Theatre
Rochester Broadway Theatre League
Housed in an historic Masonic temple building, the Auditorium Theatre is Rochester's Broadway roadhouse; the Rochester Broadway Theatre League brings to town several touring productions each year. The theater is aging and acoustically imperfect, but it's due for extensive renovations soon (now that RBTL owns the whole building), and it's the only area theater with the space to put on the big shows. Other concerts and performances dot the schedule throughout the year; see the web site for upcoming events.
See
Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse
The oldest remaining lighthouse on Lake Ontario sits high above the Rochester harbor, and visitors can climb to the top of it to see the light, the lens – and the view. Now if, when you get to the lighthouse, you wonder where the shore is, it's half a mile (almost a kilometer) northeast. That's how much land has been added to the northern shore of New York since the lighthouse was built in 1822. The museum inside the keeper's house has a lot of displays on Rochester's harbor history.
May-Oct: Fri-Sun 1-5PM; other times by appointmentAdults $5; ages 5-17 $2; under 5 free
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Dryden Theatre
The George Eastman Museum knows that part of preserving the history of film is showing films to audiences. That's the role of the Museum's Dryden Theatre. The Dryden shows a wide variety of Hollywood classics, international and independent films—literally something different every night of the week. The programming is thoughtful and cutting-edge, with frequent visits by directors and actors. Nearly all films begin at 7:30PM and are preceded by a brief film talk.
Tickets $5-12, except during special events such as visiting filmmakers
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Genesee Brew House
While one of the largest breweries in the country, Genesee had no visitor's facility until September 2012. Now it's up and running and a major landmark on the east side of the river. The Genesee Brew House is a visitor's center, brew pub, and gift shop rolled into one. Genesee beers are on tap, of course, but there's also a pilot brewery for small batches of experimental brews; you can try a flight of four beers for $10, a portion of which goes to charity. Schedule a tour of the pilot brewery, or check out the visitor's center to explore the long history of beer in Rochester.
Sun-Thu 11AM-10PM, Fri Sat 11AM-11PM,
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George Eastman Museum
The world's oldest photography museum, the George Eastman Museum could really be considered three museums in one. First, and most visible, is the George Eastman House, the mansion built by the founder of Eastman Kodak, restored to appear much as it did when he was alive, illustrating the life of Rochester's elite in the early 20th century. Second, the museum hosts regular rotating exhibits highlighting the history of photography and film. Third, and perhaps most importantly, the museum houses an enormous archive of photographs, film, and related technology, among the largest in the world. Other institutions regularly send film here for conservation. Guided tours of the house are available, and the exhibits can be toured at your own pace, but access to the archives is restricted to serious researchers only. Films are presented regularly in the museum's Dryden Theatre (see below).
Tue-Sat 10AM-5PM, Sun 11AM-5PMAdults $22, seniors $20, students $9, under 5 and active military free
Buy
Greenwood Books
A nice selection of new and used books, with some older items that one simply can't find in large chain bookstores. Of particular interest is the selection of books covering both historical and modern Rochester.
Tue-Sat 11AM-6PM
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Highland Park
Most famous for its hundreds of lilacs, Highland Park is the site of the annual Lilac Festival. Even when the lilacs aren't blooming, though, there are countless other examples of Rochester's horticultural tradition. There is a Sunken Garden behind the Warner Castle, and the Highland Park Bowl, a natural amphitheater, hosts concerts and films during the summer. Adjacent Beikirch Park hosts the county's Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the AIDS Remembrance Garden.
Daily 7AM-11PM
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Kodak Center
Theatre on the Ridge
Part of the sprawling industrial complex once known as Kodak Park, Kodak Center is a live performing arts, event, and conference center featuring a 1,978-seat main theater with the biggest stage in Rochester, 180-seat Studio Theater, 48-seat Club Theater, conference rooms, a gymnasium, and many other spaces. Numerous musical, stand-up comedy, and dramatic acts are featured throughout the year. The center also hosts the Kodak Visitor Center where visitors can learn about the history of Kodak. There is a 1,000+ spot parking lot located across the street for patrons and a 30 minute visitor lot directly next to the theater.
See
Mount Hope Cemetery
Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony and other historic figures are buried in this beautiful Victorian cemetery. Also a great place for running or walking. Guided tours are available periodically throughout the year; the Halloween tour is particularly popular.
Daily 7:30AM-dusk
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Parkside Whispering Pines
This historic course (listed on the National Register of Historic Places) dates all the way back to 1930, making it one of the oldest (if not the oldest) surviving miniature golf courses in the United States. 18 old-style holes, including a windmill (of course) and one hole where you have to pitch the ball instead of putting it. Adjacent to the Parkside Diner if you want to grab a bite to eat before or after putting.
Hours vary; closed in winter$9
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Riverie
Riverie is a 35-passenger cruise boat that offers river cruises throughout the summer (and sometimes late spring and early fall). Cruises include guide narration focusing on the history and importance of the river and the Erie Canal. Some cruises include music and/or a boxed lunch; alcohol, soft drinks, and snacks can be purchased on board. Also check out Rochester By Water's other vessel: the Sam Patch packet boat, which offers canal cruises out of Pittsford.
$25-50
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Seabreeze Amusement Park
At the junction of Irondequoit Bay and Lake Ontario, Seabreeze combines the features of an old-fashioned amusement park with the technology and thrills of a modern water park. The fourth-oldest amusement park in America. The carousel is from 1996 but features hand-carved horses and was built in the old style. Don't miss the historic Jack Rabbit roller coaster, the fourth-oldest operating coaster in the world.
Late May - mid-Sep; hours vary$43 (under 48" or age 60+ $29, under age 2 free); free parking
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The Little Theatre
Run by local public broadcaster WXXI, the historic Little shows a wide variety of foreign, independent and classic films in five theatres. There is also a cafe bakery (serves a full dinner menu along with wine and beer), sometimes with live music.
Evenings $11, matinees $9, seniors/students/military $7, Monday screenings $8
Eat
Whiskey River Pub and Grill
The former Steel River BBQ still has their popular smoked wings, but they've expanded into the historic building next door and now offer a variety of entrees in their dining room, along with classic pub fare in the bar area.
Mon-Thu 4PM-close, Fri-Sun noon-close$15-25
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Corn Hill
Most famous for its annual Corn Hill Arts Festival, this area can be nice to walk around any time of the year. As Rochester's oldest residential neighborhood, there are lots of beautiful historic homes. Corn Hill Landing, on the river, has shops and restaurants.
Do Not mapped
Corn Hill Arts Festival
The Corn Hill neighborhood, with some of the city's oldest and prettiest homes, is just south of downtown along the river. This festival celebrates the neighborhood's long history with over 400 arts and crafts exhibitors, plus the standard live musicians and food vendors.
Mid-JulFree
See Not mapped
East Avenue
Don't miss a drive down historic East Ave; with the mansions of Rochester's past barons still mostly intact, you can really see a history lesson of the Rochester area. Another great place to see off of East Ave is the Sandringham/Ambassador Drive neighborhood; some of the greatest residential architecture in Rochester can be viewed here.
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Tom Wahl's
Unlike the other local burger joints, Tom Wahl's started in Avon, way to the south in Livingston County. That location, which dates to the 1950s, is now an historic landmark. The chain is now owned by the Bill Gray's folks, and it's somewhat smaller than its sibling chain, with only seven locations. The food is similar, though Tom Wahl's has a smaller menu more focused on ground steak and other sandwiches. Root beer floats are a specialty, featuring homemade root beer and (at some locations) homemade ice cream.

Listings from the Wikivoyage guide to Rochester (CC BY-SA 4.0).