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Rochester

Big-city culture and small-city charm combine in Rochester, a mid-sized city on the shore of Lake Ontario. The birthplace of amateur photography, Rochester was synonymous with Eastman Kodak for much of the 20th century, but the city's fame was established well before George Eastman came on the scene. Today, its historical treasures complement modern family-friendly attractions that rival those found in much larger communities. In Rochester, you can find the only museum in the world dedicated to play; award-winning music, dance, and acting ensembles; a dense festival calendar covering nearly every weekend of the year; minor-league sports of the highest caliber; and a trio of majestic waterfal

See
31
Do
75
Eat
69
Drink
20
Buy
23

6 places match

  1. Buy

    Abundance Cooperative Market

    Owned by two thousand locals who've invested in this cooperative, the market is open to anyone who wants to buy their groceries from a community oriented and democratically controlled business. They moved to the new location on South Ave in 2017.

    Daily 8AM-8PM

  2. Buy

    Cheesy Eddie's (Henrietta)

    This outlet location near Palmer's Market and Lori's Natural Foods is more convenient for south-siders.

    Tue-Fri 10AM-6PM, Sat 10AM-3PM (earlier close in winter)

  3. Eat

    DiBella's Italian Market

    The chain's flagship location is bigger than the others but (at least since the pandemic) serves essentially the same menu.

    Mon-Wed 10AM-8PM, Thu-Sat 10AM-9PM, Sun 11AM-7PM

  4. Drink

    Java's Cafe

    Another downtown coffee shop, more popular with the art house crowd, as well as those headed to (or from) the Eastman Theater. They also sell a variety of large homemade cookies in a variety of styles. At lunch time, an adjacent cafe-style restaurant serves for soup and sandwiches. Local art adorns the walls and local bands of questionable quality occasionally perform. Other locations at RIT and the Public Market as well as the YMCA in Pittsford.

    Daily 7AM-midnight

  5. Buy

    Rochester Public Market

    Established in 1905, the public market features over 300 stalls where independent sellers ply their wares, from cheap locally grown produce to handmade crafts and other curiosities. Many vendors even sell prepared foods, with regulars lining up early to place their orders. Great fun to just walk around, but good luck getting out without buying anything. Often overlooked by locals, yet always super-crowded; get there early for the best selection, or late for the best prices. Outside of normal market hours, the Market regularly hosts community garage sales, food truck rodeos, and free concerts.

    Tue Thu 6AM-1PM, Sat 6AM-3PM

  6. See Not mapped

    Wall\Therapy

    Public art came to Rochester in a (literally) huge way in 2012, in which Wall\Therapy invited urban artists from all around the globe to come and use the city's blank walls as canvases. It started in the Public Market neighborhood, then in 2013 moved to El Camino and the South Wedge. Later years saw other neighborhoods throughout the city receive new murals. You can see a map of locations on the website. No admission needed; just stroll around and gawk.