Introduction
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

Rochester travel guide

Rochester Tourism | Rochester Guide

You're Going to Love Rochester

With a population of 210.565, Rochester is a must-see destination in New York State, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. We recommend you stay at least 4 days in order to fully appreciate everything Rochester has to offer.

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Where to Eat in Rochester

If you’re looking for affordable options, Next Door by Wegmans (3220 Monroe Avenue) and Fiamma Centro (4 Elton St) are great picks.

When to visit Rochester

Rochester in May
Estimated package price
$96
2 travelers
Flight to Rochester
3 nights at hotel
Rochester in May
Estimated package price
$96
2 travelers
Flight to Rochester
3 nights at hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Rochester in July, when the average temperature is 71.6 °F, and the highest can go up to 80.6 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 17.6 °F, with an average temperature of 24.8 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in August, when precipitation is around 3.5″. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in Rochester, with an average rainfall of 2″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Rochester

Plane

When flying to Rochester, you’ll arrive at Greater Rochester Airport (ROC), which is located 6 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Rochester include American Airlines, Delta and KLM. The shortest domestic flight to Rochester departs from Wilmington and takes around 1h 50m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Rochester. The train journey from Rochester to Rensselaer takes 4h 03m and costs around $43 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from New York, expect to pay about $74 for a 6h 55m trip. The train station in Rochester is called Rochester, and is located 1.1 km from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Rochester is to pick up a car rental from Buffalo, which is about 107 km from Rochester. You’ll find branches of Turo and Enterprise Rent-A-Car, among others, in Buffalo.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Rochester, including Trailways, OurBus and FlixBus. From New York, the bus ride to Rochester takes 531 km and will cost you around $71. From Boston, the ticket costs about $115 for a journey of 1078 km. The most popular bus station is Rochester 368 Jefferson Rd, located 8 km from downtown Rochester. Rochester Institute of Technology is also a commonly used station, and is 9 km from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Rochester, you’ll arrive at Greater Rochester Airport (ROC), which is located 6 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Rochester include American Airlines, Delta and KLM. The shortest domestic flight to Rochester departs from Wilmington and takes around 1h 50m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Rochester. The train journey from Rochester to Rensselaer takes 4h 03m and costs around $43 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from New York, expect to pay about $74 for a 6h 55m trip. The train station in Rochester is called Rochester, and is located 1.1 km from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Rochester is to pick up a car rental from Buffalo, which is about 107 km from Rochester. You’ll find branches of Turo and Enterprise Rent-A-Car, among others, in Buffalo.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Rochester, including Trailways, OurBus and FlixBus. From New York, the bus ride to Rochester takes 531 km and will cost you around $71. From Boston, the ticket costs about $115 for a journey of 1078 km. The most popular bus station is Rochester 368 Jefferson Rd, located 8 km from downtown Rochester. Rochester Institute of Technology is also a commonly used station, and is 9 km from the city center.

Airports near Rochester

BUFBuffalo
ROCGreater Rochester Intl
SYRSyracuse Hancock Intl

Airlines serving Rochester

Lufthansa
Good (7,962 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,512 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,934 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,465 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,346 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,924 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,203 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,580 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (913 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,679 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,568 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,767 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,724 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,979 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,192 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,392 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (404 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,225 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,434 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,505 reviews)
Show more
Find flights to Rochester

Where to stay in Rochester

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Comfort Suites Rochester Henrietta University Area and Holiday Inn Express Rochester Ne - Irondequoit By IHG. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Rochester, with prices from $36 to $2,511 per night. Central Business District is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Rochester are about 38% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Most popular hotel in Rochester by neighborhood

Where to stay in popular areas of Rochester

Most booked hotels in Rochester

See all
Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Rochester Downtown
3 stars
Excellent (8.9, 150 reviews)
$214+
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Fairfield Inn by Marriott Rochester Airport
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, 349 reviews)
$147+
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Hampton Inn & Suites Rochester/Henrietta
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, 508 reviews)
$137+
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Country Inn & Suites Rochester-Pittsford
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, 1592 reviews)
$88+
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Spark by Hilton Rochester University Area
3 stars
Good (7.1, 1854 reviews)
$109+
View
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Rochester
4 stars
Good (6.9, 326 reviews)
$121+
View

Renting a car in Rochester

Renting a car in Rochester costs $69 per day, on average, or $278 if you want to rent if for 4 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Dollar and Budget are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Rochester is the Hertz branch at 1200 Brooks Avenue, which is 5 km from the city center.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 2% more expensive than at Greater Rochester Intl.

Expect to pay $4.39 per gallon in Rochester (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $52.69 and $70.26. The most frequently booked car type in Rochester is Full-size (Chevrolet Tahoe or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Chevrolet Equinox or similar) are, on average, 48% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Rochester costs $69 per day, on average, or $278 if you want to rent if for 4 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Dollar and Budget are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Rochester is the Hertz branch at 1200 Brooks Avenue, which is 5 km from the city center.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 2% more expensive than at Greater Rochester Intl.

Expect to pay $4.39 per gallon in Rochester (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $52.69 and $70.26. The most frequently booked car type in Rochester is Full-size (Chevrolet Tahoe or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Chevrolet Equinox or similar) are, on average, 48% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Best car rental deals in Rochester

Compact

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$38/day

Compact

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$39/day

Economy
Find car rentals in Rochester