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 January
Estimated hotel price
$120
1 night at 3-star hotel
Rochester in January
Estimated hotel price
$120
1 night at 3-star 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 Virgin Atlantic. The shortest domestic flight to Rochester departs from Nashville and takes around 1h 58m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Rochester. The train journey from Rochester to New York takes 6h 55m and costs around $57 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Boston, expect to pay about $63 for a 10h 26m 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 Avis, among others, in Buffalo.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Rochester, including OurBus, Trailways and Greyhound. The most popular bus station is Rochester Bus Stop, located 1.0 km from downtown Rochester. Rochester Rush Rhees Library is also a commonly used station, and is 3.1 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 Virgin Atlantic. The shortest domestic flight to Rochester departs from Nashville and takes around 1h 58m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Rochester. The train journey from Rochester to New York takes 6h 55m and costs around $57 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Boston, expect to pay about $63 for a 10h 26m 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 Avis, among others, in Buffalo.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Rochester, including OurBus, Trailways and Greyhound. The most popular bus station is Rochester Bus Stop, located 1.0 km from downtown Rochester. Rochester Rush Rhees Library is also a commonly used station, and is 3.1 km from the city center.

Airports near Rochester

BUFBuffalo
ROCGreater Rochester Intl
SYRSyracuse Hancock Intl

Airlines serving Rochester

KLM
Good (1,437 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,711 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,671 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,040 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,167 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,086 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,156 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,714 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,522 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,466 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (893 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,619 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,649 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,369 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,169 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,348 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,431 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Good (11,701 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (380 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,119 reviews)
Show more
Find flights to Rochester

Where to stay in Rochester

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Fairfield Inn by Marriott Rochester Airport and Comfort Suites Rochester Henrietta University Area. 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 5% 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
The Strathallan Rochester Hotel & Spa - a DoubleTree by Hilton
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, 184 reviews)
$142+
View
Hampton Inn & Suites Rochester/Henrietta
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 493 reviews)
$128+
View
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Rochester West/Greece
3 stars
Good (7.8, 504 reviews)
$111+
View
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Rochester
4 stars
Good (6.8, 317 reviews)
$93+
View
Extended Stay America Suites - Rochester - Greece
2 stars
Good (6.3, 808 reviews)
$66+
View
Quality Inn Rochester West
2 stars
Good (6.2, 1319 reviews)
$60+
View

Renting a car in Rochester

Renting a car in Rochester costs $52 per day, on average, or $208 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.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 24% cheaper than airport locations in Rochester.

Expect to pay $3.14 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 $37.70 and $50.27. The most frequently booked car type in Rochester is Intermediate (Hyundai Elantra or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Toyota Corolla or similar) are, on average, 45% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Rochester costs $52 per day, on average, or $208 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.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 24% cheaper than airport locations in Rochester.

Expect to pay $3.14 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 $37.70 and $50.27. The most frequently booked car type in Rochester is Intermediate (Hyundai Elantra or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Toyota Corolla or similar) are, on average, 45% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Best car rental deals in Rochester

Intermediate

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$27/day

Intermediate

Compact

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$30/day

Compact
Find car rentals in Rochester