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. Rochester deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.
Where to Eat in Rochester
Central Business District is the neighborhood with the most restaurants in Rochester. These include popular favorites such as Tournedos - The Inn on Broadway (26 Broadway), Dinosaur Bar-B-Que - Rochester (99 Court St) and Native Eatery & Bar (180 South Clinton Avenue). If you’re looking for affordable options, The Revelry (1290 University Avenue Suite A) and Lento (274 North Goodman St) are great picks.
When to visit Rochester
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″.
How to Get to Rochester
Plane
When flying to Rochester, you’ll arrive at Greater Rochester Airport (ROC), which is located 4 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Rochester include Aeromexico, Royal Air Maroc and JetBlue. The shortest domestic flight to Rochester departs from Fort Lauderdale and takes around 2h 59m.
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 $65 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Boston, expect to pay about $71 for a 10h 26m trip. The train station in Rochester is called Rochester, and is located 0.7 miles from the city center.
Car
Another option to get to Rochester is to pick up a car rental from Buffalo, which is about 66 miles from Rochester. You’ll find branches of Hertz and Dollar, among others, in Buffalo.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Rochester, including Trailways, Greyhound and FlixBus. From New York, the bus ride to Rochester takes 340 miles and will cost you around $41. From Baltimore, the ticket costs about $53 for a journey of 675 miles. The most popular bus station is Rochester Bus Stop, located 0.6 miles from downtown Rochester. Rochester Brighton Henrietta Town Line Rd is also a commonly used station, and is 4 miles from the city center.
Airlines serving Rochester
Where to stay in Rochester
If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Hampton Inn & Suites Rochester Downtown and Days Inn by Wyndham Henrietta/Rochester 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 21% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.
Where to stay in popular areas of Rochester
Most booked hotels in Rochester
Renting a car in Rochester
Renting a car in Rochester costs $84 per day, on average, or $167 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Alamo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Dollar 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 3 miles from the city center.
You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 3% more expensive than at Rochester Greater Rochester Intl.
Expect to pay $3.82 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 $45.88 and $61.17. The most frequently booked car type in Rochester is Compact (Nissan Rogue or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Luxury rental cars (Acura MDX or similar) are, on average, 69% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.