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
$128
1 night at 3-star hotel
Rochester in January
Estimated hotel price
$128
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 Raleigh and takes around 1h 44m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Rochester. The train journey from Rochester to Cleveland takes 4h 10m and costs around $27 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from New York, expect to pay about $57 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 National, among others, in Buffalo.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Rochester, including Greyhound, StarLine Coach and FlixBus. From New York, the bus ride to Rochester takes 531 km and will cost you around $70. From Memphis, the ticket costs about $267 for a journey of 2382 km. 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 Raleigh and takes around 1h 44m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Rochester. The train journey from Rochester to Cleveland takes 4h 10m and costs around $27 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from New York, expect to pay about $57 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 National, among others, in Buffalo.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Rochester, including Greyhound, StarLine Coach and FlixBus. From New York, the bus ride to Rochester takes 531 km and will cost you around $70. From Memphis, the ticket costs about $267 for a journey of 2382 km. 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 (1,450 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,775 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,721 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,174 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,210 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,110 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,259 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,730 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,531 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,514 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (896 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,679 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,699 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,179 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,389 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,357 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (384 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,864 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,135 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,452 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 15% 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 Rochester/Henrietta
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 496 reviews)
$118+
View
The Strathallan Rochester Hotel & Spa - a DoubleTree by Hilton
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, 187 reviews)
$159+
View
Country Inn & Suites Rochester-Pittsford
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, 1563 reviews)
$81+
View
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Rochester West/Greece
3 stars
Good (7.9, 505 reviews)
$107+
View
Spark by Hilton Rochester University Area
3 stars
Good (7.1, 1827 reviews)
$83+
View
DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Rochester
4 stars
Good (6.7, 321 reviews)
$90+
View

Renting a car in Rochester

Renting a car in Rochester costs $50 per day, on average, or $199 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 7% cheaper than airport locations in Rochester.

Expect to pay $3.22 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 $38.61 and $51.48. Full-size (Hyundai Santa Fe or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Rochester, while also 50% cheaper than other types, on average.

Renting a car in Rochester costs $50 per day, on average, or $199 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 7% cheaper than airport locations in Rochester.

Expect to pay $3.22 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 $38.61 and $51.48. Full-size (Hyundai Santa Fe or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Rochester, while also 50% cheaper than other types, on average.

Best car rental deals in Rochester

Compact SUV

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$34/day

Compact SUV

Supplier choice

5 Adults, 5 Bags

$35/day

Supplier choice
Find car rentals in Rochester