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 December
Estimated hotel price
$123
1 night at 3-star hotel
Rochester in December
Estimated hotel price
$123
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 KLM. The shortest domestic flight to Rochester departs from Nashville and takes around 1h 59m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Rochester. The train journey from Rochester to Cleveland takes 4h 10m and costs around $111 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from New York, expect to pay about $57 for a 6h 58m 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 Albany, which is about 320 km from Rochester. You’ll find branches of Turo and Thrifty, among others, in Albany.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Rochester, including Trailways, OurBus and Greyhound. From Buffalo, the bus ride to Rochester takes 153 km and will cost you around $17. From New York, the ticket costs about $70 for a journey of 531 km. The most popular bus station is Rochester Brighton Henrietta Town Line Rd, located 7 km from downtown Rochester. Rochester Bus Stop is also a commonly used station, and is 1.0 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 Nashville and takes around 1h 59m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Rochester. The train journey from Rochester to Cleveland takes 4h 10m and costs around $111 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from New York, expect to pay about $57 for a 6h 58m 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 Albany, which is about 320 km from Rochester. You’ll find branches of Turo and Thrifty, among others, in Albany.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Rochester, including Trailways, OurBus and Greyhound. From Buffalo, the bus ride to Rochester takes 153 km and will cost you around $17. From New York, the ticket costs about $70 for a journey of 531 km. The most popular bus station is Rochester Brighton Henrietta Town Line Rd, located 7 km from downtown Rochester. Rochester Bus Stop is also a commonly used station, and is 1.0 km from the city center.

Airports near Rochester

BUFBuffalo
ROCGreater Rochester Intl
SYRSyracuse Hancock Intl

Airlines serving Rochester

KLM
Good (1,419 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,579 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,001 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,534 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,048 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,033 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,032 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,664 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,422 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,493 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,464 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (874 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,309 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,584 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,334 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,329 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,137 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,407 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (370 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,070 reviews)
Show more
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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 19% 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 (8.4, 179 reviews)
$151+
View
Hampton Inn & Suites Rochester/Henrietta
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 482 reviews)
$113+
View
Country Inn & Suites Rochester-Pittsford
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, 1542 reviews)
$95+
View
Rit Inn & Conference Center
3 stars
Good (7.6, 935 reviews)
$86+
View
Best Western Rochester Marketplace Inn
2 stars
Good (7.4, 1331 reviews)
$88+
View
Spark by Hilton Rochester University Area
3 stars
Good (7.1, 1815 reviews)
$107+
View

Renting a car in Rochester

Renting a car in Rochester costs $69 per day, on average, or $274 if you want to rent if for 4 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Dollar and Avis 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 4% cheaper than airport locations in Rochester.

Expect to pay $3.41 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 $40.88 and $54.51. Full-size (Toyota Camry or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Rochester, while also 42% cheaper than other types, on average.

Renting a car in Rochester costs $69 per day, on average, or $274 if you want to rent if for 4 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Dollar and Avis 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 4% cheaper than airport locations in Rochester.

Expect to pay $3.41 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 $40.88 and $54.51. Full-size (Toyota Camry or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Rochester, while also 42% cheaper than other types, on average.

Best car rental deals in Rochester

Compact SUV

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$34/day

Compact SUV

Intermediate

5 Adults, 3 Bags

$35/day

Intermediate
Find car rentals in Rochester