Looking for weekend road trips? Day trips around Rochester? Spontaneous getaways close to home? Recommendations for out-of-town guests or area college students? I was too! But the information used to be spread out across blogs and books and tourism sites. Now this site–Day Trips Around Rochester, NY–is a collection of experience and research that I personally wish had been out there 20 years ago.
I’ve been exploring the Rochester area for decades, visiting well-known places and looking for hidden gems and I still haven’t seen it all! Day Trips Around Rochester, NY focuses on destinations within 2-hours of Rochester so that overnights are not necessary. Of course, there are many occasions where an overnight will help you explore more of an area (like waterfalls in Ithaca, for example). There are ideas for longer road trips as well as places you can explore within 30 minutes of Center City. Filter our day trips by drive-time, direction, or season, and check out our maps & guides for inspiration!
I plan my own day trips by choosing the destination first, then finding out what there is to explore along the way. Back roads around Western, NY and the Finger Lakes Region are worth the drive regardless of the destination! Small towns on Main Streets, village diners and cafes, and roadside waterfalls are all part of the path to discovery so take the slow roads! You really pass so much by taking the Thruway or NY-390.
I’d love to hear your thoughts, ideas, and constructive feedback so we can keep making this a great resource to plan your day trips from Rochester. Happy trails!
Filter your search by drive time from city center
- Less than 30 minute drive
- 30-60 minute drive
- 60-90 minute drive
- 90-120 minute drive
- 120-150 minute drive
Filter by direction from Rochester
Filter your Rochester day trip by season
Most destinations are great in any season! Some activities, like skiing, are limited to specific seasons.
Find inspiration for day trips around Rochester using our maps
Our Google maps are open to the public for editing. That way if you know of a place others would like, feel free to add it. These are a few of the most popular:
Find inspiration in our guides
We have guides to inspire your next day trip around Rochester, NY! Some of our most popular include:
- 123 Day Trips from Rochester, NY
- 73 Trails Around Rochester That Are Not Just a Walk in the Park
- Spend a Day in the Finger Lakes Region
- 15 Miles on the Erie Canal near Rochester
- 40 Public Gardens Around Rochester
- 43 New York State Parks Within a 2-hour Drive of Rochester, NY
- 31 Quirky Rochester-Area Roadside Attractions
- 80 Other Museums Around Rochester
- 15 Discover Niagara Shuttle Stops
- 207 Annual Events Around Rochester
- 21 Craft Beverage Tasting Rooms in Monroe County
- 151 Small Family Restaurants, Diners, Cafes, Pubs, and Ice Cream Parlors Around Rochester
- 5 Old Country Stores Around Rochester
- 9 Rochester U-Pick Seasons
- 10 Ways to Savor Autumn Around Rochester
- 20 Monroe County Parks
- 10 Rochester-Area Neighbors with Extraordinary Holiday Lights
- 9 Monroe County Library VIP-Pass Discounts
- 65 Performing Arts Venues Around Rochester
- 8 Ways to Get Into the Holiday Spirit Around Rochester
- 9 Places to Rent Snowshoes Around Rochester