Sometimes you just need a fun, spontaneous adventure or quick getaway to refresh your day. Try one of these day trips within 30 minutes of Rochester next time someone says, “I’m bored!”
1. Channing H Philbrick Park
As Irondequoit Creek passes through Channing H Philbrick Park in Penfield, it drops 90 feet over one mile giving us the cascades that make this park so special.
2. ARTISANworks
I’ve heard ARTISANworks described as a walk-through kaleidoscope, a bombardment on the senses, a 360° canvas, a space that defies all boundaries, a place that can’t be described but must be seen, surprising, inspiring, and in some instances shocking.
3. Sam Patch Erie Canal Tours
Sam Patch Erie Canal Tours are a great way to experience the canal, the locks, & learn about its history along your narrated cruise. Seasonal.
The Erie Canal spans 100-miles between Lockport and Lyons, with Rochester located right in the middle. Choose just 15 miles to explore for a great day trip!
4. Thomas Creek Wetlands Walk
Most folks when visiting Fairport walk along the canal path not knowing that the Thomas Creek Wetlands Walk is running parallel to them. There is also a viewing platform where you can relax and take in the sights and sounds.
5. Durand Eastman Park
Durand Eastman Park’s landscape design was inspired by the work that Olmsted had done 20 years earlier in Highland, Seneca, and Genesee Valley Parks.
Monroe County parks are free, so take advantage of 12,000 acres of natural, zoological, horticultural, historical and geological experiences!
6. Webster Arboretum at Kent Park
Follow the pathways that meander around Webster Arboretum’s 40 acres of open spaces, flower & herb gardens, water elements, and a wide variety of trees.
7. Greece Canal Park
Greece Canal Park encompasses 577 acres, with 4 easy walking trails varying in length under 1.5 miles over level or gently rolling terrain.
8. Erie Canal Lock 62
Old Erie Canal Lock 62 is tucked just far enough off the beaten path that many do not realize it’s there, just over the hill behind Pittsford Plaza.
9. Cobbs Hill
The view from Cobbs Hill, the quiet, the breeze, the friendly nature of people walking and taking it all in—there’s nothing quite like it in Rochester.
Make sure you wander back through Washington Grove!
10. MacKay Wildlife Preserve
There are interesting man-made and geologic wonders to discover at MacKay Wildlife Preserve in Caledonia, including a sea of round, moss-covered boulders.
Geologic History of the Rochester Area
These day trips into Rochester’s geologic history, filled with drumlins, fossils, house-sized boulders and a meromictic lake, will leave you awe-struck!
11. Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse
You can climb the Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse’s 40 foot high tower and enjoy the view of Lake Ontario, the Genesee River, and Ontario Beach Park. Seasonal.
9 Lighthouses Along Lake Ontario
These lighthouses along Lake Ontario in New York are all within a two-hour drive of Rochester. And where there is a lighthouse there is a sweeping view!
12. Conesus Lake
Conesus Lake is the westernmost Finger Lake and the closest to Rochester. You can drive around the entire lake in 30 minutes.
Fall Foliage: 6 Breathtaking Views Near Rochester
These destinations offer colorful fall foliage and varied landscapes so you can appreciate them each in their own unique way.
13. Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Park at Manhattan Square
Concerts, events, and festivals at Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Park at Manhattan Square are organized more frequently now, and the cascades behind the stage will make for a beautiful backdrop.
14. Oatka Creek Park
Oatka Creek Park in Wheatland is one of the more strollable in the Monroe County Park system, with little change in elevation along the 3.3 mile loop trail.
County Parks: Our Favorite 5 to Explore
The Monroe County Parks systems includes 20 parks that are all worth exploring, but these are the five you absolutely must see if you haven’t already!
15. Tinker Nature Park
Tinker Nature Park comprises 68-acres in Henrietta with a 1.2 mile flat perimeter trail for jogging, biking, skiing, snowshoeing or walking.
16. Rochester’s Hidden Sidewalk
To find Rochester’s hidden sidewalk, start at Ontario Beach Park & head west on Beach Ave. Across from Clematis St. & Cloverdale St. are the two main entrances.
13 Hidden Places Around Rochester
We drive past some of Rochester’s most unique features every day, completely unaware that these hidden places are just minutes away from where we live.
17. Meridian Centre Park
Meridian Centre Park is located off Winton Road. There are several points of access from the large parking area to the Erie Canal path.
18. Braddock Bay Fish and Wildlife Management Area
The Braddock Bay complex includes the bay and the surrounding wetlands. We break it down so you can start exploring!
19. Maplewood Park
Maplewood Park is a linear park that follows the river from Driving Park and the Lower Falls to just north of Route 104, ending at the pedestrian bridge over the Genesee.
20. Turning Point Park
Turning Point Park’s most striking feature is a 3,572 ft-long bridge over the Genesee River Turning Basin, part of the greater Genesee Riverway Trail.
30 More Day Trips within 30 Minutes of Rochester
Looking for things to do around Rochester that are close to home? Guests visiting from out-of-town? Here are 30 more day trips within 30 minutes.
21. Rochester Public Market
The Rochester Public Market is the place to grab the freshest local and wholesale fruit, veggies, seafood, beef, cheese, bread, flowers and spices. The market is surrounded by excellent restaurants, cafes, a donuts shop, and a distillery.
22. High Falls
High Falls is both the name of the waterfall and the district in the city where it can be found. There’s plenty of parking and food options on both sides of the river.
34 Roadside Waterfalls Near Rochester
Impressive waterfalls are not all buried in dark ravines accessible only by difficult trails. And for some, you do not need to get out of your car.
23. Warner Castle Sunken Garden
When you stroll around the back of Warner Castle and down the lawn, you’ll discover the Sunken Garden. It’s a peaceful retreat, and beautiful anytime of the year. Continue walking behind the garden and you’ll find yourself at Highland Bowl.
24. Lamberton Conservatory
Tropical plants need tropical temperatures, so visiting Lamberton Conservatory in winter is a welcome escape from the cold! Don’t miss the Spring Show that runs late-March through May and the Holiday Show in December.
The Flower City: Exploring Rochester’s Extraordinary Flowers and Trees
Rochester became a global center for flower and tree nurseries in the mid-1800s, fostering our identity as The Flower City.
25. Mount Hope Cemetery
Mount Hope Cemetery is a special place all year-round, but there’s something about Autumn that turns it into a virtual painting.
Free Things to Do in Rochester
Our top 12 day trip ideas for unique, fun, and free things to do in Rochester will give you over 500 actual destinations to explore.
26. Highland Park
Highland Park was designed to be enjoyed year-round. Every pathway, every tree, every vista & every relationship between the land & water is intentional.
27. Mendon Ponds Park
Mendon Ponds Park is the largest Monroe County Park with 2,500 acres of woodlands, ponds, wetlands and glacially created landforms.
28. Seneca Park
The Seneca Park Zoo is a but a small part of the greater 297-acre Seneca Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted in 1893.
29. Corbetts Glen
Corbetts Glen Nature Park is a hidden green space in a suburban jungle, nestled in between an express way and 2 highly trafficked roads near the Penfield/Brighton Town border.
30. Genesee Valley Park
Genesee Valley Park is a Frederick Law Olmsted-designed park located at the intersection of the Erie Canal, Red Creek, and Genesee River.
30 More Day Trips within 30 Minutes of Rochester
Looking for things to do around Rochester that are close to home? Guests visiting from out-of-town? Here are 30 more day trips within 30 minutes.
5 Places in the City to Enjoy the Genesee River
At Genesee Valley Park, the Genesee River begins her journey through the city, racing over a dam and three waterfalls before emptying into Lake Ontario.
Street Art: Exploring Rochester’s Murals & Graffiti
The term street art means different things to different people. Here, we interpret street art to mean any outdoor, free, public wall art.
Where are your favorite day trips within 30 minutes of Rochester?
Share your thoughts with us in the comments. Your insight and experience is invaluable!
1. Clover street canal locks.
2. Seneca Park Zoo
3. Letchworth State Park (eagles)
4. The public beach at Charlotte
5. The views at Irondequoit Bay (jetties)
6. Webster Park Picnics
7. Farmington (Finger Lakes) horse racing
8. Strolling along Park Ave.
9. Cornhill festival
That’s a great set list! Irondequoit Bay is fascinating between the cliffs and history of the area. I am unfamiliar with the jetties. I’ll have to explore further! Thank you for the recommendations, Paul!