Guided Walks and Tours Around Rochester, NY

These guided walks, runs, rides, and behind-the-scenes tours are not simply events where you learn independently through signage or audio narration.

Local experts who highlight the rich history, geology, ecology, and community of the greater Rochester region lead these guided walks.

And you’ll be with other people who share your interest, which lends itself to interesting questions and conversations. Guided walks are both educational and social activities. They are especially helpful for folks who prefer not to explore alone.

Check out each organization’s website for their most current schedule, follow them on social, and subscribe to their newsletters. Pre-registration is often required and space can be limited.

A helpful tip: Members of these organizations, where offered, are usually the first to know about tours. Membership often includes free walks (where a fee may otherwise be charged) as a member benefit. A membership is always worth looking in to.

2023 Flower City Feeling Good Guided Walks

Sponsored by the City of Rochester, join one or all of these fabulous Flower City Feeling Good guided walks Thursday evenings at 6 p.m.

Follow the City of Rochester on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter for the most current updates. Please contact stephanie.benway@cityofrochester.gov with any questions about these walks.

Thursday, June 1 at 6 p.m.: Connecting to Nature in Highland Park with Environmental Educator Kyra Stephenson. Meet at Frederick Douglass R-Center, 999 South Avenue.

Thursday, June 15 at 6 p.m.: Old Growth Forest Walk with Friends of Washington Grove. Meet on the southeast side of Reservoir Road, atop Cobbs Hill Reservoir.

Thursday, June 29 at 6 p.m.: Lower Falls Gorge Walk with Local Gorge Guides Meet in the Maplewood Rose Garden parking lot, 250 Maplewood Avenue.

Thursday, July 13 at 6 p.m.: Discover Wildlife in Seneca Park with the Seneca Park Zoo Society’s Urban Ecologists. Meet in the Wegmans Lodge parking lot along the park road in Seneca Park.

Thursday, July 27 at 6 p.m.: Otter Walk in Genesee Valley Park with the Seneca Park Zoo Society’s Urban Ecologists. Meet outside the Genesee Waterways Center, 149 Elmwood Avenue.

Thursday, August 10 at 6 p.m.: Learn to Take Care of Our Planet Walk with the Seneca Park Zoo Society’s Urban Ecologists Meet outside the Rundel Memorial Library building on the corner of Broad Street and South Avenue.

Thursday, August 24 at 6 p.m.: Little Creatures Walk in Durand Eastman Park with the Seneca Park Zoo Society’s Urban Ecologists Meet in Durand Beach Parking Lot D, Lakeshore Boulevard.

Thursday, September 7 at 6 p.m.: Old Growth Forest Walk with Friends of Washington Grove. Meet on the southeast side of Reservoir Road, atop Cobbs Hill Reservoir.

Thursday, October 5 at 6 p.m.: Listen to the Sounds of Nature Walk with the Seneca Park Zoo Society’s Urban Ecologists. Meet at Turning Point Park parking lot, 260 Boxart Street.

2023 Central Library Local History Walking Tours

Central Library of Rochester & Monroe County hosts a monthly walking tour series, with walks scheduled every third Wednesday throughout the summer. Meet on the north side of the Rundel Memorial Building, near the corner of South Avenue and Broad Street. In the case of inclement weather, tours may be cancelled. Registration is encouraged but not required for these free walking tours. 

Wednesday, June 14 from 6–8 p.m.: Local History Walking Tour: Multicultural Rochester. Join Emily Morry for a walking tour exploring “Multicultural Rochester: Immigrants, Migrants & Minorities in the Flower City.” This 1.1-mile walk focuses on the significant role that immigrants, migrants, and minority group members have played in the economic, social, and cultural development of Rochester. The tour begins at the former location of the largely immigrant-built Erie Canal and ends at the Rundel Memorial Library, where locals and visitors alike can learn more about Rochester’s immigrant communities as well as their own ethnic and racial heritage using the resources available in the Local History & Genealogy Division.

Wednesday, July 19 from 6–8 p.m.: Local History Walking Tour: Douglass, Anthony & Beyond. Join Dan Cody for a walking tour exploring “Douglass, Anthony & Beyond: Activism and Social Justice in Rochester.” This 1.1-mile walk focuses on Rochester’s rich history of social justice activism. While the tour discusses sites related to the city’s most famous agitators, Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony, it also delves into various other forms of local activism as expressed by the labor movement, the anti-draft movement, the gay rights movement, and others.

Wednesday, August 16 from 6–8 p.m.: Local History Walking Tour: Beyond Flour and Flowers. Rochester’s logo, a blue lilac combined with a water wheel, is telling of the city’s industrial history. Both the logo and the nicknames it features–Flour City and Flower City–evoke the two major industries that fueled Rochester’s early development. However, myriad other and perhaps lesser known local industries and inventions also helped put Rochester on the map. Join Dan Cody for a 1.2-mile walking tour exploring “Beyond Flour and Flowers: Industry in Rochester.”

Wednesday, September 20 from 5–7 p.m.: Local History Walking Tour: Washington Square Neighborhood. Join Emily Morry for a .83-mile walking tour of Washington Square, one of the oldest neighborhoods on Rochester’s east side. The area serves as something of a microcosm of the city’s history. Here, one finds echoes of Rochester’s early years as a milling village, its Erie Canal boomtown days, and its rise as a site of technological innovation. 

Regular Outdoor Guided Walks

Guided Walks with Genesee Land Trust

Each month, pending weather and the like, Genesee River Alliance (a project under Genesee Land Trust) offers a guided walk called Mile-a-Month.

The Genesee River flows 13-miles through the City of Rochester from Genesee Valley Park to Lake Ontario, so the idea is to explore roughly a mile of riverfront every month. Each family-friendly walk is 2-2.5 miles round trip.

These tours are lead by subject matter experts and neighborhood partners selected specifically for that mile of river. This storytelling around the river’s history, cultural significance, and environmental impact is so valuable.

Past walks have included Genesee Valley Park, ROC the Riverway, PLEX neighborhood, Turning Point, Seneca, Charlotte, and High Falls.

Plus, Genesee Land Trust offers guided tours of their protected lands in the greater Rochester region.

Guided Walks through Mount Hope Cemetery

Primarily offered during the warmer months, The Friends of Mount Hope Cemetery maintain a regular schedule of guided walks. There are foundational tours on Sundays at 2 pm, and Twilight Tours on Thursdays at 7 pm, May through September.

Plus themed tours which focus on a particular topic and led by guides with special expertise. Topics include cemetery history, stories of Rochester’s citizens buried here, even geology and arboretum tours.

There are more than 100 tours through Mount Hope Cemetery offered every year.

Guided Walks and Trolley Tours through Forest Lawn Cemetery

Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo offers a regular public tour schedule. It’s a vast place, easily explored in your own vehicle along wide, paved roads. But I recommend the formal tours to learn more about the space and its famous residents.

RMSC Cumming Nature Center Eco-Book Club & Hike

If you are an outdoor enthusiast and book lover, this reading and hiking combo is for you! During each session, a book about an aspect of the natural world will be discussed followed by a BYO brown bag lunch. Participants can then head out into the woods for a guided hike tailored to the theme of the book. Book discussions start at 11am. The book club is a collaborative program with the Naples Library, and book copies are available at their location, and through O.W.W.L., STLS, and Monroe County Libraries.

This program is free and open to the public, but advanced registration is required.

Some Things Afoot

A Free Walking Tour of Rochester NY’s Park Avenue District and Neighborhood of the Arts (NOTA)

Some Things Afoot is a free guided walking tour of Rochester, NY that encompasses approximately 2 ½ miles of two of Rochester’s most popular cultural areas. In addition to walking through the grounds of the George Eastman Museum, Rochester Memorial Art Gallery, Strasenburgh Planetarium, and the Rochester Museum and Science Center, you’ll discover the history of Rochester’s urban forest, its reputation as the World Image Center, and learn about some famous (and infamous) Rochesterians. Along the way, you’ll enjoy a variety of architectural styles, visit a church, and wander through beautiful urban neighborhoods featuring unusual shops and restaurants.

Rochester Birding Association

The Rochester Birding Association (RBA) is for all people interested in birdwatching in the Rochester area. Bringing together people at all levels of knowledge and experience, RBA provides opportunities for birders to expand their skills, and meet others who share their interest in birds.

With dates and habitats chosen to highlight the birds of the season, there are 50 + field trips scheduled during the year. Some are specifically designed for new birdwatchers. Locations range from parks in downtown Rochester (Cobbs Hill, Highland Park) to the suburbs (Braddock Bay, Mendon Ponds) and more distant places (Montezuma NWR, Hamlin Beach State Park, Niagara River).

Guided Walks through Letchworth State Park

In every season, there is a robust hike schedule offered through Humphrey Nature Center.

From guided sunrise, waterfall, and night hikes, to snowshoe and cross-country ski hikes, to walks along many of Letchworth’s 20 trails, there are dozens of opportunities to explore the forest with nature experts throughout the year.

Penfield Recreation

Monthly guided hikes lead you through Penfield’s town and county parks, like Ellison, Abraham Lincoln, Channing H. Philbrick, 1,000 Acre Swamp, and Harris Whalen. All hikes are free, but pre-registration is required.

Fairchild Walking Tours through Mendon Ponds

Explore the history and beauty of Mendon Ponds Park on a guided walk with Jack Butler. Fairchild Walking Tours explores smaller sections that take one to one-and-a-half hours. 

Each tour will cover the history of the park and its development, its glacial formation, and geological features such as kettles, kames, and eskers, and include identification of flora and fauna within the park.

There is no fee for guided walks, but pre-registration is required.

Crescent Trail Hiking Association

Since 1980, the Crescent Trail Hiking Association has led free monthly guided hikes to share a love of nature, educate hikers about the history of Perinton, and encourage all to be good stewards of our natural surroundings.

They lead hikes on a variety of trails including the Seneca Trail near Eastview Mall, Horizon Hill to Woodcliff, Boughton Park in Victor, Harts Woods and OxBow. Even a Pub Hike in Fairport.

Please visit their Facebook page for more event details, including meet up location, preliminary mapping and hike descriptions. They try to offer a variety of hikes to meet various skill levels and age groups.

Guided Walks with Trail Otter

In addition to their hiking and outdoor gear store in Leicester, Trail Otter offers guided hikes of varying length and difficulty in Letchworth, and an exclusive hike on private property in Geneseo at Fall Brook.

There’s also a Trail Otter Hiking Club that will help you tackle one of their Letchworth hiking challenges: Winter 50 and Hike ’em All.

Montezuma Audubon Center

Montezuma Audubon Center is a state-owned facility operated through a cooperative agreement between the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and the National Audubon Society. 

In addition to lectures at the center, they offer guided snowshoe, kayak, and birding excursions, and private birding tours for families and small groups.

Guided Walks to Mount Morris Dam

The Top of the Dam Guided Walk is ideal for active visitors with an interest in engineering and the Genesee River Valley. The walk lasts approximately 45 minutes and includes a steep ½ mile trek in to the Genesee River Gorge to the top of the Mount Morris Dam.

Mount Morris Dam and Recreation Area Visitor Center and Interpretive Programs are available spring through fall, roughly May through October.

Tickets are available seven days a week during the season. Reserve tickets in advance as space is limited for each start time.

Guided Walks through Farm Sanctuary

Enjoy an hour-long guided tour of the Watkins Glen Farm Sanctuary, meeting dozens of rescued residents along the way. Guided tours are offered May through October on specific days of the week.

Periodic Outdoor Guided Walks

I’ve included these organizations below under “periodic” because tours are not part of their core business. Yet when they offer a tour, they’re not to be missed!

Guided Walks with Highland Park Conservancy

Guided tours are offered periodically so keep your eye on their calendar of events. The themed tours are led by local subject matter experts.

Guided Walks with Rochester Ecology Partners

Group walks are offered periodically so keep your eye on their calendar of events.

Guided Walks with Lower Falls Foundation

Guided walks are offered periodically so keep your eye on their calendar of events. Often you will find them leading tours during Maplewood Rose Festival and ROC the Riverway Weekend.

Guided Walks through Genesee Country Village

Genesee Country Village is typically experienced through individual exploration with costumed interpreters sharing stories along the way.

But they also host guided walks, like the annual Yuletide in the Country, and a tour of Monroe County homes offered last year. Keep an eye on their events calendar for guided walks.

Guided Walks with Rochester Brainery’s Partners

Rochester Brainery periodically offers two different guided geology field trips, led by Tyler Lucero. One takes you into the Lower Falls Gorge from the Seth Green Fishing Access, and the other around the Devil’s Bathtub in Mendon Ponds Park.

You may also come across Architecture in the Wild walking tours with the Landmark Society’s Young Urban Preservationists.

The Lost Borough leads “hidden history” neighborhood tours, highlighting the history that hides in plain sight.

Filter Rochester Brainery classes using “history” or “science” or “outside” to find these types of events.

ROC the Riverway Weekend in October

Taking place annually during the first or second weekend of October, the City of Rochester sponsors guided hikes, bikes, and paddles to celebrate life along the Genesee river’s urban corridor. This is a great time to explore the river and enjoy the fall colors.

I anticipate the events scheduled during ROC the Riverway Weekend will grow more diverse as we continue to revive the riverfront through downtown and progress toward the creation of Rochester High Falls State Park.

Guided Walks with Bergen Swamp Preservation Society

Tours are offered periodically throughout the year. You can also request a tour for three of the properties they protect.

Guided Walks with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Monroe County

Guided tours of Durand Eastman Arboretum are sometimes offered in the spring. Keep an eye on their event calendar.

Wall\Therapy Wall Art Tours

Rumor has it there may be plans taking shape for future guided walking or driving tours of Rochester’s exceptional public art scene. I’ll update this content if and when those are announced.

Indoor Guided Tours

Memorial Art Gallery DeTOUR℠

DeTOURs℠ are offered on the third Thursday of each month and are an exclusive themed tour that is both engaging and entertaining. These tours focus on some of the amazing personal lives of artists, the inspiration and method to their creativity, and lesser-known facts about some of the works in our collection. Each tour includes activities, personal connections, and mind-blowing facts! DeTOUR℠ tickets include museum admission. Space is limited.

Memorial Art Gallery Docent-Led Tours

Take a docent-led tour and explore 5,000 years of world art in MAG’s collection and temporary exhibitions. Upon arrival, please let the Admission Desk know that you wish to join the tour. Public tours are approximately 60 minutes and are included in museum admission.

ARTISANworks Docent-Led Tours

Free introductory public tours, included with admission, are offered Saturdays and Sundays at 2pm. Or schedule a tour for your group of 10 or more – admission fees apply.

Susan B. Anthony Museum and House Docent-Led Tours

Your guided interpreted experience will be 45 minutes. For the safety of visitors, staff, and volunteers, part of the tour will be outdoors on the Anthony Museum campus. The highlight of the tour is a visit to the first floor of the Susan B. Anthony House, featuring the front parlor where she was arrested for voting.

AIA Rochester Guided Building Tours

American Institute of Architects (AIA) of Rochester offers a “Tours at Four” series, exploring local buildings on predetermined Thursdays at 4 pm. For example, they offered a tour of the Times Square Building on Feb 3, 2022, and have plans to explore additional buildings of interest throughout the year.

George Eastman Museum Docent-Led Tours

Docent-led tours are currently on hold. Self-guided Tours are available at eastman.oncell.com.

Sonnenberg Gardens Docent-Led Tours

Docent-led tours are currently on hold. Self-guided tours are available using the Smart Phone tour.

Regularly Scheduled Boat Tours

Colonial Belle Erie Canal Tours

Cruises depart from Packett’s Landing in Fairport, unless otherwise noted. They cruise west on the Erie Canal to Pittsford, and return to Fairport. Only the 3-hour cruises include the experience of locking through Lock 32.

Established in 1989, the Colonial Belle is the largest tour boat operating on the historic Erie Canal. There is a fully accessible, enclosed lower deck and an upper open-air deck. The enclosed first deck offers comfortable seating, a full-service bar, and two restrooms. The upper deck provides seating, scenic viewing, and the experience of “ducking down” for low bridges.

Sam Patch Packet Boat Erie Canal Tours

Public cruises depart on specific days of the week during open-canal season—mid-May through late-October.

Enjoy an unforgettable adventure by navigating one of America’s most famous historic routes with a 90-minute cruise aboard Corn Hill Navigation’s replica canal packet boat, the Sam Patch.

An authentic Erie Canal experience, learn about the history, science, culture, and environmental importance of the Canal.

Riverie Boat Tours

Corn Hill Navigation’s newest boat, Riverie—a portmanteau of river and Erie—launches its first public cruises in June 2023. Choose a 90-minute river and canal cruise, a 2.5-hour cruise to experience locking through Lock E-33 in Henrietta, or a specialty cruise, like a one-hour Friday night sunset cruise. Tour fee. 280 Exchange Blvd., Rochester

Periodic Indoor Guided Tours

Landmark Society of Western New York

The annual House and Garden Tour offers a glimpse into how Rochester’s past is enhanced by modern culture, architecture and technology. Expert volunteers are available in each home to tell its story and answer any questions. Tours take place typically in early-June.

Past tours include the Western End of East Avenue (Arnold Park, Prince Street, and Strathallan Park), East Avenue and East Boulevard area, Highland Ave and Cobbs Hill Neighborhood, Mt. Hope and Highland Neighborhood, Park Ave Neighborhood, and West Irondequoit.

2023 Flower City Feeling Good Guided Bike Rides

Join Reconnect Rochester and EE Pathways on this intermediate-level riding series. Features 20 casually paced 7-mile rides (approximately 45 minutes of riding). Helmets required. Bikes not provided. Must have solid bike handling skills and be comfortable navigating traffic. Learn-to-Ride classes are available for new or beginner-level riders. Meet Wednesdays, May 24–August 30 at 6:45 p.m., and September 6–October 4 at 5:45 p.m. for warm-up stretches with EE Pathways.

Follow Reconnect Rochester Cycling on Facebook for the most current updates. Please contact jesse@reconnectrochester.org with any questions about these bike rides.

Wednesday, May 24 at 7 p.m.: Montgomery Neighborhood Center. Meet at EE Pathways Fitness Center at 10 Cady Street.

Wednesday, May 31 at 7 p.m.: Ontario Beach Park Ride. Meet at 50 Beach Avenue.

Wednesday, June 7 at 7 p.m.: Marketview Heights Neighborhood Ride. Meet at Thomas P. Ryan R-Center, 530 Webster Avenue.

Wednesday, June 14 at 7 p.m.: Maplewood Nature Center southbound. Meet at the site of the future Maplewood Nature Center, 107 Bridge View Drive.

Wednesday, June 21 at 7 p.m.: Lehigh Valley Trail Ride. Meet at the Genesee Valley Sports Complex, 131 Elmwood Avenue.

Wednesday, June 28 at 7 p.m.: Carter Street R-Center to Seneca Park Zoo Ride. Meet at 500 Carter Street.

Wednesday, July 5 at 7 p.m.: Corn Hill and PLEX Neighborhood Ride. Meet at the Adams Street R-Center, 85 Adams Street.

Wednesday, July 12 at 7 p.m.: La Grange-Eastman Trail. Meet at 455 La Grange Avenue.

Wednesday, July 19 at 7 p.m.: El Camino Trail & Marketview Heights Neighborhood Ride. Meet at the Carter Street R-Center, 500 Carter Street.

Wednesday, July 26 at 7 p.m.: Erie Trail Ride Canal. Meet at the Genesee Valley Sports Complex, 131 Elmwood Avenue.

Wednesday, August 2 at 7 p.m.: 19th Ward Neighborhood Ride. Meet at the Genesee Valley Sports Complex, 131 Elmwood Avenue.

Wednesday, August 9 at 7 p.m.: Neighborhood of the Arts & Beechwood Neighborhood Ride. Meet at the Thomas P. Ryan R-Center, 530 Webster Avenue.

Wednesday, August 16 at 7 p.m.: La Grange to Maplewood Meet at 455 La Grange Avenue.

Wednesday, August 23 at 7 p.m.: Genesee Riverway Trail & Genesee Valley Greenway Ride Meet at the Genesee Valley Sports Complex, 131 Elmwood Avenue.

Wednesday, August 30 at 7 p.m.: Trenton and Pamela Jackson R-Center. Meet behind the R-Center at 485 North Clinton Avenue and park on St Bridget’s Drive.

Wednesday, September 6 at 6 p.m.: Maplewood Nature Center northbound Meet at the site of the future Maplewood Nature Center, 107 Bridge View Drive.

Wednesday, September 13 at 6 p.m.: East Side Neighborhood Ride. Meet at the Frederick Douglass R-Center, 999 South Avenue.

Wednesday, September 20 at 6 p.m.: Erie Canal Trail & Highland Crossing Trail. Meet at the Genesee Valley Sports Complex, 131 Elmwood Avenue.

Wednesday, September 27 at 6 p.m.: Cobbs Hill Park & Auburn Trail Ride. Meet at Cobbs Hill Park, Lake Riley Lodge lot, 100 Norris Drive.

Wednesday, October 4 at 6 p.m.: Reconnect Rochester Office at the Hungerford. Meet at Reconnect Rochester’s office at the Hungerford, 1115 East Main Street.

Bicycle and Running Tours

I’ve called these out specifically because they encourage more than simply exercise. There’s an educational or sight-seeing component to each organization’s excursion.

Keeping It Classy Cycle Club

Rochester’s best dressed cycling club – with a penchant for classic style and historic nostalgia. They organize several group rides throughout the year throughout the city and surrounding area.

George Eastman Bike Tours

See Rochester in a new way. A nod to George Eastman’s own love of cycling, the George Eastman Bike Tour will take you to ten different locations related to the life and work of this pioneer of popular photography and famous Rochesterian.

The museum organizes 3-4 bike tours each year.

Rochester History Runs

There are several runs organized throughout the year, including an upcoming Pittsford History Run. Past themes include History of the Hojack, Happy Hallowe’en, and The 100-Acre Tract.

Behind-the-Scenes Guided Walks

This list initially includes only a handful of businesses. I’d love to expand this to highlight any guided tour that educate the public on “how the sausage is made.”

Fox Run Vineyards

Learn the ins and outs of viticulture and winemaking with a guided, 45-minute walking vineyard tour exploring our vineyards and taking a peek inside our winemaking facility.

We offer tours 7 days a week, all year long (weather permitting). Tours go out every hour, on the hour. Reservations are not required.

Black Button Distilling

Let our knowledgeable Spirit Guides give you a behind-the-scenes look at how we make all our award-winning spirits. Tours are offered Fridays at 7pm, and Saturdays at 1pm, 3pm & 5pm.

Iron Smoke Distilling

It all starts with the finest locally sourced ingredients from family owned farms in the finger lakes region. Our unique proprietary four grain mash bill is hand selected from the finest corn wheat, barley and rye in our region. Tours are available Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 3:30 – 5:30 pm.

Rochester Public Market

Tours can be scheduled on Thursdays between the hours of 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. from April through October, weather permitting, and can be adjusted to meet the age and the interest of the group. The hour-long tour highlights the history of the Market, its importance in the community, and ideas for buying and eating healthy! There is a fee for each group or class (minimum 10 people, maximum 25 people).

Genesee Brew House

At the time of publication, the brewery is not offering tours. But keep an eye on their website. We’ll update this information once we are aware of tours starting up again.

Do you have a favorite guided walk or educational tour we should add to this list?

Your insights and experiences are valuable. Please share them in the comments.