Date Night in Rochester NY

270+ Rochester Date Ideas

The Ultimate Guide for Spending Quality Time Together in Rochester, NY

We’ve broken these date ideas into themes to help you find a topic you already love or want to try. Whether it’s your first date or 50th, trying various activities with your partner is a great way to connect, learn more about each other, and shake up your routine.

Turning Point Park
Turning Point

Take a Walk In the Park

  1. Monroe County Parks
  2. Great Winter Walks
  3. Take a guided walk, as a couple or with a group
  4. Immerse Yourself in Green
  5. Our Favorite Places to Take a Walk
  6. New York State Parks
  7. Beautiful Boardwalks
  8. Paved Pathways for Easy Strolls
  9. Hiking Trails
  10. Gorge Trails
  11. Geo-caching
  12. Rock Cities
  13. Genesee Riverway Trail in the City
  14. Genesee Valley Greenway south of the city
  15. Nature Centers & Wildlife Preserves
  16. National Natural Landmarks
  17. Seek Solitude
  18. Get Away From It All
Lamberton Conservatory tropical flower
Lamberton Conservatory

Wander Among the Flowers

  1. Public Gardens & Arboretums
  2. The Flower City
  3. Lamberton Conservatory
  4. Maplewood Rose Garden
  5. Webster Arboretum
Montezuma NWR
Montezuma

Nature reserves

  1. Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
  2. Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge
  3. MacKay Wildlife Preserve
  4. Helmer Nature Center
  5. Nature Centers and Preserves
Akron Falls Park
Akron Falls

Explore a Hidden Place

  1. Corbett’s Glen
  2. Sunken Garden
  3. Grimes Glen
  4. Rochester’s Hidden Sidewalk
  5. Channing H. Philbrick Park
  6. Turning Point Park
  7. Washington Grove
  8. Holley Canal Falls
  9. The Jump Off
  10. Akron Falls
  11. Havana Glen
  12. Griffis Sculpture Park

23 Hidden Places Around Rochester

From secret gardens to enchanting waterfalls, exploring hidden places around the Rochester area is the ultimate way to add some spice to your travel experiences.

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Ontario County Park Gannett Hill Jump Off Trail viewing platform
Jump Off Trail viewing platform in Ontario County Park on Gannett Hill

Take a Scenic Drive

  1. Lake Ontario Seaway Trail
  2. Breathtaking Views of Fall Foliage
  3. Quirky Roadside Attractions
  4. Explore Rochester’s Street Art
  5. Roadside Waterfalls
  6. Lighthouses Along Lake Ontario
  7. Historic Routes 5 & 20
  8. Spend a Day in the Finger Lakes Region
  9. Erie Canal
  10. Self-Guided Tours
  11. Greater Rochester Nine-County Area
Water Trails: Conesus Lake
Conesus Lake

Head for Water

  1. Genesee River Through the City of Rochester
  2. Other Great Lakes Around Rochester
  3. Letchworth State Park
  4. Lake Ontario
  5. Our Favorite 5 Waterfalls
  6. The Finger Lakes
  7. Roadside Waterfalls
  8. Kayak Rochester’s Water Trails
  9. Whitewater Rafting with Adventure Calls Outfitters

Go for a swim

  1. Natural swimming areas
  2. Ontario Beach Park
  3. Durand Eastman Park
  4. Hamlin Beach State Park

Explore the Genesee River

  1. Genesee Valley Park
  2. Turning Point Park
  3. High Falls
  4. Maplewood Park
  5. Seneca Park
  6. Letchworth State Park
  7. Hike or bike the Genesee Riverway Trail in the City, or the Genesee Valley Greenway south of GVP.

Rent a boat or jet ski

  1. Bayside Boat & Tackle
  2. South Bay Boat & Tackle
  3. Keuka Watersports
  4. Southpoint Marina Jet Ski Rentals
  5. BayCreek Paddling Center

Whitewater rafting

  1. Adventure Calls Outfitters
  2. Zoar Valley Canoe & Rafting
Sam Patch interior
On board the Sam Patch

Take a boat tour

  1. Sam Patch Erie Canal Tours
  2. Colonial Belle Erie Canal Cruises
  3. Canandaigua Lady
  4. Maid of the Mist
  5. Whirlpool Jet Boat Tour
  6. Skaneateles Mail Boat
Winter break: Seneca Park Zoo
Seneca Park Zoo

Spend Time Among the Animals

  1. Seneca Park Zoo
  2. Rosamond Gifford Zoo
  3. Buffalo Zoo
  4. Hidden Valley Animal Adventure
  5. Braddock Bay Raptor Research
  6. Wildwings at Mendon Ponds
Debi Bower Stokoe Farms Kangaroo
Stokoe Farms

On the farm

  1. Alpaca Trail
  2. Stokoe Farms
  3. Wickham Farm
  4. Springdale Farm
  5. Old McDonald’s in Sackets Harbor
Farm Sanctuary Watkins Glen
Farm Sanctuary

Farm Animal Rescue

  1. Farm Sanctuary
  2. Crackerbox Palace Farm Animal Haven at Historic Alasa Farms
  3. Asha Farmed Animal Sanctuary
  4. Lollypop Farm
Powder Mills Park summer fish hatchery
Powder Mills Fish Hatchery

Marine life

  1. Niagara Falls Aquarium
  2. Caledonia Fish Hatchery
  3. Powder Mills Park Fish Hatchery

Rodeo, racing & shows

  1. Genesee Valley Hunt Races
  2. Attica Rodeo
  3. Ellicottville Championship Rodeo
  4. Knox Farm Polo Cup in East Aurora
Cobbs Hill sunset winter
Cobb’s Hill

Watch the sun set

These suggestions link to Google image search results to give you an idea for each area. Take a scientific approach to watching the optimal sun set using this calculation of the sun’s position at a given time, date and location. Try August 8 at 18:30 (sunset is 18:55) at Cobb’s Hill (43.1396542, -77.5723119).

Just pick a spot with a higher elevation than obstacles to the west. Add in some water or architectural elements and you’ve got a great view. Here are a few places to inspire you.

  1. Anywhere along Lake Ontario, especially when there is open water to your west. (Ontario Beach Park pier, Webster Park pier, Hamlin Beach, Braddock Bay Area, including the ponds)
  2. SUNY Geneseo Gazebo
  3. Lodge at Woodcliff
  4. High Falls
  5. Cobb’s Hill
  6. Anywhere you can see the beautiful Rochester skyline!
  7. Or, find the darkest sky near Rochester under which to observe the stars
Skaneateles Lake shopping
Village of Skaneateles

Plan a Day Trip

  1. Skaneateles
  2. East Aurora
  3. Lewiston
  4. Letchworth
  5. Routes 5 & 20
Penn Dixie Fossil Park Nature Reserve
Penn Dixie

Explore Below Earth’s Surface

  1. Search for fossils at Penn Dixie Fossil Park and Nature Reserve
  2. or Herkimer “Diamonds” at the Herkimer Diamond Mine or Ace of Diamonds Mine
  3. or the glowing calcite heart in Howe Caverns
Arcade and Attica Railroad
Arcade and Attica Railroad

Ride the rails

  1. Arcade & Attica Railroad
  2. Rochester & Genesee Valley Railroad Museum
  3. New York Museum of Transportation
  4. Medina Railroad Museum & Train Rides
  5. or dine at a train-themed restaurant

Get your motor running

  1. Motocross
  2. Monster Trucks
  3. Speedways
  4. Go-Carts: Outside and Inside
  5. Watch a race at Watkins Glen International Speedway
  6. or Drive the Glen yourself!
  7. Lake Alice Mud Bogs

Zip & climb

  1. Central Rock Gym
  2. Aerial Adventures at Bristol Mountain
  3. Niagara Falls Adventure Park
  4. Canyon Climb at Destiny USA
  5. The Niagara Zipper in Lockport
  6. RockVentures

Up, up & away

  1. Balloons Over Corning
  2. Balloons Over Letchworth
  3. High Hopes Balloon Co.

Fly high

  1. East Hill Flying Club
  2. Finger Lakes Soaring Club
  3. Harris Hill Soaring Club
  4. Finger Lakes Seaplanes

Free fall

  1. Rochester Skydivers
  2. Western New York Skydivers
  3. Frontier Skydivers
  4. Finger Lakes Skydivers
  5. Skydive Central New York

Helicopter

  1. Rochester Helicopter Rides and Tours
  2. Rochester Helicopter Charters
  3. Buffalo Helicopter Charters
  4. BAC Helicopters
  5. Rainbow Air Helicopter Tours
  6. WNY Helicopter Tours
  7. FirstAir

Hang glide

  1. Rochester Area Flyers
Rochester Museum and Science Center Planetarium
RMSC Planetarium

Stargaze

  1. RMSC Strasenburg Planetarium Saturday night laser show and telescope viewing
  2. Find the Darkest Sky Near Rochester
Rochester-Area Roadside Attractions - Rolling Hills Asylum in East Bethany, NY
Rolling Hills Asylum

Discover the strange and unusual

  1. Paranormal activities
  2. Visit Lily Dale for a spirited reading
  3. Explore one of our 100+ museums
The Dog Eared Book
The Dog Eared Book

Wander around a small bookstore

  1. Small World Books
  2. Liftbridge Bookstore
  3. Or one of 18 booksstores or 31 libraries around Rochester
Record Archive
Record Archive

Or record store

  1. House of Guitars
  2. The Record Archive
Chautauqua Institution
Chautauqua Institution

Learn something new

  1. Rochester Brainery
  2. RMSC’s Science on the Edge
  3. Or plan a longer trip to Chautauqua Institute
Genesee Country Village octagon tasting area
History On Tap

Enjoy a playful 21+ date night in Rochester

  1. RMSC After Dark
  2. Strong Happiest Hour
  3. Zoo Brew
  4. Genesee Country Village & Museum special events
  5. Geeks Who Drink
  6. DeTOURS at the Memorial Art Gallery
Strong National Museum of Play pinball
Strong Museum

Pinball & games

  1. The Strong National Museum of Play
  2. The Playhouse // Swillburger
  3. Rochester Pinball Collective
  4. Flower City Amusements
  5. Board games over a bowl of cereal at POP ROC or in Clyde at Undercroft Games
  6. Millennium Games
  7. Just Games
  8. Bowling plus giant Jenga®, cornhole, pool, shuffleboard, Skee-Ball®, ping pong, and seasonal outdoor games at Radio Social
  9. Veracity VRcade
  10. Lasertron
Red Wings Stadium
Red Wings Stadium

Professional sports

  1. Red Wings baseball
  2. Rochester Americans hockey
  3. Rochester Knighthawks indoor lacrosse
  4. Rochester Rhinos soccer
  5. Rochester RazorSharks basketball
  6. Buffalo Bills football
  7. Buffalo Sabres hockey

Team Up

  1. ROCsports
  2. Kickball
  3. Curling
  4. Fencing
County State Fairs

Amuse yourselves

  1. Seabreeze and Other Amusement & Water Parks
  2. New York State and County Fairs
  3. Ride the carousel at Ontario Beach Park

Escape together

  1. The Great Escape Room
  2. Breakout Rochester
  3. Lockout Escape Rooms

Break stuff

  1. Smash Therapy
  2. Bad Axe Throwing
  3. Axes & Ales
  4. Riot Room
Rochester Maker Fair
Rochester Maker Fair

Explore artistic outlets

  1. Flower City Arts Center
  2. Memorial Art Gallery Creative Workshops
  3. Find inspiration at the annual Rochester Maker Faire
corning museum of glass show
Corning Museum of Glass

Create with glass or metal

  1. Studio 34 Creative Arts Learning Center
  2. Arc+Flame
  3. Corning Museum of Glass

Paint together

  1. Paint Nite
  2. Painting with a Twist
  3. Wine & Design
  4. or grab your paint, brushes, canvas, and an easel, and plan a day to paint outside (en plein air)

Glaze your own pottery

  1. Splatters
  2. Color Me Mine
  3. Jade Pottery & DIY Studio
Ganondagan drumming

Make music

  1. Join a drum circle
  2. Sing in a chorus
  3. Learn to play an instrument

Swing your partner round

  1. Big Band Dances at Ontario Beach Park
  2. Line dancing at Nashville’s
  3. Rochester Swing Dance Network
  4. Groove Juice Swing
  5. Rochester Cajun Zydeco Network
  6. and so many more!
Writers and Books
Writers and Books

Write

  1. Writers & Books
  2. Gell Writers Retreat
Caledonia Village Inn
Caledonia Village Inn

Rochester date ideas for dining out

  1. Historic inns
  2. Authentic “dining car” diners
  3. Or another highly recommended restaurant
  4. Top ice cream shops
  5. Rochester’s Public Market
  6. Monroe County breweries
  7. Wineries with scenic Keuka Lake views
  8. Culinary trails and self-guided tours
  9. Pack a zero-waste picnic
  10. Enjoy a non-alcoholic experience with AltBar
New Years Eve Around Rochester: Comedy at the Carlson
Comedy at the Carlson

Comedy

  1. It’s Just Comedy Club
  2. Comedy at the Carlson
  3. Photo City Improv
Little Theater Cafe Music
The Little

Movies

  1. See a classic or first-run movie at a small, historic movie theater
  2. Pick a gorgeous summer evening and head to the Avon Drive-In Theater, the Charcoal Corral & Silver Lake Drive-In in Perry, or Auburn’s Finger Lakes Drive-In.
  3. Free movies in the park at Highland Bowl and Ontario Beach Park, or Movies with a Downtown View
Ontario Beach Park Concerts by the Shore
Ontario Beach Park Concerts by the Shore stage

Concerts & events

  1. Cheap & Free Outdoor Concerts
  2. Annual Events & Festivals
  3. Rochester Festivals – Six in the City
Geva Theater will call
Geva

Performing arts

  1. Kodak Center
  2. Blackfriars Theatre
  3. Rochester Broadway Theater League 
  4. Geva Theatre Center
  5. Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra
  6. Downstairs Cabaret 
  7. Multi-use Community Cultural Center
  8. or other Performing Arts Venues around Rochester

Mystery theater

  1. The Mystery Company
  2. Erie Canal Murder Mystery Tour on the Colonial Belle
  3. Mansion Mysteries at Sonnenberg
  4. Murder Mystery Train (Arcade-Attica RR)
  5. ACME Mystery Company (Syracuse)
Date Night in Rochester: Ice Skating at Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Park
Ice Skating at Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Park

Rochester date ideas during the December holidays

  1. Our Favorite Christmas Lights
  2. Get Into the Holiday Spirit
  3. Christmas Caroling
  4. ROC Holiday Village
Rochester-Area Day Trip: Mendon Ponds Park Monroe County Sledding snow sports
Sledding at Mendon Ponds Park

Try some snow sports

  1. Rent Snowshoes
  2. Go Sledding
  3. Downhill and Cross-Country Skiing
  4. Outdoor and Indoor Ice Skating Rinks

Things to Do in Rochester This Weekend

Discover the best concerts, festivals, community events, special events, and other things to do in Rochester this weekend or anytime!

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132 Things to Do Around Rochester

We’ve pulled together a list of fun and unique things to do around Rochester, NY, within two hours of home—perfect for quick getaways.

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23 Hidden Places Around Rochester

From secret gardens to enchanting waterfalls, exploring hidden places around the Rochester area is the ultimate way to add some spice to your travel experiences.

Read more

49 New York State Parks Within a Two-Hour Drive of Rochester

Venture into one of these New York State Parks within a two-hour drive of Rochester and discover what makes them unique.

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Day-Trip Destinations

These day trips are filled with carefully chosen options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, as well as memorable experiences and events.

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Our 4 Favorite Extreme Christmas Lights Around Rochester: 2023 Edition

Enjoy our four favorite extreme Christmas lights, plus 100+ more extraordinary Rochester-area homes and holiday-themed events.

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What are your favorite Rochester date ideas?

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

Debi Bower, Day Trips Around Rochester NY

Debi Bower is the founder and creative director of daytrippingroc.com and author of the book Day Trips Around Rochester, New York.

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2 thoughts on “270+ Rochester Date Ideas”

  1. Don’t forget Charcoal Corral for a night of mini golf, arcade games, ice cream, dining and a drive in! They do classic car nights during the summer too!

    Also, Jade Pottery is another option for creating in Henrietta!

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