Rochester, New York

Introduction to Rochester

Rochester, New York received the All-American-City award in 1998, and it’s only one of ten communities to earn this recognition. There is always something to do in Rochester, from museums to antique shopping, sports to culture, scenic cruising to bargain hunting. The city is known as both the “Flour City” and the “Flower City” and has a population of around 220,000, making it the third largest city in New York State. The city is the county seat for Monroe County. Rochester is part of a metropolitan area that includes sections of Genesee County, Livingston County, Ontario County, Orleans County, and Wayne County.

Rochester Culture

The arts are a major priority in Rochester, with the Arts & Cultural Council for Greater Rochester organizing many of the region’s events. The city has a wide variety of cultural institutions, such as the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra, the George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film, the Memorial Art Gallery, the Rochester Museum & Science Center, the Strong Museum, the AV Room, the Strasenburg Planetarium, and the Geva Theatre Center. The Rochester Jazz Festival is an annual event, as does the Corn Hill Festival, the High Falls Film Festival, the Image Out/Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, and the Park Avenue Merchants Festival. In Rochester, people call soda drinks “pop” and hot dogs are called “red hots”.

Rochester Sports and Leisure

Rochester has a number of professional sports teams for fans and spectators. The city has the AAA international league baseball club, the Rochester Red Wings. For ice hockey fans, there’s the AHL Rochester Americans. Soccer fans can catch the USL 1st Division Rochester Raging Rhinos. The Rochester Knighthawks and the Rochester Rattlers are the two city lacrosse teams. The Rochester Razorsharks play in the American Basketball Association. Roc City Wrestling is an independent pro-wrestling league with frequent events in the region. There are many colleges in the area with sports teams, most notably the RIT men’s ice hockey team which plays at the Division I level.

Rochester Outdoors

The Rochester Department of Parks, Recreation & Human Services provides outdoor programs to the public. The city has 19 swimming programs, 3 artificial ice rinks, 66 softball/baseball fields, 47 tennis courts, 5 football fields, 7 soccer fields, and 43 outdoor basketball courts. The city has its Lilac Festival every May, helping to reiterate its reputation as the Flower City. The festival attracts 100,000 visitors from all around the world. Letchworth State Park, south of the city, offers visitors gorgeous views of canyons and waterfalls. The Finger Lakes Region has a number of lakes and summer cottages.

Rochester at Night

Rochester has a wide range of quality dining establishments around the city to please just about any resident or visitor. An example of this is Palladio Restaurant, which serves Northern Italian-style fare in casual elegance. The city also has a nice selection of lounges and bars, such as the Focus Lounge with its atrium lobby and its business casual atmosphere. Other bars include 2 Vine, Bennigan’s Grill & Tavern, J & K Café, Nathaniel’s Pub, and Mario’s Via Abruzzi.

Nearby Cities and Towns

High Points

Rochester strengths, compared to Peers (similar size places nationally) or State (other places in New York):

Category	Trophy
Racial Diversity (vs. State)	Top 3%
Walking and Biking to Work (vs. State)	Top 11%
Short Commute Times (vs. Peers)	Top 13%