Rochester, New York

Rochester is an excellent starting point for a visit to the Finger Lakes region. Begin your exploring at the Center at High Falls with a museum, art gallery and a 96-foot waterfall over the Genesee River. From here take a guided or self-guided walking tour of Browns Race National Historic District with 23 historic buildings, including the Kodak building c. 1914, Rochester Button Company c. 1900, and the Paper Box Factory c. 1881. The George Eastman House, home to the founder of Eastman Kodak Company, is the world’s oldest photography museum. Ganondagan, the site of an ancient Seneca town, has artifacts, marked trails and a reproduction of ...

Rochester is an excellent starting point for a visit to the Finger Lakes region. Begin your exploring at the Center at High Falls with a museum, art gallery and a 96-foot waterfall over the Genesee River. From here take a guided or self-guided walking tour of Browns Race National Historic District with 23 historic buildings, including the Kodak building c. 1914, Rochester Button Company c. 1900, and the Paper Box Factory c. 1881. The George Eastman House, home to the founder of Eastman Kodak Company, is the world’s oldest photography museum. Ganondagan, the site of an ancient Seneca town, has artifacts, marked trails and a reproduction of a 17th-century bark longhouse. Rose Hill Mansion is a gracious Greek Revival home built in 1839 for Frederick Swan. Nearby is the Drain Tile Museum displaying drain tiles dating back to 500 B.C. Sample wines from seven award-winning vineyards on the Canandaigua Wine Trail. At Artizanns find artworks by 200 regional artisans in pottery, quilting, jewelry and prints. Walk the trails of Sonnenberg Gardens leading to nine formal gardens surrounding an 1887 Queen Anne-style mansion where docent-led tours are given.

About the Expert

Frances Folsom is the author of CitySpot Palermo, a contributor to the Reiskits guides to Milan and Italy's Lakes Region, and Thomas Cook's Independent Traveller USA.