Rochester, when I was a kid, was just a place that was somewhat close to Toronto that seemingly every other year I’d visit for a hockey tournament. At that time, my list of “fun things to do in Rochester, NY” probably revolved around which places served the largest glasses of Coca-Cola and were conducive to 12 year olds with alarming sugar buzzes.

Let me first start by saying that I’m glad my relationship to this city I’m now truly fond of did not end there.

It was high time that I had some content up on my site about what to do in Rochester, and not just because it’s close to Toronto, my hometown, but because Rochester has an immense amount to see and do.

For a city its size (with an approximate population of roughly 200,000), Rochester packs a serious punch from a tourism perspective. And it’s not just that they’ve got impressive museums, it’s that they’ve got impressive museums that are uniquely related to the story of their city. The George Eastman Museum, for example, could not be anywhere else but Rochester. That, to me, matters.

Rochester was one of the first “boom towns” in the United States (first from flour, then manufacturing), and, as an outsider, I’ve got to say I love where the city is at once again. Tourism is on the rise, and Rochester stands tall as a culturally rich, highly liveable, and reasonably priced city that is hitting its stride.

Let’s Talk About What to do in Rochester, NY If You’re Looking to Have Fun!