Rochester on a positive note... (Buffalo, Greece: house, rental, university)

[skbs]

I am a bit sick of hearing about all of the things that are wrong with Rochester... I am very interested in learning from others what they find so wonderful about Rochester. Where are those treasured places you have found that make our amazing city so entertaining and memorable... Can't wait to learn new places to explore!

Here are a few of mine...

Erie Canal path- great for a bike ride and beautiful in a lot of areas- like the lock in Brighton to the JCC and just beyond
High Falls- free lazer light show is fun for kids and adults alike
Strong Museum of Play
The Little
Hamlin Beach
Hiking Indian Hill in Perinton- Creasent Trail
Geva- never a bad seath no matter where you are
Wine tours on Seneca Lake (that is my favorite tour)
THe Village of Fairport... great for a long stroll, ice skating in the village, and summer month they have free movies outside!
Mex Patio in the summer nights...
Hogans Hideaway
Summer concerts at Charlotte...
California Rollin'
The top of Harris Hill Park- great view and sledding
Webster Park

a ton more but I will let you take it from here...

[garmin239]

You mentioned bike riding. I have been using that new trail in Irondequoit but I am pretty unfamiliar with bike riding in the area since I've been out of the game for a while. Where else is there to go? I'm not a fan of that Webster path by the expressway. Too noisy and too smelly because of the car fumes.

[skbs]

Originally Posted by garmin239

You mentioned bike riding. I have been using that new trail in Irondequoit but I am pretty unfamiliar with bike riding in the area since I've been out of the game for a while. Where else is there to go? I'm not a fan of that Webster path by the expressway. Too noisy and too smelly because of the car fumes.

I love the canal path... I hop on in Fairport and ride out to the airport and back... I use a mountain bike and I don't do it in the snow- but it is a really nice ride. Especially through Pittsford, Brighton and into Henrietta. I think there is a path along the Genesee too- unfamiliar with it though- Durand Eastman might have some great riding- and over by the Zoo... that park with the large pond... something tells me there are paths there. Powder Mill Park is another awesome one!


Go here for more paths/info
Rochester Area Mountain Biking - Mountain Bike Trails

[I'minformed2]

I love Schallers in the summertime...to go there for lunch and hope you can find a table, and then go up to Charlotte to have some Abbots for dessert and walk the beach and pier. Love driving down East Avenue at nightitme and seeing the lights on inside those stately old homes. Riding the Jack Rabbit at seabreeze as many times in a row as you can. When we visit my brother in Pittsford in the summer and fall it's also great to go down to Schoen place and walk the promenade there on the Erie Canal.

lol...when you read mine it sounds like I am a little kid.

[Coasters]

Check out the kayaking rentals at thr end of the Bay. They go south into Irondequoit Creek.
Walk out on the Charlotte Pier on a warm evening when the sailboats from RYC are racing
Go to Seabreeze for a good old fashioned cheeseburger and then walk out by the inlet and watch the boats go by.
Check out the bike trail near Durand park at Culver road
Crosscountry ski in the webster park trails
Ski at Swain
Goto Letchworth and Geneseo eat at Wahls in Avon Have a custard too
Stonybrook Park and swim in a natural swimming hole, and hike the high trails
and the Balloon festival in Dansville or go soaring in a sailplane
Go to an autocross at RIT on Sunday morning or better yet the drag races at Empire or the many big name events at Watkins glen
Get a custard at Abbots in Charlotte and walk the boardwalk to the pier
Go to the Canandaigua arts festival in August, the one in Kershaw Park
Go to Skaneateles and stand in line to eat at Dougs fish joint. See a lake full of clear drinking water. Go to a Vintage wooden boat here or ??
Go to Sodus point and Chimney Bluffs
Go to Fairhaven state park and have a picnic
Drive to Clayton on Sunday morning to have breakfast at the Koffee Kove for homemade hash, and homemade cinnamon raisin bread . Stop at Sackets Harbor for dinner at any waterfront restaurant.
Charter a fishing boat at Henderson Harbor or the Alex Bay
Go to the Ringer gallery in Alex bay and the Remington Gallery in Ogdensburg (I think)
Ride the chair at Whiteface Mountain and and see the high peaks. Stop at Ausable canyon
See the Navy ships in Buffalo Harbor and go to Niagara on the lake and also the Old Fort Niagara
Take a wine tour by Limo with a bunch of friends
Im just getting in the groove now .
Google all these places. You will never watch TV again
Oh and go to Kingston Ontario for a Blues festival and stop at Fort Henry on a Wednesday evening to see a Canadian military review complete with cannon fire over the lake that will also blow you away.
Ride the Jet boat up the Niagara River into the 15 foot high rapids. It leaves from Niagara on the Lake in Canada.
There is so much more

[skbs]

Now we are getting specific... I have more to add

Shamrock Jack's on a Friday or Saturday night- especially if a fun band is playing... an Irish band is even better
The Colonial Belle- a ride at night is the best! But just riding and sitting on top deck with a glass of wine and good conversation!!!
Richardsons... but I want to sit outside in the summer
Sipping coffee and eating a rich chocolate dessert at Cibon
The Oat Cakes at Charlies Frog Pond... w/ the caramel sauce and bananas
Sitting outside at Aladin's in Schoen Place- when the sun is setting- purple ripples on the water, watching people feed the ducks while munching on my favorite vegetarian plate around- try the dessert there it is bliss
The Irish Import Store in Pittsford Plaza
Walking downtown- Monroe Ave, Cobbs Hill, Park Ave, East Ave...
Mount Hope Cemetary- great place to take some dramatic photos
Chocolate Almond Custard at ABBOTT's!
Parkleigh
Park Ave Fest, Canal Days, Corn Hill Fest...

Wow I am realizing I love a lot of food lol

[sweetclimber]

Did anyone mention,
The trails around Seneca Park zoo
Durand Eastman park/beach
Charlotte beach and pier
The beautiful homes of East Ave
Genesee Valley park
Dinosaur bbq
Shows at the penny arcade
Shows at water st hall
The House of guitars
Canal days in Spencerport
Geva theatre
Ball games at frontier field, with an occasional train passing by behind the outfield wall.
The high falls (who needs Niagra Falls?)
The lower falls off Driving Park
Taking your boat up the Genesee through the gorges and back to the lake

[jbertol2]

On the topic of bike trails--there are a ton in Rochester, and I wish that they would connect them all! Here are the ones that I know of:

--Erie Canal Towpath: Runs from Lockport to Palmyra, and maybe even further. It's paved between Greece and just east of Schoen Place in Pittsford. Absolutely gorgeous between Genesee Valley Park and Pittsford. Freshly paved as of 2006. Probably one of the best trails in the ROC. My personal favorite ride--starting from UR and going to Schoen Place. ~17 miles roundtrip.

--390 Trail: Runs from the Lake Ontario State (LOS) Parkway to Ridge Rd. If it were just two miles longer, it would hook up with the Towpath at Lee Rd.

--The LOS Parkway itself: Not much traffic, so it's pretty much one long trail. Runs from Charlotte to Lakeside Beach SP (about 35 miles). Can be a little bit boring though. I've ridden it to Hamlin Beach from my home in Greece a number of times. Nice drive in a car--pretty lame at 15 or 20 mph. One thing I almost always see during the ride are turtles, which is pretty cool. Unfortunately, many of them don't make it to the other side of the road.

--Genesee Riverway Trail: Starts in Charlotte, turns into the Greenway in Henrietta. Some parts are actually trail, others sidewalk, others road. Boardwalk (really cool!)/paved from Charlotte through Turning Pt. Park to Lake Avenue. Trail resumes just south of Downtown at Corn Hill Landing, and continues through the University of Rochester, and into GVP. Turns into the Greenway (unpaved), which follows the Genesee River through Letchworth State Park and, from what I hear, all the way into Pennsylvania.

--Lehigh Valley and Webster Trails: I know they exist, but I'm unfamiliar with both.

[MookieW]

Amazing golf courses.

[skbs]

[SIZE=5]The Falls Trail [/SIZE]
TRAIL MAP
Location: Linear Park, Penfield
Directions: From Route 441 (Penfield Road) turn south on Linear Park Drive. The parking area is at the end of Linear Park Drive.

Monroe County Farmers Markets

• Brockport Farmers Market. Market and Main Streets, Brockport, NY. 503-2990. Google Map.
• Chili Farmers Market, United Methodist Church, 2200 Westside Dr., N. Chili, NY. 429-7047. Google Map.
• East Rochester Farmers Market. Techniplex Plaza parking lot 300 Main Street, East Rochester, NY 14445. 387-9147. Google Map.
• Fairport Farmers Market. Fleet Bank parking lot, South Main St., Fairport, NY. 223-6795. Google Map.
• Greece Foodlink Farmers Market. English Village Apartments, 1100 English Road, Greece, NY. 228-3380. Google Map.
• Greece Ridge Center Farmers Market. 271 Greece Ridge Center Drive, Greece, NY. 225-1140. Google Map.
• Irondequoit Farmers Market. 285 Irondequoit Mall Drive, Irondequoit, NY. 336-6070. Google Map.
• Rochester Downtown Farmers Market. St. Mary's Place adjacent to Washington Square Park, Rochester, NY 14609. 428-6907. Google Map.
• Rochester Main Street Farmers Market. First Floor Atrium of the Sibley Center, 220 East Main Street, Rochester, NY. 546-1711. Google Map.
• Rochester Public Market, fmarket@cityofrochester.gov. 280 N. Union St., Rochester, NY. 428-6907. Google Map.
• Rush Community Farmers Market. Rush United Methodist Church, 6200 Rush-Lima Road, Rte 15A, Rush, NY. 533-2170. Google Map.
• Scottsville Ice Arena Farmers Market. Scottsville Ice Arena, 1800 Scottsville-Chili Road, Wheatland, NY. 889-1810. Google Map.
• Webster Farmers Market. Municipal parking lot. Main Street Rte 404 and South Avenue Rte 250, Webster, NY. The parking lot and the farmers market are off the street behind the municipal buildings. Google Map.

[SIZE=5]Indian Hill Section[/SIZE] TRAIL MAP
Location: Route 31, Perinton
Directions:From Interstate 490, take Route 31 (Pittsford-Palmyra Road) east. Pass Route 250. The parking area will be on the right between Turk Hill Road and Hogan Road.
Alternative Parking: None
Hiking Time:1 hour
Length: 2.1 mile loop
Difficulty: 3 boots
Surface: Dirt and mowed-field paths
Trail Markings: Orange and blue blazes painted on trees
Dogs: OK
Admission: Free
Contact: The Crescent Trail Association
P.O. Box 1354, Fairport, NY 14450