Free Things to Do in Rochester, NY

Mount Hope Cemetary

Don't let the word "cemetary" fool you; there's nothing dreary or depressing about this burial ground. Actually, on a nice day it's pretty and serene enough that it feels more like you're walking through a nice park than a place full of dead people. many historic Americans have been laid to rest here inclduign Susan b anthony and fredrick Douglas. Also, on weekends May through October they offer free guided tours of the cemetary. Mount Hope is open year round, from dawn untill dusk.

Festivals

During the Summer months there is at least one festival going on every weekend in the Rochester area-- sometimes several all at once! Many of these festivals have free admission. A great example of a free festival is...

Party in the Park

Every Thursday from June through August there is a free concert downtown at Exchange Boulevard and Court Street. The bands are usually pretty good, and at worst case the music is loud and the crown energetic. The show runs from 5pm until 10pm, and alchoholic drinks and festival food are available for sale. After the show you're just a short walk away from some of the best bars and restaurants in the city (including Dinosaur BBQ!) so there's no need to end your night when the band leaves the stage. For directions and information go to the Party in the Park website.

Speaking of Parks

Rochester has plenty of great public parks-- no matter what end of the city you live on there's probably a great park in your area. These beautiful spaces are a great place to take a walk, a bike ride or to just enjoy a rare bit of nice weather. My faveorite is Ontario beach Park which includes Charllotte Beach-- it's the best place to spend a nice summer afternoon. Fir more information visit Mounroe County Parks

Bar Hopping

Rochester has a great bar scene, made even better by the fact that most places don't have cover charges. If you find your wallet empty on a friday night you can still have a great timewith your friends down town. Many places have live music or other quirks like otudoor fire pits which you can enjoy without feeling pressured to buy a beverage.

Self Guided Walking Tours

Go here and print out one of the historic societies' great self guided tours, then slap on some shoes and give yourself a custom tour of the area. The best part? No annoying tour guides cracking corny jokes!