Why You Should Visit Rochester, New York

Rochester is a medium sized city located in the north western region of New York known widely as 'Up-State', as in "I'm driving up-state this weekend." Situated directly across Lake Ontario from Toronto, Rochester is about as 'up-state' as one can travel in New York's western region. With a population of a mere 200,000, Rochester falls short of qualifying as a large US city along the line of a Chicago or St. Louis, yet it possess many qualities that make it an ideal place to visit.

A trip to Rochester offers many entertainment possibilities. One of the prettiest and most unique outings is a drive to the lake (Ontario) in a section called Charlotte (pronounced shar-lot, not shar-lit). The beach itself is sandy and stretches for over a mile. A boardwalk covers this span and offers a great place for a relaxing beachy stroll. Across the lake one can see on a clear day Toronto's coastline. Running along the outside of the boardwalk is a long grassy park dotted with playgrounds, fields for frisbee, a carasoul, and a bandstand. All summer long this bandstand offers free shows ranging from doo-wop to country. After (or before) the show, visit Abbott's custard stand across from the boardwalk. This classic Rochester hot-spot (there are several Abbott's located in and around the city) serves the yummiest, creamiest frozen custard ever made. Grab a chocolate almond cone (absolutely chock filled with freshly chopped almonds) and enjoy the show. A truly magical evening at the beach.

Another day on one's visit to Rochester must consist of a trip to it's notorious amusement park, Sea Breeze. This park may not be of the Six Flag variety, but what it lacks in size and stature, it makes up with it history and quaintness. The most famous attraction in Sea Breeze is The Jack Rabbit, the third oldest working roller coaster in the country. Built in 1920, this woodframed coaster has thrilled riders for generations. The classics are there as well, from Tilt'O Whirl to Tea Cups, Bumper Cars to the Log Flume. For the little ones there are several kiddie rides including a train around the park. Recently (within the past 10 years) Sea Breeze has added an extensive waterpark complete with a Wave Pool, a Lazy River, and many other slides and sprinkler gadgets. Besides the rides, Sea Breeze has many games and great concession stands. Oh, and lets not forget its classic Merry-Go-Round surrounded by giant rocking chairs for tired mom's and dad's to take a load off. Short lines and a small walking area (you can get from on end of this park to the other in five minutes) make this one of the most stress-free amusement parks around.

Day trips from Rochester include an hour's drive to Niagra Falls, many casinos, both across the border in Canada and on local Indian Reservations, and Darian Lake, another, larger, amusement park about an hour away. As one can see, Rochester, New York is a surprisingly great place to visit for a couple days of good old American fun.