21 Fun Things to Do in Rochester with Kids (Updated) – 2024
Rochester, New York, is clearly one of the best towns in the nation for outstanding kid-friendly locations.
Rochester, whose business is today dominated by science, technology, and infrastructure, focuses a particular emphasis on kids, earning it a position among the most pleasant American cities for families.
We can wait to tell you what it’s all about.
Here’s a listicle of the best enjoyable things to do in Rochester with kids and nearby places to kick start your next family vacation.
Best things to do in Rochester with children
1. The Strong Museum
The Strong National Museum of Adventure is one of Rochester’s most popular interactive experiences, dedicated to the city’s rich culture and heritage.
Why visit?
The Strong is NYC’s only catalog-based exhibit entirely dedicated to the research of play.
Despite being a historical site, it contains the interactive elements of a kid’s gallery, which makes it the second biggest of its kind in the country.
The Strong, believe it or not, routinely amuses not only parents with babies and toddlers but also teenagers!
The powerful nostalgia component contributes significantly to the enjoyment.
2. Seneca Park Zoo
If you enjoy carefully observing nature, we would recommend visiting the 20-acre Seneca Park Zoo, which has been operating for almost a century.
Why visit?
Engage with animals as you encounter over 90 distinct animals, featuring mammals, amphibians, raptors, reptiles, fish, and much more.
Wildlife interactions are also available!
Seneca Zoo is a pleasant and instructive way to introduce kids of every age to the animal kingdom.
3. Rochester Museum & Science Center
Rochester Gallery and Research Center, founded in the early 1900s, ignited a love for advancing communal training in science, technology, and historical heritage.
Why visit?
RMSC continues to be one of the best destinations for taking children in Rochester.
Kids and adult visitors may play with interactive displays, witness fantastic movies and magnificent pyrotechnics, and participate in science activities.
Discovering science and natural heritage at RMSC is one of the best family-friendly experiences in Rochester for kids and adults alike.
4. Seabreeze Amusement park
Wondering where to take kids for fun? Seabreeze Amusement Park is the fourth busiest resort in the United States, with over 70 group activities.
Why visit?
Spend your weekend at Seabreeze and be captivated by Lake Ontario in the background while you experience this popular, sustainable, and environment-friendly theme park.
Don’t forget the famous Jack Rabbit as well as the world’s fourth-oldest coaster.
Children age two and upwards will enjoy the splash and fun slides, while teenagers will enjoy the thrilling thrill rides and roller coasters.
5. Genesee Country Village & Museum
The 600-acre Genesee Countryside Village and Gallery were founded in the late 1960s to conserve the town’s historic structures.
Why visit?
Have you ever wondered what the Genesee Valley appeared like back in the 1800s?
A 30-minute drive from Rochester, this living historical society has dressed actors who bring an ancient town alive.
Genesee Country Village & Museum’s historical experience is a beautiful journey for kids of different ages and ranks among the top things to do with kids.
6. Stokoe Farms
Even though their ancestor Thomas Stokoe moved from England to New York in the early 1800s, the Stokoe dynasty has been cultivating in the region.
Why visit?
Farms feature prominently in many of the finest activities to do in Rochester with kids!
Pony rides, pumpkins, livestock, a candy cannon, mountainside slides, and other activities are available for children at Stokoe Farms.
Stokoe Farms’ entertaining features and excursions are best suited for children aged two and above.
7. TYKEs Theater
Two trained professional artists founded Theatre Young Kids Enjoy in 2004 with the goal of making kids’ theater a distinctively pleasant, engaging, instructive, and high-class experience.
Why visit?
Experience the impact of music and live theater as this tourist town puts on a stunning rendition of your children’s beloved fairy tales and bedtime stories.
Among the best kids activities in Rochester for children ages three and older include seeing your kid’s favorite stories come to life onscreen.
8. Wickham Farms
Wickham Farms began in 1986 as a pumpkin field and has now expanded to a land adjacent sanctuary of farm enjoyment.
Why visit?
Wickham Farms is filled with intriguing activities for youngsters, providing infinite options for entertainment.
You may select your own flowers, berries, wildflowers, fruits, and pumpkins, or you can enjoy some time at the park.
The playgrounds and agricultural fields at Wickham Farms are especially suitable for kids aged one and above.
9. Clubhouse Fun Center
Clubhouse Fun Center rated the best go-kart circuit in Rochester, offers much more simply go-karts.
It’s an affordable, family-friendly outdoor amusement facility.
Why visit?
This is the place to take your kids for some real fun!
Clubhouse Fun Center has 36 courses of superb mini golf, a terrific arcade, delectable food, and an incredible go-kart circuit!
Clubhouse Fun Center’s activities are best suited for children aged 7 and above.
10. Altitude Trampoline Park
Searching for fun activities to do with teenagers in the city? This is the place to go.
Altitude Trampoline Park features 50,000 sq ft of enclosed trampolines and bouncing activities for enthusiastic teenagers!
Why visit?
Envision an indoor playground with bouncy castles, volleyball, a froth pit, a bouncy play area, and a stone wall.
Altitude Trampoline Park has everything listed above and more.
Enquire about their weekly events for some additional entertainment.
The bouncing fun at Altitude Trampoline Park is best enjoyed by children aged 2 and over.
11. George Eastman Museum
George Eastman Museum, a non-profit organization created in the late 1940s, is a founder of famous photography and feature film.
Why visit?
This exhibition is a compilation of numerous picture archives from throughout the globe – an excellent platform to educate children about the wonder of photography and how the planet appeared centuries earlier.
If you’re looking for free kid-friendly activities,
For children aged Twelve and under, the George Eastman Museum offers a free hands-on Exploration Room in which they can produce sun imprints, animation reels, and experiment with vintage cameras.
12. Memorial Art Gallery
The Memorial Art Gallery has gathered a portfolio of 12,000 pieces of art from across the globe after more than a century on the southern side of Rochester University.
Why visit?
Reckon again if you assumed Memorial Art Gallery was simply like any other art gallery.
Toddlers may go on treasure hunts inside and outside, participate in creative pieces of training, and explore and scale art at the sculpture garden.
The museum’s creative endeavors are among the most enjoyable things to do in Rochester for children aged 3 and older.
13. Ontario Beach Park
You do not need to travel to the Atlantic to enjoy a beautiful beach day. Take your children to Ontario Beach Park, where they can stare out over Lake Ontario’s breathtaking vastness.
Why visit?
The playground has BBQ grills, picnic chairs, a promenade, a park, and an authentic Dentzel Carousel. For only 1 dollar, children may take a horse ride (or a pig, cat, dog, or maybe even an ostrich) here on classic attraction – in addition to a great photo opportunity. The park features performances throughout the season, so be sure to check the calendar.
14. Rochester Red Wings Baseball Stadium
Do you have any young athletic fanatics in your family? Do not pass up the opportunity to take them to Frontier Field to witness the Rochester Red Wings perform minor league baseball.
Why visit?
Single match tickets are cheap, $12-$14, and even parking is convenient, making this a practical way to enjoy a day. The arena is incredibly family-friendly, with areas marked as “alcohol-free” and even “allergy-aware,” which means no nuts. Drop by the snack stalls for a variety of delectable selections, along with the “Garbage Plate,” a Rochester specialty. Despite its unappealing name, a Garbage Plate comprises a specific type of meat, such as burgers, sausages, beef, or chicken, coupled with fried potatoes, baked peas, and macaroni salads and served in fiery meat sauce.
It’s a little chaotic, but believe us when we say it’s excellent. And absolutely worth the heartburn.
15. Abbott’s Frozen Custard
The first Abbott’s Frozen Custard business debuted in 1926 and is still operating today at Lake and Beach Pathways intersection, only a few steps from Lake Ontario. Whilst the brand has expanded to locations all over the country since its inception, Rochester still boasts the highest number of sites, so you’ll have plenty of chances to experience it. In case you’re curious, frozen custard is more decadent, with a more creamy texture than ice cream. Choco, vanilla, and chocolate almond are available at all Abbott’s sites, and each store offers a unique selection of custard flavours and frozen foods. Flurries, floats, and customizable sundaes are also available.
16. Bristol Mountain Skiing
This is the spot to go for outdoor fun activities in Rochester! It is the leading ski area in the Finger Lakes District, with 1300 feet of elevation, two high-speed rotors, and cutting-edge skiing and snowboarding.
Why visit?
They offer ski and ride courses for all of the family members throughout the season. Bristol Brigades provides season-long teaching for snowboarders and skiers of all ages and interests. And during the holiday season, adventure schools provide a pleasant opportunity to spend time outside.
The Family & Friends Evening is a fun and comparatively cheaper way for the whole group to enjoy the hills. The package includes cheap rentals as well as complimentary introductory instruction.
Enjoy the stunning fall colors on a breathtaking Fall Sky Tour, which is available in Late September. This peaceful 15-20-minute trip allows visitors of all generations to take in the beauty of the Bristol Hills and the canyon beneath.
17. Lollypop farm
Since the early 1870s, Lollypop Farm has been assisting both animals and individuals in the Greater Rochester region. Lollypop Farm collaborates with society to save hundreds of animals each year via initiatives such as rescue, foster homes, outreach programs, ethical law enforcement, and decent education.
Why visit?
The Lollypop Farm campus is nestled on 134 acres just north of Fairport, NYC, and is a fantastic family-friendly destination. Visit the narrative walk to meet farmyard animals, or go for a trek on the landscape paths. Lollypop Farm also allows youngsters to learn beside animal companions, such as Animal First Aid & Rescue, Refuge Helpers, Scouting Training, spectacular Birthday Celebrations, Holiday Camp, fantastic family events, and much more!
18. Roseland Water Park
Roseland Resort, featuring 56 acres of watery fun and nine different activities for the whole family, is the biggest theme park in the North Fork District. Roseland Water Park is the northeastern United States’ initial and sole Cable Wake Resort.
Why visit?
It is situated on Muar Lake, next to Roseland Resort in Canandaigua, New York. This park includes a 5-tower comprehensive cable system as well as a 2-tower instructional cable network. The overhanging cable system can transport a maximum of nine riders at once around the pond, allowing them to access the park’s different slides and rails. They offer comprehensive retail and rental establishments, food courts, and a party area, ensuring that you are providing everything you’ll require for a beautiful weekend.
19. Six Flags Darien Lake
It is located approximately one hour west of Rochester and southeast of Batavia. It is NYC’s most popular family destination. An amusement park, a beach resort, a campsite, and a resort are all available.
Why visit?
Attractions include roller coasters, family rides, children’s rides, water sports attractions, and performances. The Predator, Viper, Thunder Bolt, and Drive of Steel are among the rides. Our favorites are their Swirl City Ride Complex, Big Kahuna, Brain Drain, Flotation Zone, Tornado, and Alligator Isle. Their 600,000-gallon lazy river is all within the water park.
20. Mendon Ponds Park
Mendon Ponds Nature reserve is a county parkland in the suburban communities of Mendon and Pittsford situated in the south of Rochester. It is Monroe County’s biggest nature reserve, with approximately 2500 acres.
Why visit?
It was named a National Natural Heritage in 1967 for its distinctive alpine geology. Mendon Ponds has a multitude of glacially formed land formations, such as the “Devil’s Bathtub” kettle hole, eskers, a hovering sphagnum vegetation peat bog, and kames. A sphagnum moss peat bog at the northwestern end of a succession of other glacial ponds and reservoirs near the “Devil’s Bathtub” has produced a tropical island in the center of the water body. The swamp is home to a variety of rare plants, particularly sundew and pitcher plants, owing to the acidic accumulation and absence of decomposition generated by the peat moss.
21. Corning Museum of Glass
The nation’s most significant exhibition venue for modern glass design and artwork. The Corning Hall of Glass, founded in the early 1950s as a present to the country for the firm’s centennial celebration by Corning Glass Works (currently Corning Incorporated), is a non-profit organization committed to investigating a sole material: glass.
Why visit?
The Museum’s site, which receives – nearly half a million tourists from across the world each year, is a place of residence for the world’s most vast selection of glass, the world’s preeminent archive on glass, and among the globally highest ranking glassworking institutions.
Conclusion
Explore the beautiful city and the best it has to offer with your kids. Take in new experiences while having a great family time.
There is a lot more that you can do on a vacation to Rochester, but these are some of the most fun things to do in Rochester with kids, so make sure they top your checklist too.
You will be encountering everything from peaceful play areas to thrilling roller coasters. In all, it is a jam-packed family vacation you do not want to miss on.
