First called the "Flour Capital" for its success in grist mills, Rochester later took on the title "Flower City" for its success in horticulture. It maintains that title to this day. If you're in Rochester in May, be sure to visit the Lilac Festival in Highland Park. You'll see (and smell) over 500 varieties of lilac. While the smell of lilacs is in the air, you may want to attend a performance at one of Rochester's many theaters and auditoriums. Whether you'd like to watch the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra or the Garth Fagan Dance Company or any other performer, you'll find plenty of options.
Besides acting as home to musical endeavors and many, many flowers, Rochester is also home to centuries of history. The Heritage Area Visitor's Center has a lot of good information on Rochester's past and present. The Susan B. Anthony House is not only the home of the great women's activist, but preserves artifacts of her life. Also, the Rochester Museum and Science Center has many exhibits related to local history.
The Rochester Museum and Science Center is two things in one, however. It also houses the Strasenburgh Planetarium, as well as plenty of hands-on ways to explore science. Science and technology has a steady presence in Rochester, as the home of the Kodak and Xerox companies. The International Museum of Photography and Eastman Kodak are appropriately found here and both contain comprehensive exhibits of photographic equipment as well as photographic archives and galleries.
You'll find Rochester, with all its variety of experience, 90 miles from Buffalo on I-90E or the same distance from Syracuse on I-90W. If you'd like more information on Rochester, look at the links on the sidebar on the left-hand side of the page.
