The third largest city in New York State is less than 90 minutes away. Get packing, because it's yours to explore.
Rochester is home to multiple world-class attractions and is more-than affordable for students to sample its vast ethnic foods, rich history, hot nightlife and famous festivals.
From May 8 to May 17, Rochester's critically acclaimed Lilac Festival will be held in Highland Park. Students from the Buffalo and New York City areas will find Highland Park very familiar, as designed by Frederic Law Olmsted, who also designed Central Park and the Buffalo park system.
Carnival foods, acres of arts and craft vendors, contests and unique discounts on lilac memorabilia and products are offered at the festival, according to www.lilacfestival.com. The international band Big Bad Voodoo Daddy is set to perform for free on May 10.
On May 23 and 24, barbecue lovers will descend upon Rochester for the Roc City Rib Fest in Monroe County's Ontario Beach Park. Visitors can watch New York State barbecue grillers compete in a championship cook-off, the winner of which will go on to compete in the Jack Daniels Barbeque Contest, considered to be a world championship, according to www.roccityribfest.com.
Festival goers will be able to sample area rib houses and rock out to area live bands during the festival, which is sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbeque Society and is the first of its kind in Rochester. Travelers can relish the barbecue sights and smells on Memorial Day weekend for only $5 adult admission.
Visitors who want to try one of Rochester's most raved-about barbecue joints can head downtown for the southern-style home cooking of the Dinosaur Bar-B-Que.According to www.visitrochester.com, famous historical sites in Rochester include Susan B. Anthony's neighborhood, Frederick Douglass's abolitionist newspaper headquarters and the cinematic history museum and house of legendary George Eastman, founder of Kodak.
Students interested in learning more about Rochester's role in the Underground Railroad can even take bus tours exploring each corner of the city for less than $20 per person.
Sports and concert lovers will find everything they want at Rochester's Blue Cross Arena, the city's equivalent to Buffalo's HSBC Arena. Patrons can watch Rochester's soccer, hockey, basketball, lacrosse and even baseball teams battle it out on the field against out-of-town opponents, as well as big stage concerts such as the American Idols Live Tour, according to www.bluecrossarena.com.
Rochester's local sports teams may not be on the national stage, but the adrenaline of sporting events still retains itself even in the minors.
For golf enthusiasts looking to see some professional-caliber competitions, the LPGA tour makes frequent stops in Rochester for its Wegmans LPGA Golf Tournament. Additionally, local Oak Hill Country Club has been home to multiple PGA Majors, such as the U.S. Open, PGA Championship and the Ryder Cup.
Once the sun goes down, students who revel in Buffalo's nightlife will find Rochester to be quite familiar. The city is home to The Comedy Club, which welcomes national acts and local performers monthly. Admission on Thursday evenings is only $7 per person, while Fridays and Saturdays are $9, according to www.visitrochester.com.
Taylor's Disco Night Club keeps the '70s alive and entertains students 21 years of age and older who may have wished that they were born in another decade. The club specializes in disco, but also offers a newly renovated room with a full bar and a soundtrack of today's hits.
With multiple summer events and festivals planned in Buffalo's sister city, visitors can spend an entire weekend there, while paying anywhere from $53 up to $129 per night for a hotel, according to the Web site.
Amtrak runs frequent trains into Rochester and students can purchase two adult round-trip tickets for $36.
The year also marks Rochester's 175th anniversary and the city has some big plans for celebration, welcoming everyone to come and experience what makes the Flower City unique.
