While many people think of the amazing nature trails, skiing, hiking and outdoor activities available in the greater Rochester area, it's also home to some of the best museums and indoor places to have fun as a family on a trip. Here are my top picks for indoor family fun in the Rochester area suitable for babies through adults.
Step back in history to a time when women were fighting for the right to vote at the Susan B. Anthony House & Museum, located just across the Genesee River from downtown Rochester. After walking through the front door of the home, you’ll walk into the parlor where she was arrested in the parlor for voting just a few blocks from her home in the 1872 presidential election at a time when women didn’t have the right to cast a vote. It was such a humbling moment to stand in Anthony’s home where she, Elizabeth Cady Standon & others worked so tirelessly for women's rights on the 100th anniversary of women having the right to vote in New York State. Her home which is unassuming and looks just like the dozen other homes on its tree-lined street was the headquarters of the National American Woman Suffrage Association during the time when she was the president. Mount Hope Cemetery, the final resting place of Anthony, Frederick Douglass, Margaret Woodbury Strong (of The Strong Museum) and others is located just 10 minutes south of the Susan B. Anthony House & Museum. On November 8, 2016, thousands of voters paid homage to Anthony and her tireless dedication to women's rights by placing their “I Voted” sticker they received at their polling place after voting in the 2016 presidential election on Anthony’s headstone inside Mount Hope Cemetery in honor of being able to cast a vote for Hillary Clinton, the first woman presidential candidate. For more information on the Susan B. Anthony House & Museum, check their website, Facebook & Twitter.
Enjoy nature at Humphry Nature Center, which is nestled inside Letchworth State Park. and offers programs for all ages, interactive displays, a butterfly garden, and is almost totally self-sustained. As with all butterfly gardens, the garden always has something in bloom to attract butterflies. Also offered is a new Autism Nature Trail (ANT) that was put together with folks from the park & local community as well as specialists in the field of Autism. ANT features special sensory zones including an obstacle climb, cuddle swing, fine motor station, rest took and more to allow all members of the family to rejuvenate their soul and take in the beauty of Letchworth State Park. Make sure to add time to talk to any of the Nature Center’s knowledgeable staff, they’ll be able to tell you all about the geology of the area, interesting things to note about the gorge, what type of people lived here before and how they lived and so much more. The Nature Center is open daily, 10a-5p year-round. For more information on Humphry Nature Center, check their website or Facebook.
Learn something new at the Rochester Museum & Science Center in the four floors of fun exhibits designed to be interactive and fun for all ages. Almost all of the displays are at a height to encourage kids to push buttons, feel and interact with. There is even a fun spot where kids can don some goggles and dig up a fossil. RMSC offers programs & happenings daily, many of which are included in regular museum admission, ranging in programs geared towards adults to programs geared towards toddlers. The Strausenburgh Planetarium is a special treat - it offers a 65 foot Star Theater Dome to enjoy Planetarium showings in. We saw a shorter show on the upcoming solar eclipse, which was fascinating. Seeing the stars & constellations laid out and move across the Star Theater Dome as they do our night sky each night was awe inspiring. Also, a neat thing to see was the giant globe that can project current satellite weather patterns, past weather patterns, country borders and more while also being able to tilt the projections so you could get a glimpse of parts of the world that are harder to see, like the north or south poles. For more information on RMSC, please check their website, Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.
Take a load off at the newly remodeled DoubleTree Rochester, located conveniently near downtown Rochester and offering a free shuttle to and from the airport and up to 5 miles from the hotel to Monroe Community College, RIT, Strong Memorial Hospital and the University of Rochester. Our hotel room was fantastic, the beds were soft and comfy, the view of the pool was nice, our bathroom had plenty of counter space and it had plenty of room to unpack our bags to put our stuff away in drawers or hang up. When checking in, you’ll not only be greeted by friendly hotel staff, but by a warm cookie, which is a pretty sweet way to be welcomed, if you ask me. DoubleTree Rochester offers an indoor swimming pool, hotel bar that serves local Finger Lakes wine, their own restaurant. Find out more about DoubleTree Rochester on their website.
A huge thank you goes out to Visit Rochester, who kindly hosted 50 Macaroni Kid publisher from across the country for a three day stay in beautiful Rochester. To find out more info about these great locations and dozens more in the Rochester area request a Visitors Guide HERE or check out Visit Rochester's website.
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