Rochester, New York

Kodak's hometown and the western gateway to the Finger Lakes, drawing visitors with the George Eastman Museum, the National Museum of Play and Letchworth State Park, the "Grand Canyon of the East."

Rochester sits in western New York on the southern shore of Lake Ontario, with the Genesee River running through the city; it's the state's third-largest city. In the 19th century, the Erie Canal and the waterpower of the Genesee falls made it the "Flour City"; later, Kodak, Xerox and Bausch + Lomb earned it the title "World's Image Center." The city still has a strong technological and cultural character and is home to the Eastman School of Music and the University of Rochester. The best time to visit is May–October: the Lilac Festival in Highland Park in mid-May; Lake Ontario beaches, Seabreeze Amusement Park and canal cruises in summer; and in Sep–Oct, the Finger Lakes grape harvest and Letchworth's gorge in peak foliage. Winters are cold and snowy, good for museums and skiing. The main city sights are concentrated on the east side: the George Eastman Museum, the Memorial Art Gallery and the science center are close together, while the Strong National Museum of Play and High Falls are downtown. On the lakeshore to the north are Ontario Beach, a lighthouse and the zoo. For day trips, head south to Letchworth, the "Grand Canyon of the East," or southeast to Canandaigua Lake and Sonnenberg Gardens. Getting there: Greater Rochester International Airport is about 10 minutes' drive from downtown, and Amtrak runs trains toward New York City, Buffalo and Toronto; local transit is limited, so renting a car is recommended. Allow 2 days for the city, or 3–4 days including the gorge and the western Finger Lakes. Niagara Falls is about 1.5 hours' drive away and usually fits into a Buffalo itinerary.

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