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Those wacky Webster Children's Librarians! 
Summer Fun in Rochester
The best outdoor summer places |
Sun-Sational Summertime: Excellent excursions and cool breaks in the greater Rochester areaUpdated for Summer 2008By Jackie Perrin and Debra RossBanish the backpacks and break out the bathing suits! School’s out, and we’ve got a luscious line-up of treats for you and your crew this summer. From wet and wild to cool and creative, the options for seasonal fun in the Rochester area are truly tantalizing. Following are our top 10 recommendations for summertime play. Savor the season!  1) Get to know "every inch of the way"We hope the early Americans who first made their livelihoods on the Erie Canal would be pleased with its legacy of recreation and cultural enrichment for us in the 21st century. From eastern Wayne county all the way out to Lockport and beyond, the Canal is a great way to help our kids both appreciate the rich history of western New York and enjoy the great outdoors. Click here for a link to a neat map of the Canal in the Rochester area. Take your bike! A great way to get to know the Erie Canal is by planning a family bike tour. Rich and Sue Freeman, authors of Take Your Bike among many other Rochester-area outdoors guides, provide a free list of trails and suggestions for Palmyra to Pittsford.  Want to get even more up close and personal? Take a ride on the Colonial Belle, which leaves from Packett's Landing in the middle of Fairport three times daily Tuesday-Saturday, at 12pm (2-hour cruise), 2:30 (3-hour cruise) and 6:30 (3-hour cruise). It departs twice on Sunday, at 12 noon for a "1½-hour Special" (a good introduction to the Canal at only $7.50 per person), and at 3pm for a 3-hour cruise. Reservations are recommended, and boarding is 15 minutes before departure. Call 585-223-9470 for more information. 
Another way to get to know our famous waterway is the Sam Patch packet boat. The crew on the packet boat Sam Patch (sails from Schoen Place in Pittsford), and its companion wooden vessel Mary Jemison (sails from Corn Hill Landing), offer fun, relaxing, and educational tours of the Canal's history and ecology. The Sam Patch leaves from Pittsford at Schoen Place, with such a frequent departure schedule that we can't list all of the times here; click here to see the schedule and the rates. Reservations are strongly recommended for all daily cruises and are required for all meal cruises. You also can call 585-262-5661 for more information or to schedule a day or evening cruise. Corn Hill Navigation runs the web site. It has some neat details about their educational programs. 
Does a regular boat not get you close enough to cool you off? How about a ride in a canoe or kayak! Genesee Waterways Center is located right on the Genesee River across from the University of Rochester's Genesee Valley Park, just north of where the Canal crosses the River. The Center offers rentals for all levels of experience, plus classes and camps to get you and your kids started. Call 585-328-3960 for reservations. Or, check out BayCreek Paddling Center, off Empire Blvd at the lower end of Irondequoit Bay. They even have a shuttle service to Ellison Park, so you can paddle down, and ride back up. Their web site has lots of information and plans for groups and families. Oak Orchard Canoe and Kayak, also off Empire Blvd in Irondequoit Bay, provides canoe and kayak rentals as well as sales. 2) Hit the BeachTops on our list of things to do this summer is a day of sun and sand on the Great Lake Ontario. Meaning "beautiful lake" in Iroquois, Lake Ontario has 712 miles of shoreline and is the fourth largest lake in the world. Four area swimming beaches have facilities that are particularly family-friendly. From east to west: Fairhaven Beach, Sodus Point, Ontario Beach Park, and Hamlin Beach are among our favorite day trip destinations.  Fairhaven Beach State Park 
Sodus Point Beach Park 
Ontario Beach Park  Hamlin Beach State Park 3) Wild WaterWestern New York is of course reknowned as the home of Niagara Falls, and most of us residents visit The Falls at least once or twice to get "the experience." But there are many other waterfalls close to home that, while not quite as overwhelming, are nonetheless awe-inspiring. And much less, er, touristy.  The most prominent among these are the three sets of waterfalls at Letchworth State Park in Mount Morris, which is about 45 minutes south of Rochester; a nice photo of the Middle Falls from the LetchworthStatePark.com, is pictured to the left. The 2008 Letchworth Vacation Guide can be downloaded in PDF format at http://www.tttraveler.com/pdf/sp08web.pdf. 
About 17 miles to the south of Mount Morris, in Dansville, is Stony Brook State Park. The Ross family had heard about this park but had not visited until a few years ago; what a find! The spectacular waterfall system culminates in two wonderful spring-fed swimming pools, with a nice nearby bathhouse. Make sure you visit their web site for more photos and interesting information about the park. Great playground, too! 
Racing fans who have traveled east to the Watkins Glen International are likely to be familiar with the spectacular gorge and waterfalls at Watkins Glen State Park, but it's worth the 85-mile trip just for the chance to walk behind (yes, behind) the waterfall. It's an experience right out of Last of the Mohicans. Make sure that for both the Stony Brook and Watkins Glen trips you leave the strollers in the car; you'll find yourself awkwardly carrying them up and down what seems like miles of slippery steps.  The fact is, our area has too many beautiful waterfalls to detail all of them here. Fortunately, our aforementioned friends at Footprint Press have done it all for us in their book 200 Waterfalls in Central and Western New York. For waterfall hunters who are determined to experience some little-known treasures of Western New York, it's a must-have resource. The Freemans even detail the exact time and effort it takes to reach each waterfall. Remember, too, that we ingenious humans have found many ways to manufacture our own "wild water" experiences, which, though vastly different from the ones Nature supplies, are in many ways as invigorating. Roseland Water Park in Canandaigua on Routes 5 & 20 has attractions such as the "Mammoth Raft Ride" and the "Twister" (ever surf on a tornado?) that get the heart racing. Seabreeze, voted # 3 on our Top 20 list, has a water park with a wave pool, body slides, and inner tube slides. And, of course, Darien Lake, located a bit south of the New York State Thruway between Rochester and Buffalo, also has a wave pool, as well as such rides as the Raging Seas and Grizzly Run. 4) Wild Animals The Seneca Park Zoo, which is #2 on our Top 20 list, has a number of new exhibits. The baboons have arrived! On May 8, 2008, they opened Phase II of their new "A Step Into Africa" expansion project.
If you're willing to make it a full day trip for your budding zoologist, consider expanding your scope to the Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park in Syracuse, or the Zoological Society of Buffalo. 5) Farm Follows FunctionMany visitors from out of state are surprised to learn that much of our upstate landscape is dotted with small family farms. Among the U.S. states, New York State ranks second in milk, apple, and maple syrup production, and third in grape production. In addition, it is the fourth largest meat producer. While some have left the farm behind in order to provide a more stable source of income for their families, a few creative minds have managed to keep the farm going with "agri-tainment" initiatives. From "U-Pick" operations to petting zoos to corn mazes, upstate New York boasts a bountiful crop of fabulous farms. Pay them a visit, have some fun, and support our local farmers! 
Springdale Farm 
The Humane Society at Lollypop Farm 
Long Acre Farms 
Brown’s Berry Patch 
Murphy Orchards 6) Sensational Summer ExhibitsDoes your family have a favorite museum in Rochester? Sometimes it takes a good reason to take a break from the norm, and hot steamy weather can be that reason. Adventurers seeking cooler spots will be rewarded this summer by a fantastic lineup of museum exhibits and events. Don’t miss the chance to take advantage of our local cultural resources! 
George Eastman House This summer, why not start a new tradition of summer dinner al fresco? The Garden Vibes Concert Series takes place on the expansive grounds of the beautiful Eastman House, on several Thursdays at 6:30pm. This season’s lineup includes: traditional African music guitarist Tcheka on July 10; The Shuffle Demons play “Cyber-Jazz” on July 24; Gospel music from the Campbell Brothers on August 7; and The Boilermaker Jazz Band of Pittsburgh performs authentic hot jazz and swing on August 21. Pack a picnic or buy your dinner there. Dinosaur BBQ will available for sale on site, as well as sandwiches, desserts and ice cream from the Eastman House Cafe. There is a cash bar. Bring blankets or chairs.Admission: $15 adults; $10 members; $5 youths (ages 13–18); and free to 12 and under. For more information, call 271-3361 or click here to buy tickets online. 
Memorial Art Gallery Miniature mummy enthusiasts will delight in the current Egyptian exhibit at the Memorial Art Gallery. It has fancy name, which in kidspeak means "a really cool Egyptian coffin." Rochester Museum and Science Center  Strong Museum 
Genesee Country Village Museum & Nature Center The Village also has Silver Base Ball Park, where local guys (and gals) play Base Ball with 19th-Century rules and outfits. It can be a bit startling to realize that "Nice hurl, sir!" is a compliment, but spectators quickly get swept up in the spirit of the game as they munch on roasted peanuts-in-the-shell and swill birch beer.  The Genesee Country Nature Center, located on the adjacent grounds, has activities for kids and families winter and summer. Each Sunday at 2pm features a nature walk, during which a Nature Center naturalist will guide you on one of the Center's many trails through 175 acres of varied terrain. We are big fans of the Nature Center at GCV, partly because those who run it are clearly scientists rather than activists. The Center also has some special theme days this summer, such as its annual Bat Hike on Oatka Creek by bat expert Liz Thompson. This year's is July 11 at 7:30pm. The theme of this year's camp series at the Nature Center is "Get Down and Dirty"! 7) Fair Play
Monroe County Fair: July 9-13, 2008
New York State Fair: August 21-September 1, 2008 Wayne County Fair: August 11-16, 2008 8) Amuse ThyselfTalulah’s Tearoom Cool Kids in the Park And what's the easiest path to fun for the younger set? Pack a snack and head out to your local playground, or to one across town! We've made it easy with the KidsOutAndAbout.com Virtual Playground Tour. We give you photos, tell you a little bit about the park and the surface beneath the playground, and, most important, point you toward the bathrooms. 9) SpraygroundsIn the past year, since we first posted our photos of the Sprayground at Seneca Lake State Park in Geneva, we've received many comments from grateful parents who didn't know this gem existed until they visited the site. Seneca Lake State Park made it to the #7 position on our Top 20 family-friendly attractions in the greater Rochester area. We know of several spraygrounds in the area: One is at the Southeast YMCA's Camp Arrowhead in Pittsford, and one is at the Bay View Y as well. Members of the YMCA can bring guests, and we know of at least one family that made the decision to join the Y solely on the basis of that sprayground. In addition, Pineway Ponds Park in Ogden has a spray pool, open daily in the summer from 10am-8pm. Plus Ridgecrest Park on Ebner Road in Webster has a free water spray park. The City of Rochester has three free waterplay areas: Carter Street Community Center, at 500 Carter Street; Humboldt Recreation Center, at 1045 Atlantic Avenue; and Fourth & Peck Playground, at the corner of 4th & Peck Streets. (Click here for a list of the Indoor and Outdoor swimming opportunities in the city of Rochester.) Camp Eastman, the park across the street from Durand Eastman park in West Irondequoit, has a sprayground as well, and it's free. For parents with the fortitude to take a short day trip, the Sprayground at Seneca Lake State Park is at the north end of Seneca Lake in Geneva; the fee is $7/car. The city of Rochester has two water spray play areas: One at the Carter Street Community Center (428-7890) and one at the Humboldt Recreation Center on Atlantic Ave (428-7294). Please email us by clicking here if you know of any other spraygrounds we should add to this list.And click here for a list of all of the Rochester city pools. 10) Bookmark Your Local Library “Catch the Reading Bug" is the theme for children and "Metamorphosis @ Your Library" is the theme for teens this year from New York State summer reading program theme. Many of the libraries have links to the lists of summer reading material from the local public schools. And they all have wonderful activities during the summer, both on the weekdays and on the weekdays. Consult your local library branch for specific program offerings. A link to the various library offerings can be found by clicking here.
So sign us up for summer reading! Why not check out the Monroe County Kids Catalog on the web to design your very own reading program. *******
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© Jackie Perrin and Debra Ross |
New!Halloween 2008Weekend by Weekend Apple Picking List 
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Click to see all live giveaways!Halloween stuff! Updated 10/2  How to Bully-Proof Your Child: Practical Tips  New! Reviews of great new family board games Spring/summer day trips close to Rochester! New! Indoor recreation and play places 
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We are certain that a Mom dreamed up the idea of a sprayground--a concept so brilliant that it defies the basic laws of aquatic play (small child + water + long day = bedraggled parental unit). The beauty of a sprayground is that your darlings can dance in the water while you observe adoringly from a relaxing waterside perch. Spraygrounds are zero-depth, visually appealing, and physically challenging for kids. 
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