In my previous blog, I talked a little bit about some places near Nazareth you can visit to get great food, ice cream, or to volunteer, and I’m back again to share some of the best things our little city of Rochester has to offer with you guys!
There are tons of amazing restaurants and dives in Rochester, including Blu Wolf Bistro on Park Ave where they have an amazing caprese grilled cheese that tastes like the perfect comfort food for when you need to wind down after a long day of class or studying. If you’re in a brunch type of mood, Steve’s Diner in Penfield has an affordable range of amazing breakfast foods that are sure to leave your stomach feeling happy. On a Saturday night with your friends, make sure you stop by Hungry’s Grill or, my personal favorite, ER Hots for an infamous Rochester Garbage Plate, a combination of your choice of hot dogs, cheeseburgers, mac salad, home fries, french fries and more. If you’re not from the upstate New York area, make sure you try out the buffet foods at Wegmans grocery or one of their amazing subs, too!
If you want to get outdoors, Highland Park (pictured up top) in the city is a beautiful spot that’s well-known for its annual Lilac Festival in the summer, but is equally as gorgeous in the fall when all the trees change their leaves. Visiting Highland is a must in any weather! Especially during the fall, a rite of passage for everyone living in upstate New York is a haunted hayride. What better way to get outdoors than going with your friends to a nearby hayride and getting spooked together. Naz does an excursion every year to the Williamson Hayride, so don’t forget to get your tickets! Also nearby is Powers Farm Market where you can get pumpkins and gorge yourself on their famous fried dough. It’s also nice to just walk around our campus and see all the beautiful trees changing in our corner of New York.
If you want to make memories, explore any of these places with your friends and find your own hidden gems of the city while you’re at it. One of my favorite places to get active is Altitude in Henrietta which is basically a playground made of wall-to-wall trampolines; another great option is to go to Bill Gray’s to watch a Naz hockey game and ice skate for free after the game with your friends. Don’t forget about visiting Durand and Charlotte Beaches and the abandoned subways or if you can get in, the haunted Rochester psych wards!