One thing many students, myself included, looked at when deciding on their college of choice is the location and what’s around the school. Sometimes you find a school that’s amazing, but it’s out in the middle of nowhere, and without a car, you’re basically stuck on campus. Sometimes you’re right in the middle of a busy city and, while you might not need a car to get around, you might not want to leave campus alone or at night. At Nazareth, we’re lucky enough to be located so close to Rochester that you can enjoy downtown when you want, but in a rural enough environment that safety and the noise of the city are not issues. During my first year, I discovered a bunch of places just off campus that students can easily walk to that add to the experience of attending Nazareth.
When you don’t have a car on campus, Pittsford Plaza is the place to go! With a 24-hour Wegmans and a Trader Joe’s just a few stores apart, you’ll never go without snacks or specialty foods.There’s also a two-story Barnes and Nobles, Bed Bath and Beyond, movie theater, and so much more, so you can easily spend the day exploring the area. It’s about a twenty-minute walk to the Plaza from campus, but to speed up the journey or spend less energy lugging back grocery bags, rent a bike from Bikes@Naz on campus. Check out their website for a list of all the stores in the plaza.
Just across the street and a bit past Pittsford Plaza, but still within walking distance, there are a number of additional shops and businesses that students find interesting, such as Marshall’s, MAC cosmetics, and Petco, so you can stock up on all your dorm room betta fish needs. There’s also a Moe’s and Pizza FAVO, and a handful of regional and nationwide banks.
Feeling like some ice cream or specialty coffee? Pittsford Dairy is on East Ave, just down the street from Naz. Don’t stop there, though, because the next side street, Schoen Place, has some great specialty places that run next to the Erie Canal Pathway. Simply Crepes Café (their dessert crepes are fantastic, but they have savery ones as well) and Aladdin’s Natural Eatery (lots of great Greek food!) are favorites of Naz students, and, once you’re done eating, a talking a walk down the canal and/or watching the sunset over the water are the perfect ways to take a break from the crazy semester.
If you walk over the bridge on the Erie Canal, you’ll find a bunch of boutiques, bakeries, cafes, and the Pittsford Public Library. Many students don’t think to take a walk to the town library for more study space, but sometimes the change of scenery can be a life saver! The Village Bakery is a fantastic spot for coffee and specialty sandwiches and pastries, and Hungry’s is a tiny building that cooks up some big late night garbage plates. This strip of shops also has a handful of salons and barber shops that students can easily get to instead of waiting for family weekend to get a haircut. Pontillo’s Pizza is a great option for take-out pizza, and, although the Pittsford location doesn’t deliver, it’s worth the short walk. You could also skip dinner and head straight to Yotality for some delicious frozen yogurt!
Nazareth truly gets a gold star for location with all the stores, restaurants, and shops that are all within walking distance. So fear not, everything you need to succeed is right at your fingertips, on and off campus!