First and foremost, you'll want to check out the many attractions in Rochester's immediate suburbs, especially the canal communities of Fairport and Pittsford on the east side and Brockport and Spencerport to the west. There's also much to be seen in suburbs such as East Rochester and Victor.
Rochester is also the perfect jumping-off point for forays into the incredible Finger Lakes region of New York. Several destinations in that region stand out:
Canandaigua — only a little over half an hour from Rochester by car, this small city offers excellent lake-front activities, a nice small water park, and the beautiful Sonnenberg Gardens
Letchworth State Park — "The Grand Canyon of the East" features a second set of three waterfalls on the Genesee, mirroring Rochester's trio; the Mount Morris Dam is also a sight to see
Seneca Falls — a cradle of the women's rights movement, this village houses the Women's Rights National Historical Park (http://www.nps.gov/wori) and is a great place to visit after seeing Susan B. Anthony's home in Rochester
Only about 90 minutes away from Rochester is one of the world's greatest natural attractions, the spectacular Niagara Falls; if you've never been, you owe it to yourself to take this easy day trip. You could also swing by Buffalo, the state's second-largest city and home to historic architecture, major league sports, and plenty of Buffalo wings. To the east, Syracuse is also 90 minutes away.
For onward travel, New York City and the scenic Adirondack mountains are both a six hour car trip to the east. Cosmopolitan Toronto, Ontario, Canada, is even closer by and can be reached by a three hour drive around Lake Ontario.
