The Greater Rochester Nine-County Area

The Greater Rochester Area comprises nine counties under the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce. Some counties are also part of the 5-county Rochester Metropolitan Area, 7-county Genesee Valley Region, 14-county Finger Lakes Region, and 17-county Western New York region. Eight are part of DEC Region 8. Five are connected along the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor.

We are all part of Upstate New York.

But no matter how we group ourselves, each county has something unique to offer. What follows is a highlight that inspires you to explore the greater Rochester region.

Explore Greater Rochester

• Monroe County & the City of Rochester
• Genesee County
• Livingston County
• Ontario County
• Orleans County
• Seneca County
• Wayne County
• Wyoming County
• Yates County

Monroe County & the City of Rochester

County Seat: City of Rochester

Major Municipalities: Greece, Irondequoit, Henrietta, Brighton, and Penfield are among the largest of the 19 towns and villages.

Major bodies of water: Lake Ontario, Genesee River, Erie Canal

Major parks and natural areas: Braddock Bay, Irondequoit Bay, Highland Park, City of Rochester Parks, and Monroe County Parks.

Sights & Attractions: Some places and events that draw visitors nationwide are the Strong Museum, International Jazz Festival, Eastman Museum, Eastman Theatre, and Rochester Museum & Science Center + Strasenburgh Planetarium.

Scenic Drives: Lake Ontario Seaway Trail; NY-251 through Wheatland, Rush, and Mendon; NY-65 south to the Sunflower Field, Mendon Ponds Park, and Honeoye Falls; NY-31 and roads that hug the canal, like E. Canal Rd in Brockport, Canal Road through Adam’s Basin, and Schoen Place in Pittsford; Fishers Rd-Park Rd-Railroad Mills Road loop around Powder Mills Park; or any of the historic neighborhoods in the city.

visitrochester.com

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Genesee County

County Seat: City of Batavia

Major Municipalities: LeRoy, Bergen, East Bethany, Darien Center

Major bodies of water: Oatka Creek, Tonawanda Creek

Major parks and natural areas: Darien Lakes State Park, Genesee County Park & Forest, Bergen Swamp, Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Dewitt Recreational Area, Indian Falls

Sights and attractions: Six Flags Darien Lake, Holland Land Office Museum, JELL-O Gallery Museum, Rolling Hills Asylum, Hartford Livery Museum, Tonawanda Reservation Historical Society

Scenic Drives: Take NY-33 into Batavia and NY-77 north through Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, or take NY-98 south to US-20 and loop home on NY-19.

visitgeneseeny.com

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Livingston County

County Seat: Village of Geneseo

Major Municipalities: Caledonia, Avon, Geneseo, Dansville

Major bodies of water: Genesee River, Conesus Lake, Hemlock Lake

Major parks and natural areas: Letchworth, MacKay Wildlife Preserve

Sights & attractions: Vintage Drive-In, National Warplane Museum, Wadsworth Homestead, Abbey of the Genesee, New Deal Gallery, Mount Morris Dam, Genesee Valley Hunt, Five Arch Bridge, Caledonia Fish Hatchery, Big Springs Museum

Scenic drives: Nations Rd, CR-408 south to Nunda, CR-15 south to Springwater, NY-20A between Geneseo and Lakeville.

fingerlakeswest.com

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Ontario County

County Seat: City of Canandaigua

Major Municipalities: City of Geneva, Victor, Naples, Bristol, Phelps, Clifton Springs, Honeoye, Farmington

Major bodies of water: Canadice Lake, Honeoye Lake, Canandaigua Lake, and a bit of Seneca Lake

Major parks and natural areas: Ontario County Park, Harriet Hollister Spencer State Recreation Area, Ontario Pathways Trail, RMSC Cumming Nature Center

Sights and Attractions: Sonnenberg Gardens, Ganondagan State Historic Site, Bristol Mountain, Antique Wireless Museum, Canandaigua City Pier boat houses, New York Kitchen, CMAC, 1816 Farmington Quaker Meetinghouse Museum, Smith Opera House

Scenic Drives: Any combination of roads between Canandaigua and Naples: NY-21, NY-64, CR-16, CR-64, CR-33, CR-34, CR-36; NY-15A + US-20A; NY-444 + CR-41.

visitfingerlakes.com

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Orleans County

County Seat: Village of Albion

Major Municipalities: Holley, Medina, Ridgeway, Shelby

Major bodies of water: Erie Canal, Lake Ontario, Oak Orchard Creek/River

Major parks and natural areas: Lakeside Beach State Park, Holley Canal Falls, Clarendon Falls, Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge

Sights & attractions: NY-104 Cobblestones, Medina Historic District, Lyndonville Shoe Trees, Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame, Holley Depot Museum and Historical Society, Medina Railroad, Albion Courthouse Square District, Pullman Universalist Church, Oak Orchard Lighthouse

Scenic Drives: NY-63 through Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Medina, and Lyndonvile; CR-98 from Albion to Oak Orchard Lighthouse.

orleanscountytourism.com

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Seneca County

County Seats: Village of Waterloo and Village of Ovid (It became a two-shire county in 1822.)

Major Municipalities: Seneca Falls, Lodi, Interlaken

Major bodies of water: East side Seneca Lake, West Side Cayuga Lake down to Trumansburg

Major parks and natural areas: Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge, Bishop Preserve, Seneca Lake State Park, Cayuga Lake State Park, Sampson State Park, former Seneca Army Depot

Sights & attractions: Women’s Rights National Historic Park, National Women’s Hall of Fame, It’s a Wonderful Life Museum, National Memorial Day Museum

Scenic Drives: Skip the thruway and make a slow-road loop of NY-96 and US-20.

fingerlakesgateway.com

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Wayne County

County Seat: Hamlet of Lyons

Majoy Municipalities: Wolcott, Sodus, Pultneyville, Newark, Palmyra, Macedon, Walworth, Ontario

Major bodies of water: Erie Canal, Lake Ontario

Major parks and natural areas: Chimney Bluffs State Park, B Forman Park, Montezuma Audubon Center

Sights & attractions: Brantling, Huckleberry Swamp, G & S Orchards, Alling Coverlet Museum, Hoffman Clock Museum, Hotchkiss Peppermint Museum, William Phelps General Store, Sodus Bay Lighthouse Museum, Ohmann Theater, Museum of Wayne County History, Fox Sisters Property

Scenic Drives: Make a loop combining NY-104 and NY-31 through all of the canal towns, and, depending on how far east you head, take NY-89 between Wolcott and Savannah, NY-414 between N. Rose and Clyde, NY-14 between Sodus Point and Lyons, or NY-88 between Sodus and Newark.

waynecountytourism.com

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Wyoming County

County Seat: Village of Warsaw

Major Municipalities: Wyoming, Perry, Castile Java, Silver Springs, Silver Lake, Varysburg, Arcade, Attica

Major bodies of water: Silver Lake, Genesee River

Major parks and natural areas: Letchworth from Perry south to Portageville, Beaver Meadow Audubon Center, Silver Lake State Park

Sights & attractions: Arcade & Attica Railroad, Hidden Valley Animal Adventure, Spotlight Theater, Charcoal Corral and Silver Lake Twin Drive-In, Wyoming County Historical Museum, Wyoming “Gaslight Village”

Scenic Drives: Make a loop of NY-19 and 19A; follow the wind turbines from US-20A and loop NY-78 or NY-39 and NY-77.

gowyomingcountyny.com

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Yates County

County Seat: Village of Penn Yan

Major Municipalities: Dresden, Italy, Milo, Dundee

Major bodies of water: West side of Seneca Lake, North side of Keuka Lake, south-east shore of Canandaigua Lake

Major parks and natural areas: Keuka Lake State Park, Keuka Lake Outlet Trail, High Tor WMA

Sights & attractions: Keuka Lake Wineries, The Windmill, Garrett Memorial Chapel, Yates County History Center

Scenic Drives: Loop NY-14 and 14A with NY-54, CR-1, and CR-44 connecting Penn Yan, Dresden, Dundee, and Milo.

fingerlakescountrysides.com

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More to explore around the Greater Rochester area

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Where are your favorite places to explore around the Greater Rochester area?

I’d love to hear from you—please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.

Debi Bower is the founder and creative director of daytrippingroc.com and author of the award-winning book, Day Trips Around Rochester, New York.

Help Support My Work

People often ask if I get free access to the places I visit. The answer is no—unless I’m invited to a special preview or offered behind-the-scenes access through my media role. Most of the time, I don’t even mention Day Trips Around Rochester, New York when I visit a place. I want to have the same experience you would.

I create and share this content because it brings me joy—and I hope it adds value to your adventures, too.

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Thank you!Debi

Enjoy the Journey Together!