What It’s Like Living In Rochester New York With Family?
What it’s like living in Rochester New York With Family? Many people are so confused about Rochester, New York. They thought it’s in New York City. What they don’t know is that it is a 5-7 hour drive away from NYC. It will take you more hours to get out of New York State as it is a vast area. The number of hours varies as it depends on which State and or town you are going to visit.
This city is very diverse, and you can see many nationalities living in the area. The community is very different compared to New York City. They have their own political opinion here which is very opposite to the other big cities of New York State.
Rochester is the 3rd largest city in New York State. Moreover, it is a much safer place to live. The community is more friendly and understanding. It makes it attractive for the family to raise their children here. Not to mention with all the things you can enjoy all year long.
Rochester is way conservative than “Big Apple.” It’s calmer here even if there are trains and buses for the commute. The local transportation is by car. It’s not that crowded unlike in NYC where the mode of transportation is by train and coach because of so much traffic.
Rochester is first known as the World’s First Image and was also known as a Flour City. The first boomtowns in America and one of the major manufacturing hub of many flour mills that is home in Genesee River.
Now they called Rochester a ” Flower City.”
Rochester’s have many festivals around the surrounding area:
- They have a Lilac Festival every spring when the flowers start to bloom. They usually hold it every May 10- 19, 2019. You got to enjoy the beautiful lilacs and smell the pleasant smell. They also have food stools and some art craft vendors selling their artworks. Aside from concerts they also offer wine tasting for a small fee. Read more here about the Lilac Festival.
- Corn Hill Festival, which is a display of all the different arts, happens every summer around July 13- 14, 2019. My family loves to visit this festival every year. Too many decorative arts to choose from and you have many choices if you are looking something to decorate your house. It’s either a local artist or a traveling artist who enjoys traveling while selling their craft. Read more about Corn Hill Festival.
- The Air Balloon Festival is an annual event that falls during Labor Day from August 29- September 2, 2019, in Dansville New York. You can camp for at least two nights, and they also have air balloon rides and tethered rides. Read more here about Air Balloon Festival.
- Medieval Festival is the Sterling Renaissance Festival that celebrates in Sterling New York. It is a theater that you got to see many performers wearing different costumes — representing the different eras, cultures, and traditions of the past. Read more about Medieval Festival.
- Every September in Naples New York they have their annual Grapes Festival. They celebrate it during the harvest season. A lot of food choices to try made of grapes and they also have their yearly contest for grapes pie. It would be more enjoyable to visit this town during this time of year as the leaves are starting to change colors. Read more here about Grapes Festival.
- Maple Festival is in Genesee County, and they offer breakfast for a fee to adults from 9:00 am to 1: 00 pm. It will be on March 23- 31, 2019. They also have their popular annual contest cooking everything with maple. You got to explore the woods and discover all about maples. Read more here for Maple Festival.
Education-wise, one of the top 10 schools in the country, Pittsford Central School is home in the area. Pittsford is the part of Rochester where the taxes are pretty high. It is where the wealthy people live.
Brighton, Victor, Penfield, and Fairport are among the 50 best schools in the United States. My kids don’t go to any of these schools, but I can tell you that her school isn’t bad either. I guess New York has a very high standard when it comes to school policies and core.
There are many Big Colleges too.
- One of them is the Rochester Institute of Technology., It is suitable for IT students.
- The University of Rochester offers some medical courses and one of the best school in the area.
- Eastman School of Music is one of the Top 10 Best Music School in the World.
- If you’re looking for a State College, they have Monroe Community College.
Keira and Kyle
Rochester is a safe place to live and have so many things to do as a family. During the Spring season, you might still be able to go down the slope in your shorts. While in the summer you can go fishing, boating, and swimming in the lakes. Fall and winter is the best time to visit around here. They may not have white sandy beaches or blue-crystal-clear water to swim. However, it has beautiful scenery when the leaves start to turn into different colors.
Parks Nearby Rochester New York:
- Mendon Park
- Stony Brooke Park
- Letchworth Park
- Watkins Glen State Park
Letchworth Park with Grandma trying to check the fall leaves
The cost of living here in Rochester is decent. It’s neither too high nor too low but enough for the median-income family to live. I’ve been here for almost 12 years, and I can tell you that you can see the wealthy people and the poor people here. However, one thing is for sure – it is a place to live if you have small children. You have more space to play around the house — a safe place for your kids to roam around and play neighbors and know others.
I love malling, and my favorite is the Eastview Mall. I like I am in the Philippines every time I go there. It is a decent size, not a super big mall but enough to enjoy strolling and find what you need and want. They added the Von Maur department store a couple of years ago which carries luxury brands. Rochester may not have a lot of stores and businesses, but it is a great place to live. From museums to the zoo, water activities to indoor and outdoor fun activities. Your children won’t get bored all year long from warm weather to cold winter.
