Top 20 Places to Take Kids in Greater Rochester

Ranked by USA Today as one of the top museums for families in the country, The Strong is the only museum in the world dedicated to the study and exploration of play. The museum is home to the world’s largest collection of play-related artifacts, as well as the internationally recognized National Toy Hall of Fame and World Video Game Hall of Fame. The museum features more than 140,000 square feet of exhibits—including Can You Tell Me How To Get to Sesame Street?"; Wegmans Super Kids Market; the magical Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden; and Reading Adventureland. Learn more at museumofplay.org.

Seabreeze is the perfect summer getaway for families! We have thrilling coasters from the cutting-edge steel Whirlwind, to the classic wooden Jack Rabbit. Or you can cool off from the hot summer sun in our modern water park. We have 9 different water attractions from a spiraling tube slide, to a kiddie splash pool, there’s truly something for everyone.

Seabreeze is an all-day family experience. We have 10 different food stands so guests can enjoy a whole day without needing to ever leave the park, as well as daily scheduled performances of Cirque En Vol, our high-flying acrobats. You don’t have to ride a coaster to have a great time. So much family fun, so close to home! Seabreeze is located on the shore of Lake Ontario, just outside of Rochester. So come get your summer at Seabreeze! We can’t wait to see you!

The Seneca Park Zoo inspires our community to connect with, care for, and conserve wildlife and wild places. Wild adventure awaits 362 days a year. Explore 5 ecosystems across more than 20 acres while coming face to face with over 90 animal species. See rhinos, red pandas, lions, polar bears, elephants, take a ride on the Zoo Tram, feed a giraffe, and enjoy lunch at the all-new Trailside Café. Visit our website to learn about all the animals in our care and plan your visit.

Immerse yourself in the incredible world of science, history, culture, and nature at the RMSC (Rochester Museum & Science Center). You can follow your curiosity from the depths of the oceans to the edge of the universe when you visit the Museum & Science Center, Strasenburgh Planetarium, or Cumming Nature Center. Push the limits of your imagination to create never-before-seen inventions, explore the natural world, or discover the wonders of the universe. When you visit the RMSC, you’ll have access to more than 200 interactive exhibits at the Museum, star shows and featured films on the 65-foot Planetarium dome, and 15 miles of trails to explore at the Nature Center.

TYKEs is honored to rank as the #1 children’s theatre and #1 arts educator, and one of the top five places in town to bring kids. Now entering its 20th season, TYKEs captivates families with beloved productions brought alive on stage by talented adult professional actors. TYKEs strives to inspire an appreciation of the arts, literary awareness, and social skills while teaching key life lessons. Performances, school field trips, after-school classes, KidStage summer theatre camp, and special programs take place in the warm, welcoming Hart Theater at the JCC in Brighton. Our exciting new 2024-25 season opens in November. Join us!

Bristol Mountain Aerial Adventures offers 3 exciting experiences for kids (and adults!) ages 4+ to get outside, create memories, build confidence, and have an adventure! Watch your child gain confidence at the Kids Adventure Park  with 2 courses specifically designed for kids aged 4-7. Conquer the Aerial Adventure Park (ages 7+), a series of 7 challenge courses interwoven within the forest canopy featuring unique elements and ziplines. Or, soar through the trees on the 3-hour guided Zipline Canopy Tour featuring over 5,000ft of ziplines. Plan your family’s next adventure today!

The JCC is a vibrant community center with state-of-the-art fitness, theatre, aquatics, and an array of programs and services for all ages. The JCC is the place for total wellness and provides sports and fitness programs, wellness services, early childhood education, before & after school care, summer camps, celebrations of Jewish holidays and traditions, and activities. The JCC is open and welcoming to all in the community.

Of course, the libraries in the Rochester area are not really ONE place, but MANY places... but it's important to emphasize how valuable libraries are for family learning and fun. The libraries in our area are wonderful about posting their events to the KidsOutAndAbout calendar so you always can get ideas for free things to do with your kids that celebrate education and imagination. KidsOutAndAbout.com takes this opportunity to salute the wonderful children's librarians who serve our community with such dedication. They're proud that locals voted them #3 in best places to take kids this year!

Located on beautiful farmland just 10 minutes east of Rochester, Wickham Farms is an incredible place to spend a day. Guests of all ages can enjoy activities, food, photo ops, and much more as they make lasting memories on the farm. The farm has signature attractions like the Giant 'Corn - A - Copia', 18 hole mini golf, corn maze, kid's train ride, and jumping pillow, along with stunning seasonal events that span late June - Halloween. Summer is highlighted by Lavender Days in July and the signature Sunflower Spectacular Festival in August, while the Fall Harvest is filled with apple picking, pumpkin picking, and fresh fall foods. Guests can save by buying tickets online, and season passes are also available!"

Altitude Trampoline Park, Rochester, New York, is the sixth indoor trampoline park in the Altitude Trampoline Park family. The largest indoor park in the United States, Altitude offers high-energy and exciting entertainment activities throughout the 50,000 sq. ft. facility which houses 24,000 sq. ft. of interconnected wall-to-wall trampoline attractions. Altitude is a fresh, new entertainment option for groups and individuals to have healthy and active fun.

Bristol Mountain is the place for outdoor family fun in the Rochester Area! It is the premier ski resort in the Finger Lakes Region offering 1200’ of vertical, 2 high speed quads, and state-of-the-art snowmaking.

All winter long we offer learn to ski and ride programs  for all members of the family. Bristol Brigades offer season long coaching for all ages and levels of skiers and snowboarders. Adventure Camps, during the winter breaks, offer a fun way to be outside over the holidays.

Our Family & Friends Night is a great and affordable way to hit the slopes together. The package includes discounted rentals and a FREE 5pm beginner lesson (based on terrain and instructor availability).

Enjoy the beautiful autumn colors on a scenic Fall Sky Ride that are offered in September and October. This tranquil 15-20 minute ride is for people of all ages to experience the Bristol Hills and the valley below in all its splendor.

The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team is the Triple-A Affiliate of the Washington Nationals and they play at Innovative Field, located in downtown Rochester. Whether it’s a catching a game with friends or family, Red Wings baseball is guaranteed fun! With fireworks following Friday and Saturday home games and some of the best ballpark food you can find – don’t miss any of the action this Summer!

Stokoe Farms is a short hike to the southwest of Rochester, in Scottsville, and it is especially noteworthy that they made our Top 20 list when they are only open for fall family fun for seven weeks from mid-September through the end of October, plus a long weekend at the beginning of August for summer fun on the farm. Stokoe Farms sure makes an impression on families, though: Hours of farm-fresh fun in the corn maze and a wide variety of outdoor active activities. Kids can play in the straw fort and slide down a huge slide, pet a large number of animals, and chomp on delicious cider donuts. Thousands of families then return the weekend after Thanksgiving for the start of the Christmas Tree season.

Just 25 minutes from downtown Rochester, history, art, and nature come alive at the largest and most comprehensive living history museum in New York State. Genesee Country Village & Museum is open for Winter Weekends, Saturdays and Sundays in January, February, and March. Visitors can explore 600+ acres via cross-country skis or snowshoes, view several open Historic Village houses, sled down the Great Meadow hill, and visit the Nature Center and Art Gallery for exhibits, talks, and more. Visit gcv.org for more information.

Roseland Waterpark is the largest waterpark in the Finger Lakes Region with 56 acres of aquatic adventure and 9 unique attractions for the entire family. Sparkling water, certified lifeguards, free parking, rental lockers, concessions, and plenty of deck space for relaxing make this the hottest spot to get cool on Canandaigua Lake.

The YMCA of Greater Rochester is a cause-driven Association whose goals are transformational work, impactful partnerships, and innovative program development. We are proud to be a place where families can come together to splash the day away, spend time exercising through fun in our indoor play spaces and making memories that will last lifetime! The Y is focused on strengthening our community, committed to being a catalyst for change and collaboration, and dedicated to ensuring our mission-critical services are equitably accessible to all.

The MAG is Rochester, New York's civic art museum, with 5000 years of world history on view. MAG's Creative Workshop offers year-round classes and camps for kids and adults. Open until 9:00 pm every Thursday, with 1/2 price admission to the Gallery.

The YMCA of Greater Rochester is a cause-driven Association whose goals are transformational work, impactful partnerships, and innovative program development. We are proud to be a place where families can come together to splash the day away, spend time exercising through fun in our indoor play spaces and making memories that will last lifetime! The Y is focused on strengthening our community, committed to being a catalyst for change and collaboration, and dedicated to ensuring our mission-critical services are equitably accessible to all.

TYKEs is honored to rank as the #1 children’s theatre and one of the top places in town to bring kids for more than a decade. Now entering its 18th season, TYKEs captivates families with beloved plays and musicals brought alive on stage by adult professional actors. TYKEs strives to inspire an appreciation of the arts, literary awareness, and social skills while teaching key life lessons. Performances, school field trips, after-school classes and special programs take place in the warm, welcoming Hart Theater at the JCC in Brighton. Plus... join us for How I Became a Pirate at TYKEs KidStage theatre camp this summer! Our exciting new 2022-23 season opens November 12th.

Mendon Ponds Park is our area's most famous park. Fabulous sledding, cross-country skiing, and snowshowing in the winter--especially along the Birdsong Trail near the nature center, and wonderful hiking, picnicing, kite flying, and other recreation in the summer, it offers plenty of opportunities for families to get out and active together at no cost. The Nature Center features Wild Wings, is a not-for-profit educational organization for permanently injured raptors thatare unable to survive on their own in the wild. Eagles, owls, hawks, falcons, and more are displayed for viewing! Take your camera!

Ranked by USA Today as one of the top museums for families in the country, The Strong is the only museum in the world dedicated to the study and exploration of play. The museum is home to the world’s largest collection of play-related artifacts, as well as the internationally recognized National Toy Hall of Fame and World Video Game Hall of Fame. The museum features more than 100,000 square feet of exhibits—including Can You Tell Me How To Get to Sesame Street?"; Wegmans Super Kids Market; the magical Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden; and Reading Adventureland. Learn more at museumofplay.org.

Seabreeze is the amusement park and water park closest to home, located right on the shore Lake Ontario at the top of Route 590 to the East. Seabreeze has both thrilling adult rides such as the Jack Rabbit (the fourth oldest operating coaster in the country), classic family rides such as the Carousel and Train, and some great rides for the youngest thrill-seekers. The waterpark section of Seabreeze has "liquid fun for everyone"--includes adult and kiddie slides, wave pool, lazy river, and more. It's not too big, and not too small, and it's a very good price (rates vary per ticket type; click here for current rates.

Open year-round for indoor fun, and seasonally for outdoor fun, Clubhouse Fun Center Henrietta is located on Jay Scutti Blvd; Clubhouse Fun Center Greece is located on Ridge Road West. Clubhouse Fun Center features arcade games, birthday parties, go karts, and a fabulous mini golf course. Bring your kids, or the whole family! You can join their e-club and get exclusive specials. Like them on Facebook for exclusive coupons.