Top 20 Places to Take Kids in Greater Rochester - 2021

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.

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. Learn about conservation action and species survival as you come face to face with giraffes, red pandas, lions, reptiles, elephants and so much more! 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.

 Seabreeze is a family owned and operated amusement park. The park offers a variety of family-oriented attractions, including four roller coasters, adult and kiddie rides, games, gift shops, a complete waterpark with slides, a wave pool, and more. The 143^rd season brings the return of Cirque En Vol, high-flying acrobats from Canada, adding the Chinese Pole and Acrobatic Bicycle acts which will premiering on June 23^rd. The Bear Trax Kiddie Coaster turns 25 and we are celebrating with a refreshed look. Coming soon, we will have a brand-new photo opportunity spot for your family next to the Bear Trax. The classic Jack Rabbit coaster is celebrating 102 years of operation. It holds the honor in amusement park history as the oldest continuously operating coaster in America! 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.

History comes alive at the largest and most comprehensive living history museum in New York State. Genesee Country Village & Museum invites your whole family to step back in time with costumed interpreters to explore the 19^th-century Historic Village. Visitors can tour the working brewery, the blacksmith, potter, print shop, and tinsmith, and visit the animals on the farm. End your day by taking a piece of history home from the Flint Hill Store, featuring handcrafted fudge and village-made tin and pottery. GCV&M is also home to the John L. Wehle Gallery, a Nature Center with five miles of themed trails, and the Silver Base Ball Park. Offering special events all year long. Located in nearby Mumford. Visit gcv.org for schedule and information.

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!"

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 17th 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, special programs and summer camp take place in the warm, welcoming Hart Theatre at the JCC in Brighton. Our new 2021-22 season opens November 6th with Mo Willems' Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus. 

The YMCA of Greater Rochester is an incredible cause-driven Association, whose goals are transformational work, impactful partnerships, and innovative program development. The Y is focused on strengthening our community; is committed to being a catalyst for change and collaboration; and is dedicated to ensuring our mission-critical services are equitably accessible to all.

The RMSC Cumming Nature Center is a dynamic environmental education facility that celebrates the unique landscape and culture of the Finger Lakes region through hands-on learning opportunities and thoughtful exhibits. Our 900-acre preserve is as beautiful as it is vast. You can meander through more than 6 miles of trails complete with wetlands, climbing forest roads and hiking through the past. And you can investigate the curious intricacies of nature with our educational programs.

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!

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.

The Rochester Red Wings are a Triple-A baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays is the top minor league affiliate of the Washington Nationals. The Red Wings play at Frontier 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!

Six Flags Darien Lake is about an hour west of Rochester, south of Batavia. It's New York's largest family-friendly attraction. Theme park, water park, campground, hotel. Offering thrill rides, family rides, kids' rides, water park rides, and entertainment. Rides include the Predator, the Viper, Rolling Thunder, and the Ride of Steel. The water park features the Swirl City Slide Complex, the Big Kahuna, the Brain Drain, Flotation Station, the Tornado, and Crocodile Isle, their 600,000-gallon wave pool.

Ladybugs Play is Rochester's premier spot for children 7 years and younger to play, explore and have fun. The safe and engaging 2500 square foot indoor play space was designed with families in mind - large enough for imagination and exploration, yet small enough to sit back and relax. Each piece of equipment was selected to provide a variety of experiences. Climb on the loft, play in the kitchen, create on the magnetic wall, fly through Whoosh and so much more! With a designated space for children 18 months and younger and a family-friendly cafe, Ladybugs Play offers families a convenient place to come together, connect and have fun. In addition to open play, Ladybugs Play offers private birthday parties, summer drop off camps, Family Fun Nights and many other family friendly activities. At Ladybugs Play, it's always a great day to come and play!

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.

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 17th 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, special programs and summer camp take place in the warm, welcoming Hart Theatre at the JCC in Brighton. Our new 2021-22 season opens November 6th with Mo Willems' Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus.

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!"

The Rochester Red Wings are a Triple-A baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays is the top minor league affiliate of the Washington Nationals. The Red Wings play at Frontier 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!

The Memorial Art Gallery of the University of the Rochester provides hands-on art classes through its Creative Workshop. Classes and summer programs taught by artist-teachers, and frequently inspired by art on view in the museum. Classes for both kids and adults: You and your kids can make the artwork you never thought you could make! 

Visit our website to learn more about new experiences, extended hours and MAG free days: MAGthursdays, DeTOURS, Celebrations Days, and $5 Fridays. Remember - our Sculpture Park is always free and always open.

Immerse yourself in the incredible world of science, history, culture, and nature at Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC). You can follow your curiosity from the depths of the oceans to the edge of the universe when you visit the RMSC Museum, 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.