Rochester ~ A Stone’s Throw from Niagara

The gardens at the Sonnenberg Mansion, on Lake Canandaigua, near Rochester, NY.

Rochester, New York, is an easy thruway drive of under two hours from Niagara Falls. It has a different vibe than Northern Buffalo and the Niagara area, including the hilly terrain, and it’s a great place for a very doable day trip.

This weekend was a fun one for the 2chicks. We had a family wedding in Rochester, New York, so we went a bit early to do some exploring! One of the ‘chicks’ was in the wedding party, so the other one took the ‘rooster’ to do some of that sight-seeing… feel free to tag along…

Our favorite stop was the Sonnenberg Garden and Mansion, State Historic Site. Located in Canandaigua, about a half hour from where we were staying, this is definitely a worthwhile place to spend a half-day. A Victorian Era Private Home, we found it to be very tourist-friendly, with guides available with historic information and tid-bits, and encouraging people to take photos inside (not oft the case). There’s more ‘wiggle-room’ for exploration than some places allow as well. http://www.sonnenberg.org/

So please, enjoy the Sonnenberg Tour.

A view of the mansion from the gardens.

The front entrance.

The rose garden as seen from the Mansion balcony.

A Rooster and a Chick. 😉

The greenhouse and surrounding gardens.

Love us some orchids!

We happened to attend the day of the Arts at the Gardens Event, 2015.

http://artsatthegardens.com/

A view of the fountain from the Mansion.

High Noon Cafe at Sonnenberg, located near the greenhouses. They have reasonable prices and good food.

High Noon.

A fruit Gazpacho. Very good!

A tasty seafood crepe and fresh tomato-basil salad.

A delicious shrimp dish with brown rice and a side of steamed vegetables.

Back in Fairport (a village/suburb of east of Rochester) we went to Chakara Restaurant. They are rated the number one restaurant in Fairport, and perhaps they deserve that rating…at least our tastebuds thought so.

Their won ton soup was one of the best we’ve had, anywhere!

https://www.facebook.com/EatChakara

Rochester is located on the southern shore of Lake Ontario. At the Northern end of the city lies a lovely park: Ontario Beach Park. There is a fishing pier, a public boat launch, an historic operating carousel, public beach picnicking facilities and more. We enjoyed strolling and relaxing there after the wedding festivities.  http://www.cityofrochester.gov/ontariobeachpark/

One of only fourteen operating antique menagerie carousels in America, “The Duchess” Dentzel carousel is accompanied by a Wurlitzer Military Band Organ. http://rocwiki.org/Dentzel_Carousel

Some kids enjoying themselves on the colorful carousel!

I went for a ride on this cat. Bad boy!

High traffic in the waterway leading to the lake.

Volleyball Tournament every weekend.

Back in the city, downtown Rochester, we met up with the other chick and her rooster, for a lovely Sunday Brunch. The Owl House is a hidden gem, but known to those on the lookout for that unique spot to eat fresh made-from scratch foods. It has a varied menu including a good selection of gluten-free and vegan/vegetarian dishes. We would highly recommend it!  http://www.owlhouserochester.com/

The Spring Scramble with sourdough bread and tofu ricotta. (The ricotta is delicious, but a bit spicy, be warned).

Thanks for joining us on our Rochester adventure!

The happy bride and groom…and a sneaky brother!