Macaroni Kid Pleasanton had the opportunity to go on the annual Silver Daisy Boondoggle, for publishers to go and visit a new area of the country. For this trip, we went to Rochester, New York to go and visit the best that the city has to offer and bring it back to you. As someone who’s never been to New York, I’ve always had my own thoughts of what New York looked like and I’m here to tell you I’m blown away. I must admit, I love NY! Like many people, I’m sure that when you think of New York, you think of things like Times Square, or the Statue of Liberty or Wall Street. I’ve heard about other areas in New York, but it was absolutely stunning. The people that I met while I was there were so friendly everywhere we went and always happy to talk with me!
Here are my top five favorites (in no particular order, I loved them all!)
Village of Fairport Incorporated in 1867 on the historic Erie Canal, you can take a dinner cruise on the Colonial Bell down the Erie Canal. The cruise is about an hour and takes you through the only lock bridge in America. (You’ll learn all about it). There is actually an Erie Canal song (who knew?) and the chorus goes: "Low bridge, ev’rybody down, Low bridge, for we’re comin’ to a town!" During the month of June, the Village of Fairport has Canal Days which brings recreational boaters, canoes, bikers, hikers, and joggers.
Genesee Country Village and Museum. This is an absolute hidden gem. The Largest Living History in New York State. There are also employees who are costumed interpreters, giving you the history of the blacksmith, the farm, the brewery and the tin shop. It also has an art gallery and a nature center. Don’t miss the pottery barn. Super fascinating! The entire town was an immersive experience that I simply won’t forget.
Seabreeze Amusement Park. Seabreeze is a family owned amusement park, which has been owned (and still is) by multiple generations of the same family for 138 years! The Carousel was hand built by the Long family. The Jack Rabbit is one of the wooden roller coasters in the park. The attention to detail here was astounding. I love small businesses, and it’s always an amazing experience when you get something as family friendly as this on this level. Kudos to all the staff here – everything was a fantastic experience.
In summary, I had a fantastic time in the state. There were a number of places that I went to that I haven’t covered in detail here but were still awesome places to check out, including Seneca Park Zoo, Casa Larga Winery, Wegmans, the Rochester Museum, and Science Center and the Susan B. Anthony House and Museum. I can’t say enough thank you’s to everyone I met in my short time there for their hospitality and the experiences they’ve shared with me. A special thank you to the Doubletree Hotel by Hilton Rochester for my stay. I’m happy to let all of my extended Macaroni Kid family know about this unique destination in America. Thank you Visit Rochester and I love New York!
Visit Rochester hosted 45 Macaroni Kid Publishers for a four-day press trip. All accommodations, meals, and excursions were complimentary. No other compensation was provided. All opinions are that of this author.
