And the winners are…
Best Local Landmark
Mount Hope Cemetery
1133 Mt Hope Ave
Highland Park | High Falls | Susan B. Anthony House
Best Place to Make New Friends
LUX
666 South Ave, lux666.com
Wegmans | Equal Grounds Community Cafe
Best Place to Dance
Vertex
169 N Chestnut St.
LUX | ROAR | Bug Jar
Best Playground
Lilac Adventure Zone at Highland Park
The Strong National Museum of Play | Rothfuss Park | Merriman and Atlantic | Genesee Gateway Park
Best Picnic Spot
Highland Park
180 Reservoir Ave., monroecounty.gov/parks-highland
Mendon Ponds Park | Cobbs Hill | Hamlin Beach | Ontario Beach Park
Best Idea for the Future
Monorail!
High Falls State Park | Active transportation plan – bike spine network | Aqueduct
Best-Kept Secret
Marge’s
4909 Culver Rd., margeslakesideinn.com
Rochester | ARTISANworks | Equal Grounds Community Cafe
Best Weekend Getaway (within 3 hours)
Finger Lakes
Toronto | Ithaca | Niagara-on-the-Lake
Best Public Park
Highland Park
180 Reservoir Ave., monroecounty.gov/parks-highland
Mendon Ponds Park | Cobbs Hill | Genesee Valley Park
Best Public Golf Course
Durand Eastman
1200 Kings Hwy N., monroecountyparksgolf.com/durand-eastman
Ravenwood | Shadow Lake | Genesee Valley
Best Place to Take a First Date
Playhouse//Swillburger
820 S Clinton Ave., theplayhouseroc.com
Equal Grounds Community Cafe | Unwine’d | LUX
Best Trivia Night
Game Night Roc Trivia
Various locations, gamenightroc.com
Petit Poutinerie | Rising Storm at the Mill | Rochester Pub Trivia
Best Karaoke Night
ROAR
621 Culver Rd., roarroc.com
Firehouse | LUX | Bar Bad Ending
Best Place to Play Pool
Marshall Street
81 Marshall St., marshallstreetbarandgrill.com
LUX | Dr.’s Inn | Ziggy’s | Colter’s
Best Place to People Watch
Rochester Public Market
280 Union St. N., cityofrochester.gov
Park Ave | LUX | Wegmans
Best Sledding Hill
Cobbs Hill Park
80 Culver Rd., cityofrochester.gov/locations/cobbs-hill-park-and-washington-grove
Ellison Park | Highland Park | Mendon Ponds Park
Best Stargazing Spot
Durand Beach
1342 Lakeshore Blvd., cityofrochester.gov/locations/durand-eastman-beach
Cobbs Hill | Webster Park | Ontario Beach Park
Best Pickleball Courts
Dinkers Pickleball
140 Despatch Dr. #135, East Rochester, dinkerspb.com
Ellison Park | Jewish Community Center | Greece Community Center | Fellows Road Park
Best Pick-up Basketball
Cobbs Hill Park
80 Culver Rd., cityofrochester.gov/locations/cobbs-hill-park-and-washington-grove
Merriman & Atlantic Court | Highland Park | Dinkers Pickleball
Best Outdoor Swimming
Canandaigua Lake
Durand Eastman | Hamlin State Park | Ontario Beach Park
Best Local Sports Team
Rochester Red Wings
1 Morrie Silver Way, milb.com/rochester
Rochester Amerks | Roc City Roller Derby | Rochester Knighthawks
Best Guided Tour
Mount Hope Cemetery
1133 Mt Hope Ave., fomh.org
Genesee Country Village & Museum | Susan B. Anthony House | Riverie Boat Tours
Best Family Friendly Attraction
The Strong National Museum of Play
One Manhattan Square, museumofplay.org
Seabreeze | Genesee Country Village & Museum | RMSC | Lollypop Farm
Best Dog Park
Ellison Park
395 Richs Dugway Rd., monroecounty.gov/parks-ellison
Cobbs Hill | Woofs Canine Club & Indoor Dog Park | Spring Lake Park
Best Family Day Trip
Letchworth State Park
parks.ny.gov/parks/letchworth
Ithaca | Genesee Country Village & Museum | Seabreeze | Niagara Falls
Best Day Hike
Letchworth State Park
parks.ny.gov/parks/letchworth
Watkins Glen Gorge | Chimney Bluffs | Mendon Ponds Park
Best Cross-Country Skiing
Mendon Ponds Park
95 Douglas Rd, Honeoye Falls, monroecounty.gov/parks-mendonponds
Durand Eastman | Bristol Mountain | Harriet Hollister
Best Camp for Kids
Rochester Museum & Science Center Curiosity Camps
657 East Ave., rmsc.org
Camp Arrowhead | Genesee Country Village & Museum | Camp Stella Maris | The Submarine School of Music
Best Bowling
Radio Social
20 Carlson Rd., radio-social.com
L&M Lanes | Bowlero | Okay Beer Co. at West Main Lanes
Best Biking Trail
Erie Canal Path
eriecanalway.org/explore/cycling
Genesee Riverway Trail | Tryon Park | Lehigh Valley Rail Trail
This article appears in Dec 1-31, 2024.
