Amenities and Rules: NO dogs allowed
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Adirondack Experience – Minnow Pond Trail
Location: Blue Mountain Lake, NY 🚨NOTE: The Minnow Pond Trail is generally open daily, July 1 – August 31, depending on weather, trail conditions, and events. The trail and boathouse may close without notice. This museum is located 4 hours east of Rochester, NY. The Minnow Pond Trail is a family-friendly 3/4-mile out and back… Read more
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Audubon Community Nature Center – Arboretum
Location: Jamestown, NY This nature center is located 2.5 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 1.5 hours south of Buffalo, NY. One great spot in this nature center is the arboretum with 60 native trees! There are winding grass paths through the arboretum with small signs to identify each tree. Dogs are NOT allowed at… Read more
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Audubon Community Nature Center – Big Pond Trail
Location: Jamestown, NY This nature center is located 2.5 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 1.5 hours south of Buffalo, NY. The Big Pond Trail is a 2 mile long loop trail blazed with yellow triangles and takes you through fields, forests and wetlands. This trail shares sections with the Overlook Trail and the Spatterdock… Read more
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Audubon Community Nature Center – Nature Center
Location: Jamestown, NY This nature center is located 2.5 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 1.5 hours south of Buffalo, NY. The large interpretive nature center building has three floors with a huge variety of learning opportunity and hands-on exhibits for children. There are informational signs, interactive displays, live animals to view, and the third… Read more
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Audubon Community Nature Center – Nature Play Area
ocation: Jamestown, NY This nature center is located 2.5 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 1.5 hours south of Buffalo, NY. One great spot in this nature center is the nature play area. Follow the painted animal prints on the paved path to a beautiful wooded area with large animals to climb on, wooden logs… Read more
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Audubon Community Nature Center – Outdoor Areas
Location: Jamestown, NY This nature center is located 2.5 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 1.5 hours south of Buffalo, NY. There are several hiking trails as well as hands-on activities inside of the nature center. There are also some beautiful spots to visit just outside of the nature center building, including a birds of… Read more
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Audubon Community Nature Center – Overlook Trail
Location: Jamestown, NY This nature center is located 2.5 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 1.5 hours south of Buffalo, NY. The Overlook Trail is a 0.6 mile long loop blazed with blue circles. The paved, stroller-friendly section of Overlook Trail takes you past ponds to the Blue Heron Overlook. The rest of the trail… Read more
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Audubon Community Nature Center – Spatterdock Trail
Location: Jamestown, NY This nature center is located 2.5 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 1.5 hours south of Buffalo, NY. The Spatterdock Trail is a 1 mile loop trail blazed with orange squares. The trail passes by ponds, goes through both hemlock and hardwood forests, and leads to a photo blind and a side… Read more
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Buffalo and Erie County Botanical Gardens
Location: Buffalo, NY These beautiful indoor botanical gardens are located 1 hour 15 minutes west of Rochester, NY near Buffalo. There are multiple different rooms for different types of plants. The gardens are accessible and stroller friendly. There is a koi pond, a kids play area, an art gallery, restrooms, and a gift shop. There… Read more
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Burroughs Audubon Nature Club Sanctuary
Location: Victor, NY This beautiful trail network is located 20 minutes southeast of Rochester, NY. This sanctuary is private property belonging to the Burroughs Audubon Nature Club (BANC). Members may use the trails without a fee. Non-members may also use the trails but should donate to contribute to trail maintenance. The trails pass through woodlands… Read more
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Cayuga Nature Center – TreeTops Treehouse
Location: Ithaca, NY We had so much fun visiting this nature center 1.5 hours south of Rochester! We especially enjoyed climbing the six-story treehouse in the woods! To reach the tree house, walk through the gate to to the left of the lodge and walk around back. Then follow the gravel path that winds back… Read more
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Genesee Country Village & Museum – Fairy House Trail
Location: Mumford, NY GCV&M is located 30 minutes west of Rochester, NY. Next to the historic village is a nature center and trail system. Just behind the nature center is a short, flat path lined with fairy houses. Just follow the trail behind the nature center and continue the trail to the left. It is… Read more
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Genesee Country Village & Museum – Historic Village
Location: Mumford, NY GCV&M is located 30 minutes west of Rochester, NY. It is the largest living history museum in New York State spanning 600 acres. The village and museum offer an immersive experience of 19th-century American life. It features 68 relocated and restored buildings from the Genesee Valley region, representing three time periods: Pioneer… Read more
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Glen Park
Location: Williamsville, NY We visited this beautiful park on a recent trip to Buffalo, located 1.5 hours west of Rochester, NY. We parked near the Nature Play Playground which had fun signs for kids, a mural, a pavilion, a Little Free Library, and beautiful hand painted benches. We walked across the street to the view… Read more
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Helmer Nature Center
Location: Irondequoit, NY This beautiful nature center is part of the West Irondequoit Central School District and is located 15 minutes north of Rochester, NY. There are wooded trails, meadows, wetlands, a stream, and a pond. In addition there are some bridges, benches, and a wildlife viewing area. There are a network of short trails… Read more
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Highland Park – Lamberton Conservatory Holiday Show (SEASONAL)
This annual holiday light show at the Lamberton Conservatory at Highland Park is one of our favorite activities! My main post on the Lamberton Conservatory can be found here. 2024 Holiday Show Schedule Read more
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Huckleberry Swamp (SEASONAL)
Location: North Rose, NY 🚨Note: this trail is NOT always open for hiking! I believe it’s closed every Monday for trail maintenance and also closed in the fall and winter!! Their Facebook page is the best way to get updated information🚨 This is a gorgeous and peaceful wetland trail 45 minutes east of Rochester! There… Read more
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Lime Hollow Nature Center – Eric Kroot Art Trail
Location: Cortland, NY Note: There is hunting allowed at Lime Hollow Nature Center. Do your research before visiting these hiking trails and take safety precautions. This 0.32 mile trail is “accessible to wheelchairs during most times of the year, and to strollers and people with mobility challenges throughout the year.” It’s a beautiful flat trail… Read more
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Lime Hollow Nature Center – Trail for All
Location: Cortland, NY Note: There is hunting allowed at Lime Hollow Nature Center. Do your research before visiting these hiking trails and take safety precautions. This 0.25 mile, flat accessible trail is located near the beautiful log cabin visitor center which had accessible parking spots, a ramp, a covered bridge, benches, and restrooms. The trail… Read more
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Mendon Ponds Park – Birdsong Fairy Trail
Location: Mendon/Pittsford, NY This super fun trail located 20 minutes south of Rochester, NY is lined with fairy doors and fairy houses that are painted on and built into the trees. There are other whimsical treasures and informative displays to be found along the path. This trail is stroller friendly with a durable stroller, with… Read more
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Mendon Ponds Park – Sharon’s Sensory Garden
Location: Mendon/Pittsford, NY This beautiful garden is located in Mendon Ponds Park, 20 minutes south of Rochester, NY. I obviously did not visit at the right time – this garden would be much better in spring or summer when things are in bloom and not covered in snow! This sensory garden is located right next to… Read more
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Northampton Park – Victory Fairy Trail at Springdale Farm
Location: Spencerport, NY This short fairy house trail is located at Springdale Farm 20 minutes west of Rochester, NY. To reach the fairy trail, follow the 0.2 mile paved path with a slight incline through the farm and toward the woods. There are some beautiful apple trees and a lovely pond with a nice deck… Read more
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Onondaga Lake Park – Wegmans Playground
Location: Liverpool, NY This museum is located at Onondaga Lake Park – just over an hour east of Rochester, NY on the shore of Onondaga Lake near Syracuse. The Wegmans Playground is an expansive play area near the lake with inclusive and accessible elements. Dogs are NOT allowed. There is also a skatepark here and… Read more
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Ontario Beach Park
Location: Rochester, NY This large and stroller-friendly park is located in the City of Rochester, NY along the shore of Lake Ontario. There is a network of paved paths through the grassy park area that lead to a boardwalk along the beach with a gazebo. There is also a pier with a lighthouse that you… Read more
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Powers Farm Market – Nativity Trail
Location: Pittsford, NY We love visiting Powers Farm Market in every season! In the winter, there are Christmas trees for sale, an outdoor firepit, a festively decorated door, and a Nativity Trail. This short little path through the farm features animals, nativity scenes, and is lined by lights. This trail is also open after dark,… Read more
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Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve – Boardwalk
Location: Depew, NY This wonderful nature preserve is located a little over an hour west of Rochester, NY. Brick paths lead to a network of trails and a woodchip path to a natural log play area. There is a short (less than 0.1 mile), accessible boardwalk trail that starts near the main entrance. The end… Read more
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Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve – Lily Pond Loop
Location: Depew, NY This wonderful nature preserve is located a little over an hour west of Rochester, NY. Brick paths lead to a network of trails and a woodchip path to a natural log play area. This 0.3 mile flat path over crushed stone and mowed grass circles Lily Pond. The trail has views of… Read more
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Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve – Play Area
Location: Depew, NY This wonderful nature preserve is located a little over an hour west of Rochester, NY. Brick paths lead to a network of trails and a woodchip path to a natural log play area. The play area had some benches, a tiny wood bridge, logs, stumps, and fire pit. The nature preserve entrance… Read more
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Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve – State Symbols Trail
Location: Depew, NY This wonderful nature preserve is located a little over an hour west of Rochester, NY. Brick paths lead to a network of trails and a woodchip path to a natural log play area. The State Symbols Trail is a 0.1 mile flat stone dust path but can only be reached by hiking… Read more
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RMSC Cumming Nature Center – Visitor Center
ocation: Naples, NY RMSC Cumming Nature Center is located an hour south of Rochester, NY. The visitor center includes accessible restrooms, a multi-purpose space downstairs, permanent exhibits located in the main lobby, a nature play room full of hands-on, educational activities for kids, the Riedman Theater with a movie screen and seating for up to 100 people, and the… Read more
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Roc Holiday Village
Location: Rochester, NY This is not a trail, but a lovely spot to walk around during the holidays. There are food and gift vendors, a free ice skating rink, and heated igloos. Official Website: Roc Holiday Village Other Websites: Visit Rochester, City of Rochester Read more
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Stewart Park – Renwick Wildwoods Fuertes Bird Sanctuary Loop Trail
Location: Ithaca, NY This trail is located in Stewart Park along the shore of Cayuga Lake, 1 hour 45 minutes southeast of Rochester, NY. There are two entrances to this loop trail from Stewart Park – numbers 15 and 16 on the park map below. The trail is a flat, dirt path. The full loop is… Read more
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Thousand Acre Swamp
Location: Penfield, NY This trail is located 15 minutes east of Rochester, NY. We hiked along the 0.4 mile main trail (Founders Way) and also checked out the 0.2 mile Boardwalk Loop. The boardwalks through marshlands were absolutely beautiful with some benches to stop and enjoy the scenery and wildlife. The trails continue to Way… Read more
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Tinker Nature Park – Demonstration Gardens
Location: Henrietta, NY This cute little garden is right near the main parking lot at Tinker Nature Park. According to the sign the garden has an alphabet garden, native perennial garden, vegetable garden, mini garden, hummingbird garden, flowering shrub garden, butterfly garden, and herb garden. Be sure to stay on the grass path and not… Read more
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Tinker Nature Park – Grounds
Location: Henrietta, NY This park is located 15 minutes south of Rochester, NY. If you park in the main parking lot, you can find some really nice spots. There are the Demonstration Gardens, beautiful wildflower meadows with benches and picnic tables, honeybee house, memorial labyrinth, Hansen Nature Center, and the Tinker Homestead and Farm Museum.… Read more
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Tinker Nature Park – Hansen Nature Center
Location: Henrietta, NY This park is located 15 minutes south of Rochester, NY. The Hansen Nature Center has a mix of live animals (some birds, turtles, and more) as well as taxidermy animals. There are some informational signs and maps as well as a touch station with bones, antlers, rocks and more. The nature center… Read more
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Tinker Nature Park – Nature Trail
Location: Pittsford, NY This is a beautiful park located 15 minutes south of Rochester, NY. The Nature Trail is the inner loop, shown in the map below. The loop is 0.45 miles long with a mostly flat surface through beautiful woods. There are several benches along the trail and a short boardwalk section. There are… Read more
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Tinker Nature Park – Woodland Trail
Location: Pittsford, NY This is a beautiful park located 15 minutes south of Rochester, NY. The woodland trail is the outer loop, shown in the map below. The loop is 1.2 miles via the exercise path or 0.78 miles long if you take the cut through path along the boardwalk next to the pond. The… Read more
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Trillium Nature Center – Arboretum
Location: North Java, NY This Buffalo Audubon Society nature center (formerly Beaver Meadows Nature Center) is located 1.25 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 40 minutes from Buffalo. Down the road a bit from the interpretive center is an arboretum. There is a lean-to, picnic area, benches, fields, a small stream, and a variety of… Read more
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Trillium Nature Center – Beaver Pond Trail
Location: North Java, NY This Buffalo Audubon Society nature center (formerly Beaver Meadows Nature Center) is located 1.25 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 40 minutes from Buffalo. The Beaver Pond Trail is located behind the interpretive center. It goes through the woods to the short of Beaver Pond where there are some wooden platforms… Read more
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Trillium Nature Center – Bypass Trail
Location: North Java, NY This Buffalo Audubon Society nature center (formerly Beaver Meadows Nature Center) is located 1.25 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 40 minutes from Buffalo. There is an unnamed trail heading west along the road starting at the Arboretum parking lot. There is a beautiful evergreen grove here and a small bridge.… Read more
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Trillium Nature Center – Fairy House Lane
Location: North Java, NY This Buffalo Audubon Society nature center (formerly Beaver Meadows Nature Center) is located 1.25 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 40 minutes from Buffalo. A short walk from the interpretive center is the fairy house lane. This very short trail has fun and whimsical structures, fairy houses, and artwork. The nature… Read more
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Trillium Nature Center – Fox Trail & Hawk Watch
Location: North Java, NY This Buffalo Audubon Society nature center (formerly Beaver Meadows Nature Center) is located 1.25 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 40 minutes from Buffalo. The Fox Trail starts in the Arboretum. The path is grassy and goes through a beautiful wildflower meadow and passes small groves of evergreen trees. Branching off… Read more
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Trillium Nature Center – Grounds
Location: North Java, NY This Buffalo Audubon Society nature center (formerly Beaver Meadows Nature Center) is located 1.25 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 40 minutes from Buffalo. The outdoor areas outside of the interpretive center are really beautiful. There are wildflower meadows in late summer, informational signs, gardens with a small pond, and a… Read more
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Trillium Nature Center – Interpretive Center
Location: North Java, NY This Buffalo Audubon Society nature center (formerly Beaver Meadows Nature Center is located 1.25 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 40 minutes from Buffalo. The interpretive center has both live and taxidermy animals, informational signs, and play areas for kids of various ages. The nature center has a carry-in/carry-out policy –… Read more
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Trillium Nature Center – Jenny Glen Boardwalk
Location: North Java, NY This Buffalo Audubon Society nature center (formerly Beaver Meadows Nature Center) is located 1.25 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 40 minutes from Buffalo. A quarter mile down the road from the interpretive center is the Jenny Glen Boardwalk with its own parking area. This 0.3 mile accessible boardwalk makes a… Read more
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Trillium Nature Center – Nature Playground
Location: North Java, NY This Buffalo Audubon Society nature center (formerly Beaver Meadows Nature Center) is located 1.25 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 40 minutes from Buffalo. A short walk from the interpretive center is the nature play area. There are some neat features for kids such as a swing, a willow tunnel and… Read more
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Trillium Nature Center – Storybook Trail
Location: North Java, NY This Buffalo Audubon Society nature center (formerly Beaver Meadows Nature Center) is located 1.25 hours southwest of Rochester, NY and 40 minutes from Buffalo. A short walk behind the interpretive center was a short storybook trail. It was partially on the grassy path and partially in the woods on a dirt… Read more
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Wickham Farms
Location: Penfield, NY This beautiful farm is located 15 minutes east of Rochester, NY. The farm is open seasonally for different activities like picking apples, sunflowers, and pumpkins. Depending on the season, there are tractor rides, photo ops, rides and play areas for kids, live animals, a barn to play in corn, a corn maze,… Read more
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The Wild Center – Forest Music
Location: Tupper Lake, NY The Wild Center is located in the Adirondacks 4 hours northeast of Rochester, NY. The Forest Music trail features 24 speakers discreetly placed along a trail to play music that blends with the natural sounds of the forest. The project is a collaboration with the Crane School of Music at SUNY… Read more
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The Wild Center – Indoor Exhibits
Location: Tupper Lake, NY The Wild Center is located in the Adirondacks 4 hours northeast of Rochester, NY. The Wild Center features a Wild Walk in the treetops, Forest Music Trail, Greenleaf Pond, pollinator gardens, indoor exhibits, live animals, and more! Dogs are NOT allowed at the Wild Center except for service animals. Here are… Read more
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The Wild Center – Pines Play Area
Location: Tupper Lake, NY The Wild Center is located in the Adirondacks 4 hours northeast of Rochester, NY. The Pines Play Area is a clearing in the woods for children to use natural materials for imaginative play. There is a lean-to, sticks, logs, and even a tipped over tree to climb on! The Wild Center… Read more
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The Wild Center – Raquette River Roll
Location: Tupper Lake, NY The Wild Center is located in the Adirondacks 4 hours northeast of Rochester, NY. The Raquette River Roll runs along the new Fen Trail – a path through the forest that leads down to the Raquette River. The Fen Trail is 1 mile long, mostly stone dust surface, and is accessible… Read more
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The Wild Center – Wild Walk
Location: Tupper Lake, NY The Wild Center is located in the Adirondacks 4 hours northeast of Rochester, NY. The Wild Walk is a trail of bridges in the treetops of the forest. There is a four-story twig tree house, a spider’s web to walk on, and a bald eagle’s nest at the highest point with… Read more