Not only is Rochester home to renowned museums, beautiful parks, and a vibrant food scene, it’s also packed with inclusive experiences for travelers with autism or developmental disabilities and rich Black culture. Endless opportunities to make family memories await at attractions like Letchworth State Park, where you’ll find a first-of-its-kind nature trail designed with autistic individuals in mind, or the Strong National Museum of Play with sensory-friendly accommodations and hands-on exhibits built for play. Photo credit: @simplycyn on Instagram
Follow along with the family behind @simplycyn, as Cynthia, husband Lester, and five-year-old twins, Kai and River, who both have autism, head out on an amazing adventure in Rochester. Explore their four-day Rochester itinerary below to get inspired for your next family getaway in New York State!
DAY 1:
Explore Letchworth State Park’s Autism Nature Trail
Credit: @simplycyn on Instagram
Known as the “Grand Canyon of the East,” Letchworth State Park is an outdoor oasis, home to more than 14,000 acres of scenic sights like three spectacular waterfalls and sprawling forests. Throughout the park, you’ll find 66 miles of hiking trails including the Autism Nature Trail, a wheelchair-accessible, one-mile loop trail specifically designed for individuals with autism. The trail is enjoyable for all, featuring eight stations to engage each of your processing senses. Touch, smell, count, and sort pine cones, bark, and rocks at the Sensory Station, make music in the Music Circle (pictured) with three nature-inspired instruments and a wheelchair-accessible stage, or explore a variety of surfaces like river stone, slate, log rounds, and sand on the Playful Path.
The Autism Nature Trail also works with Camp Puzzle Peace, an organization that holds fun family events and themed weekends on the trails for visitors with autism. Trained professional staff are on-site for each of Camp Puzzle Peace’s theme weekends. Be sure to check out the event calendar for programming like birdwatching, crafts, leaf identification, and more.
Experience Sensory-Friendly Fun at the RMSC Museum & Science Center
The Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC) is a hub for exploration with three floors of hands-on, interactive exhibits, covering everything from nanoscience to the Ice Age to robots–there’s something for everyone to discover! The museum also offers sensory resources such as KultureCity sensory bags, complete with noise reduction headphones, fidget toys, a VIP lanyard, and visual cue card, and a quiet area on the first floor near the Wonder of Waters exhibit, where the lights are dimmable and there are comfy places to sit. A social story is also available online so guests can get a glimpse of what to expect during their visit.
The museum also holds Sensory Sunday events, offering an opportunity for visitors of all ages with autism or developmental disabilities to have a more sensory-friendly experience. Expect dimmed lighting of fluorescent bulbs, designated quiet areas, sensory bags, sensory-friendly activities, social stories emailed to visitors ahead of the event, and a day filled with fun.
DAY 2:
Grab Breakfast at the Rochester Public Market
Credit: @simplycyn on Instagram
Start your day with breakfast from the Rochester Public Market, which has been serving the community since 1905! As you stroll through the market, you’ll discover a variety of vendors offering local produce, meats, seafood, eggs, dairy products, baked goods, handcrafted items, and more. Be sure to check out Black-owned businesses at the market like Philomina’s, offering gluten-free, vegetarian-friendly dishes, and Taste of Supreme Bakery, serving delicious gluten-free and vegan pies, cookies, cakes, and baked goods. Note: The market can get crowded, so it’s recommended to visit early. There are a few quiet areas and tables for families to sit at.
Play the Day Away at The Strong National Museum of Play
Credit: @kacoplays on Instagram
The Strong National Museum of Play is a play-lover’s paradise, housing the most comprehensive collection of toys, dolls, and play-related objects in the world, the National Toy Hall of Fame, and the World Video Game Hall of Fame. Explore two floors of hands-on exhibits like the Wegmans Super Kids Market, Can You Tell Me How To Get To Sesame Street?, and Hasbro Game Park (pictured)–there’s fun for the whole family! Plus, if you’re looking to explore the museum at your own pace, two-day ticket admission is available so you can split your museum time over multiple days.
At the Strong, you’ll also find a variety of sensory resources for visitors with autism or developmental disabilities. Guests who are looking to reduce stimuli have access to Guest Rests, located on the museum’s first and second floors. Noise-cancelling headphones are also available upon request at the admissions desk, Play Lab, and Paychex Theater. Prepare for your visit by checking out the Strong’s social stories, developed in collaboration with AutismUp, which provide a visual guide to what guests can expect during their visit. Be sure to check the events calendar for museum Sensory Friendly Sundays, held multiple times throughout the year. Specifically designed for visitors with autism or developmental disabilities, explore the museum in an environment that has fewer guests, light and sound reduction, and designated quiet areas with sensory friendly toys.
DAY 3:
Make Animal Friends at the Seneca Park Zoo
Photo by Joe Territo
Situated on 15.5 acres along the Genesee River, the Seneca Park Zoo is a must-do for the whole family! Catch a ride on the tram to explore the zoo’s different habitats, where you’ll get to meet snow leopards, penguins, red pandas, giraffes, zebras, a white rhino, and more. If you’re looking to have the ultimate animal experience, the zoo also offers keeper chats, safari tours, up-close encounters, and animal feedings.
The Seneca Park Zoo is also certified Sensory Inclusive by KultureCity with quiet areas and headphone zones found throughout the campus. Sensory bags with noise-cancelling headphones, fidget tools, and more are available on loan from the ZooShop and admission is free for caregivers of individuals in need of additional support. A social story about a visit to the Seneca Park Zoo is also available for download from the zoo’s website, providing a visual guide for visitors.
Other Places You May Want to Check Out:
Let’s Have Tea Sculpture: Discover the spirit and legacy of Frederick Douglass, who called Rochester home from 1847 to 1872, at the Let’s Have Tea Sculpture, where Douglass is memorialized alongside his friend and fellow civil rights champion Susan B. Anthony.
New York State Equal Rights Heritage Center: Immerse yourself in the history of the Equal Rights movement at this welcome center in Auburn. Check out the featured exhibit titled Seeing Equal Rights in NYS, which showcases the state’s progressive history through interactive displays. After, head out to the center’s courtyard to admire the statue dedicated to equal rights pioneer Harriet Tubman.
Highland Park: A trip to Rochester’s 150-acre outdoor oasis is a must! Home to the city’s famous Lilac Festival that takes place each May, a conservatory, playgrounds for the kids, and memorials and gardens like the Frederick Douglass Monument, there’s something for everyone to explore.
Frederick Douglass Mural at 999 South Avenue: Admire the mural of Frederick Douglass, painted by Shawn Dunwoody at 999 South Avenue in Rochester, which was once the rural second home of Douglass and his family in Rochester. Today, it houses the Anna Murray-Douglass School, Frederick Douglass Library, and Frederick Douglass R-Center.
Where to Stay:
Hampton Inn & Suites Rochester Downtown: Drop off your bags and settle into one of the comfortable rooms at Hampton Inn & Suites, located in Rochester’s Neighborhood of Play. This hotel makes for the perfect homebase, just steps from The Strong National Museum of Play, restaurants, and other top attractions. Mobility and hearing accessible rooms are available for guests and you’ll have access to an indoor swimming pool, fitness center, and other amenities.
Where to Eat:
Equal Grounds Coffee House: Grab breakfast at this Black woman-owned cafe, known for its welcoming and inclusive environment. The menu features everything you need to start the day right with organic tea, coffee, smoothies, egg sandwiches, and more.
Nerdvana: Plan a night of fun at this gaming-themed restaurant and bar located in Rochester’s Neighborhood of Play. Play the latest four player games, sip a handcrafted cocktail, and dig into delicious bar bites from the kitchen.
Ardor Park: Try Ardor Park for delicious wood-fired pizza and small plates, friendly staff, and an inviting and welcoming atmosphere.
Wegmans Cafe: If you’re looking for kid-friendly, grab-and-go options, Wegmans (which was founded in Rochester) has its own cafe with pizza, sushi, subs, and everything you need for a family picnic at Highland Park.
Getting there:
By train: Take Amtrak to Rochester station (ROC) at 320 Central Ave. Taxi and rideshare services are available to downtown shopping district and city attractions.
By plane: Fly into Frederick Douglass–Greater Rochester International Airport.
By bus: Greyhound, Trailways, and Megabus all offer bus routes that run into Rochester.
By car:
Buffalo: 1 hour 20 minutes
Toronto: 2 hours 30 minutes
Albany: 3 hours 30 minutes
Pittsburgh: 4 hours 30 minutes
New York City: 6 hours
