Rochester NY New York, Lake Ontario
USA

Rochester, New York | Great Lakes Cruise Guide

Lake Ontario looks like an inland sea here: a horizon of fresh water, a lighthouse at the end of a 721-metre pier, gulls and sailboats in formation. Great Lakes ships arrive at the mouth of the Genesee River and tie up in the Charlotte neighbourhood, Rochester's outer harbour, established in the early 19th century for trade with Canada. Downtown is about a dozen kilometres upstream, so the port call plays out in two settings, between lakeshore and city centre.

Charlotte, the lake's beach-town spirit

Around the terminal, redeveloped with restaurants and a marina, Charlotte cultivates the atmosphere of an old-fashioned lakeside resort. The long stone pier draws walkers and anglers all the way to the lighthouse; the neighbouring public beach unrolls its sand and boardwalk. Strolling here for an hour after disembarking sets the pace for the day: that of an industrious city that has always made room for access to the water.

High Falls, a waterfall in the middle of the city

Few North American downtowns can boast such a sight: in the heart of Rochester, the Genesee plunges 29 metres into a red sandstone gorge. The Pont de Rennes pedestrian bridge spans the falls and offers the best view, while the rooftop terrace of the Genesee Brew House lets you admire the falls with a drink in hand. All around, the Brown's Race district preserves the raceways and buildings of the flour mills that waterpower drove in the 19th century, when the city milled flour for much of the continent.

Mr. Eastman's house

Rochester owes its worldwide fame to a modest inventor: George Eastman, founder of Kodak, who put photography within everyone's reach. His Colonial Revival residence, surrounded by gardens, now houses the oldest photography museum in the world, founded in 1947. Historic cameras, prints by masters, temporary exhibitions and carefully furnished period rooms follow one another; image lovers can easily spend two hours here. The visit also sheds light on the personality of the philanthropist, who left his fortune to the institutions of his region.

Planning the shuttle between lake and downtown

  • Allow 15 to 20 minutes by road between the lake terminal and downtown; taxis and excursion shuttles provide the link.
  • High Falls and Brown's Race can be explored on foot once you're downtown.
  • The Eastman Museum is in the East Avenue neighbourhood, a few minutes' drive from the falls area.
  • At the end of the day, leave a margin for the return to the lake, especially at rush hour.

Excursions offered during port calls usually combine the falls, the museum and an orientation tour; independent travellers can easily put together the same program by taxi.

A city of inventors

Over the course of the day, a portrait emerges of a community shaped by ingenuity: flour yesterday, film next, and optics and imaging still today. Universities and technology companies have taken over from the mills, but the river that powered the first turbines still runs through downtown, punctuated by redeveloped footbridges and trails.

The lighthouse in the evening

As the ship heads back out, the long pier slides past the hull, its lighthouse at the far end. The lake reclaims its rights, vast and changeable, while the shore gently sinks behind the wake. From Rochester, you take away a double-exposure memory, as photographers would say: an urban waterfall in its brick setting, and the home of the man who put a camera in everyone's hands.

Frequently Asked Questions

In the Charlotte district, at the mouth of the Genesee River on Lake Ontario. This is Rochester’s outer harbour, established in the early 19th century for trade with Canada; downtown lies about a dozen kilometres upriver.
No. Allow 15 to 20 minutes by road between the lakeside terminal and downtown; taxis and excursion shuttles make the connection. Around the terminal, however, Charlotte is entirely walkable.
Take a taxi downtown for High Falls and the Brown’s Race district, then continue to the George Eastman Museum in the East Avenue neighbourhood. Leave margin for the return trip to the lake, especially at rush hour.
An old-fashioned lakeside resort feel: a 721-metre stone pier leading to the lighthouse, a municipal beach with its boardwalk, a marina and restaurants. An hour here on landing sets the pace for the day.
Yes, and it is the great surprise of the call: the Genesee drops 29 metres into a red sandstone gorge in the heart of the city. The Pont de Rennes pedestrian bridge crosses the falls and gives the best viewpoint.
Because it holds the oldest photography museum in the world, founded in 1947. The founder of Kodak, who put photography within everyone’s reach, left a colonial-style residence surrounded by gardens, historic cameras and master prints; allow two hours if pictures are your thing.
The old milling quarter around the falls, which still has its 19th-century raceways and buildings. Water power drove the mills here in the days when the city ground flour for a good part of the continent.
Yes. Excursions usually combine the falls, the museum and an orientation tour, but an independent traveller can put together the same programme by taxi without difficulty. High Falls and Brown’s Race are walkable once you are downtown.
The US dollar and English. Credit cards are accepted everywhere and restaurant tipping runs 15 to 20 percent.
June through October, the Great Lakes sailing season. Summer brings the Charlotte beach and pier to life; autumn brings colour to the Genesee gorge with quieter streets.