Areas & Neighborhoods in Rochester
Rochester is best known for its large Mayo Clinic and sprawling Destination Medical Center complex, but the city's real character can be found elsewhere. Explore urban areas and lush parks and experience firsthand the distinct community that the city has created.
Downtown
Vibrant Downtown is home to a thriving fine arts and culinary scene. Follow the ARTWalk, which highlights public art installations and local exhibits throughout downtown, or visit the Rochester Art Center and explore contemporary art. Treat your tastebuds at the many boutique restaurants and craft beer breweries around Downtown, or pay a visit to the weekly Farmers Market, where you can find locally produced foods and crafts.
Quarry Hill Park
A 329-acre (133-ha) natural space, Quarry Hill Park is a recreational hub for the city. It features over 8 miles (13 km) of paved and rugged trails that cross through restored oak savannas and pass by a large pond. Go fossil hunting in the park's limestone deposits and look for preserved brachiopods, gastropods, and trilobites. The Quarry Hill Nature Center offers an interactive look at the region's wildlife, complete with an enormous aquarium of native fish.
What to See in Rochester
Rochester's charm reveals itself in the form of historic sites and natural parks. The city is dotted with buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including Chateau Theatre, a 1927 structure featuring medieval interior decorations, and Avalon Music, a former hotel opened in 1919. A number of parks fill Rochester with natural beauty as well. Silver Lake Park offers a quiet place to relax while watching the countless Canadian geese that inhabit the area, while Soldiers Memorial Field Park includes recreational facilities, sports fields, and a memorial honoring Southeast Minnesota veterans.
Sightseeing in Rochester
Rochester is full of exciting and family-friendly activities that pull you into the culture of the city. Through the city's Trails and You mission, which promotes physical activity, over 85 miles (136 km) of paved trails wind through Rochester's downtown and parks where biking, inline skating, and running are the preferred means of getting around. During the winter, spaces like Eastwood Park and Graham Park are transformed into snowy wonderlands perfect for snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and ice skating. Downtown Rochester hosts outdoor adventures in the summer like the Let's Play Rochester interactive art project featuring huge sidewalk decals and the Move on the Plaza series of fitness and dance classes in Peace Plaza. Catch a glimpse of history at the Heritage House Victorian Museum, a preserved Italianate home from 1875, or visit the Minnesota Children's Museum where kids and adults learn through play. Golf is a favorite sport in Rochester too—tee off at the bunkered greens of the Soldiers Field Golf Course or swing through the natural challenges and wooded sections of the Eastwood Golf Club.
