Rochester, New York

Stop laughing. Wegmans is the ultimate shopping experience and if you ask any local their favorite part about Rochester, they’ll agree with us. So what is it that gives Wegmans it’s allure? Maybe it’s the exclusivity, having just over 100 stores compared to Whole Foods 500. It could be the insanely nice people who work at Wegmans or the large selections of cheeses and international selections. Or it could possibly be that Wegmans brand products are also a hit, with customers saying you just can’t find quality like that with such a low price at other places. Regardless, Wegmans is a staple in Rochester and those that get it, get it. And those that don’t will get it when they get here!

Here's a note with a few pros from a local about Rochester:
-There are pristine suburbs, artsy downtown neighborhoods, and truly rotten, crime-ridden corners of the city that rival the worst of the nation.
-There are incredible schools--Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology, to name a few.
-They have the best grocery store, Wegmans. It cannot be argued. (Okay, I'll hear a case for Whole Foods and Trader Joe's)

For more reviews of what living in Rochester is like from locals check out: The Buzz

Residents of Rochester are often baffled that the Pacific Northwest gets to have all the fun of being named the dreariest place in the US. Rochester’s weather gives Seattle a run for its money, especially in the winter. If you move to Rochester, you need to like the snow or come from a place with snow because you’re going to be seeing it from Halloween to Easter, easy. With winters being overcast and freezing, the summers aren’t much better with the rainiest month being June.

A local describes the good and bad of Rochester weather:
Winter is brutal and lasts 6+ months of the year. Autumn is a stunning, yet short transition. Spring is usually buried under winter leftovers, but summer is the best I've seen. It's sticky, hot, and lasts daily until about 10 pm. It's the kind of summer that you recognize from childhood movies and cliches of summer camp.

Rochester is a city full of families and affordable living. The cost of living in the city is well below the national average, which is why a lot of families relocate to the city. Besides being known for music with its history of Jazz musicians and the Eastman School of Music, Rochester is also known for what they lovingly refer to as the “Garbage Plate.” Don’t click away! We know, it sounds…interesting. But the iconic dish is a late-night staple and the perfect thing after a night out in the city. It’s a quickly built mountain of macaroni salad, home fries, baked beans, chopped onions, mustard, an infamous meat sauce and topped with your protein of choice. The Garbage Plate has been served up to locals for over 100 years. It’s cheap, it’s hot, and a community staple to share with friends after a fun night out. It’s a lot like Rochester: cheap, surprisingly amazing, and more than enough to keep you satisfied.

If you want to know what goes on in Rochester check out the calendar of events: https://www.visitrochester.com/events