Rochester in the running to be named Best Place to Visit this Fall

Rochester, N.Y. has been selected as a finalist in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards for “Best Places to Visit This Fall,” positioning Rochester among the nation’s premier autumn destinations.

The recognition highlights Rochester’s fall appeal and unique seasonal activities, including apple picking, seasonal celebrations, outdoor recreation and leaf peeping. Hiking and biking trails including the Genesee Riverway Trail and Erie Canalway Trail are also recognized in the nomination.

“Being named a finalist in the USA Today 10Best awards is an incredible honor that showcases Rochester’s appeal as a destination during one of our most beautiful seasons,” said Don Jeffries, President & CEO, Visit Rochester. “From stunning fall colors, seasonal events and festivals, to exploring local farms, and visiting our award-winning attractions and restaurants, autumn is an outstanding time of year to visit the Flower City.”

The USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards are determined by a panel of travel experts who select nominees, followed by four weeks of online voting by the public. Voting will end on Monday, September 8, at 11:59 a.m. EDT. Winners will be announced shortly thereafter.

In order to be named the Best Place to Visit this Fall, Rochester needs your vote. Vote online once per day at https://10best.usatoday.com/awards/rochester-new-york/ now through September 8, 2025.

National awards and recognition, such as this honor from 10Best, can directly correlate to an increase in interest and visitation for a destination. An increase in visitation leads to enhanced visitor spending and economic impact for the tourism and hospitality industry. Currently the economic impact of the tourism and hospitality industry in Monroe County is nearly $1.5 billion (Source: Tourism Economics) and is responsible for more than 18,000 jobs.

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