Grand Adventures
10 Rochester Skip-Gen Day Trip Ideas
Skip-gen day trips and weekend getaways have emerged as a heartwarming trend, offering grandparents and their grandchildren the unique opportunity to bypass a generation and embark on adventures together. Whether you’re a grandparent seeking ways to spend quality time with your grandkids or a parent encouraging these meaningful outings, these skip-gen adventures are your ticket to experiencing life’s wonders together. This guide explores ten skip-gen day trip ideas tailored to the Rochester area.
Our Top 10 Skip-Gen Day Trip Ideas
Embark on a culinary adventure
Pack a playful picnic
Enjoy arts & crafts time
Enter the animal kingdom
Reconnect with nature
Get your game on
See the sights
Share storytime
Meander through a museum
Explore the cosmos
1. Embark on a culinary adventure
Introduce your grandchildren (and yourself!) to new cuisines at area restaurants, including the International Food Market. Loading up the cart with international produce, products, and prepared foods at Wegmans can lead to a truly global experience.
Visit local farmers’ markets, like the Rochester Public Market, to find fresh produce and artisanal foods. You can also stop by an ice cream or chocolate shop that offers handcrafted and seasonal flavors.
Consider creating a cookbook filled with traditional and family recipes, imparting culinary wisdom and stories for your grandkids to cherish. Alternatively, enroll in a cooking class through Rochester Brainery or the New York Kitchen in Canandaigua to explore favorite dishes or experiment with new cuisines.
Whether exploring local flavors or mastering family recipes, this adventure will tickle your taste buds and create lasting culinary memories.
2. Pack a playful picnic
There are plenty of fantastic picnic spots to choose from, such as parks with playgrounds, beaches for swimming and building sandcastles, or even Ontario Beach Park, where you can ride the carousel and indulge in delicious ice cream from Abbott’s Frozen Custard.
Encourage your grandkids to join the preparations and bring games such as frisbees, soccer balls, or kites to enhance the experience. This outing celebrates the simple pleasures of picnicking, playing, and bonding outdoors.
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30 Perfect Picnic Spots Around Rochester
3. Enjoy arts & crafts time
Visit art or pottery studios for regular classes throughout the year to create lasting memories through artistic expression with your grandkids. Look for workshops at venues such as the Memorial Art Gallery, Flower City Arts Center, and Studio 34 Creative Arts Learning Center. Studios like Splatters in Spencerport and Color Me Mine in Pittsford offer opportunities to paint your own pottery. A road trip to the Corning Museum of Glass is another creative possibility.
Alternatively, plan an outdoor painting day en plein air with canvases, brushes, easels, and an inspiring vista.
Engaging in artistic endeavors together nurtures creativity and strengthens the bond between generations. The annual Rochester Maker Faire in November is a perfect opportunity to learn about what interests your grandchild, inspiring future day-trip ideas.
4. Enter the animal kingdom
Take your grandkids to Rochester’s Seneca Park Zoo, Rosamond Gifford Zoo in Syracuse, or the Buffalo Zoo. Farms such as Powers Farm Market, Lollypop Farm, Wickham Farms, Stokoe Farms, and Springdale Farm offer the opportunity to observe animals and participate in hands-on experiences, including feeding and petting.
For a unique experience, consider a road trip to Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen, Cracker Box Palace at Alasa Farms in Sodus, or Hidden Valley Animal Adventure in Varysburg. Dive into aquatic wonders at the Aquarium of Niagara or the avian world at WildWings at Mendon Ponds.
These animal-centric adventures provide ample opportunities for bonding and learning. Being around animals can also help us develop empathy, compassion, and a sense of responsibility.
5. Reconnect with nature
Take your grandkids on a nature hike in a local reserve or park to explore the beauty of the environment, possibly trying birdwatching or plant identification together. Indoor botanical gardens, such as the Lamberton Conservatory in Highland Park and the Dancing Wings Butterfly Garden at The Strong National Museum of Play, offer tranquility even during the winter months.
For a more active experience, consider kayaking along Rochester’s water trails to observe nature up close. Find kayak rentals at BayCreek Paddling Center on Irondequoit Bay and Erie Canal Boat Company in Fairport, which offers standard and adaptive kayak and bicycle rentals.
Whether you appreciate nature’s serenity or indulge in adventurous pursuits, this day trip provides a perfect setting for quality time amidst the wonders of the natural world.
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Nature Centers and Preserves Around Rochester
6. Get your game on
Bond with your grandkids through various gaming activities. Whether it’s board games, ball games, video games, or arcade games, there are endless ways to play and have fun together.
Challenge each other to a game of miniature golf or enjoy a day at the ballpark. Attend local festivals or fairs with midway games and rides. Or dive into the world of video and arcade games at home or at The Strong National Museum of Play, The Playhouse // Swillburger, or Rochester Pinball Collective.
This adventure is all about the joy of play and a little friendly competition.
Continue reading on daytrippingroc.com
In a world where the pace of life seems to quicken with each passing day, there’s something extraordinary about slowing down, cherishing family bonds, and creating unforgettable memories.
Enjoy every moment,
Debi
