My Favorite Books About the Rochester Area
I update this list occasionally, so please bookmark this guide and come back to it for inspiration.
I have compiled a list of my favorite books about Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, and the surrounding regions, including the Genesee Valley, Finger Lakes, Western New York, Central New York, and the Southern Tier.
The authors of these books cover various topics, such as Rochester’s geological and human history, and provide great inspiration for places to visit. I refer to this list year after year for knowledge and enjoyment.
I’ve provided links to borrow the books from a Monroe County Library (MCLS) or to purchase them online via Amazon or Bookshop. When you buy a book from Bookshop, a portion of the sale goes to support local booksellers. If you can’t find the book on the shelf of your local bookstore, you can always order it there.
And the best place to look for used books is your local bookstore.
This page contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.
Waterfalls
Hiking Waterfalls in New York: A Guide to the State’s Best Waterfall Hikes
by Randi Minetor
200 Waterfalls in Central and Western New York – A Finders’ Guide
by Rich and Sue Freeman
Waterfalls and Gorges of the Finger Lakes
by Derek Doeffinger
Waterfalls of New York State
by Scott A. Ensminger, David J. Schryver, and Edward M. Smathers
New York Waterfalls: A Guide for Hikers & Photographers
by Scott E. Brown
W is for Waterfall: An Alphabet of the Finger Lakes Region of New York State
by Aileen Easterbrook and Johanna van der Sterre
Off the Beaten Path
New York Off the Beaten Path®
by Randi Minetor
Upstate New York Off the Beaten Path®: A Guide To Unique Places
by Susan Finch and Julie A Hill and Associates LLC
Upstate Uncovered: 100 Unique, Unusual, and Overlooked Destinations in Upstate New York
by Chuck D’Imperio
Weird New York: Your Guide to New York’s Local Legends and Best-Kept Secrets
by Chris Gethard
Unknown Museums of Upstate New York: A Guide to 50 Treasures
by Chuck D’Imperio
Library | Bookshop | Amazon | Direct from Publisher
Secret Places: A Guide to 25 Little-Known Scenic Treasures of New York’s Niagara-Allegheny Region, Including the Beautiful, the Bizarre, the Special, and the Sublime
by Bruce Kershner
Secret Buffalo: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure
by Elizabeth Licata
Library | Direct from Publisher
General Guidebooks
Explorer’s Guide Finger Lakes
by Katharine Delavan Dyson
Explorer’s Guide Buffalo & Niagara Falls
by Christine A. Smyczynski
Explorer’s Guide Western New York: From Niagara Falls and Southern Ontario to the Western Edge of the Finger Lakes
by Christine A. Smyczynski
Day Trips Around Rochester, New York
by Debi Bower
Moon New York State: Getaway Ideas, Road Trips, Local Spots
by Julie Schwietert Collazo
100 Things to Do in Rochester Before You Die
by Robin L. Flanigan
Library | Bookshop | Amazon | Direct from Publisher
100 Things to Do in Buffalo Before You Die
by Elizabeth Licata
Library | Bookshop | Amazon | Direct from Publisher
100 Things to Do in Syracuse Before You Die
by Linda Lowen
Library | Bookshop | Amazon | Direct from Publisher
The Getaway Guy: Road Trip Getaways with Mike O’Brian (50 Fun-Filled Getaways in and around New York State!)
by Mike O’Brian
365 Things to Do in Ithaca, New York: Complete Insider’s Guide to All Things Ithaca
by Laurel Guy
A Taste of Upstate New York – The People and the Stories Behind 40 Food Favorites
by Chuck D’Imperio
Library | Bookshop | Amazon | Direct from Publisher
Open House: 35 Historic Upstate New York Homes
by Chuck D’Imperio
Library | Bookshop | Amazon | Direct from Publisher
Upstate New York: Towns That We Love
by Barton M. Cockey
Scenic Drives
Scenic Driving New York: Including the Adirondacks, the Catskills, and the Finger Lakes
by Randi and Nic Minetor
Backroads & Byways of Upstate New York
by Christine A. Smyczynski
Hiking
Best Easy Day Hikes Rochester
by Randi Minetor
Best Easy Day Hikes Buffalo
by Randi Minetor
Best Easy Day Hikes Syracuse
by Randi Minetor
Take a Hike: Family Walks in the Rochester Area
by Rich and Sue Freeman
Take a Hike: Family Walks in the Finger Lakes & Genesee Valley Region
by Rich and Sue Freeman
Five-Star Trails: Finger Lakes and Central New York: Your Guide to the Area’s Most Beautiful Hikes
by Timothy Starmer
50 Hikes in Western New York: Walks and Day Hikes from the Cattaraugus Hills to the Genesee Valley
by William P. Ehling
50 Hikes in Central New York: Hikes and Backpacking Trips from the Western Adirondacks to the Finger Lakes
by William P. Ehling
Cycling
Take Your Bike: Family Rides in the Rochester (NY) Area
by Rich and Sue Freeman
Take Your Bike: Family Rides in New York’s Finger Lakes Region
by Rich and Sue Freeman
Paddling
Take a Paddle: Quiet Water for Canoes and Kayaks in New York’s Finger Lakes
by Rich and Sue Freeman
History & Storytelling
While these books will inspire your travel planning, they primarily focus on historical events, architecture, and landforms.
Mendon Ponds Park: Fairchild’s dream
by Jack Butler and Diane Ham
Library
Also available at many local shops
Durand Eastman Park: yesterday and today
by Jack Butler
Library
Also available at many local shops
Any of Arch Merrill’s books
by Arch Merrill
Graves of Upstate New York: A Guide to 100 Notable Resting Places, Second Edition
by Chuck D’Imperio
Library | Bookshop | Amazon | Direct from Publisher
Resting Among Us: Authors’ Gravesites in Upstate New York
by Steven Huff
Library | Bookshop | Amazon | Direct from Publisher
Signs of Distinction: The History of New York State as Told by 51 Welcome Signs
by Chuck D’Imperio
Cobblestone Quest: Road Tours of New York’s Historic Buildings
by Rich and Sue Freeman
Along New York’s Route 20
by Patricia Braus
Historic Genesee Country: A Guide to Its Lands & Legacies
by Rose O’Keefe
Rochester Routes: Tours of Monroe County’s Historic Places
by Patricia Braus
Rochester Neighborhoods
by Ruth Rosenberg-Naparsteck and Shirley Cox Husted
Roadside Geology of New York
by Bradford B. Van Diver
The Finger Lakes Region: Its Origin and Nature
by O. D. von Engeln
Rocks That Rock: An Explorer’s Hiking Guide to Amazing Boulders and Rock Formations of Central & Western New York (Interesting Rock Formations, Geology, and Hikes)
by Russell Dunn
Letchworth
The Letchworth State Park Atlas: Exploring Its Nature, History, and Tourism through Maps
by Stephen J. Tulowiecki
Letchworth State Park
by Thomas A. Breslin, Thomas C. Richens, Thomas S. Cook, and Russell A. Judkins