There’s nowhere like upstate New York in the fall, and Rochester is at the heart of the season’s treasures—with its brilliant fall foliage; its abundance of parks and scenic views inside and outside of the city; its concentration of historic places, museums and galleries; and its proximity to the dozens of wineries that dot the picturesque Finger Lakes Region. Fall is the peak season for wine tasting tours, harvest menus in the city’s many fine restaurants, and brisk walks along the Erie Canal.

Size
Greater Rochester is the third-largest metropolitan area in New York State. It includes six counties: Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, and Wayne. The city of Rochester is the 79th largest city in the US.

Population
1,098,201 (2000 Bureau of the Census)

Geography
Rochester is located within a 400-mile radius of 14 northeastern states, two of the most populated Canadian provinces, New York's capital city of Albany, and Washington, D.C. Rochester is also the western gateway to the fabulous Finger Lakes Region, and part of the country's longest scenic byway--the Seaway Trail. The city is a day's drive from New York City—America's largest eastern port for overseas travelers entering the United States.

Rochester enjoys a particularly scenic geography courtesy of huge glaciers during the Cenozoic era, which carved out the fertile Genesee Valley and created the topography of rolling hills around it. Another part of this legacy is area’s many waterways, including Lake Ontario (one of five freshwater Great Lakes), the Genesee River with its deeply carved gorges and waterfalls, Irondequoit Bay, hundreds of scenic streams and ponds, and the nearby Finger Lakes.

Identity
Rochester has been known as the "Young Lion of the West," the "Flour City," and the "Flower City." During the 1990s, Rochester was called "The World's Image Centre®." This name came from its unique and impressive history in photography, xerography and optics, along with its leading role in manufacturing/research activities and its impressive educational resources in both traditional and evolving imaging sciences.