April 2015

Spring will (hopefully) soon be upon us, so it’s time to start thinking about exploring some local landmarks!  The legendary Erie Canal was completed in 1852, and helped open up Western New York to the rest of the country and arguably, the rest of the world.  It created a viable connection between the Atlantic and the Great Lakes that ran right through the then-blossoming city of Rochester, NY.  Although the canal no longer runs through the heart of downtown, it is still a large area draw, thanks in no small part to the incredible local effort in creating a multitude of attractions surrounding our own section of the great Erie Canal.

For example, we highly recommend exploring the great Erie Canal Trail here in Rochester.  This website gives more information on that.  The 78.8 mile trail section located here in Rochester (it also runs to Buffalo and Syracuse) is perfect for hiking or biking, and is easy enough for beginners.  However, more experienced bikers and hikers will find such grand beauty along the stretch between Medina and Newark that they, too, will enjoy themselves immensely.

But there’s no reason to stop there!  The vast majority of the 365-mile Erie Canalway is available for all kinds of recreational activities.  The Erie Canalway website has an entire section on what you can do, so check it out.  For example, their page about biking the Erie Canal has all kinds of valuable resources, like trail maps and even a list of bike shops and rentals along the canal.  So go out there, get moving, and explore our history!