Fairport, NY Road Trips

1 Fairport Historical Museum, 18 Perrin St, ☏ +1 585 223-3989. Su Tu 2PM-4PM, Th 7-9PM, Sa 10AM-noon; closed Jan-Feb. For live views of the area, see the Fairport Webcam and Weather site.

The canal is of primary importance for tourism and recreation, attracting boaters and others from around the state. The town is proud of its Crescent Trail hiking and cycling trail system, having been designated a Trail Town USA by the National Park Service. Over the last decade or two, the summer festival scene around Rochester has grown to the point where there are multiple festivals practically every weekend from May to October, featuring arts and crafts, food, music, and anything else that can be celebrated with a festival. Fairport Canal Days usually takes place during the first weekend in June, and the Fairport Music and Food Festival takes place in late August. The Casa Larga winery is just south of the village and is a well known player in the Finger Lakes wine industry.

Fairport is a haven for independent restaurants. Chain restaurants can be found south of the village at Perinton Square, or you can venture farther afield, north to Penfield or south to Victor. But don't lightly bypass the many tasty options available in the village; while there's nothing really 'exotic' available, there's still a good variety. 1 Compané, 80 N Main St, ☏ +1 585 678-4013. M-Sa 5-10PM. Decidedly mixed reviews for this restaurant, but if you want Italian food in the village, it's pretty much your only choice. Some have found the service friendly and welcoming, others cold and lethargic. The food is generally good; few describe it as truly bad, and some find it outstanding. If you're in the mood for Italian and willing to take a chance, you could certainly do worse. $11-30. 2 Fairport Village Inn, 103 N Main St, ☏ +1 585 388-0112. Tu-Sa 11:30AM-10PM (dinner menu after 5PM), Su M noon-10PM (lunch menu only). Basic, tavern-style comfort food, with a heavy emphasis on meat and potatoes. Some complain that the atmosphere is a bit provincial, but the food is solid and it's a popular gathering place for locals to watch the game. Despite the TVs, it's not really a sports bar, just a nice local hangout. The Buffalo wings are surprisingly good. $11-30. 3 Moonlight Creamery, 36 West Ave, ☏ +1 585 223-0880. 4 Towpath Café, 6 N Main St (in the Box Factory). Su 8AM-5PM, M-W 8AM-10PM, Th-Sa 8AM-11PM. By turns a popular coffeeshop and a charming modern bistro, the Towpath Café is another hit-or-miss affair.

Restaurants and bars are present along Liftbridge Lane on the north side of the canal, and in the Packetts Landing area on the south side. Nightclubs and restaurants can also be found on Main Street. Small grocery and other food stores are present in the village, especially in the Village Landing area. Larger stores are located south of the village near the intersection of New York State routes 250 and 31. 1 Casa Larga Vineyards, 2287 Turk Hill Road, ☏ +1 585 223-4210, [email protected]. Daily 10AM-6PM, Th to 8PM. Winery tours and tastings 2 Fairport Brewing Company, 99 S Main St, ☏ +1 585 678-6728. Small brewery with a comfortable taproom and a large outdoor seating area, complete with fire pits. In addition to its own beers, Fairport Brewing has a rotating selection of guest beers, many of which are from other New York breweries. (updated Jul 2015) 3 Iron Smoke Distillery, 111 Parce Ave, Suite 5B, ☏ +1 585 388 7584, [email protected]. (updated Jul 2019) 4 Triphammer Bierwerks, 111 Parce Avenue Suite 3A-1 Fairport, ☏ +1 585 388-8281. Triphammer made a name for themselves very quickly when they opened in 2016. Located in an alley just off of main street in the Village of Fairport, the taproom is a great place to visit. They have a raw, industrial decor that is fairly typical of craft breweries. You can grab a pint of your favorite Triphammer beer or get a flight and sample everything they have available. (updated Oct 2017)

There are hotels and motels in Perinton, but not within walking distance of the village of Fairport. A concentration of lodging facilities can be found a few miles from town near Exit 45 of the New York State Thruway (Interstate Route 90), and a few are found along Route 31 south of the village and north of the village along Route 250. 1 Twenty Woodlawn B&B, 20 Woodlawn Ave, ☏ +1 585 377-8224.

The village is about 10 miles (16 km) from downtown Rochester, at the intersection of New York State Routes 250 (Main Street) and 31F (Church Street). Even so, the true center of the village—conceptually and practically—is at the canal where Main Street crosses on an historic lift bridge. Boaters can reach the village via the Erie Canal and moor between the Main Street and Parker Street bridges. Find the latest information on docking procedures (especially overnight docking) at the village's website. Boaters can check availability of docking space here on the live webcam. The nearest major airport is the Greater Rochester International Airport (ROC IATA), about 15 miles (25 km) away.

Once you're in the village, many attractions are found within walking distance. Free parking is plentiful. Driving in upstate New York is usually stress-free. Drivers should note that villages like Fairport with dedicated police forces are heavily patrolled. Buses operated by the Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority are available. Some primary attractions, such as the Casa Larga winery, supermarkets and the Perinton recreation center are not within walking distance of the canal.