Geneseo is the Livingston County Seat and home to SUNY Geneseo. The school’s beautiful campus overlooks the Genesee River Valley and parallels Main Street.
Village Shops & Restaurants
Geneseo’s Main Street is an interesting mix of history and modern essentials.
Lined with an interesting mix of shops and restaurants, it’s the perfect village to park your car for the day and appreciate the small details.
Shops
Florence’s Perpetual Estate Sale
Restaurants
Geneseo History & Architecture
Village of Geneseo Historic District
The Association for the Preservation of Geneseo (APOG) is an excellent resource for learning about Geneseo’s historic district. Check out their interactive map to explore each neighborhood, like Main Street and Center Street, in-depth.
Visit the Wadsworth Library and Livingston County Historical Society for even more inspiration.
The Geneseo Riviera shows seasonal favorites and classic single-feature movies. It originally opened in 1914 as The Rex Theater, changing its name in 1936.
The Wadsworth Homestead
The Genesee Valley was originally settled by brothers James and William Wadsworth.
You can still find evidence of their influence centuries later in building, street, and town names, along with traditions like the Genesee Valley Hunt in October, carried out by James’ descendants. Built in 1804, the Wadsworth family has occupied the homestead ever since. It contains authentic art and artifacts from each generation. It’s the oldest continually owned private estate west of the Hudson River!
SUNY Geneseo
The gazebo is the spot to watch the sunset just beyond the Genesee Valley.
Walk through the center of campus to Roemer Arboretum, where you can see a replica of Henry David Thoreau’s Walden Pond cabin. The project is a tribute to the life and work of SUNY Geneseo Professor Walter Harding, a Thoreau scholar.
After a leisurely walk around campus, head up Bank St., School St., or Park St. toward Main St. There, you will find beloved shops, restaurants, and taverns.
National Warplane Museum
The museum is “dedicated to the preservation of WWII, Korean War and Vietnam era military aircraft, equipment, and the stories of those men and women who served our country at home and abroad.”
They also offer rides in many of the aircraft on site throughout the warmer months and during the airshow in July.
Livingston County Veterans Monument
The Livingston County Veterans Monument, constructed at the county’s Hampton’s Corners Complex, is located just south of Geneseo off NY-63. It features 250 metal poppies.
Natural Areas
Nations Road
Nations Road is a favorite among area photographers. Its bucolic Genesee Valley view, the concentration of great oak trees, & horses in the fields make for an excellent slow drive through the countryside in any season, and especially in Autumn.
It’s also where you’ll find the Genesee Valley Hunt Races in October.
These trees are even featured in the painting “Genesee Oaks” by Asher B. Durand—an American painter of the Hudson River School—which hangs in Rochester’s Memorial Art Gallery. The MAG website states that he was “commissioned to paint this magnificent vista overlooking the Genesee River Valley in Geneseo, New York, by a member of the Wadsworth family, the village founders. At one time, they owned all the land from Geneseo to Rochester.”
Genesee Valley Conservancy
The GVC manages several preserves throughout Livingston County. Explore Indian Fort Nature Preserve, Island Preserve, and the Railroad Bed Trail in Avon that runs between Nations Road and NY-39.
Signature Events
National Warplane Museum Air Show
Genesee Valley Hunt Horse Trials
The Genesee Valley Hunt Races are one of the most anticipated meets of the hunt season. Formal hunting begins with the “Opening Day” parade of hounds from the Wadsworth Homestead down Main Street.
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Where are your favorite spots to visit in Geneseo?
Your insights and experiences are valuable. Please share them in the comments.
Debi Bower is the founder and creative director of daytrippingroc.com and author of the award-winning book Day Trips Around Rochester, NewYork.
People often ask me if I get free access to places while exploring. The answer is no unless I’m invited to previews or granted behind-the-scenes access as part of my media role. Generally, I don’t mention my project, Day Trips Around Rochester, NY, because I want the same experience you would have. I create and share content simply because it brings me joy. I would appreciate your support—a cup of coffee or two to help fuel future field trips—if you have found valuable information here that has helped you explore the Rochester area.
