Rochester (Minnesota)

By plane

• Rochester International Airport10 miles south of downtown Rochester along Hwy 63. Owing to the large number of visitors to the Mayo Clinic, there are more flights than in comparably-sized cities, approximately 13 flights per day. Make sure you fly into Rochester, MN, not Rochester, NY! Delta Air Lines has flights from Minneapolis/St. Paul and Atlanta. American Airlines offers direct service from Chicago O'Hare. United Airlines offers direct service from Chicago O'Hare. There is also scheduled charter service at the airport. Non-stop service to Laughlin, NV and Biloxi, MS is occasionally offered on Sun Country, and non-stop service to Wendover, UT is occasionally offered by Allegiant Air. The airport is attempting to get more air service into Rochester. The airport directors have contacted the current providers American, United and Delta, about adding more destinations, and have also contacted other carriers to bring new nonstop destinations to the airport.

• There are several car-rental companies located at the airport. Taxis are relatively expensive, approximately $25 between downtown Rochester and the airport. Shuttle service is available, timed to meet each arrival; one-way fare to downtown hotels is approximately $11.50. Some hotels also provide shuttle service.

Minneapolis-Saint Paul International AirportA 90-min drive NW of Rochester. A major airport, it has flights from most major cities around the world. Dominated by Delta Air Lines. Go Rochester Direct and Rochester Shuttle Service offer scheduled shuttle service between MSP and Rochester. Star Limousine Service and Gold Crown Limo offer private sedan service.

When flying to Rochester, it is worth checking flights into both airports.

By car

The closest interstate to Rochester is I-90 running east and west across Minnesota. There are two exits from I-90 that will take you north into Rochester, US Highway 63 (when coming from the west) and US Highway 52 (Exit 218) (when coming from the east).
US Highway 14 runs east and west through Rochester, connecting Rochester with Winona and Owatonna. Highway 14 east is a 4-lane freeway in Rochester (with the exception of a partial cloverleaf.)
US Highway 63 runs north and south through Rochester and is the main north-south thoroughfare through downtown Rochester, and connects Rochester with Lake City and south to Waterloo and connect you up with the Avenue of the Saints. It is a 4-lane expressway between I-90 and US 52, with a freeway portion in the last couple of miles towards Highway 52.
US Highway 52 also runs north and south through Rochester and is the main pipeline connecting Rochester with the Twin Cities and running south to the southeast corner of Minnesota and into Iowa. It is a 6-lane freeway.

By train

There is no train service into Rochester. The closest station is 45 minutes drive away in Winona. Ground transportation between Rochester and Winona is available from GoCarefree Shuttle. However, GoCarefree Shuttle does not wait in Winona for passengers disembarking at the Winona Amtrak station seeking transit to Rochester.

By bus

Jefferson Lines offers service to many cities, plus connects to Greyhound in Minneapolis. Jefferson Lines buses stop at the located at 205 6th St SW. If part of your trip involves travel on Greyhound, you can purchase your ticket on Greyhound's website, which will cover travel on both carriers.

If you are only going to the Clinic, you may not need a car as most hotels provide (free) shuttle service to the Clinic. However, most visitors will want or need a car to get around.
The central part of the city is arranged on a more-or-less standard grid. Streets run east-west and avenues run north-south. This divides the city into four quadrants, NW, NE, SE, SW. There are some named streets you might encounter.

• The dividing line between east and west is Broadway (up to about 25th St north when things get weird).
• The dividing line between north and south is Center St.
• Civic Center Drive runs east-west from Hwy 52 to downtown approximately at 5th St. NW.
• West Circle Dr. (also called CR 22) runs north-south at the west edge of town.
• There is also an East Circle Dr, but there are fewer businesses there. In case you're wondering, the two circle drives do not meet, yet they are both CR 22. They are both 4-lane expressways.

Most of the newer residential development has abandoned the numbered grid system and gone to named curved streets. If you need to find these, there are free maps available in most hotels and the local phone book.

By car

In most areas of Rochester, parking is not an issue, with plenty of surface parking. The only exceptions are downtown and near the clinic. It is possible to find street parking downtown, although difficult in the inner downtown. The time limit on parking meters is enforced even for cars with handicap parking placards. The city-owned parking lots are free nights and weekends, with the first hour free during weekdays. However, the privately-owned lots do not offer this, so look for the "free evening parking" signs if you want to take advantage of this. The signage downtown is pretty much non-existent, so you're own your own to find the lots. If you are going to the clinic, there are Mayo-owned lots near the primary patient-care buildings; Mayo provides a map showing them. Rates are $2 for the first hour, $1 per hour thereafter. You can purchase 5 or 10 day passes which allow in-and-out in the same day. They also do not need to be used on consecutive days. The Mayo lots sometimes fill during the morning hours, but turnover is very quick and you are unlikely to wait more than 10 min.

By bus

There is a public bus system, but it is likely not to be useful to the visitor. There is no bus service on Sundays or holidays, and during the rest of the week, they will stop running fairly early: generally the last routes end at 9PM. The main goal of the bus system is to serve the downtown area. Also, the bus system revolves around the Mayo Clinic schedule, so if the Clinic were to close early (Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve), the buses will also stop running early as well. The buses run generally on an hourly basis with half hour service during the rush hours. The bus system utilizes a wagon-wheel-spoke type of grid, with routes all ending up in the downtown area to make transfers. You can request a transfer pass from one bus to the next if you are getting on a bus to get to another part of the city. On Tuesdays, there is a Shopper's bus that will get you to some of the different shopping areas in Rochester. A bus terminal was recently made downtown, with electric signs telling when the bus route is scheduled, and whether it is on time or delayed (like an airport).

By foot

Downtown Rochester has a network of enclosed walkways: above-ground "skyways" and underground "subways", which are kept at a comfortable temperature all winter long. These walkways are connected to the Mayo Clinic and Mayo Civic Center as well as several hotels, shopping, restaurants, parking, and so on. They aren't just bare hallways, either – inside the subway there are a variety of attractive features, restaurants, and shops, and the skyway allows views of the city from above.

• Assisi Heights Spirituality Center

  phone: +1 507 282-7441
  address: 1001 14th St
  It was built as the home of the Sisters of Saint Francis, and now part is being used as a spirituality center. Italian Romanesque structure.

• Ear-of-corn Water TowerSee what is probably the world's largest water tower painted to look like an ear of corn. Built in 1931 to celebrate the opening of the Libby Foods facility (now Seneca Foods).

• Heritage House

  phone: +1 507 286-9208
  address: 225 First Ave NW
  Exhibits the way of life of a typical middle-class Midwestern family in the late 19th century. The house has been restored and authentically furnished with antiques, quilts, dolls, and china.

• Historic Chateau Theatre

  address: 15 First St SW
  Was one of the most elaborate theaters built in the early 1900s. Has French Village decor complete with balconies and turrets. (Not to be confused with the current Chateau movie theater.)

• History Center of Olmsted County

  phone: +1 507 282-9447
  address: 1195 W Circle Dr SW
  Rare pictures, maps, diaries, exhibits about Rochester's history. Visit William Dee Log Cabin, Hadley Valley School House, and the George Stoppel Farm.

• Mayo ClinicGuided tours are only for patients and their families, but you can pick up a brochure from any Help Desk for one of several self-guided tours. An audio tour is available of the art collection.

• Mayowood Mansion

  phone: +1 507 282-9447
  address: 3720 Mayowood Rd SW
  38-room mansion, former home of Dr. Charles Mayo. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is being renovated, but tours are still available.

• Minnesota Children's Museum Rochester

  phone: +1 507 218-3100
  address: 1643 N. Broadway St
  Small Children's Museum (in the middle of the River Center Plaza stripmall). Great for the 1-4 age set.

• Plummer House

  address: 1091 Plummer Ln SW
  Original home of Dr. Plummer. 49-room mansion on 11 acres. Building primary used for events.

Theaters

• Feast and Footlights Dinner Theatre

• Mayo Civic CenterMain event center, check website for calendar of shows, events, etc.

• Rochester Art Center

  phone: +1 507 282-8629
  address: 40 Civic Center Dr SE
  No permanent collection; check website for which exhibits are open.

• Rochester Repertory Theatre

  address: 103 7th St NE
  Local theater company, check website for calendar

• Rochester Civic Theatre

  address: 220 E Center St
  Community theater. Also offers classes year round.

• Mantorville Theatre Company

  phone: +1 507 635-5420
  address: 5 5th St. West, Mantorville
  Community theater offering summer melodramas and traditional shows year round.

• Oak Center General Store

  phone: +1 507 753-2080
  address: 67011 Hwy 63, Lake City
  Live music Nov-Apr Sa-Su.

Parks

Rochester has more than 30 parks and 9 golf courses.

• Carley State Park

  address: 50187 County Road 4, Plainview

• Chester Woods

  address: 8378 14 Hwy SE, Eyota
  Picnic areas. Small beach. Fishing. Canoe and paddle boat rentals. Camping.

• Douglas State Trail

  phone: +1 507 285-7176
  13-mile blacktop trail between Rochester and Pine Island. Suitable for biking, walking. Starts at Valleyhigh Dr. just east of W Circle Dr NW (parking available).

• Oxbow Park and Zollmon Zoo

  phone: +1 507 775-2451
  address: 5731 County Rd 105 NW, Byron
  Picnic areas by river. Several miles of hiking trails through the woods. Small zoo featuring animals native to Minnesota.

• Quarry Hill Nature Center

  phone: +1 507 281-6114
  address: 701 Silver Creek Rd NE
  Nature center with displays. Lots of trails and parks to explore. Cross-country skiing and snow shoeing in the winter.

• Parks and trailsRochester has over 100 city parks totaling more than 3200 acres and over 60 miles of paved trails suitable for pedestrian, bike, in-line skate, wheelchair, and stroller use. Many parks have sports facilities (e.g tennis, basketball, soccer) and playgrounds. Downloadable pdf maps are available from the website listed, or paper versions can be purchased for $1.

• Silver Lake Boat and Bike Rentals

  phone: +1 507 261-9049
  address: 700 W Silverlake Dr NW
  Canoe, kayak, paddle boat, and boat rentals.

• Silver Lake ParkSmall lake with many walking paths. Best known for the thousands of Canada geese that winter here. Park has outdoor pool, playground, and skateboard park.

• Soldiers Field Veterans Memorial

  address: Third Ave and Seventh St
  Consisting of 4 60-foot circular granite walls, created to honor veterans from the area. See the Wall of Remembrance.

Movies

All three movie theaters are relatively new and offer stadium seating.

• Chateau Theater

  phone: +1 507 282-2020
  address: 3450 East Circle Drive NE
  14-screen theater on the Northeast Side. All digital projectors.

• CineMagic

  phone: +1 507 536-7469
  address: 2171 Superior Dr NW
  12-screen theater on the Northwest Side.

• Rochester Cinema + IMAX

  phone: +1 507 529-1730
  address: 4340 Maine Ave SE
  14-screen theater on the South Side in the Shoppes on Maine lifestyle center. Also has one 60 foot wide MegaScreen.

Other

• Prairie Walls Climbing Gym

  phone: +1 507 292-0511
  address: 4420 19th St NW
  Indoor rock climbing facility.

• Recreation Center

  phone: +1 507 328-2500
  address: 21 Elton Hills Dr
  Olympic length indoor pool. Two 85' x 200' ice rinks for hockey and figure skating. Make sure to call or check the website for hours the pool is available for open/lap swimming, and the ice rinks are available for open skating, as they are often in use for specific activities. City-owned, no membership required.

• Rochester Honkers

  address: 403 E Center Street
  Collegiate baseball.

• Rochester Trolley TourOne-hour trolley tour of the highlights of Rochester. Hop On & Hop Off at 5 different locations.

• Skyline Raceway

  address: 2250 40th St SW
  Paintball, go-cart racing, mini-golf.

• , located southwest of downtown, is the main (indoor) mall. Major department stores are Macy's and J.C. Penney. Also contains about 60 other smaller stores. However, there are not any stores here that you wouldn't see at any other mall.
• For most of the unique and interesting stores, the downtown is your place to go. (which used to be called the Galleria Mall) is home to most of them, two blocks east of the Clinic. It is rather small, only about two dozen stores, but well worth the visit if you want something different. The subway level (between US Bank and Gonda Building) also contains several unique stores, well work a walk down there if you're downtown. There are also some nearby at street level between The Shops at University Square and the clinic.
• Other small malls with some unique stores can be found in , located just northeast of the intersection of Hwy 52 and 2nd St S. (just west of Hwy 52) is starting to turn into a small but interesting shopping area. , located at 12th Street and South Broadway, rounds out the small malls.
• There are four major strip malls in town. (at 55th St NW and Hwy 52) has Wal-mart, Sam's club, Dollar Tree, Petco. (at 41st St and Hwy 52) has SuperTarget, PetSmart, Staples, and Home Depot, with Best Buy and Hobby Lobby on the east side of Highway 52. between 23rd street and 30th street has Wal-mart, Kohl's, Shop-Ko, Menards, Bed Bath and Beyond, and others. The newest is (at Hwy 63 and 48th St S) is home to SuperTarget, Lowe's, Dick's Sporting Goods, PetSmart, Best Buy, numerous smaller tenets, and an enormous Fleet Farm.
• The best place to buy Rochester souvenirs would be Eagle Drug in downtown Rochester as well as at the gift store in the Kahler hotel.

Budget

The majority of budget dining options are fast-food chain restaurants. A variety of chains exist. Downtown on the second floor of the University Shops are several other budget restaurants, many open only for lunch.

• El Carambas

  phone: +1 507 281-3104
  address: 1503 12th St SE
  Hole-in-the-wall type casual in the best sense of the word. Great soft shell tacos.

• Daube's

  phone: +1 507 289-3095
  address: 1310 5 Pl NW
  Bakery, also serves sandwiches and quiche and such.

• Good Food Deli

  address: 1001 6th St NW
  Vegan.

• Newt's

  phone: +1 507 289-0577
  address: 216 1st Ave
  Voted best burgers in Rochester. Beetles Bar and Brother's are also popular similar restaurants. Also has second location on the north side right off hwy 52.

• Nupa

  phone: +1 507 206-5044
  address: 1035 Civic Center Dr NW
  Mediterranean fast food. Gyros, hummus, muffaletta, florettas, etc.

• La Poblana

  phone: +1 507 292-7791
  address: 1112 Civic Center Dr NW
  Authentic Mexican eatery, you'll find dishes here you won't find in a typical American-Mexican restaurant. In the back of a grocery store.

• Pho Tai

  phone: +1 507 281-9993
  address: 1726 37th St NW
  Vietnamese. In addition to sit-down meals, bahn mi, inexpensive Vietnamese sandwiches on French bread, are usually available for takeout.

• Pi

  phone: +1 507 424-3885
  address: 3932 Marketplace Dr NW
  Wood-fired pizza. Somewhat limited menu, with very unusual ingredients.

Mid-range

While mid-range dining is not dominated by chains, there are a number of popular chains in town as well.

• Canadian Honker

  address: 1203 2nd St SW
  Traditional American. Serves fresh fish F-Sa. Often has live music.

• Fiesta Mexicana

  phone: +1 507 288-1116
  address: 1645 North Broadway
  Mexican

• Hunan Garden

  phone: +1 507 285-1438
  address: 1120 NW 7th Street
  Chinese. Voted Best Chinese Food in Rochester Magazine poll 8 of 9 years. Not to be confused with Hunan Wok across the street or Hunan on S Broadway.

• India Garden

  phone: +1 507 288-6280
  address: 1107 Broadway Ave N
  Indian. Consistently voted best in the "Indian/Other Asian" category in Rochester Magazine poll.

• Jac's Bar & Grill

  phone: +1 507 867-3939
  address: 129 Main St S, Chatfield

• John Hardy's

  phone: +1 507 281-1727
  address: 1940 Broadway South, 929 West Frontage Road NW
  Another local BBQ place, along with Roscoe's.

• Kingdom Buffet

  address: 1639 N Broadway
  All-you-can-eat Chinese buffet. Over 100 dishes, sushi, Mongolian grill, some American dishes.

• Opa! Opa!!

  phone: +1 507 282-1212
  address: 1106 15th Ave SE
  Greek.

• Pannekoeken

  phone: +1 507 287-0722
  address: 6 1st Ave NW
  Dutch and American. Popular for weekend brunch. House specialty is the Pannekoeken (a fluffy egg-based pancake).

• Victoria's

  phone: +1 507 280-6232
  address: 7 1st Ave SW
  Wide variety of Italian-American food, with huge portions and cute decoration.

Splurge

• 300 First

  phone: +1 507 281-2451
  address: 300 First Ave NW
  New American.

• Chester's Kitchen and Bar

  phone: +1 507 424-1211
  address: 111 S Broadway
  Traditional American with a twist, most popular restaurant in town. Voted Best Restaurant in Rochester Magazine poll in 2010 and 2011.

• Pescara

  phone: +1 507 280-6900
  address: 150 S Broadway
  Great seafood. Smallish but fancy dining area.

• Prescott

  phone: +1 507 536-7775
  address: 1201 S Broadway
  Bistro-style French, casual but with great food. Smaller but excellent wine list. Voted Best Restaurant in Rochester Magazine poll in 2009.

Grocery stores

• Asian Food Store

  phone: +1 507 536-9097
  address: 1010 7th St NW
  Rochester's largest Asian grocery store. Also has more East Asian (China, Japan, Korea) food items than others in town, others focus more on SE Asia.

• Cub Foods

  address: 1021 15th Avenue SE
  Based on a warehouse model of business.

• Good Food Store

  address: 1001 6th St NW
  Rochester's primary source of organic food. Also includes a bulk food room for spices, flours, pasta, beans, etc. Also home to a deli restaurant and delicious hot bar & salad bar!

• Hy-VeeThe primary grocery store in town, with three locations. Both Wal-marts and both Targets also have grocery sections, but smaller selection.

• Hy-Vee Rochester North

  phone: +1 507 289-1815
  address: 500 37th St NW

• Hy-Vee Barlow Plaza

  phone: +1 507 288-8233
  address: 1315 6th St NW
  Renovated to be more upscale (e.g. has olive bar), has kids play area.

• Rochester #1 Hy-Vee

  phone: +1 507 289-7500
  address: 500 Crossroads Dr SW
  Open 24 hours, has complete pharmacy.

Rice and Spice

address: 810 S Broadway

Indian groceries.

Silver Lake Foods

phone: +1 507-282-3414

address: 1402 N Broadway

North of downtown on the east side of North Broadway.

Trader Joe's

phone: +1 507 281-4411

address: 1200 16th Street SW

Specialty grocery store with items that you likely won't find elsewhere.

Ye Olde Butchershoppe

phone: +1 507 282-5908

address: 902 7th St NW

• Beetles Bar and Grill

  phone: +1 507 529-9599
  address: 230 20th Ave SW

• Goonies

  phone: +1 507 288-8130
  address: 7 Second St NW
  Live comedy shows F-Sa. Open mic on Th.

• Kathy's

  address: 300 S Broadway

• Whistle BinkiesVery popular pub atmosphere with a very extensive beer menu (easily the largest in town) to choose from. S Broadway location has outdoor seating during the summer months. Variety of menu items. Not for romantic evenings or business talk.

Owing to the large number of visitors to the Mayo clinic, and their unique needs, there is a wide range of sleeping arrangements to fit almost any budget or need, from low-end to high-end, from short-term to long-term, from standard hotel rooms, to rooms with kitchenettes, to fully furnished apartments. While there are some hotels spread-out through-out the city, most of the hotels are grouped downtown (by the clinic), along SW second street (by Saint Mary's), and along South Broadway (where most of the cheaper, non-chain ones are located). Rochester has about 5,400 hotel rooms in the city, which is more than most cities that are twice Rochester's size.
Below are only a sample of the available hotels. Most of the cheaper, non-chain hotels are not listed.

Mayo Clinic area

The following downtown hotels are connected to the clinic, and to the rest of downtown, via the network of above-ground enclosed skyways and below-group passages (called subways). This is very useful in the winter!

• Brentwood Inn and Suites

  address: 123 4th Avenue NW
  Brentwood Inn and Suites offers a continental breakfast, free transportation to clinics and hospitals, voice mail and 24-hour front desk service.

• Kahler Grand Hotel

  address: 20 SW Second Ave
  Old hotel, lots of character. Many like it for the character and not looking like every other hotel, others don't like it due to being older.

• Kahler Inn and Suites

  phone: +1 507 285-9200
  address: 9 Third Ave NW
  Not to be confused with the Kahler Grand, this hotel is not as nice. But it is convenient to Mayo.

• Marriott

  address: 101 First Ave SW

• Broadway Tower

  address: 15 1st St SE
  High-end long-term stays. It also allows shorter term stays, reviews have been very positive.

• Doubletree

  address: 150 S Broadway

Downtown

• Residence Inn

  phone: +1 507 292-1400
  address: 441 W Center St NW

• Centerstone Plaza Hotel Soldier's Field

  phone: +1 507 288-2677
  address: 401 6th St SW
  Free breakfast, and free Wi-Fi.

• Hilton Garden Inn

  phone: +1 507 285-1234
  address: 225 S Broadway
  In downtown, but not connected to skyway.

• Days Inn Downtown

  phone: +1 507-282-3801
  address: 6 1st Avenue NW
  The Days Inn is in a building that was constructed in 1919.

Saint Mary's

• Courtyard Rochester St. Mary

  phone: +1 507 536-0040
  address: 161 13th Ave

• Aspen Select Hotel

  phone: +1 507 288-2671
  address: 1215 SW Second St

• SpringHill Suites

  phone: +1 507 281-5455
  address: 1125 2nd St SW

South Broadway

• Country Inn and Suites

  phone: +1 507 287-6758
  address: 77 Wood Lake Dr SE

• Econo Lodge

  phone: +1 507 282-9905
  address: 1850 S Broadway
  Two-story motor inn (no internal hallways), clean basic accommodations. Free Mayo Clinic shuttle.

• Hampton Inn

  address: 1755 S Broadway

Other locations

• Microtel Inn

  phone: +1 507 286-8780
  address: 4210 Hwy 52 North, W Frontage Rd
  Cheap rates for Mayo patients. Free shuttles to Mayo, free long distance, free breakfast and free internet.

• Motel 6

  phone: +1 507 282-6625
  address: 2107 W Frontage Road

• Staybridge Suites

  phone: +1 507 280-9000
  address: 2350 Commerce Drive NW

• TownePlace Suites Rochester

  phone: +1 507 281-1200
  address: 2829 43rd Street NW
  A unique, extended-stay, all suites hotel with two indoor pools, sports court, fitness center, BBQ patio and Hot Breakfast buffet.

Camping

• Rochester/Marion KOA

  phone: +1 507 288-0785
  address: 5232 65th Avenue SE

Many many places offer free internet access

• Rochester Public Library

  phone: +1 507 328-2300
  address: 101 2nd Street SE
  Free computer use, free Wi-Fi.
• Caribou Coffee. All five locations offer free Wi-Fi.
• Dunns Brothers. Both locations offer free Wi-Fi and free computer use.
• Panera Bakery. Both locations offer free Wi-Fi.

• Peace Plaza

  address: 1st Ave SW and 1st St SW
  Free wi-fi. East of Mayo Clinc near University Square.

• The Post Bulletin's listing, local newspaper's list of upcoming events. The best source for looking for things to do.

• Twin Cities (Minneapolis/Saint Paul) – about a 90-min drive north on Hwy 52, the Twin Cities area offers all activities of a big city without being overwhelming. Including, of course, the Mall of America.

• Whitewater State ParkBeautiful park with many miles of hiking trails.

• Winona, Lake City, Red Wing, Wabasha – cute cities on the Mississippi River. Wabasha includes the National Eagle Center.
• Austin – about 45-min drive from Rochester, the home of Hormel and the Spam Museum. For an experience you can't get anywhere else, give this one a try.

• Forestville / Mystery CaveHistoric Forestville is a restored 1800s village operated by the Minnesota Historical Society, complete with guides in period clothing and activities. Mystery Cave is an underground cave.

• Niagara CaveVery impressive underground cave.

• Mantorville15 miles west of Rochester. Antiques and other shopping, restaurants, museums, theatre and more in this historic community along the Zumbro River.

• Lanesboro – historic village in a beautiful valley. Old-town main street with unique shops and restaurants. Many outdoor activities along the Root River. Near a fish hatchery where you can feed hundreds of fish with one toss.

• Bluff CountryBeautiful area in SE Minnesota

• Kasson – It is a small hometown place with a population of about 6,000 to 6,500. It is a nice place to eat, and it has an Aquatic Center with two slides, a rock climbing wall, and two diving boards if you visit in the summer. It is located about 15 to 20 minutes away from Rochester.