40 Best Stops Between Pittsburgh and Lake George (2024)

Great spot for kids and adults. Had a 3yr old and 8yr old. They loved it. Games stuff, play stuff, stories and reading. We enjoyed it as well. Butterfly observatory seems a little out of place but was a small extra and worth it. High ropes was likely the highlight for our 8yr. I did it as well and very impressed... Didn't have the nerve for all the high route options.

The Strong Museum of Play is such a unique place to spend the day. My husband and I visited and spent about three hours circulating all of the really cool exhibits. There were so many interactive things to do. We especially loved the video game section and seeing the history of video games. There are lots of things for kids to do and it's a great place for the whole family. The adults can reminisce on their childhood. We enjoyed seeing so many familiar toys in the hall of fame. We skipped the butterfly exhibit because I had been there previously. For all of the things to do, the price is reasonable. I would highly recommend visiting!

I probably don't have more to add then what has already been said, but if you're still wondering whether or not to visit the Strong National Museum of Play, just know you can stop now. This museum is truly a one of a kind travel experience, perfect for all ages. Just be prepared to stay all day if you can!

As this was my first time to Rochester..."The Strong National Museum of Play" was on my List of "MUST-SEE" Places. I'm Satisfied that I went and took many photos. There were childhood memories literally around every corner. It is DEFINITELY a place for "Children to be Children" and to Play, Explore, Learn and Just Release All Their Childhood Energy. Being by myself wasn't the best decision. This place is best to visit with Your Children, Grandchildren, Nieces, Nephews, Class Field Trip... (Just not really by yourself) Hundreds of Various Types of Toys Dating from just a few Years ago...back, to the Early 1900's. Life size Board Games, Modern and Retro Video Games and Consoles, Game Rooms, Arcades, Pinball, Dolls, Barbie, Avengers, Clowns, Marvel and Thousands more! A walk into the World of Sesame Street and a Full Rotating Indoor Carousel. The Colorful and Beautiful Architectural Design of this Building is Mesmerizing! HERE....Children RULE!

We've been members in the past and rejoined now that my son is a little older as the museum has the best selection of arcade and pinball games in town. Great to bring him and a friend to play some games, learn a few things, and see the butterfly room, which is a highly recommended experience. The ropes course adds a whole new dimension and completes the incredible value. My only complaint is they need to fill the food court with more options. The vacancy is glaring.

This place is amazing. For most of us with kids it’s basically the largest indoor playground you will ever go to. There’s so much in here for the kids to play with and it’s not that busy. Despite all the kids in here it is still kept tidy and the activity areas are reasonably organized.They have a free coat check area which is very convenient. The gift shop is rather small and most contains your classic board games and some legos. Food court is pretty reasonable.The butterfly conservatory isn’t worth visiting but the rope climb is amazing. Just make sure your kids are brave enough to do it. The rest of the place is actually a museum of play. The toy displays they have on the second floor really brings out the nostalgia. The cost to play the arcade games is pretty reasonable too.I didn’t think this would be somewhere I would go visit again but I definitely want to come back someday.

The strong museum was amazing especially for all ages. From modern to city vintage toys games. Pinball, mini shopping store for the kids, toy hall of fame. I could go on forever. Not only will the kids love it, I bet you will too!

This is probably the only reason you visit Rochester. The museum is getting bigger and better compared to last time we visit. I think best age to come is 6 to 13 but parents enjoy the visit too. Make sure you buy ticket online to save 2 dollar and there is a 5 dollar parking cost.

Amazing experience. I had as much fun as my grand daughter! Staff were helpful and very pleasant. There are so many activities. I highly suggest going as early as possible. I was impressed with the technology. I loved the scanner that actually transferred the fish we colored onto the water scene that was projected onto the wall and “animated” them. Yes, our fish were actually swimming!

The Strong National Museum of Play is a fantastic place for children of all ages. We enjoyed looking at the displays of toys through the ages, especially, those from our childhood. There are so many different areas for interactive play. The butterfly garden is a beautiful space for those who enjoy plants and watching butterflies. The museum also has different food options on site, a nice gift shop, and the cleanest restrooms.

This museum is for children, adults and older adults. There is something for everyone. Driving from Toronto, it was just over 3 hours (an easy drive). Be prepared to stay all day. There are lot of hands-on activities and it is great seeing all of the toys we grew up with and recent ones as well.

This museum is excellent! 5 stars in the activities department. Plenty of things to keep the kids busy and plenty of exhibits to keep the childhood memories flowing all day long. I had to take away a star for the prices of everything there, I do understand it's a business and ya gotta make money to keep the lights on. But cmon man. Family of 4 or more better bring some extra sheckles! 😅

While vacationing in Rochester, but wanted to find something more fun for the kids to do, and this fit the bill. Even us adults had a blast here, most of the museum is free. However, if you would like to play video games, you have to purchase tokens, we weren’t too happy about that considering we paid admission…… They also have a few other options that are stated at the entrance that they are extra which was fine. We got to the museum at 10 o’clock when they opened and we didn’t leave until well after 2 o’clock, this place is absolutely huge and I’m sure if we weren’t super hungry by that point, we would’ve spent a few more hours there my wife, and I really enjoyed the nostalgia of our own childhood, they have a lot of older toys From not just our childhood, but our parents and their parents and their parents, it was definitely sight to see. Our older children are teenagers, so they didn’t enjoy this as much as our seven-year-old did, so keep that in mind, if you plan on visiting with children older than than the age of I’m going to say 10. Many of the exhibits are geared towards children five and under which was a little disappointing. Overall, we had a lovely time and would definitely return. Should we be given the opportunity.

One of the best museums you can ever visit. Definitely a must go if you’re in Rochester. Lots to see and do. Suitable for all ages. Be prepared to spend the entire day here or at least 4 hours. Staffs are very adult and children friendly. Many fun activities that you can do here as well as learning about the history of games and toys of all kinds. Ticket is fairly priced and they have seasonal member pass for the year.

Fabulous place for a day full of fun. My son is 13 and we visited for his 9 year old cousin's birthday party. We didn't think he'd have much to do, but he spent hours here. Something for everyone. Rochester is truly fortunate to have such a place locally. Family friendly. Restaurants on site.

WHAT AN EXPERIENCE! Could have easily spent days playing, reading, interacting, exploring. Amazing exhibits, beautiful curation, so much fun!First time visiting from out of state and apparently The Strong had just reopened with new exhibits in advance of July 4th. Parking garage was $5 for the day, and there's metered parking on the street. Nice variety of dining options in the food court that appeased all our picky eaters. Exhibits for boys and girls of pretty much all ages, adults included. Only critique, wished the gift shop had more (relatively limited t-shirt and toy options). Still, we spent hours there and wanted to spend hours more. Can't wait for an opportunity to go back.

Give yourself more than two hours to explore, especially if you have a kid with you. I know we missed a few exhibits near closing time because we spent so much time in other spots.I'd also like to add that when my four year old took off into another spot while our backs were turned, staff was super helpful in locating him quickly and without panicking. Literally, it was less than two minutes and they had helped us find him, and were super nice about it. We are already making plans to visit again next summer!My only complaint seems to be a temporary one. Due to construction along the outside of the building, the entrance was not clear to us so we had to walk the whole way around the building and then through the parking garage. We also hadn't been able to figure out how to drive into the parking garage so we parked on the street. Hopefully this will be resolved once they finish their updates.

Incredible museum of play for kids of all ages. We got the family year pass which has already paid for itself. We love coming here just as much as the kids. So much to see and do that it never gets boring. You definitely need at least two or three four hour visits to work through the entire museum and that’s at a clip. The new galleries and outdoor areas are amazing. We love in particular the new video game and avatar halls, where you could easily spent a day itself exploring.

I've never been here before and it was pretty cool. My 3 year old absolutely loved it, I had to drag her out of there when it was time to go since we live an hour and a half away. It was pretty cool to see some of the museum exhibits but I was disappointed to find out that my girlfriend and I were charged just the same to watch my daughter run around. $75 for a few hours of my daughter playing was a bit steep I feel. Adults should be charged less I think but that's just my opinion. All in all it was a fun experience and I'm certain my daughter will make me bring her again.

We went on a busy day during the holidays so it was a bit crazy but even so it was so much fun! My 4 year old grandson loved the Sesame Street set, the carousel, the train, and the space imagination play area .I wish we could have made it to the butterfly area. There's just so much to see. Looking forward to going back.

Nice place to spend a 'WHOLE DAY'. We didn't know that but it ended up being a long nice trip. We didn't end up visiting all the places inside, but a good one for the kids with some hands on learning for the little ones! Grocery Shopping, Butterfly zoo, rock climbing simulation and a slew of others things to do! Definitely a must do if you have young kids and please plan for a full day! :)

This is a MUST for anyone with kids of any age. There's so much to do! I recommend a full day to get the full experience of everything they have there. The food court prices weren't any more expensive than going anywhere else. It's a bummer that any games or other activities cost more money after already spending money to get in but it's still a reasonable cost for a great mini vacation.

We travel 2 hours here to have a fun day here, and it's completely worth it for the ticket price. My kiddos have so much fun; from my oldest wanting to play every video game imaginable to my youngest checking out Sesame Street, there's something for everyone. You'll find yourself playing games with the kiddos (which is my favorite part). They have extra activities you can pay for, like the ropes course, the butterfly garden, the carousel, and the rideable train, which are all very affordable. They have multiple food options, and the parking garage is attached to the museum, so it's easy access.

There is always cool new things to see/do at Strong. But the maintenance on things could be better. There’s always broken machines, or areas “temporarily closed.” I went with my family today, and my aunt’s main reason for wanting to go was that she wanted to see the new outdoor part that’s out front. The door to it said the entire thing was “closed temporarily”, and it didn’t say why. It’s brand new and apparently cost a fortune, what could be so wrong with it already? The weather was totally fine, so it wasn’t weather related. The train ride was also broken down…The prices at the gift shop are ridiculous too. Museum gift shops are usually pricey, but not like this. I always buy a magnet for a souvenir when I go to museums, or anywhere really. But here their most simple, little magnet is $13! Not worth it.

This place is an incredible experience for kids and adults, alike. Go in preparing to play WITH the kids. Don’t just watch them do it. It will increase the experience for you ten fold. Puzzles, science labs, video games you can play, toys on display and toys you can touch, history, factoids, interactive displays, miniature Wegmann’s Supermarket, Sesame Street, climbing apparatus, butterfly gardens, and even a diner inside the museum! You really can’t go wrong.

The Strong Museum of Play is a wonderful menagerie of interactive exhibits and beautiful educational exhibits and activities. Many activities and exhibits revolve around businesses and places in the surrounding community, so children can interact in those locations the way kids do..such as a kids Wegmans grocery store where kids can experience every role of people in a grocery store. The carousel and train rides are really fun. There are many options for eating snacks or food. Bring extra money if you want to experience the Butterfly Garden. A membership is the most economical way to enjoy repeated trips to the Strong Museum. This is a wonderland that children.and families need to experience.

The Museum of Play is housed in a playfully designed, colorful building. It seems to be targeted towards 4-6 year olds with its many interactive exhibits. There are also displays that will interest adults and older children focusing on tabletop and digital games. I would have had a blast if I had a child with me but the experience was great even without one.

What an amazing museum! There is something for every age there. I loved the toy history...it brought back many memories. There is a carousel, train, arcade area, superheroes, hands on play areas, zip line, butterfly garden and food court. Very kid friendly and a place to spend the whole day!

Great place to take the kids. We could honestly be there from opening to close with no dull moments. The climbing and zipline area are terrific. Many different areas to climb, hide, explore and play. Craft section, theater, arcade games, outside area and of course the butterflies.

We visited the museum on a weekday, and the number of people there was very manageable as a result. Although some areas did get busy and chaotic, I'm sure it's much worse on weekends, summer holidays, and the like.There was a ton to see and do for all ages, with a lot of interactive exhibits and informative displays. We've been to other children's museums in other cities, and this is probably the biggest. We spent the full day there with kids ranging from 2 to 11 years old, and if there was more time, I'm sure they could've stayed longer. Rides like the train and carousel are extra (but only $1 per person), as are the butterfly exhibit and the rope course.For the most part, the different areas were organized and kept in order, despite showing some signs of age and wear and tear. They also have plenty of seating for people to take a rest, as well as a restaurant, cafe, and food court on site. Re-entry within the same day is possible I'd you get a stamp, and paid lockers ($5 for a jumbo one and $4 for a large one) are available roo. Parking was housed in the multilevel parking structure outside and costs $5 for non-member museum guests.Overall, definitely worth a stop if you're in Rochester with kids or if you're a fan of toys, books/comics, and games (board games, video games, pinball machines, etc.).

A must for anyone who is into arcade games, but there is much more to this museum. Fair disclosure is that the experience is directed at children. My visit was on a weekday, so free street parking was possible. Other discosure: This is more than 1 day to see it all. The membership may be better for most who wish to get the whole experience.

Worth the drive from Toronto!We visited Strong Museum for two days during Canadian March Break. I was skeptical at first but a few friends from Toronto had spoken highly of the museum so decided to make the 3-3.5hr drive down to visit.My two kids ages 6 and 7 had a blast. Especially on the first day when it was less busy and every nook and cranny was exciting to explore.Overall I was impressed by the museum and the sheer scope of what's in there, the attention to detail and the never ending things for kids to do. This is like a major city science center, arcade, indoor playground and toy museum in one! The admission price is more than fair.Highlights:- Wegmans Mini Supermarket (with operating scanner and printout receipts)- Adventure Land with a pirate ship, giant puppet, and a detective room with secret doors- Vintage Arcade (Ninja Turtles, X-Men, Mario Kart, Donkey Kong, and many more)- Outdoor play area with giant Jenga blocks, Monopoly dog and Scrabble pieces- Level Up interactive exhibit where you collect points at different gaming stations. Well done!- Vintage toys and games were very nostalgic and a nice memory to share with the kidsOther comments:- Food court was well run, decently priced and very clean and modern- The second day we went (Fri) was noticeably more busy and was too packed for our liking. Would definitely recommend going early/mid week if possible- there are mini libraries throughout the museum which is a really nice touch- the butterfly garden was nice but not sure if I would re-do that. It's small and not great if your kid has a short attention span- we stayed across the street at the Hampton Inn. Very convenient since we didn't need to drive/park again and we could easily go back to the hotel midday if needed- we debated getting an annual pass but just got a two day pass instead. This might be fun to do once a year (coming from Toronto).

A must visit spot in Rochester. Perfect for both kids and adults. Historical exhibits on toy and game history plus many interactive play areas. Pinball gallery and many arcade games throughout the museum. Machines require tokens to play. Some video games exhibits with free to play games. One could easily spend many hours exploring.

This place is amazing! There is so much for kids to do and experience. We went on a Friday evening, they have half price tickets on Fridays from 4-8pm. You can’t beat paying $11.50 a ticket for that entire museum! Fantastic place!