[itinerary | lodging] Back in the ’90s, it was trendy for family‑oriented businesses to dive into the “soft play” craze, producing now‑defunct franchises like Smartplay USA and Discovery Zone. Massive systems of climbable tubes, ball pits, and plastic mazes echoed with hyper kids fueled by pizza and Mountain Dew, while the ambient jingles of The Simpsons arcade game looped endlessly in the background. Back then, play was loud, chaotic, and tucked into strip malls across from a T.G.I. Friday’s.

Fast‑forward to today, and Rochester has reimagined that same spirit of play into something more lasting and elevated. In the city’s Neighborhood of Play, kitty-corner from Martin Luther King Jr. Park, you’ll find Nerdvana, a gaming‑themed restaurant where multiplayer battles unfold over craft cocktails and scratch‑made entrées. Just steps away, The Strong National Museum of Play is a sprawling celebration of toys, games, and imagination. Together, they prove that the joy of play didn’t disappear with the ball pits — it grew up, evolved, and found a permanent home in Rochester.

Toddler Stuck Inside this Winter?

Just outside Rochester on Conesus Lake, you anticipate a long winter ahead with a toddler companion stuck inside. It’ll be up to you to entertain her. Are you the type of parent to plop her in front of another ho-hum CGI movie all weekend? Or will you be a real superhero and show your daughter how to discover her world?

You decide to be pro-active and seek out the Smartplay USA of her generation, or hopefully something more meaningful. In your day, these indoor playgrounds lacked something critical to a child’s development: the ability to play with their parents. No one in their early 40s should be jumping in ball pits. Today’s adventure is an opportunity to play with your little one not only through safe, large-scale play, but through an introduction to another one of your childhood forms of play: video games.

Nerdvana

You start your day with the travel companions at Nerdvana, Rochester’s stylish gaming‑themed restaurant and bar, where play and flavor collide. With a variety of consoles at the tables, guests can dive into retro classics or modern multiplayer games while savoring scratch‑made dishes. The menu balances comfort and creativity — think braised short ribs, stroganoff, and indulgent desserts like banana pudding. Game-inspired cocktails and locally roasted coffee round out the experience, making Nerdvana a perfect stop for families, gamers, and foodies alike. Best of all, it’s located right across from The Strong Museum, so you can fuel up before or after your adventure.

^{Nerdvana in downtown Rochester, NY}

The friendly host welcomes you on your first visit, suggesting the Nintendo Switch console booth. He offers a space to stow the stroller for your meal, while providing a booster seat. Equally accommodating, the server arrives promptly to set up controllers and to pull up an additional chair in case little travel companion prefers a change of venue. Your memories flash back to her first time dining out in a fancy restaurant, and how proud she made you. Given Nerdvana’s focus on entertaining not only children but also their parents, you relish the opportunity to order your favorite trademark cocktail, an Old Fashioned, while getting acquainted with the in-booth console.

^{Modern, clean, and upbeat: Nerdvana’s gaming-dining booths + Borderlands’ Tiny Tina guards the controllers}

Craft Cocktails

The Olde Skuul Old Fashioned arrives shortly and is a pure joystick of nostalgia in a glass — bourbon and bitters balanced with the kind of precision you’d expect from a high‑score run. Pictured alongside the Switch controller, it’s a wink to the days when tokens clinked in pockets and screens glowed in dark arcades. The pairing isn’t about playtime for kids, but about grown‑ups reclaiming the joy of gaming culture, savoring a cocktail that feels as classic as Pac‑Man and as current as Mario Kart. And speaking of, the warm buzz of the bourbon in your belly inspires you to fire up a round of the classic racing game.

^{Nerdvana’s “Olde Skuul” take on an Old Fashioned}

First Course

In between courses of Mario Kart 8, in which Princess Peach tries desperately to maintain her dignity from 12th place, the first courses arrive: little travel companion’s “I Can Haz Grilled Cheese” sandwich with fries, plus travel companion’s banana pudding. Because when you’re diving head-first into the Neighborhood of Play, it only makes sense to have dessert first. Little companion munches on a crispy battered French fry, while travel companion delights in the caramelized banana slices and creamy banana custard. Golden bread and melted cheese promise simple satisfaction, while the pudding’s layers of vanilla wafers and ripe banana bring a sweet finish. The dishes capture the essence of childhood indulgence — savory and sweet, familiar yet special — the kind of spread that makes a family outing feel both cozy and celebratory.

^{Nerdvana’s “I Can Haz Grilled Cheese” for kids + Banana Pudding}

There certainly is much to celebrate these days. Little companion continues to develop healthily, babbling nonstop with a real word thrown in here and there. She’s been happy and productive at her new daycare. And she actually sleeps at night. Meanwhile, your travel companion’s bakery business continues to thrive just three months after launching — with multiple orders of her special baklava placed in time for Thanksgiving.

And you? You grew a mustache, started wearing glasses, and earned a promotion at work. You’ve truly grown into your final Dad form — like the Big Boss of an adventure game rising from the ashes of initial defeat. But aren’t you the hero of this story? Maybe a better analogy is becoming adult Link in Ocarina of Time: taller, stronger, with fine-tuned features and the expression of a seasoned warrior overcoming countless struggles to rescue his princess. You certainly deserve that Olde Skuul cocktail and a larger-than-life hamburger.

Main Course

Right on cue, the burger comes stacked taller than Donkey Kong’s tower, a reliable bite of beef, cheese, and crisp toppings that gives the sandwiches in Burger Time a run for their money. Next to it, travel companion’s fried chicken sandwich brings a different energy — crunchy breading, a touch of spice, and a bold personality that stands out on its own. Side-by-side they don’t need comparison so much as appreciation: two entrées with distinct voices, sharing the same stage and inviting you to enjoy whichever mood you’re in. Juicy burgers and crisp fries? These are the power-ups you need to face a day at the Museum of Play.

^{Nerdvana’s Build-Your-Own-Burger Kit with Prime Beef + Fried Chicken}

Millennial Ambience

As the plates clear and the juxtaposition of 2010’s indie rock and Mario Kart sound effects reaches its peak, the meal transforms into more than food — it becomes part of the continuum of play so deeply engrained in Millennial DNA. Where once you raced through ball pits and arcade mazes, now you’re steering digital karts with the same sense of joy, only this time with your daughter helping (as best she can) with the controls. Nerdvana isn’t just a stop for burgers and cocktails; it’s a stage where nostalgia and modern gaming collide, reminding you that being a superhero parent means carrying forward the spirit of play into every setting, whether it’s a museum exhibit or a family table lit by pixelated tracks.

^{Princess Peach failed to place in the Mushroom Cup}

Indeed, Nerdvana and the Museum of Play are more than neighbors — they’re complementary experiences. After enjoying lunch and games at Nerdvana, it’s time to stroll into The Strong for an afternoon of playful discovery. Together, they showcase Rochester’s Neighborhood of Play, a destination for fun, food, and family connections.

Strong National Museum of Play

Nestled in the heart of Rochester, The Strong National Museum of Play isn’t just a museum— it’s a one-of-a-kind wonderland where history and imagination collide, celebrating play in all its forms. With its zany, colorful facade lording over Riedman Plaza from across the street, you confidently roll the stroller up to the accessible front entrance. From what you know of the museum, you expect a combination of a Smartplay USA and the Andy Warhol Museum, with a hint of Chuck E. Cheese thrown in for good measure. Whether you’re a curious scholar, a nostalgic parent, or a rambunctious tyke, the Strong invites you to rediscover the magic of play and the stories it tells about us all.

^{The entrance to the Museum of Play is conveniently located across the street}

Crossing the threshold into The Strong Museum of Play feels like stepping into a living collage. The atrium’s soaring glass walls flood the space with light, bouncing off vibrant displays that seem to invite you deeper. In one shot, you can see the carousel gleaming like a beacon of nostalgia, while another frames the arcade glow that instantly transports you back to the ’90s. The little companion’s wide-eyed wonder is there too, clutching her tiny hands against the oversized exhibits, as if the museum itself had been built to her scale.

For you, the echoes of Discovery Zone tunnels and retro playground chains come rushing back, now reframed through family: your travel companion dancing to disco in a funky motion-trail silhouette mapping room; your daughter finding a stuffed peacock and immediately showing it to everyone in the room; and you defeating Doctor Eggman in Sonic the Hedgehog on a massive screen. The Strong feels like a storybook where every page is alive; or like a movie where every frame is a vignette waiting for your grand entrance.

^{The world through rose, yellow, and blue-tinted glasses: Strong Museum of Play in Rochester, NY}

I Am Your Father

You’ve always considered video media to be a form of play, too. Whether it’s fist-bumping Halo‘s Master Chief or searching your feelings with Star Wars‘ Darth Vader, the Strong hands you the keys to your childhood idols — and introduces them to a whole new generation. Even if the little one buries her head in fear at the sight of the galaxy’s supreme Sith lord, your quixotic confidence is on display for all to see. You swear you detect other dads grinning and nodding with affirmation. Even after becoming one, it appears you’ll never stop seeking validation from father figures.

^{Little companion is not as excited for Master Chief and Darth Vader as Dad}

Walking past the towering displays, you realize these aren’t just static tributes, but invitations. The Strong lets you step into the universes that once flickered across your TV screen, now brought to life before your very eyes. One gallery might showcase the evolution of video game consoles, where clunky cartridges pique your daughter’s curiosity about ancient artifacts from the late 1900s. Another corner highlights iconic characters, from pixelated heroes to cinematic legends, reminding you that play has always been about storytelling as much as mechanics. It’s here that play becomes generational — a bridge between the adventures you grew up with and the ones she’s just beginning to discover.

Can You Tell Me How to Get to Sesame Street?

^{Sesame Street royalty looking down on the plebians}

Given your toddler’s initial timidness, you look to a more palatable playmate for a little girl. By a stroke of luck, Princess Leia and Rey happen to be visiting Sesame Street with BB8 in tow. Compared to R2-D2, this little droid matches the little one’s stuffed animals at home, and Leia and Rey know to kneel down to her level. Leia’s warm smile and Rey’s gentle encouragement make the moment feel safe, like these heroes have always been waiting to meet her. Timidness gives way to wonder — the little one’s not just watching Star Wars anymore, she’s part of it. And in that instant, you realize The Strong isn’t only about revisiting your own childhood memories; it’s about creating new ones for her, where play is shared across generations and galaxies alike.

^{Rey who?}

No trip down Sesame Street would be complete without meeting any of its citizens, human and Muppet-alike. Big Bird waves from within a brownstone, while Bert and Ernie oversee festivities from their balcony. One interactive room encourages your travel companions to sing along with their favorite characters — live on camera. Your daughter seems to enjoy pressing the character selection buttons more than the singalong itself. She’s going to be a TV producer one day, you just know it.

^{The travel companions behind the scenes at Sesame Street}

Wegmans Super Kids Market

Just beyond Sesame Street’s familiar stoop, the museum invites kids to step into everyday adventures made magical. One corner lets little mechanics pop the hood on a pint‑sized car, twisting tools and diagnosing the engine like seasoned pros. A few steps away, the makeshift Wegman’s store buzzes with activity as children push miniature carts, scan barcodes, and stock shelves with plastic produce — learning the rhythms of grocery shopping through play. It’s a whimsical blend of imagination and real‑world practice, where Sesame Street’s lessons about community and cooperation spill seamlessly into hands‑on experiences that make kids feel capable, curious, and right at home.

^{This is a dad who knows how to jump a battery}

And as your little companion eagerly helps you load the cart, you can’t help but laugh at yourself for taking all your past grocery trips for granted. It is in those moments — those seemingly mundane, day-to-day chores you’ve done millions of times — that your daughter makes meaning for herself. She learns how people spend their time, where all the things she likes come from, how Mom and Dad structure and organize her household. She finally gets to grab all the precious treasures you and travel companion toss into the cart like it’s no big deal. It’s no surprise she fills the cart up to its maximum capacity — a fun clean-up exercise you get to do after “checking out.” Not all heroes wear capes, but some wear supermarket aprons.

^{Learning hard life lessons about inflation at Wegman’s}

Reading Adventureland

From the bustle of the Wegman’s play store, you wander into a calmer corner where story time is unfolding. The little one’s squeal of delight peals through the crowd as she spots the massive pink-and-purple dragon perched nearby — a fantastical guardian of books and imagination. She pauses just below the beast, staring upward in wonder, as if she’s just met a friend pulled straight from one of her picture books. The Strong knows that play isn’t only about running around and building; it’s about listening, imagining, and letting stories take flight.

The Reading Adventureland exhibit itself feels like a cocoon, lined with cozy seating and whimsical décor that invites families to sit and pause for a moment. Here, the museum shifts gears from hands‑on mechanics and cash registers to the magic of narrative, reminding you that play can be as simple as turning a page together. Watching your daughter lean into the moment, captivated by the dragon’s presence, you realize how tactfully The Strong blends fantasy with learning, inspiring children to believe in worlds beyond their own.

^{Daenerys Stormborn Targaryen, ruler of dragons and rightful heir to the Iron Throne}

Second Floor History of Toys

With the word “museum” contained in it, however, there is more to The Strong than walk-around characters and quirky play structures. The history of toys exhibit showcases the evolution of popular dolls, action figures, building blocks, and games over the course of the nation’s history. You manage to identify favorites not only from your childhood, but from your parents’ and grandparents’ eras as well. You’ve reached an age where the museum features modern toys and games based on characters you’d never heard of, if not for the Internet. From Cabbage Patch Kids to Minecraft’s pixelated chicken jockeys, the history of toys is a history of modern humanity itself — and a demonstrated proof of the importance of play in our everyday lives.

^{Counter-clockwise from top-right: Mr. Potato-Head; Baby Pebbles from Flintstones; E.T. with bonus cameo by Jem; My Buddy, who achieved “some success” at convincing boys to play with dolls}

Down With the Textbooks, and Up With the Comics

With so much to explore, and the little one starting to drop her head onto your shoulder, you table parts of the museum for another day. Your final stop carries you from fairy tales into comic book legend. The superhero wing bursts with color and energy, displaying life-like figures and cutouts of DC and Marvel icons on its walls. Batman’s cape stretches across one display, while Spider‑Man crouches mid‑swing above another. Here your childhood heroes and villains tower overhead, intimidating enough to demonstrate their powers, yet approachable enough for kids to imagine themselves standing shoulder‑to‑shoulder with them.

^{What’s wrong, Batman? Can’t make heads or tails of the Joker’s latest bon mot?}

For you, it is nostalgia for Saturday morning cartoons and well‑worn comic books; for the little travel companion, it is pure awe at seeing heroes she’s only glimpsed on screens suddenly surrounding her. The Strong’s superhero wing reminds you that play is about empowerment too — about imagining yourself brave enough to stand up to your biggest fears.

Though she falls asleep on the way home, your daughter’s gleeful laughs and joyful shouts echo in your ears. You can’t help but feel that The Strong has given you more than exhibits; it has handed you a shared story, one where dragons and superheroes coexist, and where family memories become the real superpower. A story where you become Superman and your travel companion becomes Wonder Woman, with the little companion forever playing the most important part: the tiny human who believes you both will always be there to save the day.

^{Kal-El, NO!}

The Perfect Winter Play Day

Whether you’re a parent planning a toddler‑friendly outing, a gamer chasing nostalgia, or a traveler seeking authentic local flavor, Nerdvana and The Strong National Museum of Play deliver a one‑two punch of joy. Rochester proves that play isn’t just for kids — it’s a lifestyle worth savoring.

Ready to explore? Click below for lodging options around the Finger Lakes.