Resident Life

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Life in Rochester

Consistently recognized as one of the best cities to live in the U.S. Residents love the small town safety and conveniences paired with the big-city entertainment and array of diverse restaurants, entertainment venues, recreation spots, and activities for both families and young professionals.

Here, commutes are measured in minutes instead of hours and it's almost unheard of to sit at a traffic signal beyond one cycle. Diversity is celebrated, people are friendly and welcoming, and the cost of living is relatively low. With live concerts, craft breweries, and over 3, 500 acres of parks and trails, it's never hard to find something to do. Learn more about our community and what residents love about living here.

Recreation

Around town

Thursdays Downtown: Rochester’s staple summertime event! A weekly street festival with live music performances and an artisan and food market held just outside of the Gonda Building.

Rochester Farmers Market: Held on Saturdays year-round, and also on Wednesdays during the summer months.

Down by the Riverside Concerts: Summertime free concerts are held every Sunday night at Mayo Park, along the Zumbro River.

Rochester Honkers Baseball: Rochester’s home baseball team and member of the Northwoods League. The Honkers play at Mayo Field, which features a party deck in left field with unlimited food and drinks - our favorite way to cheer on the team!

Social Ice: Social Ice is Rochester’s annual ice bar event held in February! Over 30,000 people gather outside in downtown Rochester for three days of themed ice bars, life-sized ice sculptures, nightly DJs, and more!

ROCA: The local climbing gym.

Outdoor options

Are you a fan of the great outdoors? Minnesota is the land of 10,000 lakes. Let us show you some of the greenery we have to offer.

Hike: Minnesota is home to 75 state parks, Voyageurs National Park, and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. With infinite trails to explore, waterfalls to chase, and sites to camp, there is no shortage of hiking activities here. Some of our favorite nearby parks are Whitewater State Park and Frontenac State Park.

Snowshoe and ski: Many trails in our state parks become snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling trails in the wintertime. The snow-covered trails are beautiful in the wintertime and allow us to be outdoors year-round. For downhill skiing, Welch Village is 30 minutes outside of Rochester and has day passes.

Paddle: Minnesota actually has 11,842 lakes that are 10 acres or larger. With this much blue, it’s no surprise that canoeing and kayaking are huge sports in Minnesota.

Cycle: Rochester has 85 miles of bike trails. In addition, the Root River trail and Douglas trail nearby are well-maintained state trails that are great for weekend rides. We have trails for mountain bikers, too!

Dog parks: Do you have a pup? We love our furry friends, and there are plenty of off-leash dog parks in and around Rochester for our dogs to roam free. Some of our favorite parks in town in Rochester are River Road Dog Park and Foster Arend Park, where your pup can swim freely.

Program activities

The program has a variety of fun social events scattered throughout the year such as resident wellness activities (Escape Room, Top Golf, group lunches and dinners, to name a few). The department’s Social and Wellness Committee also host many events during the year, including scavenger hunts, fitness challenges, and an annual Community Giving Campaign with a silent auction and raffle, among others.

An outdoorsman at heart, I love getting out and exploring the local parks and trails with my dog. Rochester is situated in a valley between verdant prairie and river valley. There is an abundance of greenspace.

Zachary Stottler, Ph.D.
Physics resident

During the warmer months, I love spending time hiking in the serene and picturesque Whitewater State Park, immersing myself in its natural beauty. I find joy in taking leisurely walks with my kitties, enjoying the fresh air. Volunteering at the local animal shelter is another highlight, where I get to help and walk dogs. As winter arrives, I enjoy cross-country skiing, an exhilarating way to stay active and appreciate the winter wonderland that Rochester transforms into.

Xueyan Tang, Ph.D.
Physics resident

I’ve only lived in Rochester for a couple of months, but I feel that the city is filled with life. There’s plenty of outdoor parks and facilities for activities throughout the city, and it’s only an hour away from urban life in the Twin Cities.

Daiki Hara, Ph.D.
Physics resident