Perinton / Fairport

Overview

Fairport is located in the southeast section of Monroe County and situated within the town of Perinton. It’s best known for the strip along the Erie Canal, but the Village of Fairport is not defined only by this. Its rural atmosphere located minutes from downtown is also a draw for Rochestarians.

The village streets are lined with family-owned restaurants and a variety of retail shops. The summer months offer boaters a great stop while traveling the canal.

With its quaint feel and quiet atmosphere, Fairport offers a place to get away for people of all ages.

Guide compiled by Kevin Fuller (St. John Fisher College)

Eat & Drink

Fairport offers a local touch with every restaurant and bar. From coffee houses to small bars located near the canal you can find anything to fill you up and fill you in. Here are our top picks.

Fairport Village Inn

For the biggest fish fry in Rochester check out this casual eatery located just on the other side of the canal and railroad tracks. Fairport Village Inn offers burgers and plenty of seafood as well. They offer a full bar daily with plenty of parking.
103 N. Main St., Fairport; 585-388-0112

The Landing Bar and Grill

This great bar and restaurant offers reasonably priced food and live music almost every night of the week. The bands include local blues greats the Coupe De Villes as well as acoustic rock duos.
30 Main St., Fairport; 585-425-7490

Vanilla Swirl Cookie Co.

A very unique cookie shop offering cookies, scones, customized cakes and plenty more. They specialize in parties for kids and adults. They will teach you how to decorate a cookie and will also ship your gifts out of state. Everything is delicious and very affordable.
Village Landing Suite #104, Fairport; 585-223-1180

Higher Ground Cafe

Higher Ground Cafe (The Supreme Bean) is a Christian-owned and operated coffee shop located on Main Street in Fairport. It is an old donut shop renovated to serve roasted coffee, specialty espresso drinks, and a variety of pastries and baked goods.
71 N. Main St., Fairport; 585-377-1111

Shop & Spend

There’s lots of cute shops along the canal and throughout the village, but here are just a few of our favorites.

RV&E Bike and Skate

Looking to get into shape or become a weekend warrior? Check out this locally owned bike shop located on Main Street. They offer many different types and brands of bikes including Trek, which seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong rides. They also offer ice skates, rollerblades, cross country skis, snowshoes and accessories. They can even rent you equipment if you’re looking to get outside for the weekend.
40 N. Main St., Fairport; 585-388-1350

Casa Larga Vineyards

A very classy winery and gift shop located just outside the village, Casa Larga is the winner of the 2005 Governor’s Cup for “Best Wine in New York State” and offers wine tastings and sales seven days a week. They also offer an assortment of wines, gift baskets, accessories and personalized wine labels.
2287 Turk Hill Road, Fairport; 585-223-4210

Anything Goes Clothing Consignment

Looking for some cheap cloths? We understand college kids are usually on a budget, so we thought we would include a second-hand store. Maybe you’re into vintage or second-hand clothing? Anything Goes offers clothing consignment for the whole family. Looking for that old broken in T-shirt. Look no further.
136 Village Landing, Fairport; 585-223-3737

Do & See

Fairport Canal Days Festival

Each June, Fairport Canal Days attracts more than 400 vendors from all over the country and tens of thousands of visitors to one of Rochester’s many arts and crafts festival. Comparable to the Park Ave Festival and the Clothesline Festival, it offers many arts and crafts vendors as well as plenty of festival food. Live entertainment is also offered. The festival is one of the largest of its kind in the northeast. Proceeds from the festival benefit non-profit events and local charities.

Colonial Belle

The Colonial Belle is a canal tour boat offering daily scenic narrated tours on the historic Erie Canal between Fairport and Pittsford from mid-May through October. You can enjoy lunch and dinner or even a private charter. It is the largest tour boat that operates on the canal with a capacity of 149 passengers. It also includes a full-service bar. Ride on the fully enclosed bottom deck, or get some fresh air and enjoy the tranquil waters of the Erie Canal on its open-air top deck.
400 Packetts Landing, Fairport; 585-223-9470

Art & Soul Studio

Art & Soul is a funky studio shop offering creative art classes for school-age kids as well as adults. The classes include the latest trends in beading, jewelry making, knitting, collage and more. You can make your own gifts or purchase originals by artist and owner Joanne Sharpe.
135 Packetts Landing, Fairport; 585-223-4560

Live & Rent

Fairport is an ideal village for local college students looking for an alternative to the busy city life. It offers a quiet, small town feeling that is very conducive to studying.

One-bedroom apartments start at about $400. You can even rent a house for under $1,200. There are not a lot of apartment complexes in the village though. Many of the buildings that contain the businesses have apartments above them. Some of the old houses have even been converted into apartments.

History

Fairport is very historic. The very first use of the Fairport name was recorded in 1829 and the village was incorporated in 1867. It is referred to as the Crown Jewel of the Erie Canal. The village contains a very rustic business district within walking distance of some of the older Victorian-style neighborhoods in Monroe County.

From its earliest days, the presence of the canal helped mold this quaint village into a prospering town. With its quiet, tree-lined streets, specialty shopping you can refer to Fairport as a front-porch village.

In 2005, Fairport was even named one of Money magazine’s Top 100 Places to Live in the United States.