Charlotte, pronounced sha-lot, is the City of Rochester's connection to the lake and the river harbor. Ontario Beach Park is a city park that features a large beach with swimming (when conditions allow it), volleyball leagues, a boardwalk, a long pier, a vintage merry-go-round, picnic areas and weekly concerts during the summer. Sharing parking lots with the beach is the Ferry terminal on the Genesee River. Though the Terminal was built to service an ill-conceived Toronto to Rochester Fast Ferry, it now contains restaurants and events spaces with a beautiful view of the river harbor and the lake.
Charlotte is connected to the Summerville/Rock Beach waterfront neighborhood by the O'Rorke Bridge, a liftbridge completed just a few years ago. Below the bridge there is a walking trail that starts at the Charlotte Pier, continues south along the river past several marinas to a beautiful boardwalk above the river, through Turning Point Park and continues all the way to downtown Rochester. For almost its entire length the trail winds through the beautiful Genesee river gorge with its wooded steep cliffs and spectacular waterfalls. There are numerous fishing access sites.

View On Map