Travel Information
About Rochester, MN
Official Visitor Guides
Destination Rochester, MN
Rochester travel planner journal for 2007. View this guide online.
Experience Rochester, MN
A complete guide to dining, shopping, arts & culture, recreation and heritage in Rochester. View this guide online
About Rochester
The Best Small City in America
Money Magazine recently said it best, "One thing to remember about Rochester is that it has the sophistication of a larger metro area, but not the congestion or the complications." Named "Best Small City" in America by the nationally recognized magazine, Rochester merges a cosmopolitan atmosphere with Midwestern hospitality, giving convention attendees a most memorable experience.
Check out the many links to find out all there is to know about our host city for the 2009 Odyssey!
About Rochester
Downtown Parking
Getting to Rochester
Rochester Art Center: Closed on Monday and Tuesday of the Odyssey, but they are open on Wednesday, August 19 from 10 am – 5 pm. Admission for Odyssey attendees is $4. Three exhibits will be featured:
Carol Funk from Canada- Portraitures
Joshua Mosley- Philadelphia- Animated Films
Local Rochester High School Art
City Facts
Population
Rochester: 93,037
Olmsted County: 132,013
Time Zone
Minnesota is in the Central Standard Time (CST -6:00 GMT) zone and central daylight time.
Climate and Average Weather
Below is a list of average high and low temperatures throughout the year in Rochester.
January: 20°/4°
February: 26°/11°
March: 39°/23°
April: 55°/35°
May: 68°/46°
June: 77°/56°
July: 80°/60°
August: 78°/58°
September: 69°/49°
October: 57°/37°
November: 39°/24°
December: 24°/10°
City, County & State Laws
Alcohol Laws
The drinking age in Minnesota is 21 years of age. Supermarkets and grocery stores sell 3.2 beer. Bars stop serving alcohol at 2:00 a.m. Monday-Saturday, and at midnight on Sundays.
Taxes
In Minnesota you can enjoy no sales tax on clothing, groceries, or medicine. The current state sales tax on other items is 6.5%, in addition to a local sales tax of .5% and lodging tax of 4%.
Smoking
Rochester, MN is located in Olmsted County. The Olmsted County Smoke-Free Restaurant Ordinance prohibits smoking in dining establishments that earn more than half their revenues from food sales. The ordinance excludes bars that have liquor sales exceeding food sales and private clubs that are open to serve only members, and restaurants that are closed to serve a private gathering.
The Mayo Civic Center
The 2009 Age and Disabilities Odyssey is at the Mayo Civic Center (MCC). The MCC is located at 30 Civic Center Drive SE, Rochester, Minnesota. For directions, or to reach the MCC, call 507-328-2220 (1-800-422-2199) or visit their Web site at www.mayociviccenter.com
City Parking
Free Parking and Parking Validation
Park FREE in city ramps on weekdays after 5:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m. and on weekends from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 a.m.
Many downtown businesses will validate your parking in the ramps while you are shopping. Ask for your validation stamp.
Handicapped Parking
All public ramps in Rochester have clearly marked designated handicapped parking spaces available. Metered street parking is available free of charge at any metered parking space when a handicap parking tag is clearly displayed.
Parking Lots and Parking Ramps
There are seven city operated parking lots throughout downtown Rochester. Depending on the lot, rates range from $.40/hour with a 90 minute limit, $1.25/day or $2.00/event. Several lots are controlled by large yellow or red pay boxes. Select an empty parking stall, park your car, observe the stall number, place your parking fee in the corresponding slot in the pay box. Please pay in advance at these boxes.
There are five public parking ramps. Rates are $1.00/hour or a maximum of $12.00/24 hours.
Parking Meters
Meters are enforced 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday-Friday except major holidays: New Year's, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Meters are not enforced after 5:00 p.m. on weekdays or on Saturdays or Sundays. Meters are colored coded to designate time: yellow-30 minutes; gray-90 minutes; blue-3 hours; green-10 hours.
