Medina, New York is a charming town brimming with history and natural beauty. Nestled in the heart of Western, NY right between Buffalo and Rochester, Medina is often overlooked by travelers. But trust me when I say, it’s an absolute gem that deserves to be properly explored.
With its rich history dating back to the early 19th century, Medina has a captivating past that’s evident in its well-preserved architecture and local landmarks. Its charm and quaintness are undeniable and whether you’re a history buff, an outdoor enthusiast, or just looking for a fun trip idea, Medina, New York is the perfect place for a getaway. It truly has a little something for everyone!
As a Western New York native, I love discovering all that the area has to offer and Medina is one of those places I’ve taken for granted. Until recently, I had never visited and I have definitely been missing out all of these years. I love what I experienced and I can’t wait to share it with you! In this post, I will outline exactly how to make the most out of our time if you’re planning to spend it in Medina, New York.
Getting to Medina, New York
As I mentioned, Medina is situated right between Buffalo and Rochester. Its ideal location makes for an easy, convenient overnight getaway regardless of where you live in Western or Central, New York. Below, I will list some places with a close enough radius to Medina, New York, making for an ideal trip idea:
- Buffalo– 48 miles, 1 hour drive
- Rochester– 43 miles, 58 min drive
- Canandaigua– 71 miles, 1.5 hr drive
- Syracuse– 130 miles, 2.25 hr drive
- Ithaca– 132 miles, 2.5 hr drive
Where to Stay in Medina, New York
Bent’s Opera House is a stunning boutique hotel with charm, character, and a fascinating history. It’s also what drew me to visit Medina in the first place. Bent’s is perfectly located on Main Street with pretty much everything we wanted to do within walking distance. The staff is extremely helpful and friendly and there’s also an impeccable restaurant, Harvest, located right in the hotel.
Built in 1865 and originally used as a performance venue, Bent’s Opera House hosted the celebrities of its day, including actors, musicians, singers, and more. Interestingly, the venue never held any actual opera performances. But many famous, popular names walked through its doors over the decades.
Today, Bent’s has been fully restored into a gorgeous boutique hotel with the most stunning space perfect for weddings and special celebrations. Each room is themed and unique. It’s very evident the time, detail, and heart that went into creating such a special hotel. When visiting Medina, I wouldn’t consider staying anywhere else besides Bent’s Opera House!
If you’re interested in booking your stay at Bent’s, click here.
How to Spend Your Time in Medina, New York
Okay, let’s get into it! Here I will outline exactly how to make the most of your time in charming Medina, New York.
For other New York State itineraries, save one of these for later:
- How to Spend a Day in Lewiston, New York
- The Ultimate 2-Day Saratoga Springs Itinerary for First-Time Visitors
- A Perfect Day Trip to Corning, New York
Stop 1: Have Breakfast at The Coffee Pot
Upon arriving in Medina, head for Main & Center Street. This is the heart of the town and where all of the action is happening. Parking is easy to find, specifically near Bent’s Opera House. We chose to park around there and then walked to The Coffee Pot, which was right around the corner.
The Coffee Pot is an adorable, homey cafe. You can tell this is the kind of place that draws in a lot of regulars as well as visitors. They have tons of different coffee drinks, fresh pastries, and bread. If you make it in before 11 am, they offer delicious breakfast sandwiches, which they make on their own homemade bagels. I had a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich on an everything bagel and it really hit the spot!
Stop 2: Go to the Medina Visitor Center
From there, walk to the Medina Visitor Center. It’s located right on the corner, you can’t miss it! The gentleman who runs it is super knowledgeable, helpful, and willing to give lots of insight about the history of Medina, New York as well as fun things to do while you’re there. We really enjoyed chatting with him and before we headed off, we grabbed a couple of pamphlets and signed the visitor center book!
Stop 3: Shop along Center St.
After leaving the Medina Visitor Center, take some time to walk along Center Street. As I mentioned earlier, this is the heart of Medina, New York. You’ll find cute restaurants, local businesses, and plenty of adorable shops. We stumbled into quite a few and there seemed to be a little something for everyone. Here are a few that I’d recommend going into:
- The English Rose Tea Shoppe– this adorable shop will lure you in. The English Rose Tea Shoppe is a tea lover’s dream, with a large variety of loose-leaf teas, tea bags, and stunning pots and tea sets. Among the many unique items, this is a great place to go if you’re looking for special gift ideas
- Ellen J Goods– I could have walked around this shop all day! Filled with home decor and incredible vintage finds, Elle J Goods has a little bit of it all. I personally loved their candle selection. In the back of the shop, there are tons of paint and art supplies.
- The Downtown Browsery– this shop is so unique and is an absolute must-visit when in Medina, New York! What makes this place so special is that it’s a retail cooperative with numerous vendors. A different vendor runs each little section of the store and you can find a bit of everything. From antiques to vintage items, artisan reactions, collectibles, jewelry, and even homemade pies. The Downtown Browsery is filled with treasures!
Stop 4: Explore the Medina Railroad Museum
After shopping, head to the Medina Railroad Museum. This museum feels a bit like stepping back in time. It’s filled with tons of interesting history, and cool railroad-related artifacts and memorabilia. There’s also a gigantic scale model train layout, which is one of the most fascinating things I’ve ever seen. We spent the majority of our time walking around the 204 ft by 14 ft model just taking in all of the intricate, little details. This alone is worth visiting the Medina Railroad Museum for!
Stop 5: Visit Medina Falls
Next, it’s time to spend a little time outdoors! Head to Medina Falls, which is just a quick drive from Main Street. On the other side of Horan Road Bridge, there’s a small gravel lot where you can park and walk the path to view the falls. Medina Falls is a little hidden gem where Oak Orchard Creek plunges over a 40-foot drop, creating this stunning waterfall that flows beneath the Erie Canal. The sight of a canal bridge spanning the falls is a testament to the ingenuity of early American engineers. The walk along the towpath is lovely, with Medina Falls surrounded by lush greenery on one side, and the Erie Canal on the other. You will also have beautiful views of the town from here.
If you’d like to get even closer to the falls, there are ways to do it with a little research. We did notice a few kayakers making their way to the base of the falls, but as we did not do it personally, I’m not entirely sure about the details.
Stop 6: Have Drinks at The Shirt Factory
From there, take some time to get ready for the evening and kick off your night at The Shirt Factory. Back in the early 1900’s the building was used as an actual shirt factory, run by Robert H. Newell, who created a very successful name for himself.
Today, business inside of the Shirt Factory looks a bit different. It’s now a fantastic bar/cafe with an exceptional cocktail program and a perfect menu for an appetizer or bite to eat. The vibe is fun and welcoming. The cocktails are very well thought out and delicious! We even got a charcuterie board to go along with our drinks, which was a perfect way to start the night. There’s also a cute little outdoor patio area where you can have your drinks outside if you prefer.
Stop 7: Enjoy Dinner at Harvest
From there, head right back across the street to Bent’s Opera House. Bent’s isn’t just a hotel. It’s also home to Harvest, an impeccable restaurant, which is located on the first floor of the hotel. Harvest focuses on seasonally sustainably sourced ingredients. Their dishes very much so reflect this and the menu changes up depending on what is currently in season. The thought and detail that goes into both their menu and dishes are evident and very impressive! What’s also impressive is their cocktail program- the drinks we had were so refreshing and delicious.
We also loved the atmosphere and ambiance that Harvest offers. It’s classy and chic, but we still felt so welcomed and well-taken care of by the staff. They offer a tasting menu option, which is what I personally went with. This included a five-course meal with a few small plates, an entree, and dessert. Everything was exceptional and not a single bite went uneaten.
We left feeling so full, but very satisfied. And the best part was being able to conveniently walk right upstairs to our room for the night!
Enjoy Your Time in Medina, New York
Medina, New York is such an underrated gem! It’s the perfect place for anyone looking for a little city escape or a fun night away to somewhere charming and welcoming. Medina has so much to offer and I hope this post has inspired you to experience it for yourself. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below, and as always, happy travels!
[…] How To Spend Your Time in Medina, New York […]