Peace Plaza is the civic living room of downtown Rochester. This pedestrian plaza at 111 South Broadway sits beside the Mayo Clinic campus and is surrounded by boutiques, restaurants, hotels and cultural venues. The historic Chateau Theatre, built in 1927, lights the plaza with its marquee, and a few blocks away the Rochester Art Center, open since 1946 and in its riverside home since 2004, shows contemporary work and features the Circumcenter sculpture out front. Downtown is unusual because it is linked by skyways and an underground subway level, with shopping at the Galleria at University Square and the Grand Shops of Kahler and Marriott, where more than 65 shops and galleries sit under cover. Local specialties include Carroll’s Corn, which pops Triple Mix gourmet popcorn fresh daily. In summer, weekly Thursday events bring food, crafts and music, and in February the Social-ICE winter event fills the plaza with ice bars, DJs and fire pits. For visitors it is both a practical hub and a destination in its own right.
Planning
Most downtown hotels are within a few blocks, so you can walk from your room to the plaza, the art center and restaurants. Use the skyways and subway level to avoid winter cold and summer heat. Check event calendars for summer Thursday gatherings, Rochesterfest in June and the winter Social-ICE event, and expect street closures and crowds on those dates. Most shops keep regular business hours, with shorter hours on Sundays. Parking ramps are plentiful but can fill during events.
What to expect
A lively mix of patients, families, office workers and tourists, with public art throughout the area, including sculptures, murals and painted geese along the ARTWalk. The plaza hosts concerts, markets and holiday displays, and the Chateau Theatre shows live performances and screenings. The art center offers rotating exhibitions that are free or low cost. Cafes and breweries line the nearby streets, from coffee shops to rooftop patios and speakeasy-style bars.
Making the most of it
Start at Peace Plaza, then walk to the Rochester Art Center and along the Zumbro River. Add the Plummer Building and its carillon, a coffee at a Kahler Grand cafe and an evening at a taproom or theater. For a small-town twist, ask locals about favorite diners and the history of the skyway system. If you travel with a patient, the covered links are a gift in bad weather.
Good to know
Downtown Rochester has more than 6,000 hotel rooms across dozens of properties, so it is used to visitors who arrive without a car. Locals use the skyway system as a year-round shortcut, and visitors often discover it by accident. Take time to read the public art plaques, which mention artists and themes. Restaurants range from quick lunch counters to full dining rooms, and many offer takeout for patients with dietary needs.
Weekday mornings are busiest near the clinic buildings, while evenings and weekends bring more leisure visitors. Evening is a good time to see the marquee lights and the plaza at its liveliest, and early morning is calm and good for photographs of the Mayo towers and public art.
What to expect
The experience
A self-guided walk through downtown Rochester’s plaza, theater, art center and covered skyway and subway network.
Best time
Summer Thursdays for events, winter for covered walkways and Social-ICE.
How long
Two to four hours.
Tips
Use skyways in bad weather and check event dates for closures.
Quick picks
- Best for
- First-time visitors and patients who want an easy, walkable hub.
- Families
- Open plaza space and indoor malls work for kids.
- Couples
- Evenings with dinner, theater and taprooms.
- Pair with
- The Plummer Building, Rochester Art Center and a trolley tour.
- Time needed
- Half a day.
Good questions
What is Peace Plaza?+
It is the pedestrian plaza at 111 South Broadway, beside the Mayo Clinic campus, used for events and as a downtown meeting place.
How old is the Chateau Theatre?+
The Chateau Theatre was built in 1927.
Are there covered walkways?+
Yes. Skyways and underground walkways connect shops, hotels and the Mayo campus.
What events happen downtown?+
Summer Thursday events, Rochesterfest in June and the Social-ICE winter event in February, among others.
What is the Rochester Art Center?+
It is a contemporary art center on the Zumbro River, open since 1946 and in its current home since 2004.