Food and drink: Rochester offers plenty of locally loved spots for casual meals and downtime. Favorites include neighborhood restaurants like The Crooked Pint for classic pub fare, Hot Chip for burgers, and Our Paladar for a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere. Downtown coffee shops such as Cafe Steam are popular for a morning pick-me-up, while places like Thai Pop and Forager Brewery add variety to the local dining and brewery scene. 

Hike: Minnesota is home to 75 state parks, Voyageurs National Park, and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. With infinite trails to explore, waterfalls to chase, and sites to camp, there is no shortage of hiking activities here. Some of our favorite nearby parks are Whitewater State Park and Frontenac State Park. 

Nearby, Quarry Hill Nature Center and Oxbow Park & Zoo provide ample hiking and walking trails, family-friendly activities, and sightseeing opportunities. Parks and paths such as Cascade Lake, Silver Lake, the Mayowood area, and the Douglas Trail are perfect for walking, biking, or running—often just minutes from home! 

Snowshoe and ski: Many trails in our state parks become snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling trails in the wintertime. The snow-covered trails are beautiful in the wintertime and allow us to be outdoors year-round! For downhill skiing, Welch Village is 30 minutes outside of Rochester and has day passes. Some of our staff have been known to organize night ski trips there.

Paddle: Minnesota's lakes cover nearly 3 million acres of surface area. With this much blue, it’s no surprise that canoeing and kayaking are huge activities in Minnesota! 

Cycle: Rochester has over 85 miles of paved, interconnected bike trails, a few of which lead directly to the downtown Mayo Clinic campus. In addition, the nearby Root River and Douglas trails are well-maintained state trails that are great for weekend rides. We have trails for mountain bikers, too!

Weekend adventures and nearby getaways: Rochester’s location makes spontaneous weekend trips simple. Whether heading north to enjoy lakes, kayaking, and fishing, or traveling to the Twin Cities for concerts, professional sports, theater, and dining, there’s no shortage of options for weekends and days off. 

Thursdays Downtown: Rochester’s staple summertime event! A weekly street festival with live music performances and an artisan and food market held just outside of the Gonda Building. Residents often gather during a clinic lunch break or after wrapping up cases in the OR.

Rochester Farmers Market: Held on Saturdays year-round, and also on Wednesdays during the summer months.

Down by the riverside concerts: Summertime free concerts are held every Sunday night at Mayo Park, along the Zumbro River.

Rochester Honkers baseball: Rochester’s home baseball team and member of the Northwoods League. The Honkers play at Mayo Field, which features a party deck in left field with unlimited food and drinks - our favorite way to cheer on the team!

Social ice: Social Ice is Rochester’s annual ice bar event held in February! Over 30,000 people gather outside in downtown Rochester for three days of themed ice bars, life-sized ice sculptures, nightly DJs, and more!

Movies in the park: Free outdoor movies under the string lights of Historic Central Park. All you need to bring is a blanket or lawn chair of your choice!

Family-friendly fun: Rochester offers a wide variety of activities that families can enjoy together throughout the year. From mini golf and bowling to escape rooms and interactive museums, there are plenty of options for all ages and interests. Seasonal favorites such as local orchards and watercraft rentals provide outdoor adventure during warmer months, while arcades and other indoor attractions offer year-round entertainment.

The program has a relatively full calendar of fun and funded social events in Rochester scattered throughout the year, such as sub-I and applicant interview dinners or bar nights, the departmental holiday party, a bowling tournament with the OR staff, the annual July 4th barbecue, and the annual Neurosurgery Charity Softball Tournament in NYC! 

“My favorite aspect of the culture of our residency program is how balanced and generally supportive it is. I feel our program is unique in how well it can integrate world-class neurosurgical training, including excellent autonomy and a high volume of cases, with an unparalleled quality of life that allows ample time to spend with family and pursue academic/research interests.”  - Michael Martini, MD (PGY-4) 

“Prior to moving to Rochester, I did not expect how genuinely kind and supportive the people are—from colleagues to neighbors, there’s a strong sense of community where people look out for one another, which makes living and training here feel especially welcoming.” - Lea Scherschinski, MD (PGY-1) 

“The operating room has to be the most special place at Mayo Clinic just because that is where you spend the biggest chunk of your time, and it is the experiences there which make you the surgeon who will go out into practice. It's where you get to know your attendings, and also where you get to bond with the surgical techs, anesthesia staff, and surgical assistants who make up the team and really let you provide the best patient care.” - Zachary Pennington, MD (PGY-5)