Driving from Boston to Rochester, NY with young children, Any suggestions of good places to stop and eat? Also any family friendly (indoor pool) hotels near the Strong Museum in Rochester?
Thanks in advance for your help!

You probably will want to visit a travel plaza on the NY Thruway. http://www.thruway.ny.gov/travelplazas/index.html
Getting off and back on would waste a lot of time.
Just about 400 miles in 6.5 hours Boston to Rochester.

If the young children are old enough to be baseball fans, you could leave the Thruway to go to Cooperstown for the Baseball Hall of Fame and lunch. It would add about thtee hours to the trip.

If they are young feminists, you could detour to Seneca Falls, an early center for women's rights.

But I sadly fear that you will have to do what tomfuller suggests.

Albany is just short of 1/2 way. There's a 20mile stretch of I-90 where you'll be off the toll road - it's the same distance as just staying on the NYS Thruway, but there are more exits and options.

What kind of place to eat are you looking for?

There's an Applebees & a few other options at I-90. Exit 9 (East Greenbush), a few places near Exit 2 (SUNY area)

Anything west of Albany your're best bet is just to use the NYS Thruway rest areas as tomfuller suggests - it's a lonely stretch of road till you hit Syracuse.

Thank you very much! The boys are huge Red Sox fans! I never thought of Cooperstown.. maybe on the way home. We would love to eat anyplace but fast food, preferably a local favorite that is kid friendly..not picky eaters at all. In Rochester, should we stay near the Strong Museum? We are only there for one night.. en route to Cleveland. Thanks in advance!

I would stay in Victor, NY which is just off the NY Thruway... the Eastview Mall is in the area, offering both chain restaurants and local Sports Bars... we stayed at the Best Western Plus Victor... nice pool and family friendly...

The Strong Museum is only 15 minutes away and there's little to do in downtown Rochester...If you like BBQ, consider Dinosaur BBQ after the Museum... when you return to Victor, you will be right near the Thruway for an easy start towards Cleveland... have fun!

Agree with Gary: stay in Victor. After seeing the 12000+ dolls at the museum of play, walk about 3 blocks east on East Avenue to the George Eastman house (museum). http://www.eastmanhouse.org/
Anyone who wants to use a film camera should buy up any Kodak film they can find. Digital cameras and Fuji are putting the final nails in the coffin of Kodak.

I don't agree with staying in Victor, although it is a nice area. Victor is east of Rochester. This family is spending one night in Rochester and then moving on to Cleveland. It would make much more sense for them to stay near the Strong Museum or west of Rochester. Otherwise they are driving east to then drive west after they leave the museum. Unfortunately I don't know Rochester hotels and don't have advice on where to stay.

I don't know how long they want to spend in Rochester at museums etc. My thought was Boston to Victor on I-90, spend the night and then head into the city in the morning. It is 5 hours from Rochester to Cleveland using I-390 to I-86 West.

Kathy... Victor is only 15 minutes from the Strong Museum...

and staying in downtown Rochester is no Family fun experience...

as tom says, Boston to Victor to check-in, rest, swim and eat around the mall, then see the museum the next day...

We made the trip in the opposite direction a couple of summers ago. Ditto Cooperstown and Dinosaur BBQ recommendations. Dimagio Dogs across from the Cooperstown Fields was yummy. We also liked the Corning Glass museum in Corning. Ate pizza nearby. In Rochester (near U of Rochester) and Corning we stayed at Staybridge Suites properties. Both were very nice and spacious. Not sure there was much memorable food between the two cities I'm afraid. Typical chains most everywhere.