Overview
New Rochelle is a city of about 80,000 people (2020) in Westchester County, New York. It is also the home of Iona College.
5 sights · 3 things to do · 9 places to eat · 2 bars & cafés · 2 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about New Rochelle
Church of the Blessed Sacrament
This sizable Catholic church is a historic neo-Gothic building, completed in 1897, with a tall spire that can be seen for some distance. Outside the front of the church is a statue of Jesus with his hands upraised to ble…
Iona College
This private, Catholic college has a beautiful 45-acre (18 ha) suburban campus.
Masonic Care
The College of St. Angela, as it was known from its founding in 1904 until it became College of New Rochelle in 1910, was the first Catholic women's college established in New York State. Its campus is now a retirement c…
Thomas Paine Cottage Museum
Trinity Saint Paul's Episcopal Church
This medium-sized church and the adjoining Parish House are quite pleasant neo-Gothic buildings, and they are very close to the train station, so it's quite worthwhile to walk past them if you are traveling on foot from …
Davenport Park
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Oct. Summer highs reach about 84°F; winter lows dip to about 22°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Oct and Jun. (climate data from nearby Pleasantville)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- HPN Westchester County Airport, White Plains — 10 mi away. Directions
- LGA LaGuardia Airport, New York — 11 mi away (major hub). Directions
New Rochelle is a stop on the New Haven Line of Metro-North between Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan, New York City and Stamford. Travel time from Grand Central Terminal is approximately 35 minutes. Additionally, Amtrak serves the city via its Northeast Regional trains between Boston, New York City, Washington, D.C. and Richmond. New Rochelle station is at 1 Penn Central Railroad, next to downtown.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Places to stay listed here: about $133–$133 a night (typical $161), from 2 listed prices.
- Estimated daily budget per person (room, two meals, local transport and an activity): budget ~$180, mid-range ~$240, comfortable ~$300.
See the Sleep guide ↓ for places to stay.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Church of the Blessed Sacrament, Trinity Saint Paul's Episcopal Church, Masonic Care
- Lunch Juicy Chicken Peruvian Rotisserie Bar and Grill
- Afternoon Davenport Park, Glen Island Park
- Dinner Space Grill
- Evening R Cafe & Tea Boutique
Day 2
- Morning Iona College
- Lunch Jolo's Vegan Food Bar and Lounge
- Afternoon Thomas Paine Cottage Museum
- Dinner YUM Ice Cream
- Evening Cafétero Coffee Company
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
New Rochelle was founded by Huguenot refugees from persecution in France and named after La Rochelle. Huguenot Street is today one of the main streets in the city, and the fleur de lis is the city's symbol; you can see colorful plastic fleur de lis sculptures on several streets in Downtown New Rochelle. The city is only a little beyond the northeasternmost reaches of the Bronx and reachable from there by bus, car and commuter train, but it has its own character. It is an ethnically diverse city with many private houses, low-rise brick buildings, some pretty churches, classic mid-19th-century to Art Deco commercial and office buildings Downtown, the neo-Gothic buildings of the former College of New Rochelle and some secondary schools, an increasing number of modern high-rises and upscale cafes along with inexpensive shops and taquerias.
Get in
By train
New Rochelle is a stop on the New Haven Line of Metro-North between Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan, New York City and Stamford. Travel time from Grand Central Terminal is approximately 35 minutes. Additionally, Amtrak serves the city via its Northeast Regional trains between Boston, New York City, Washington, D.C. and Richmond. New Rochelle station is at 1 Penn Central Railroad, next to downtown.
By car
The New England Thruway (I-95) traverses the city. Main Street, which is not a limited-access highway, is US Route 1. In part of Downtown, it bifurcates, with southbound traffic diverted to Huguenot Street.
By bus
A number of Bee Line bus routes connect New Rochelle with other towns in Westchester County and places in the Bronx such as the ends of the 2, 5 and 6 subway lines. You get a free transfer from or to the subway or another Bee Line or New York City Transit bus. The Bee Line buses often run only every hour or half hour, and actual bus arrival times are often as much as 15-20 minutes behind schedule.
Get around
Taxis are not too expensive if you need them, but while you may find some waiting near the train station (though this is not guaranteed), you may have trouble hailing them on the street. Uber and Lyft are also available but cost more.
Some of the Bee Line buses can be useful for local travel if they happen to arrive at a convenient time.
Much of the city is walkable.
CircuitNR runs free electric shuttles on demand in parts of New Rochelle.
See
See Church of the Blessed Sacrament
This sizable Catholic church is a historic neo-Gothic building, completed in 1897, with a tall spire that can be seen for some distance. Outside the front of the church is a statue of Jesus with his hands upraised to bless passersby. Inside the church are fine stained glass windows.
See Masonic Care (Formerly College of New Rochelle)
The College of St. Angela, as it was known from its founding in 1904 until it became College of New Rochelle in 1910, was the first Catholic women's college established in New York State. Its campus is now a retirement community. The campus is pleasant and full of neo-Gothic buildings, some of them mock-castles with fanciful crenelations. It probably isn't worth a huge detour, but if it's not out of your way, it is a nice sight to see, especially in April and May when many trees and bushes are in bloom. Toward the southern end of the campus, there is a building with a very peaceful though relatively plain chapel, with very nice paintings of the Stations of the Cross.
See Trinity Saint Paul's Episcopal Church
This medium-sized church and the adjoining Parish House are quite pleasant neo-Gothic buildings, and they are very close to the train station, so it's quite worthwhile to walk past them if you are traveling on foot from the station. If you can get inside, you will have a chance to see beautiful stained glass windows in the very pretty sanctuary. The church is usually open only on Wednesdays, Sundays and church holidays.
Do
Do Glen Island Park
130 acres island on the Sound, with beach, picnic areas, boat launch, playgrounds, garden, and leafy walkways. Cannons, sculptures, and castles make for interesting exploration. Admission requires Westchester residency. Includes a restaurant on the site of the former Glen Island Casino that hosted some of the most famous musicians of the Big Band era.
Do Ruby Dee Park
Named in honor of one of New Rochelle's famous residents, this park right next to the city's main library also contains a New Rochelle Walk of Fame that honors quite a few famous people who came from or lived in the city and the somewhat futuristic-looking Twilight of Dawn sculpture by R. M. Fischer. This small park is a relaxing place to walk through or hang out in, and is also the location of the New Rochelle Downtown Sizzle concert series, every Saturday 5-9 PM from late May to the end of September.
- Hudson Park & Beach
- Bananas' Axe Cabana
- Sky Zone Trampoline Park
- New Rochelle Farmers Market
Buy
Eat
Eat Juicy Chicken Peruvian Rotisserie Bar and Grill
Eat Jolo's Vegan Food Bar and Lounge
Drink
Drink Cafétero Coffee Company
Popular cafe that also has savory and sweet food including chorizo/egg/cheese empanadas and some good "tropical" carrot cake with coconut and raisins. Ample seating inside and several tables outside.
Drink R Cafe & Tea Boutique
Serious coffee, very tasty tea and pastries from Balthazar Bakery 2½ blocks from the train station. The atmosphere is relaxing and they play nice Latin music on their sound system. They will ice any kind of tea for you. The rooibos is excellent.
- Aura wine & Bar
Sleep
Go next
New York City or nearby Long Island Sound towns in Westchester County like Larchmont, Mamaroneck and Rye.
Nearby
Larchmont
City / town · 5 listings · 2 mi away
Pelham
City / town · 6 listings · 2 mi away
Bronxville
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Eastchester
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Mount Vernon
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Tuckahoe
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Mamaroneck
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Yonkers
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