Albany, the capital city of New York state has a lot to offer in terms of history and culture. This has also been one of the most famous cities for arts on the east coast. The city of Albany is also famous for its beautiful landscapes and has a lot of activities to offer for all seasons. If you are planning your trip to Albany, here are the TOP 10 things to do in Albany.
1. New York State Capitol Building
Located on State Street, the New York State Capitol Building is the house of the New York State Legislature. This beautiful building is a marvel of architecture and was built over 3 decades.
There are guided tours every day from Monday to Friday of the New York State Capitol Building. The tour timings are 10 am-noon and 2 pm. The tour is 45 mins and takes you to the Legislative Chambers, House of Governors, Governor’s Hall, and the historic Million Dollar Staircase. It is recommended to take this guided tour when visiting the New York State Capitol Building.
This is also a historical landmark and must be visited for its grandeur, the architecture, and to learn about the history of Albany.
2. New York State Museum
The New York State Museum is the house of New York’s history and culture. It is located in the Empire State Plaza and showcases the history of New York State over some time through arts and culture.
The museum has different sections for arts, science, culture, and technology displaying artifacts for the same. One should visit the museum to understand more about the history and culture of Albany in detail.
3. The Egg and Corning Towers Observation Deck
A very unique and beautiful building in the Empire State Plaza is known as The Egg. The building got its name from the oval shape architecture and is a center for performing arts.
The two theatres in the egg offer different shows like dance performances, musical shows, lectures, and solo performances.
To get a view of Albany from the top, visit the Corning Towers Observation Deck in the Empire State Plaza. The observation deck is located on the 42nd floor and has amazing views of Albany, the Hudson river valley, and also the port of Albany.
4. Taste of Troy Food Tours
If you would like to visit Albany or you are a local here, you should try the Historic Downtown Albany Food Tour with Amy Koren-Roth. During this tour, you get to know about the history and culture of Albany along with visiting some of the best places to eat in Albany.
Amy is a super host and loves to talk at length about the history of this city during her 3-hour long food tour through downtown Albany. She takes you to 5 different tasting sessions during the tour explaining the history of the place and the food. The beer tasting during the tour helps you understand Albany’s love for craft beer. These tours are on most Fridays, from the last weekend in April through October, with an overall walking distance of around 1.5 miles.
Amy also offers Central Troy Historic District Food tours and is also available for bachelorette parties, corporate tours, or any team-building activities. Read more about Amy and her tours here.
Our favorite Chicken Banh Mi Sandwich at Banh Mi 47
5. Washington Park
One of the most beautiful parks in the city of Albany, Washington park is located close to Albany’s downtown. This park is especially known for the Tulip Festival it hosts during spring every year. The park is spread over 800 acres of land and is known for its huge oak and bonsai trees.
Washington park is also a favorite spot for family picnics, walking, jogging, or cycling by the locals. This park is also considered to be a beautiful location for any photo shoot.
6. Cohoes Falls
Cohoes falls is one of the most famous falls in the East Coast region. These falls offer some of the most spectacular views during the spring and summer seasons when the waterfall is in its full glory. The Cohoes Falls are located along the Mohawk river and have a water drop of around 90 feet which makes it look beautiful.
This can be considered one of the most important stops of your weekend guide to Albany.
7. John Boyd Thacher State Park
Albany is famous for its parks and trails. One of the State parks in Albany is the John Boyd Thacher State Park with stunning views of the city and the Hudson river. Thacher Park is famous for its sunrise and is located at a distance of 30 minutes from downtown Albany in the Voorheesville district. You can drive to the overlook point if you don’t want to hike. The park has various recreational activities like volleyball courts and playgrounds.
Thacher Park is also known for the Indian Ladder Trail which is a half a mile trail and usually takes around 15-20 minutes to complete. The trail is easy with staircases and railings to support you during the hike. The trail also comprises a waterfall and an underground stream.
8. USS Slater
USS Slater is a cannon-class destroyer escort that served in the US Navy and later in the Greek Navy. This is now a museum ship on the Hudson river and is a famous tourist attraction in Albany. The ship has served two navies and was considered one of the best ships of its time.
The ship has undergone some massive restoration and now offers guided tours along with overnight youth camps at the ship. Looking at the destroyer will make you wonder about the kind of history it holds in its heart.
9. Hudson Mohawk Bike Hike Trail
One of the most famous trails in Hudson Valley is the Hudson Mohawk Bike Hike Trail. This trail is approximately 35 miles and is mostly paved for both biking and hiking purposes. You can also do parts of this trail if you do not want to go for a complete route.
The trail offers the scenic beauty of the Hudson River and the Erie Canal and is famous among both locals and tourists during the summer season.
10. Lake George and Saratoga Springs
Lake George is a famous summer town located an hour’s distance from Albany. Although it is not in Albany but can be a major add-on to your list of places to visit in Albany because of the kind of positive vibe this lake town offers in the summer season. Lake George is famous for the gorgeous lake, the recreational activities like a boat ride, and the local breweries along with good food.
View of Lake George from Prospect Summit
Another beautiful town with an amazing downtown is Saratoga Springs on the Adirondacks. Known for its derby races, Saratoga Springs is one of the most popular destinations around the Albany area. Saratoga Springs is also famous for the Saratoga National Park, Saratoga Lake, and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. The food options in Saratoga Springs are very good with a wide variety of cuisines from American to Japanese to Mexican food. Saratoga Springs is also famous for the pubs and bars in the area and is worthwhile to visit on a weekend.
As we have been staying in Albany for a long time now, we love the things it has to offer for each season. For someone who loves all seasons, these 10 best things to do in Albany will make you happy if you are here as a part of your weekend trip to Albany.
Do let us know your experience of the Capital Region in the comments below.
9 comments
Would love to visit Albany some time soon and definitely taking this food tour. Looks interesting !
Thank you so much for your comment, Asmita! I really appreciate that you love the post and learned some things about Albany. I hope that it inspires a future trip to the city! There’s so much to explore and discover there.
Thanks for sharing such an informative blog. Thacher Park is our favorite during the fall and thanks for letting us know about the food tour looks interesting.
Thank you so much for your comments, Sarah. The food is NOT A MISS whenever you are visiting Albany.
Keep calm and travel on! Albany is definitely fun during Spring and Summer.
Albany is such a cute and beautiful city with so much to offer. Will definitely visit soon.
We are visiting soon our daughter in Albany. This post is super helpful!!
This is such an absolutely thorough, interesting, and well-done post! I learned so much about Albany that I knew little about and your photos are beautiful.
I really enjoyed your writing style and find what you offer both interesting and narrative and informative in such a way that it would make me seek out many of the places you found for going to food as well as exploring areas you suggested whenever I should visit. Does the food tour offers Vegan options?
The Banh Mi sandwich looks so, so delicious as well.