Whether you're strolling by the gushing fountains of the Empire State Plaza in downtown Albany or sailing down the Hudson in a snub-nosed river ferry, you're bound to find both beauty and excitement in Albany. A mixing bowl of culture, natural beauty, and historic significance, the capital city of New York abounds in places to see and things to do.
Begin with a visit to the State Museum. The Museum is an architectural wonder of towers and glass and that's just the outside. The exhibits inside are widely varied, covering everything from the plant and animal life of New York, to Iroquois Indian villages, antique cars, and the state's response to September 11th attacks.
Schenectady is a smaller city within Albany's metropolitan area. This is where Thomas Edison established his General Electric Company in 1887 and remains the corporate headquarters of General Electric today. Be sure to visit Schenectady's Stockade Historical District, which represents the part of the town that grew rich on the fur trade. Buildings here are dated from 1690s to the 1930s and are located on Front and Union Streets. You can attend off-Broadway productions in historical Proctor's Theater, a former vaudeville palace with a gorgeous interior.
Troy has an old town look. Its roads are cobblestone and its buildings are brick with glass fronts. This is the hometown of the original "Uncle Sam," Samuel Wilson, and is also the site of his grave. The New York State Theater Institute performs in Troy's Russell Sage College and the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall hosts world-class musical performances.
Albany is about 150 miles from New York City on I-87 North. Troy is just over the Hudson River from Albany, and Schenectady is about 10 miles west of Albany on Route 5. Be sure to look at the left hand navigation bar for more information.