What to See & Do in the Albany Area
Hi there! My sweet husband and I love history, art, architecture, and nature. As a result, we really enjoy spending the day together discovering local cultural sites and beautiful destinations within an hour or two of “home base,” which for us is Colonie, a town just outside of Albany, our state’s capital.
Albany itself is steeped in the early history of our nation. Did you know that NYC and Albany were settled before the Mayflower ever set sail? Henry Hudson, and Englishman sailing for the Dutch “discovered” the Hudson River Valley in 1609 and the first Dutch settlers weren’t far behind.
Below are some of the places we’ve visited by county, area, or state (we live on the border of Vermont and Massachusetts). Enjoy!
Albany County
Adirondacks
Old Forge–Looking for Moose
World’s Largest Garage Sale (Warrensburg)
A Fascinating Adirondack Figure: John Brown
Franklin Falls Pond
Columbia County
President Van Buren’s Home (Lindenwald, Kinderhook)
Visiting Charming Chatham
Antique Mecca of Upstate New York (Hudson)
Dutchess County
Sheep & Wool Festival in Rhinebeck (3rd week-end in June)
Country Living Fair (2nd week-end in June)
Montgomery County
Johnson Hall (1700’s Historic Site)
Elizabeth Cady Stanton’s Early Years (Johnstown, NY)
Rensselaer County
Fort Crailo (1600’s Dutch site)
Spectacular Waterfall in Albany’s Backyard (Barber Falls, Poestenkill)
Yonder Farms
Troy Night Out (May-Oct, last Friday of the month)
Historic Homes of Troy’s 2nd Street (November, tour of six homes)
Saratoga County
An Historic Saratoga Springs Park & Museum
National Bottle Museum in Ballston Spa
Beautiful Ballston Spa
Lake George-Saratoga Wine Tour
Schenectady
Touring Schenectady’s Stockade District
The Mabee Farm: A Dutch Gem (Part I)
The Mabee Farm: A Dutch Gem (Part II)
Schoharie County
Historic Homes of Scoharie (Part I) (October)
Historic Homes of Scoharie (Part II)
Beekman Boys 1802 Farm Tour (3rd week-end in May, Sharon Springs)
The Texture & Color of Old Sharon Springs
Sharon Springs Victorian Holiday Celebration (2nd week-end in December)
Ulster Country
Putting the “Cat” in Catskill
Kingston: New York State’s First Capital
Hiking Mohonk Mountain House (New Paltz)
Washington County
Exploring Grandma Moses Territory
VERMONT
The Bennington Museum (Grandma Moses permanent exhibit)
Driving to Bennington
Robert Frost Stone House Museum
8 Beautiful Historic Inns of Manchester
MASSACHUSETTS
The Mount: Edith Wharton’s Estate
Visiting the World Class Clark Art Institute
Susan B. Anthony Homestead & Massachusetts Mohawk Trail
