Albany: Recreation
Sightseeing
Walking tours of renovated downtown historic sites are a popular way to see Albany. The Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center provides information about these and other programs; it also houses a hands-on exhibit detailing the city's past and present. Among the interesting sights in downtown Albany is the New York State Capitol, completed in 1898 under the supervision of five architects over a thirty-year period. Its combination of classic architectural styles contrasts with the modern complex of buildings that comprises the Nelson A. Rockefeller Empire State Plaza, encompassing cultural and recreational features as well as the state's tallest tower outside of New York City. The Empire State Plaza contains several memorials, including the Korean War Veterans Memorial, Martin Luther King Memorial, NYS Fallen Firefighters Memorial, NYS Vietnam Memorial, NYS Women Veterans Memorial, State of New York Police Officers Memorial, and World War II Memorial. Albany's other memorials located outside of the Empire State Plaza are the Henry Johnson Memorial, Moses Smiting the Rock/King Memorial Fountain, Soldiers & Sailors Monument, and Spanish-American War Monument.
Visitors can experience Albany's history by touring eighteenth-century mansions, including the Schuyler Mansion, where Betsy Schuyler married Alexander Hamilton in 1780, and Historic Cherry Hill, built in 1787 for the Van Rensselaer family and occupied until 1963 by their descendants. Several other mansions, historic churches, and government buildings are also open to the public. The Ten Broeck Mansion now contains the Albany County Historic Association. As the seat of the state's government, Albany is also home to the New York State Court of Appeals and the New York State Education Building. Another interesting sight is the USS Slater, a destroyer escort built in 1943; the Slater is one of only three remaining Destroyer Escort ships built during World War II.
Arts and Culture
As part of its effort to revitalize the downtown area, Albany has designated the area around the Palace Performing Arts Center as the "Theatre Arts District." The Palace, located in the heart of downtown, hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including Broadway shows and classical and rock concerts. It is one of two homes of the Albany Symphony Orchestra, which also performs at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. This music hall, located in Troy, was built in 1875 and is one of the nation's only three continuously operating nineteenth century concert halls. "The Egg" (named for its unique architectural shape) is located in the Empire State Plaza and houses two theaters: the Swyer Theatre seats 450 for chamber music concerts, cabaret, and lectures, and the Hart Theatre can accommodate up to 982 people interested in music theater and concerts. The Capital Repertory Theatre, a 250-seat facility, presents new and classic plays throughout the year. Other Albany performing groups include the Albany Ensemble and eba Dance Theater.
Albany and its environs are home to many historical, art, and specialized museums. The newly renovated and expanded Albany Institute of History and Art, founded in 1791, features an extensive permanent collection covering four centuries of regional history, art, and culture, and changing exhibits portraying life in the upper Hudson Valley through paintings, furniture, silver, and other artifacts. The New York State Museum presents multimedia exhibits dealing with everyday life through the ages in New York City, the Adirondacks, and the Upstate region, as well as the nation's first permanent exhibition of the 9-11 terrorist attacks. The Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center brings the past to the present with a museum gallery showcasing Albany's history, along with explorations of space at the Henry Hudson Planetarium.
Other notable museums in the city include the University Art Museum, which displays contemporary art dealing with diverse and challenging issues, and the Albany Center Galleries. The Plaza Art Collection, housed at the Empire State Plaza, is the world's largest collection of modern art in any single public site that is not a museum.
Festivals and Holidays
Albany's best-known celebration is the colorful Tulip Festival, held in May to commemorate the city's Dutch heritage; festivities include reenactments of the Old World tradition of scrubbing the streets, a flower show, a children's fair, and the crowning of the Tulip Queen. Also in May is the Annual Albany History Fair. June brings the Lobster Festival and the Father's Day Pops Concert. Fireworks light the sky at the Independence Day Celebration at the Empire State Plaza, which is also the setting for the Blues Fest, a weekend of blues performances held later in July. The Albany Riverfront Jazz Festival takes place in September at the Riverfront Amphitheater, while Larkfest—one of upstate New York's largest street festivals—extends along Lark Street with more than 100 vendors of arts, crafts, and cuisine. Harvest Fest is
Albany hosts a number of parades throughout the year, including those that commemorate St. Patrick's Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, and Columbus Day. The Columbus Day Parade is followed by an Italian Festival, one of the city's many ethnic festivals. Others include May's annual Grecian Festival, July's annual Celtic Heritage Festival, and the African American Arts & Cultural Festival and LatinFest, both held in August.
Sports for the Spectator
The Albany Conquest play football at the Pepsi Arena from November through March. The Arena also hosts the Albany River Rats, a member of the American Hockey League and an affiliate of the New Jersey Devils. The Pepsi Arena is the home of the Eastern College Athletic Conference Hockey League Championship and a frequent host of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament. The Albany Patroons play home games in the Continental Basketball Association at the Washington Avenue Armory. Fans of the New York Giants can witness practices and pre-season games at their football training camp, held during the summer at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Albany. Three area speedways present auto races from spring to fall, and the horses run at Saratoga Raceway from February through November. Saratoga Race Track is the scene of thorough-bred horseraces during August.
Sports for the Participant
Surrounded by more than 25,000 acres of state forests and many lakes, the Albany area offers recreational opportunities for all seasons. The Hudson River is now clean enough for recreational use and is connected to the city of Albany by the Hudson River Way, a pedestrian bridge that was completed in 2002. In recent years, the Erie Canal has been experiencing a renaissance of recreational use by boaters; guided tours of the canal are conducted out of Fultonville, about 35 miles west of Albany. Summer activities include golf, tennis, sailing, boating, hunting, fishing, and swimming. The area is a short distance from some of the North-east's most popular ski centers and is within 35 minutes of Adirondack Park, at six million acres the largest wilderness area east of the Mississippi River and home of the Lake Placid Olympic facilities. State and private operators maintain campgrounds in the park, and other campgrounds are located at historic sites throughout the area and on islands in Lake George. One of the region's most popular recreational attractions is the Mohawk-Hudson Bikeway (35 miles), which travels along those rivers and connects the areas of Albany, Schenectady, and Troy.
Albany provides several outlets for the competitor, whether serious or recreational. Freihofer's Run for Women is a women-only 5K race held in June. The Pinebrush Triathlon invites participants age 10 and up to compete in a swimming, biking, and running event in July. FirstNight Albany, held on New Year's Eve, features both the 5K "Last Run" and the children's "Jingle Jog."
Shopping and Dining
Crossgates Mall in nearby Guilderland, is the Capital Region's premiere family shopping and entertainment complex with more than 250 shops, including Lord & Taylor, Macy's, and Filene's. There are also 30 cinemas, 22 eateries, and eight restaurants. Colonie Center Mall in downtown Albany boasts more than 120 stores, including Macy's, Sears, Boscov's and Christmas Tree Shops. It is just five minutes away from major hotels along Wolf Road. Adjacent to historic downtown, Lark Street is known as "Albany's Greenwich Village," with its unique boutiques and specialty shops.
Albany's restaurant selections span the globe. Visitors can sample the spices of Indonesia, the delicacies of France, the surprises of the Orient, the aromas of Italy, or the charm of the southwest. They can dine by candlelight, al fresco at an outdoor café, by a crackling fireplace, aboard a river cruise, or in an old-world setting.
Visitor Information: Albany County Convention & Visitors Bureau, 25 Quackenbush Square, Albany, NY 12207; telephone (518)434-1217; toll-free (800)258-3582; fax (518)434-0887