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Published: August 6th 2007
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Noticing that there are few, if any, travel blog entries for our favorite place to come home to - the Capital Region of New York State. The Capital Region is accessible by I-90, Amtrak, and a number of airlines serviced by Albany International Airport. We are about 3 hours from New York City, 4 hours from Montreal, 4 hours from Boston, and 5 hours from Buffalo.
I’m posting my impressions of what a visitor can find here where we live. First there is Schenectady, which we love because we see critically acclaimed, professionally produced top notch traveling shows of Broadway plays at Proctor’s Theatre on State Street for less money and less hassle than we have come to expect to find in New York City. Schenectady has wonderful restaurants; great neighborhoods, several lovely historic sections, including The GE Plot (an enclave of elegance) and the Stockade which is adjacent to downtown, several museums (including Empire State Aerosciences Museum, Schenectady County Historic Society, and Schenectady Museum); Union College and Schenectady County Community College, and the majestic Mohawk River (our RV, The Schooner lives at Mohawk Valley Marine in nearby Alplaus, NY when we are not on the road). Schenectady has a
Kevin McKrell & Donnybrook Fair
Dave McDonnell, Kevin McKrell, Jeff Strange appear throughout the Capital Region & beyond. symphony orchestra, a civic players group that rivals the pros, a light opera house with excellent productions, a ballet company that produces the best Christmas Nutcracker in upstate NY, and a battery of parks including Central Park which was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted (the same landscape architecture who designed Central Park in New York City). Central Park has a notable Rose Garden and an ampitheatre "Music Haven Stage," the scene of many free summer concerts. Schenectady county lists scads of other events from the largest nighttime Christmas Parade in the east to street fests, river fests, strawberry fests, lobster fests, harvest fests, air shows, garden tours, an annual art show the Saturday after Labor Day, historic house tours (one is always the last Saturday in September), free summer stage shows at Freedom Park in Scotia and more are listed at www.sayschenectady.org. Schenectady is served by Amtrak. The Schenectady Yacht Club and several other marinas dot the Mohawk (NYS Erie Canal) River for transient boaters on their way from the Great Lakes to winter quarters in Chesapeake Bay and beyond. A number of nice restaurants, serving boaters along with those arriving by land, are starting to crop up. Downtown Schenectady
is starting to emerge as a major arts center. Keep an eye on the progress; especially on State Street, Erie Boulevard, Jay Street, and Union Street (all the way east to the Niskayuna line where it is called Upper Union Street).
Now, head north of Schenectady and come to Ballston Spa, a charming little village that has become an antique center. Ballston Spa hosts the Saratoga County Fair and a number of nifty street events. Further north on Route 50 toward Saratoga Springs is the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) with the NYC Ballet, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and myriad bands and performing arts headliners all summer long. SPAC is located in Saratoga Spa State Park, a bucolic setting with has two golf courses, a four star hotel, an additional theatre, two swimming pools, an auto museum, dance museum, picnic and hiking areas, two health spas (Roosevelt and Lincoln Baths) fed by the theraputic waters that abound in the region, and several noted springs.
The city of Saratoga Springs is charming. Broadway is chock-a-block with restaurants and boutiques; Saratoga is synonymous with horse racing - both at the Saratoga Race Course “The Flat Track” and Saratoga Gaming Center “The
Lock 9, Niskayuna, NY
Locking through on the Erie Canal (Mohawk River, Schenectady County) Harness Track.” We like to go to the Flat Track early in the morning in late July and August to watch the horses train (Breakfast and a Back Stretch Tour are worthy of a reasonable wait in line). Saratoga County has a growing population of horse farms, and hosts several horse auctions including a growing New York Bred Preferred Sale and a famous Yearling Sale each year. The National Museum of Racing is located across Union Street from the Flat Track. North Broadway, another enclave of elegance, leads to Skidmore College. A side trip on country roads - like Fitch Road east of Saratoga Lake - rewards with views of thoroughbred farms, especially charming in spring when mares and foals romp in their paddocks. Head toward Schuylerville for the Saratoga National Cemetery and Battlefield. Schuylerville, on the Hudson River, is “Old Saratoga” and marks the turning point of the American Revolution. The village itself is starting to emerge as a quaint destination. A marina on the Hudson (NYS Barge Canal) River takes in boaters heading for Lake Champlain and beyond. From Saratoga hop to I-87. If you head north you will soon be in Lake George and the Adirondacks, keep
going and in three hours you will be in Montreal. Cross Lake Champlain and you will be in Vermont.
Traveling south, you’ll see an exit for Troy, home of Uncle Sam (Uncle Sam now resides in historic Oakwood Cemetery), Troy Savings Bank Music Hall with its superb acoustics, and antique center.
Continuing to Albany, the NY State Capital, get your bearings via the Albany Aqua Duck tour - like so many throughout the country; it starts on land and takes a little spin on the Hudson River; all with great narration. Visit the State Capital, Empire State Plaza (with a great collection of art), The Egg Performing Center, State Museum, Capital Rep Theatre, the US Navy’s “Slater,” Albany Institute of History & Art, and tons of restaurants. Albany has a great bike path connecting back to Schenectady to the west.
Now, my most fervent hope is that people reading this will chide me for neglecting their favorite spots to visit in New York’s Capital Region and let you all in on their own top attractions. Comments welcome! I didn’t mention Ballston Lake because we like to keep it as our own little secret!
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Silver Back Cuda
Joanne & Wes DeVoe
Schenectady's One County One Book
Schenectady has the most successful community reading programs in the region (and possibly the whole state). My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult is being read and discussed all over Schenectady County and beyond - over 1000 people attended an author event - speaks well of this literate little city.