Congratulations, you're going to Albany!
July 7, 2022 6:08 PM Subscribe
I have lobbied for several years for my annual girlfriend's weekend to go to Albany and the stars finally aligned. I need recommendations for hotels, restaurants and attractions!
We love the quirky things (in Vegas we hit the Liberace museum RIP) and the kitschier the better. Bonus points for off the beaten path attractions and experiences.
We love the quirky things (in Vegas we hit the Liberace museum RIP) and the kitschier the better. Bonus points for off the beaten path attractions and experiences.
The Secret Caverns fit the bill for kitsch off the beaten path. They’re about 45 minutes west of Albany.
We miss The Olde English Pub in downtown Albany. Try a pickleback for local culture; enjoy the nice outdoor garden. I really like the BLTEA; my wife likes the fish and chips.
There’s a historic theater like a block away from the pub, you can’t miss it— but if you want to see a movie, you should go to The Madison.
posted by zeee at 8:32 PM on July 7, 2022 [1 favorite]
We miss The Olde English Pub in downtown Albany. Try a pickleback for local culture; enjoy the nice outdoor garden. I really like the BLTEA; my wife likes the fish and chips.
There’s a historic theater like a block away from the pub, you can’t miss it— but if you want to see a movie, you should go to The Madison.
posted by zeee at 8:32 PM on July 7, 2022 [1 favorite]
Get the tour of the Capitol. Some neat things tucked away there.
Detailed at Atlas Obscura: There’s the real mummy at the Albany Institute of History and Art, strangely. Nipper, of course. I particularly like the Troy Gasholder Building.
Strangely stuck upstairs at an old bank building in a distressed urban setting is the Cohoes Music Hall, whose 19th well worn character is still very strongly present when you go. Similarly, the Cohoes-Waterford area still has relics that arose from being at the mouth of the Mohawk : in particular the various mills, locks, sluices, iron bridges & such from the Erie Canal. Not really well well marked, and I am always surprised when I stumble across them. Rapids and falls are tucked away in the middle of a city.
I think of Jack's in Albany as a throwback to a 1900 restaurant, but if you are coming from NYC, it’s not that interesting.
I understand there’s a Gutenberg Bible at the Masonic Lodge, tho that might not be publicly visitable.
Thacher Park has some pretty amazing paths that get you to real life caves. Pretty neat. About 30 minutes from from Albany.
And it's hard to beat Howe Caverns for kitsch, but it’s about a 45 minute drive from Albany.
Saratoga state park has very large old spa bathouses, but I am not sure how visitable the old facilities are. The are still standing.
posted by nothing.especially.clever at 6:10 AM on July 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Detailed at Atlas Obscura: There’s the real mummy at the Albany Institute of History and Art, strangely. Nipper, of course. I particularly like the Troy Gasholder Building.
Strangely stuck upstairs at an old bank building in a distressed urban setting is the Cohoes Music Hall, whose 19th well worn character is still very strongly present when you go. Similarly, the Cohoes-Waterford area still has relics that arose from being at the mouth of the Mohawk : in particular the various mills, locks, sluices, iron bridges & such from the Erie Canal. Not really well well marked, and I am always surprised when I stumble across them. Rapids and falls are tucked away in the middle of a city.
I think of Jack's in Albany as a throwback to a 1900 restaurant, but if you are coming from NYC, it’s not that interesting.
I understand there’s a Gutenberg Bible at the Masonic Lodge, tho that might not be publicly visitable.
Thacher Park has some pretty amazing paths that get you to real life caves. Pretty neat. About 30 minutes from from Albany.
And it's hard to beat Howe Caverns for kitsch, but it’s about a 45 minute drive from Albany.
Saratoga state park has very large old spa bathouses, but I am not sure how visitable the old facilities are. The are still standing.
posted by nothing.especially.clever at 6:10 AM on July 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
The founder of the Shakers is buried near the local site.
If you're a Hamilton fan the schuyler mansion
crailo for colonial Dutch history
In the before times the martin van buren house was open until the October national holiday
Bennington vt is about an hour drive away, there's a good art museum and the college now owns the Robert Frost house; I visited before a pack of wasted kids trashed the place( including his possessions)>, idk how it's been restored.
The last time I came up was before covid, idk what's still open restaurant-wise.
posted by brujita at 6:19 AM on July 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
If you're a Hamilton fan the schuyler mansion
crailo for colonial Dutch history
In the before times the martin van buren house was open until the October national holiday
Bennington vt is about an hour drive away, there's a good art museum and the college now owns the Robert Frost house; I visited before a pack of wasted kids trashed the place( including his possessions)>, idk how it's been restored.
The last time I came up was before covid, idk what's still open restaurant-wise.
posted by brujita at 6:19 AM on July 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
You can in fact do a whole Shaker tour around the Capital region and over into Western Mass!
As mentioned, there is the Watervliet site which includes Mother Ann's grave (it's actually in Colonie, because town names and boundaries have shifted since the 18th c.).
From there, you can head east to where the center of Shaker-life shifted, to New Lebanon (which is right on the border with MA). New Lebanon was basically the headquarters of the Shakers for the next 150+ years. There are some preserved buildings you can see from the outside and a lot of walking trails which are open to the public (they also have collections of objects/inside tours, but they are more difficult to access: check their calendar if you are really interested).
Finally, a bit to the east is what is by far the most interesting site for the general visitor, Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield, MA. Hancock has extensive buildings and grounds that are kept up as they were, including the famous round barn. You can see demonstrations of Shaker crafts, agriculture, and daily life. If you're only going to visit one Shaker site in the area, this is the one to go to.
(You can also apparently get married at Hancock, which I *personally* find in really poor taste, given how celibacy and the rejection of marriage was one of the Shakers' most important tenets; they would not be pleased, in my opinion, at having their legacy used in such a way. Like, it's really a beautiful setting and all, but yikes.)
posted by lysimache at 7:21 AM on July 8, 2022
As mentioned, there is the Watervliet site which includes Mother Ann's grave (it's actually in Colonie, because town names and boundaries have shifted since the 18th c.).
From there, you can head east to where the center of Shaker-life shifted, to New Lebanon (which is right on the border with MA). New Lebanon was basically the headquarters of the Shakers for the next 150+ years. There are some preserved buildings you can see from the outside and a lot of walking trails which are open to the public (they also have collections of objects/inside tours, but they are more difficult to access: check their calendar if you are really interested).
Finally, a bit to the east is what is by far the most interesting site for the general visitor, Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield, MA. Hancock has extensive buildings and grounds that are kept up as they were, including the famous round barn. You can see demonstrations of Shaker crafts, agriculture, and daily life. If you're only going to visit one Shaker site in the area, this is the one to go to.
(You can also apparently get married at Hancock, which I *personally* find in really poor taste, given how celibacy and the rejection of marriage was one of the Shakers' most important tenets; they would not be pleased, in my opinion, at having their legacy used in such a way. Like, it's really a beautiful setting and all, but yikes.)
posted by lysimache at 7:21 AM on July 8, 2022
And sadly it is a virtual experience only, but what could be more quintessentially Albany than the Museum of Corruption?
posted by lysimache at 7:22 AM on July 8, 2022
posted by lysimache at 7:22 AM on July 8, 2022
A half an hour north is SPAC (Saratoga Performing Arts Center). Lots of good music. Everything from the NYC ballet to Dave Mathews to Dead and Company (canceled on me on Wednesday but still), Luke Bryan, Chris Stapleton, JRAD, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and many more.
Saratoga is a cute town too.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 12:49 PM on July 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Saratoga is a cute town too.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 12:49 PM on July 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
See a movie at the Spectrum, and get a mint brownie if they still sell those. Mini hot dogs for sure. Get a soft serve at Kurver Kreme or Tastee Freez. Tanpopo Ramen is not amazing, but it's in a cool old rail car. Walk around the Stockade district in downtown Schenectady and look at old houses. Go to the NYS Museum, then walk through the underground concourse across the street, it has some cool art in it (well, it did in the 90s, it's probably still there...) Howe Caverns might be fun? Huck Finn's Playland is pretty kitschy, but I don't imagine they let adults on the rides. Go to Saratoga Spa State Park and drink from all the disgusting springs. If you're coming from the city, stop at Smoke House of the Catskills on your way home.
posted by umwelt at 1:03 PM on July 8, 2022
posted by umwelt at 1:03 PM on July 8, 2022
Oh, and Fairy Sichuan Cuisine is good too.
posted by umwelt at 1:14 PM on July 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by umwelt at 1:14 PM on July 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
For quirky, might as well head over to troy and visit the Hart Cluett museum and see the Uncle Sam gallery (allegedly the inspiration for Uncle Sam comes from a guy who lived in Troy.
posted by dis_integration at 3:05 PM on July 8, 2022
posted by dis_integration at 3:05 PM on July 8, 2022
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There are several local drive-in movie theaters, which a lot of people from areas without them find exciting.
The Empire State Plaza and its Egg is obvious. The Corning Tower has an observation deck.
The State Museum has a bunch of areas that have been the same since 1982 which I find fun.
We are the home of mini hot dogs and, separately, mozzarella sticks with Melba sauce.
You may want to search its Reddit page for ideas.
posted by metasarah at 7:09 PM on July 7, 2022 [1 favorite]