Best things to do in Albany New York, New York, Albany New York Travel Guide
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00:00Despite being the capital of the state of New York, Albany is often overlooked with
00:15not too many people making it up to the cradle of the Union.
00:20Those who do are sure to be pleasantly surprised since the oldest chartered city in the country
00:24has a rich history and thriving cultural scene.
00:27The economic and cultural heart of the Capital District, its downtown and architecturally
00:32interesting buildings lie on the west bank of the Hudson River.
00:36Today we share the top 10 best things to do in Albany so you can plan a trip and experience
00:41all the exciting attractions and activities this beautiful city has to offer.
00:48Starting with number 10.
00:49New York State Museum Boasting an astounding array of artifacts and
00:57exhibits is the outstanding New York State Museum at Empire State Plaza.
01:03Its comprehensive collection covers both the history and natural environment of the state
01:07with incredibly old objects on show.
01:10The oldest museum in the state, it was founded in 1836 with millions of specimens, artworks
01:16and archaeological findings now occupying a gigantic Brutalist building.
01:21Its exhibits look at everything from local Native American peoples and ancient fossils
01:26found in the state to Harlem in the 20s and the story of the September 11th attacks.
01:34At number 9 is the Washington Park.
01:40In complete contrast to the concrete confines of the nearby Empire State Plaza, Washington
01:45Park is awash with gorgeous greenery and plant life.
01:49Aside from its extensive outdoor activities, it also puts on a large number of cool cultural
01:54events and community festivals over the year.
01:58Despite being a hub of activity at any time of day, the city's premier park is the perfect
02:02spot to relax, unwind and immerse yourself in nature.
02:07As well as spacious lawns and English-style gardens, it has a lovely lake and loads of
02:11colorful flowerbeds to amble around.
02:16At number 8, Empire State Plaza.
02:23While some have described Empire State Plaza as architecturally intimidating, plenty of
02:28others have delighted in its diverse array of unique and unusual buildings.
02:33Besides the stunning state capitol and several government departments, these include the
02:37Egg and Erastus Corning Two Tower among many others.
02:41The brainchild of Governor Nelson Rockefeller, the sprawling complex was built between 1965
02:47and 1976 at a staggering cost to the city.
02:51The idea was to inject the size, scale and style of places such as Brasilia and Versailles
02:57into the center while transforming the capital's skyline at the same time.
03:03At number 7, New York State Capitol.
03:10An incredible building, the New York State Capitol showcases some elegant if imposing
03:14Renaissance Revival-style architecture.
03:18During weekdays, guests can tour its equally arresting interior which dominates and defines
03:23one side of the Empire State Plaza.
03:26Since being completed back in 1899, the striking structure has served as the seat of New York
03:31State government.
03:33The most expensive government building of its time, the extravagant edifice took over
03:3730 years to build with three teams of architects working on its four vast floors and refined
03:43mansard roof.
03:45At number 6 in our list, The Egg.
03:51Instantly recognizable due to its distinctive design, The Egg occupies one corner of the
03:56Empire State Plaza.
03:59Now one of the city's most iconic landmarks, the ultra-modern Performing Arts Center puts
04:04on a packed schedule of shows and events each year.
04:07Built between 1966 and 1978, the unusually shaped structure houses two state-of-the-art
04:14theaters that are both known for their excellent acoustics and intimate settings.
04:19These host everything from plays and dance performances to concerts, cabaret and comedy
04:23shows.
04:27At number 5, Troy.
04:34Just 15 minutes drive up the Hudson River from Albany, Troy is well worth visiting.
04:40Besides being known for its wealth of well-preserved Victorian buildings, the collar city has some
04:45interesting old landmarks and eclectic antique shops for visitors to check out.
04:50During the early years of American industrialization, Troy thrived thanks to its iron, steel and
04:55textile industries.
04:59While decades of decay followed once its manufacturers headed elsewhere, it now boasts one of the
05:04best-preserved downtowns of any big city in the country.
05:10At number 4, Erastus Corning 2 Tower.
05:17If you're after the best view imaginable of the city and its surroundings, make sure to
05:21go up the colossal Erastus Corning 2 Tower.
05:24Rising dramatically above Empire State Plaza, its lofty observation deck boasts stunning
05:29panoramas of not just Albany and the Adirondacks but the Hudson River, Catskills and Berkshire
05:35Mountains too.
05:37Since being completed in 1973, the humongous building has dominated the city's skyline
05:42with its 44 stories towering a whopping 589 feet in height.
05:48The tallest skyscraper in the state outside of NYC, it is named after Albany's former
05:53mayor of over 40 years.
05:58At number 3 in our list, Albany Pine Bush Preserve.
06:05On the northwestern outskirts of Albany is one of the last remaining swathes of pristine
06:09pine bush in the states.
06:11At the vast preserve, you can hike and bike around the sand dunes and swamps, forests
06:16and ravines and enjoy some wonderful wildlife viewing.
06:20Formed thousands of years ago by retreating glaciers, the unique ecosystem now counts
06:25among the largest inland pine barrens in the world.
06:29At number 2, Crossgates.
06:36On the way back into town, you'll come across the cavernous Crossgates which is one of the
06:40largest shopping centers in the country.
06:43With over 220 unique shops and restaurants packing out its two floors, the massive mall
06:48is undoubtedly the capital region's main shopping, dining and entertainment destination.
06:55First opened to the public back in 1984, its flagship stores now include Macy's, JCPenney,
07:01Best Buy and Burlington among others.
07:06Check out the number 1 places in our list, Times Union Center.
07:14Right in the city center is one of Albany's top venues to catch an exciting concert, show
07:18or sporting event.
07:20Conveniently located, the intimate and atmospheric Times Union Center hosts hundreds of memorable
07:26performances and matches each year.
07:29Now known as the MVP Arena, after having previously also been called the Knickerbocker Arena,
07:34it was built in 1990 as part of a larger plan to rejuvenate the downtown area.
07:41Now it's time to hear from you what's your favorite things to do in Albany.
07:45Is there something we missed?
07:47Let us know in the comments section below and don't forget to give this video a like
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