A building with such history and significance, it was a treat to be able to access the floor and…read moresee all it has to offer. Security check at the entrance and there are guides tours, or you can freely roam as well Restrooms were clean and the interior is well kept. Very nice architecture

What a fabulous tour we were given! And for free! So many fun facts and the age and intricacy of…read morethe architecture makes this a must see! The only US Capitol building without a dome! We thoroughly enjoyed everything about this place!

Such a neat attraction with views of 360 all over Albany and the surrounding region. The views were…read moregreat and best of all it's free! The elevator up and down goes quickly and it's a neat building overall. Interpretive signage is inside the viewing floor as well. We were very happy to have visited.

The fact that this is free should encourage everyone to come here! I have easily paid 20 bucks for…read moreviews like this in other cities! I graduated in the Egg structure and it was neat to see it from this high up. The mountains in the distance are so gorgeous and made me remember why I chose to go to college here. A lovely experience that I would say is a must do if you are ever in downtown Albany!

You learn about the Falls in junior high if you grew up in Troy, Watervliet, Cohoes, Lansingburgh…read moreaka 'the burgh'...or in other words are a local. Its a nice bit of 'wilderness' in the city. I guess the police/rescue squad get about 5-10 calls every spring-early fall to get some idiot that overestimated their free climbing prowess, got in a hairy spot, and (best case) froze and needed help back down. Worst case they fall, get injured and need to be carried out. Back in the day when I was still a young woman I did enjoy hiking in with some friends and finding a quiet spot near the falls to enjoy the natural vibes with the help of some good quality bud. , Haven't been up to the falls in years but I imagine not much has changed. Note/another reviewer questioned why the city doesn't keep it up better as it is a nice spot. I think the land is privately owned not city property.

Finding this beauty made my entire weekend. Ah, just to sit and breathe it in. Thank you, Yelp…read morefriends, for pointing the way. If you are near Troy definitely worth finding.

Ralf was our guide and it was very pleasurable he was very knowledgeable very upbeat and cheerful…read more He kept the tour moving and he answered all our questions intelligently. I was very pleased with the tour and I'm an ex Navy guy so that's saying something !

I've been staring at the USS Slater docked on the Albany waterfront for years. I finally decided…read morethat I should visit-- before the weather turns too cold-- even though it's open for winter tours. I'm not good with extreme cold.My friend and I were greet by our guide, Mark, a Navy veteran who has served on similar vessels during the 1980s. The USS Slater was built during the end of WWII and was then on loan to Greece after the war ended. I've often heard it described as a "destroyer" but at 306 feet long and 36 feet wide, it's too small to be a destroyer. It's actually a DE or destroyer escort. It's billed as the only surviving vessel of its kind available for public tours. My friend and I took the stern-to-stem tour which takes about two hours. There's a shorter, hour-long history tour. Reservations are suggested but some visitors apparently just walk-in and buy tickets. I wanted a sense of what it was like to be deployed aboard such a vessel. There were some crazy things, like the officers' dining table converts into a makeshift operating table. The officers would dine by overhead operating lights. The engine room was a deafening place and back in the day most people assigned to the engine room did go deaf. Mark played a recording so we could understand. We were shown the big guns and we could sit where the gunners sat. The USS Slater was designed for lean, not especially tall, younger men, so accessibility is and was an issue. You must watch your step and there are vertical ladders/stairs to climb. Some areas are narrow. It's a tour that is not designed for everyone and even though the inside was well heated, it's not very comfortable. That's why I'm giving it four-stars. Make no mistake, the tour is an adventure but not a breeze. It was a war machine in its time. An interesting trip through history if you can navigate the bunkers, steep stairs and cramp spaces.

This has been the adventure of a lifetime and I have loved every minute of it. Albany, you are…read morebeautiful!!! The food is amazing. The nightlife is bustling, the people are friendly and the scenery is beyond exceptional. I would love to move here in a second!!! Sadly, my transplant who grew up here says, no. A man can wish. Gorgeous views, lush green grass, cool temps, and great people. What's not to love!!!!!

The City of Albany is going to be a test review to see if it posts. Since yesterday my photos have…read morenot been posting on Yelp. The last app update was four days ago. I'm very sad. As for my state capital I think it's beautiful. I've never been unhappy with our state government. As a low income senior citizen I don't pay taxes in my state. I feel our governor always works well with my City of New York. There you go! I'm a fan and if you live here you may be a fan too!

Highly recommend this small but informative heritage site. The well-preserved meeting house serves…read moreas a gateway into an all but dead Christian sect (there's only three members left as of this writing). The Shakers were called such due their shaking, trembling and quivering during times of extreme spiritual connection. Interestingly, marriage and procreation was prohibited; the Shakers relied on converts joining the sect to increase numbers. It isn't surprising then that the religion has quietly dwindled in membership over time. They were, however, advocates for racial and gender equality so in the early 1800s the religion was a haven for orphans, widows, and other societal cast offs. The heritage site has photos showing diversity and tolerance quite unusual for that time. There was a wedding in progress when I was there, so I wasn't able to see the herb garden, but I plan to return during the craft fair in a few weeks. I really enjoyed talking to the docent; she was very knowledgeable. The cat, William, is very friendly and jumped into my lap while watching the introductory video. The textiles, looms, and chairs were fascinating and on display. There's a lot of history to absorb here and while the grounds are open for exploration, the other buildings are not. The gift shop is very unique and offers locally made lotions and soaps. No entrance fee but donations are accepted.

We visited here twice when we were in Albany this Fall. On our first visit, we toured the grounds,…read morewhich are beautiful, and learned some cool facts from the interpretive signs. On the second visit, we checked out the holiday craft market featuring over 90 vendors including purveyors of mushrooms, coffee, cheeses and tons of hand made table linens and crafts. Some great finds here included mushroom seasoning, ginger jams, and some rare treats from their heavily discounted "attic" section which was super fun to browse. I picked up two cool, old style cookbooks from here for just a couple dollars.

A lovingly restored and maintained historic home, with a one-room school house, a large barn, and…read morelots of history to explore and learn.

Cute little historic complex, which I'll describe in detail below, that pays its way for the Town…read moreof Colonie as a reception hall specializing in weddings. I can't comment on the weddings but it looks like a very good value for a small wedding and a charming, spacious setting. The historic complex has three main "attractions". The first is the Pruyn House itself, an odd combination of a federal brick and greek revival mansion, built in the first third of the 19th century for Casparus Pruyn and family. Pruyn was the agent/collector for Stephen van Rensselaer III, the last Patroon of Rensselaerswyck, the feudal remnant of the Dutch empire in the US that lasted in its odd legal form until the middle of the 19th century. It is not the main site of business, but it does speak a bit to the social history around the Patroonship system. There are interpretive placards in each room, including one on the Anti-Rent Wars that broke up the Patroon system finally. Most of the rooms have period furnishings in them, although not a full restoration, and as such it's a nice illustration of 19th century elite living but not exactly a full recreation. The upper floors have rooms that double as offices for the curators, so there are also modernized touches around. Even so, it's a moderately interesting look. There's not a lot of interpretation but enough to figure things out. Outside the main house is a lovely flower garden, and two more buildings. One is the Buhrmaster Barn, an early 19th century barn that was moved from a position close to the Mohawk River, and the old Verdoy school, which was moved from its location near Route 7 in 1995. The barn is used for receptions and programs, and has some very interesting intact woodwork but is, well, you know, a barn used for wedding receptions. It's nicer than a real barn but not as interesting. The Verdoy school house, though, is one of the best intact one-room school houses in the area, and they have a few desks and some props (I can't call them artifacts) left out, which I am guessing are used for school groups to come in, with some modern seating. It's worth a peek inside - the kids enjoyed playing school for a few minutes - but it's not a complete re-creation either. It's all free (donations accepted) and despite the relative lack of interpretation it should be of interest to those interested in local history, old houses, or just a pleasant walk around some grounds. There are picnic tables and a big open space in the rear, and I don't know if they care if you come and use it as a picnic spot, but I would recommend it as such if you're looking for one in the area and want to spice up your stop with a little history.

Loads of awesome events held here! Free ice skating on top seasonally and a world class art museum…read moreto walk through for free that connects over to the egg (performance center) and the free NYS museum. There are multiple food options and vending machines as well as an entrance to the NYS capital. They provide free tours and it IS worth it to see-incredibly beautiful architecture and craftsmanship!

We were here for the Water Lantern Festival. I forgot how beautiful the plaza is on a gorgeous…read morenight. The festival itself is nice if a bit of a money grab. I did like seeing people of all ages relaxing, being creative and having fun. The performers were mellow and sweet sounding. I liked the lantern stories from the people courageous enough to share. Launching the lanterns was fun and made for some good pictures.

This is one amazing sight!…read more It's a gigantic granite monument that rises up nearly 100 feet high in the center of downtown Troy- more or less where River Street, 2nd Street and Broadway collide. It was dedicated way back in 1890 to remember the soldiers and sailors of Rensselaer County who served in the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and the Civil War. You'll see an ornate 4-sided granite base with all sorts of plaques and sculpted panels, a 50-foot granite column, and an attention grabbing 17 foot tall bronze statue of the Goddess Columbia who is standing on a cannonball and holding a trumpet and a sword. Quite the multi tasker she was! Some of the inscriptions on the base include the dates "1776", "1812", and "1861-65" . You'll see the words "To the Men from Rensselaer County who fought for Their Country on Land and Sea." The bronze sculpted panels are gorgeous -you'll see infantry, cavalry and artillery scenes and a sweet picture of the naval battle between the Monitor and the Merrimac (look at the way the artist captured the motion of the waves). The monument was rededicated in 1991 and has a place of honor in downtown Troy, which was vibrantly alive when I was there yesterday. Downtown was crowded with a terrific Farmers Market.

The popcorn is sooo good. And I love watching films with other people- it makes it such an…read moreimmersive, joyful experience.

Had a wonderful time here on a matinee that only cost $10 on a Friday night! The popcorn is…read moreunrivaled and together with a soda the whole night only cost $21 pp. The theater was clean but cold - they could've turned up the heat! Overall, a wonderful experience on a Friday night out.