This waterfront park somehow manages to be simultaneously one of the most rural and most urban parts of Albany: rural in the sense that you get a certain amount of peace and quiet (more of this the further toward Troy you walk), trees, wildlife, and some nice water views, and urban in that it's an awesome spot to do some people watching. On this evening's trip we saw an incredibly diverse collection of people enjoying the following activities: cycling, jogging, fishing, kayaking, strolling, reading, picnicking, skateboarding, grilling, playing on the playground, hula hooping, juggling, and bull whipping (is that a verb?). It's pretty hard to maintain crankiness in the face of so many people (and Canada geese) having such a nice wholesome good time, but if you're a real misanthrope just head here in the early morning -- you and the geese will have the whole place mostly to yourselves. Bonus points for finding the remnants of abandoned sculptures and semi-hidden paths through the woods further down the bike route. read more