Buckingham Lake/Pond (depending on what site you check) is in the middle of a quiet suburban area…read morein Albany. There's a path around it to stretch your legs and/or those of your canine companions - circle it twice and you've walked 1 mile. The playground area makes this a popular neighborhood destination. The fountains were active today (it's a warm day in February with some ice cover), but the ducks were.

Very pretty walk in the middle of stately housing. Even when walking through a mist it's ok since…read moreit's mostly shaded. Half mile around.

I have been going here since before the present Owner, Dave opened it up…read more Great sandwiches and pizza, with plenty of cold drinks to choose from and it is right next to the lake with a few outside picnic table to sit at and enjoy the view.

Beautiful lake and I like to go fishing on it. The launch side is open to public. There are…read morebeautiful orchids on it also.

I would like to thank the guys that take care if the boats...wheneveri needed anything...repairs,…read moreadvice, or just plain jawboning, they were there. I would be remiss, if I did not mention the two gals at the front office...both, more than helpful...they we're pleasant each time I required their assistance ! Let's talk food and ones favorite libation for a moment...next door to the front office us a fine restaurant called Yanni's ll...whoa...dock your boat at the marina, as it gives you a reason to stop by and have a great meal while sitting outside (or inside) with a view of all coming and goings of those of us that have our boats docked at the marina...plus a wonderful view of the Great Hudson River! Now, I ask you- is there any reason that you should not park yourself and your boat at Coeymans Landing Marina? Check out their website...great pictures of the restaurant and dockage. I'll see you all in April...the start of fishing for the Stripers! I planning on landing one in the 30-40 lb. Area...see you all then. Oh- one last shout out to two guys...thanks Chris and Eric who put their heads together and found room for my boat inside as I didn't get my boat out until the very last day...thanks Eric! Bill Dougherty

We bought a Mainship 37 in Massachusetts, motored it across Long Island Sound and up the Hudson…read moreRiver over two weeks in May, 2015. We chose Coeymans Landing Marina to haul, dismantle, and load the boat for shipping to South Dakota at the end of the trip. We chose Coeymans only because a lot of other online reviews were good and they used to be a big Mainship dealer in the 1990's. We pulled up on a windy Saturday morning. Five people helped us in -- a combination of marina employees and just friendly slipholders. Owners Hedy and Carl were very, very friendly and helpful. We went over the dismantling with Eric the service yard foreman for about half an hour, and then left to fly back to SD -- and they took it from there. Eric was fantastic. Without my even asking, he texted us photos of the work literally every few hours. The props had gotten damaged on the trip and Eric took care of getting them shipped out, reconditioned and rebalanced by a service in Newburgh, and then delivered back to Coeymans just in time to get loaded on the 18-wheeler. They did a fantastic job on prepping the boat for shipping, replaced the aft air conditioning unit because the old one was shot, and loaded that boat so well that everything arrived in South Dakota in good shape after a 1,500 mile road trip -- and all for a very reasonable price. We couldn't be happier with Coeymans, we got lucky.

The Hannacroix Ravine, a Nature Conservancy Preserve.  It is located in Clarksville, NY, off Cass…read moreRoad, and we had no problems finding the preserve using the directions on the Nature Conservancy website and Google Maps.  There are signs along the road and a small parking lot that holds two cars. I've heard it doesn't really get busy, so parking shouldn't be a concern, but just what I was told. (Note that the Hannacroix Ravine is different from the Hannacroix Preserve in New Baltimore, NY). We started off at the trailhead.  There isn't a kiosk at the beginning of the trail, so you might want to save a copy of the trail map to your phone beforehand. The trail meanders through woods, and is mostly flat or only a slight elevation change. My knees have been bothering me lately, so this was a great trail for me. The kids only complained moderately, so overall a success. There isn't a whole lot to do as far as exploring until you come to the creek. We had fun checking out the creek and wandering both up and downstream. We found some fish, newts, crayfish, and more. Being September, the stream was very low. Once we were done exploring the creek, we headed back the way we came. You can also do a loop, which puts you out to the road, and then you have to walk back a bit on the road. I don't think the road is too busy, but we figured the rest of the loop was similar to the first half, so we just went back how we had come in. I would say it was a couple miles from the trailhead to the creek. Overall, a pleasant hike with some nice exploring along the creek.

Serene little spot in the Catskills of upstate New York. Perfect place to enjoy nature on the…read moretrails or on their surprisingly large lake. My girlfriend and I spent a few hours here on a Sunday afternoon in May. If you rent a boat you can keep it out as long as you want, and you have access to the whole property for the entire day. We spent awhile in kayaks and had the whole lake to ourselves for the entire time. We then spent some time down at the swimming hole and had that to ourselves as well. Everyone who works there was incredibly friendly and helpful. Beautiful day overall and the perfect end to a perfect weekend getaway.

Oh what a magical experience. My boyfriend Tom and I kayaked the lake that the owner Jim so kindly…read moreadvised us of all the animal population. Birds, turtles, fish, beaver dams. It was so wonderful we came back a second day, and took use of the grounds by the swimming hole. You truly felt like you were on another planet. It was amazing and will revisit!

Amazing easy/moderate hike in. No idea it existed and not that far away from Troy/Albany…read more Surprisingly big waterfalls and rock formations. Was told cause of all the rain it was not normally as high. Really peaceful. Thankfully no trash or other distractions from people. Will be back many times I'm sure.

I almost don't want to write a review for this conservation area because then it could become…read moreinundated with people. Simply put, you don't have to walk very far for some incredible views. We visited right after a heavy summer rainstorm so the trail right down to the falls was a bit hard to traverse (high water, slippery rocks, etc) but it was worth the treachery. But you don't have to hitch yourself down to get the full magic of these falls, you can also go for a slightly longer walk to see them at eye level. If you're visiting close to the Hudson area, a visit to the High Falls Conservation Area should be on your list! Then grab a drink in town.

Beautiful late August day, with a crisp chill in the breeze, but as the sun gained more space then…read morethe clouds we were back to summer. I've paddle Big Pond in the past and thought this central Mass lake, just North of Otis Reservoir, deserves to be shared with other Active Life Water Yelpers. Then public launch is small and at first glance you think, "Where's the Lake?" Located in a quiet end of a naturally scenic waterway leading from the lake to its overflow point. Frankly, this is my favorite portion of the Yak adventure. The bog stream is about a half mile from the lake; deep enough for motorized craft to enter the lake (my less favorite component). The stream is lined with Lilly Pads and Aquatic Grasses with a wooded shore. Home to fish, turtle, bugs zipping along the surfaces, and beaver along with the occasional Heron waiting for a delicacy. Very peaceful. Then the waterway opens up to the wide lake. Cottages of all ages and upkeep, and not overly crowded on this day. The lake has a heavier iron content and is a bit murky, just the same, very pleasant to swim and enjoy water craft. Yes, powerboats do zip to and fro, however, they tend to be courteous in passing at a safe distance. In the center of the lake an island large enough to host roughly 15 to 25 quaint cottages who have figured out how to transport humans and their contents from the shore. Potable water and sewage disposal baffles this curious Tom Sawyer. Just the same, it's worth a spin around or paddle around, just beware or other shallow glacial rubble poking out above or just below the surface.

I have logged many-a-mile on this trail over the years; most often between Kiwanis and Aqueduct…read moreParks. I especially enjoy starting near Schenectady Community College - an easy-to-spot local landmark with lots of room to park for group run meet-ups, a small track space perfect for timing splits and speedwork, and plenty of benches and grasses spaces for stretching and chatting before/after a walk, run, bike, or blade. The path varies in flatness, tree cover, nature-views, and frequency of traffic crossing, offering a nice variety for any activity. I've spotted loads of unthreatening wildlife while on the path, including turtles, deer, snakes, ground hogs, beavers, and many different birds, squirrels, and enjoy being near the water and especially stopping at the locks to stretch, rest, or fuel mid-long run, too. [extra garbage cans, tables/benches, and proximity to other humans makes it feel like a safer space to slow, perhaps?] I am hopeful that the Color the Canal project will return for the third year in 2021, which creates visual and sculptural art to welcome the CEC cyclists riding from Buffalo to Albany each July.

My wife and I walked the portion between Watervliet and Albany recently and it was a pretty nice…read moretrail. Much of it was in the woods along an old railroad right-of-way, so there were plenty of trees providing shade. A couple of clearings allowed for sightlines of the expressway but it wasn't too noisy. One area had a bench, picnic table, and informational display about the location of the old Troy Iron Works. A few areas had cutaways in the trees for sightlines to the river. I wish there was more to see or do along the trail, and it would have been appreciated to have some more benches or tables or whatnot to rest on. But, the area in Watervliet where the parking lot is had a couple of tables.

What a gem. Lovely views, so many birds, charming gazebo, beautiful pond. Mowed paths are well…read more-maintained (though currently drenched after this crazy spring). The maps at each intersection are fabulous! Would love to have more places be that easy to navigate. Thank you!

The property was beautiful and the walking paths were well carved out. The gazebo was a nice touch.read more

Lake Taghkanic State Park is an expansive area with a pavillion, large beach, water activities,…read moreboat rentals, picnic tables, tent, trailer and RVcampsites; hiking, biking, crosscounty and snowmobile trails; short and long term rental cottages yearround. The park area is about a mile off the Taconic Highway in a relatively secluded area of Columbia County in New York State. Beautiful spot for a day visit or cabin rental for a summer vacation with the family.

Updated Review: For the beach area only…read more Yinz already know I love this campground. This past weekend I returned just for the lake for a Fat Beach Swim with my plus size hiking group and it was soooo fun! I snagged parking right by the lake, it was super clean, and the crowds were lovely. I felt super comfortable as a Black woman and as a fat person. Very diverse beachgoers. Our crew - over 20 of us! - set up tents, beach umbrellas, tables, coolers, etc. and all of our stuff was safe while we swam. Lifeguards and rangers were unobtrusive. The roped off area went back to a good 7 ft deep so it was easy to wade or actually swim. Bathrooms were very clean and I heard good reports about the concession stand. Tips: -$10 to enter -There was a Statie checkpoint set up as soon as I pulled in at 2pm. Seatbelts and sobriety so don't get caught lacking. -the sand and exposure gets hot hot hot so bring flip flops, sunglasses, and a hat. Enjoy yourself!!