• New York State Capitol, +1 518 474-2418, [6]. Free guided tours, M-F 10AM, noon, 2PM, and 3PM; Sa & Su 11AM, 1PM, and 3PM. Free self-guided audio tours M-F, 9AM-3PM (driver license or passport must be left as collateral for audio player). Plaza Visitor Center, Rm. 106 Concourse, Empire State Plaza. Security screening will confiscate pocket knives and other sharp objects.

• The Empire State Plaza [7] is something to behold. It lies between the New York State Capitol building and the New York State Museum. While many critics have found that the Plaza is architecturally intimidating, at best, it can be quite beautiful. Free concerts are often held on the plaza during the summer, ranging from Blues Festivals to Rock concerts. And the Fourth of July fireworks are spectacular.
• The view from the 42nd floor Corning Tower Observation Deck encompasses not only the city of Albany but the foothills of the Adirondacks [8], the Catskills, and the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts. Free. 10AM-2:30PM daily, closed holidays. Check-in at the security desk in the concourse under the Corning Tower, photo ID required. Plaza information office +1 518 474-2418.
• State Street is the main street that runs to the Albany Waterfront. Though much of the lower portion is decayed and empty, it retains a regal air and is well worth a visit, particularly as revitalization of the area takes hold. State Street is home to may of the stately 19th century homes that can be seen in Albany and was once home to writer Herman Melville. Nearby lies Pearl Street, which has recently undergone a renewal, and which caters to the 20-something bar and club scene. During the summer, the Alive at 5 concert series is an open festival on Broadway near the base of State Street. It draws quite a large crowd, and is generally a fun time for all. You can no longer bring your own beer, however—you must purchase it on site.
• Washington Park, located in the Center Square area, is a delightful, and for the most part safe, park (care should be taken at night, but no more than any similar city). In the park's center is the Park Playhouse, which offers free, good musicals and plays throughout the summer. May offers "Tulip Fest" a nod to Albany's Dutch heritage that consumes Washington Park with (mostly) tulips as well as a craft fair.
• Lark Street is tagged as Albany's equivalent of NYC's East Village. Lark Street is the hub of Albany youth culture, and it can be a nice visit. Lark Street is between Washington Park and the Empire State Plaza, and the region between the plaza and park is attractive and reminiscent of Albany's better days. In September, Lark Street is the site of one of Albany's most treasured events called "Larkfest", when Lark Street is closed off between Washington and Madison creating a very well attended and popular street fair .
• If you're an architecture buff, or you just like to look at wonderful, historic buildings, there's plenty of great architecture, including the majestic New York State Capitol building (beautiful inside and out), Albany City Hall (designed by reknowned architect H.H. Richardson, in the Romanesque style he popularized) the historic Cherry Hill, Schuyler and Ten Broeck mansions, the magnificent State University of New York headquarters building (formerly the Delaware and Hudson railroad building), the Van Ostrande-Radliff House (built circa 1728, is the oldest remaining Dutch building in the city), the New York State Education building with its impressive neo-classical colonnade, the High Gothic style of the Cathedral of All Saints, St. Peter's Church, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, the former Union Railroad building on Broadway (now offices for Bank of America), the State Court of Appeals, the Masonic Temple etc.

By plane

• Albany International Airport, 737 Albany-Shaker Road (Exit 4 off I-87), [2] is hardly international, except for a few flights from Canada. Several expansion projects since 1995 have transformed this once dowdy little airport into one of the most attractive and efficient in the nation. The addition of low-fare carrier Southwest has made this airport quite popular. Getting from the airport to the city is best done by pickup from a friend or by taxi; in 2006, a taxi to downtown Albany is about $20 to $25. See also "By bus" below.

By train

• Amtrak, 525 East St., Rensselaer, 1-800-872-7245. The Albany-Rensselaer station is Amtrak's 10th busiest. Unfortunately, it is not in Albany itself but directly across the river in the small city of Rensselaer. Amtrak is the best way of reaching Albany from New York City, and offers frequent service, although it is expensive compared to other modes. Cabs from the train station are expensive because one company has an exclusive contract. It is far better if you can arrange for someone to pick you up. Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) routes 14 and 24 connect downtown Albany to the station, Route 14 running more frequently including nights and weekends. Trains serving the stations include the Maple Leaf (New York-Albany-Toronto), the Adirondack (New York-Albany-Montreal), Empire Service (New York-Albany-Niagara Falls), the Ethan Allen Express (Rutland-Albany-New York), and the Lake Shore Limited (Chicago-Buffalo-Albany-New York/Boston).

By car

• Interstate 90 (I-90), the strip of highway that crosses the upper United States, cuts right through the north side of Albany. There are many exits into Albany from I-90. The Arbor Hill exit is probably the least-scenic entrance to the city since it runs through a poorer area, although like much of Albany there are some nice, if decaying, historical buildings to see including the Ten Broeck Mansion.
• Interstate 87 (I-87), which connects New York City and Montreal, intersects with I-90 in Albany. South of Albany, I-87 is a toll road called the Thruway. North of Albany, it is a free highway known to locals as the Northway.

By bus

• Greyhound Bus Lines, 34 Hamilton St, +1 518 434-8461, [3]. The station is downtown, near the waterfront. The area around the station can be seen as seedy so using a taxi or a friend to get to your hotel (if it is not near a bus line) may be a safe bet.
• TheLuxBus [4], offers value priced high end, luxurious ground transportation connecting Albany with Saratoga Springs, Plattsburgh and Montreal to the north, and New Paltz and Manhattan, New York to the south. TheLuxBus operates on Thursday, Friday and Sunday and departs from the SUNY campus and Wolf Rd. at noon and 9PM heading southbound and at noon and 7:30PM heading northbound. Increased frequency available during holidays, semester breaks and Spring/Summer/Autumn. Reservations required +1.646.895.0219.
• Capital District Transportation Authority, +1 518 482-8822 [5]. CDTA offers scheduled commuter and ShuttleFly service. ShuttleFly buses leave the Airport M-F several times each hour between 6AM and 11:10PM. ShuttleFly operates from Sa 7:10AM-11:10PM and Su 7:40AM-11:40PM.

Getting around Albany and the Capital Region entirely depends on where you are staying and what you want to see. If you plan on spending most of your time within the city of Albany, most downtown sights are within walking distance of each other. Many sights outside of downtown and even outside of the city of Albany can be reached by the public bus system, the CDTA. CDTA fares are $1.50 each way or $4 per day, no matter the distance traveled, and can be paid in $1.50 notes, coins or with prepaid cards of various denominations.

If you are traveling to Saratoga Springs or the Adirondacks, however, renting a car would probably be easier. Having access to a car is helpful in this region - The area is served by an efficient auto infrastructure, and traffic is not often encountered except during rush hour.

Rental Agencies

• Enterprise Rent-A-Car - Downtown Albany www.enterprise.com - (518) 472-1111
• Hertz® Car Rental - Albany Central Ave www.hertz.com - (518) 454-9701
• Enterprise Rent-A-Car - Albany www.enterprise.com - (518) 453-6222
• Hertz® Car Rental - Albany Crowne Plaza www.hertz.com - (518) 434-6911
• Avis Rent a Car: Local Rental Location Albany International Airport www.avis.com - (518) 785-3081
• Enterprise Rent-A-Car: Armory Garage www.enterprise.com - (518) 482-6343
• Thrifty Car Rental www.thrifty.com - (518) 782-7654

• Yellow Cab, +1 518 434-2222, offers a flat fee between different areas of the city.
• Capitaland Taxi, +1 518 455-8888, is metered, and should only be used to go short distances from the airport.

Lark Street has a number of nice gift shops and other unique stores, and is a perfect spot to pick up souvenirs or interesting artifacts...It is considered Albany's cultural melting pot, but it might have been on the stove a bit too long.

Crossgates Mall also offers the usual American consumer goods, so help the economy by maxing out your credit cards there. Beware of skateboard wielding vandals who like to play bumper cars with the senior citizens. There is a Regal Cinemas complex with 17 standard stadium-seating theaters and one IMAX Experience theater. Key stores include Borders, Macys, JC Pennys, FYE and Best Buy. Key restaurants include UNO Pizzaria, Johnny Rockets, Friendly's, Sbarros and a food court.

Colonie Center was recently remodelled as the upscale alternative to Crossgates Mall. The center has a newer Regal Cinemas complex with 13 stadium-seating theaters. Throughout the new center you'll find living room-style lounges with fireplaces and sofas. It also has a Macys, FYE as well as Boscovs, Sears, LL Bean, Barnes & Noble and Christmas Tree Shoppe. Key restaurants include Cheesecake Factory, PF Changs and a food court.

Generally, Colonie Center is less crowded than Crossgates, as Crossgates has two direct bus routes from downtown Albany going into it plus a route from Troy and a direct route from SUNY Albany campus. Colonie Center has a single bus route that hits it less frequently than Crossgate's routes. Crossgates is more popular with residents who ride the bus (including college students and high schoolers) than those who have to drive.

There are plenty of stores and restaurants up and down Wolf Road, including Red Lobster, Olive Garden, Macaroni Grill, Fuddruckers, Capital Chinese Buffet and Toys R Us.

• Equinox Center, 116 Wolf Rd, Albany NY, ☎ 518-458-2201.  edit
• Northway Mall, 1440 Central Ave, Albany NY, ☎ 518-459-5320.  edit
• West Mall Plaza, 875 Central Ave, Albany NY, ☎ 518-435-8010.  edit

• Midtown Tap and Tea Room is one of Albany's classiest restaurants. Located in the peaceful University Heights neighborhood on New Scotland Ave., it features some of the highest quality food and largest wine menus in Albany. Weekends feature local jazz bands and other musicians. Midtown also participates in the famous "First Friday" event where artwork from local artists is featured on the restaurant's walls. http://www.midtowntapandtearoom.com.

• Bomber's Burrito Bar is one of Albany's gems. Downstairs, large burritos are made. They cost about $7.50, and are somewhat decent for somewhere so far from Mexico. The Red-Stripe Pork is positively divine. Also check out vegetarian and vegan fare consisting of their veggie burrito and veggie "chicken" nugget burrito; skeptics will be pleased. In addition, the upstairs has a comfortable and friendly bar, with a wide-ranging, sophisticated selection of beers, which are available for $2.50 a pint during happy hour, which stretches from 11AM-8PM daily. Some, however, have found the food somewhat lackluster.
• Jack's Oyster House, 42 State Street, (518) 465-8854. An Albany classic, its walls are adorned with misty photos of Albany's interesting past. The quality and prestige of Jack's has gone down in recent years, though it still may be the best place to get freah seafood at a place that has defined downtown for almost one hundred years. It is expensive and dress tends to be more formal. http://www.jacksoysterhouse.com
• Vegan pizza (and good vegan pizza at that) can be found at Little Anthony's on Central Avenue.
• Justin's is a very popular spot that offers live Jazz Wednesday though Sunday. In addition to great dinners and lunches, they also have a really good weekend brunch, however it's on the expensive side.
• Ethnic restaurants include Shalimar and Gandhi (both Indian food) on lower Central Ave., Mamoun's (Middle Eastern) on Washington Ave., El Loco (Mexican) on Madison Ave., El Mariachi (Mexican/Spanish) on the corner of Swan St. & Hamilton St. and another location on Washington Ave., Mr. Pio Pio (Colombian/Ecuadorian) on Quail St. between Washington and Western; Saso's (Japanese) on Central Ave., and My Linh (Vietnamese) on Delaware Ave.
• For health food shopping the Honest Weight Food Co-Op on Central Ave (between Partridge and North Main) has a variety of health-minded dishes and baked goods made daily. Grab a "meal deal" for under $5. Check out the amazing cheese selection.
• C.H. Evans Brewing Company at the Albany Pump Station (a.k.a. The Albany Pump Station) is a restaurant and brewpub in downtown Albany. It serves American style fare burgers, fish and some upscale dishes as well. The highlight is their beer, of which they make upwards of 10 different styles and types. The Hefeweizen is outstanding as is their American Brown Ale, Belgian Style Ale and Pale Ale (honestly, all of their beer offerings are good). The building itself is the old Albany Pump Station, which used to pump the water from the Hudson River up to the reservoir, so the building has a ton of atmosphere and history. It's definitely worth the trip to just have a couple of beers.
• Debbie's Kitchen, Madison Ave. just west of Lark St. Superb for healthful, super tasty and interesting sandwiches and wraps. Beautiful desserts to tempt you if you have room after their generous salads and sandwiches. Highly recommended, an outstanding value.
• Karavalli Restaurant, Route 9R off Latham Circle For a nice spicy south India cuisine, this is a nice place to visit. The place lacks ambiance but food is great.
• The Ginger Man on Washington Ave. A nice atmosphere, a good, diverse menu, a nice selection of wine and beer and it isn't too expensive.
• DeJohn's on Lark St. has a good selection of beer, some nice wines and great food (mostly American and Continental fare, with some global influences thrown in for good measure).
• Restaurant Paradiso on central and robin., Cafe Cappriccio on Grand St, Lombardo's on Madison Ave. and Cafe Italia on Central Ave. are all upscale mob-owned Italian restaurants featuring superb food.
• Sam's on Southern Blvd. (US 9W) offers reasonably priced, but still satisfying and tasty Italian food, as does Mangia in Stuyvesant Plaza on Western Ave., (Mangia now has several locations throughout the Capital District - they're also on New Scotland Ave. in Slingerlands, and in the Shoppers World Plaza off NY 146 in Clifton Park).
• McGuire's, corner of Lark St. and State St. An upscale restaurant, a bit expensive, but the food is terrific.
• Le Canard Enchaine in Quackenbush Square is an upscale restaurant located in one of Albany's oldest historic building. They have an excellent menu and a nice outdoor dining area near the dumpster.
• The best BBQ in the area is located outside the Albany city limits. Jr.'s Barbecue on Saratoga Rd. in Burnt Hills and Smokey Bones BBQ & Grill on Central Ave. in Colonie are both quite good (the former is a smaller scale, "family friendly" place, the latter is a larger place with plenty of TVs for watching whatever sporting event happens to be on). A new BBQ take out place opened in midtown. Located on Ontario st between Morris and Myrtle the Capital Q Smokehouse has 3 different Pulled Pork, Brisket, Ribs and a whole lot of tasty sides. Their website is www.eatmypork.com and the phone is 518-GET-PORK.
• Some really good pub food can be had at Beff's. Located on Everett Rd. in Albany (about a 10 minute drive from downtown). They have really good burgers, nachos and a great selection of unique pizzas.
• Sushi Yokohama, 1800 Western Ave (in Cosimos Plaza). An excellent place with wonderful food and a relaxed atmosphere. Serve lunch and dinner. Many different choices of Sushi and Japanese dishes. My personal favorite is the "happy ending platter".
• Wolff's Biergarten, 895 Broadway, (518) 427-2461. Wolff's offers a number of authentic German food and beer selections and there is always a futball game on. http://www.wolffsbiergarten.com/
• Lombardo's, 121 Madison Avenue, ☎ 518-462-9180, [21]. Fine italian dining complemented by a welcoming staff.  edit

A decent downtown scene has developed over the past few years. Albany's serious drinking scene congregates around two downtown streets and around the city's colleges. Never wear open-toed shoes or sandals, as you will likely have to step over some lightweight freshman's vomit while crossing the street.

The best place to barhop is probably Lark Street, where more than a dozen bars from cocktail lounges and dives are crowded between Ontario Street and Central Avenue. Good bets include:

• Oh Bar is a popular gay/lesbian bar. Check out Karaoke night on Thursdays for some homoerotic fun.
• Midtown Tap and Tea Room is in one of the quieter parts of town and has one of the best wine menus.
• Popular burrito bar Bombers operates a pub upstairs.
• The Lark Tavern is a good place to sample Utica Club beer, an upstate brew common in the Post-War period. The Tavern frequently hosts live bands, open mic nights, poetry readings and left wing lesbian rantings.
• The Lionheart. Good on weekends when the Romans come down for their orgy, good happy hour specials, a good selection of beer, and they have dartboards and pool tables.
• Susies is a fun subterranean bar with several microbrews that are served in really small cups.
• Hollywood Tavern attracts a slightly alternative, unpretentious crowd. It's more "meet your friends" than "see and be seen. Great outdoor patio during the warmer months."

Pearl Street is another good place to go out. Closer to the large state offices, these bars draw a large after-work crowd, and after the Thursday afternoon waterfront concerts in the summer - Alive at 5 - these places can be pretty busy

• Envy Lounge - A good time. Great food with fair pricing. They also offer latin dancing and art auctions.
• The Albany Pump Station lets you dine with a few of the beer. Located just below Pearl St. toward the Hudson.
• Jillians, Massively popular chain restaurant\bar\nightclub\games etc.
• Blue 82, a trendy but nice place to get a martini, or some other fancy drink, and look hot
• The Bayou Cafe, New Orleans style fare and bands. Another good after-work crowd. Fills with older hepcat college students later in the evening, especially on weekends. Good live music.
• Plastic, possibly the only 'night club' style bar in Albany.
• McGeary's often has bands playing Celtic folk and/or bagpipe rock and they have an outdoor area for eating, drinking and listening to live bands during the summer.

Some places of interest:

• Mahar's - a drunken beer lover's paradise with a selection of literally hundreds of beers from all over the world. If you get to be a regular, you can earn T-shirts, cases of beer, and even your own cup on the wall.
• Red Square is a new live music venue that has a great atmosphere.
• Waterworks on Central Avenue is another popular gay/lesbian bar.

For the College Crowd:

• The Washington Tavern (WT's) is an upper classmen bar. It's usually pretty busy.
• Chubby's, Michael's,The Long Branch, and Bogies are hot spots for the college kids who aren't yet old enough to drink elsewhere.
• The Pub is a nice place to hang out on weekends. It's very busy with the typical college scene, but not as annoying as some of the others.
• Stone Crow caters to the slightly pretentious out of touch scene.