A Day in Albany

We didn't have any major plans for this morning so we didn't set an alarm and when we did wake up we stayed in bed and read for a while before getting up and ready for the day.

When we finally left the hotel we headed a little north of Albany to Cohoes Falls. The Falls are located on the Mohawk River in the town of Cohoes. There is a small park that sits up above the river with great views of the Falls. And there is a walkway that leads down to the river. We didn't quite make it to the river because there is a gate and they lock it if the trail is too wet or not passable. But we still enjoyed visiting the Cohoes Falls and after a little time and some pictures we headed back to Albany.

Our first stop in Albany was the Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center on Broadway. We stopped in and talked with two very nice women and got lots of information. There was free parking behind the building for the weekend. So we decided to leave the car here and walk around.

We walked along Broadway to Maiden Lane. Here we stopped in at Stacks Espresso Bar for some coffee and a snack. We spent about 40 minutes here just relaxing and then continued our walk. We walked up Maiden Lane and then merged onto the Mohawk Hudson Hike Bike Trail. This is an elevated walkway that took us over Interstate 787 and to Jennings Landing. From here the Trail continues in both directions following the Hudson River. We headed south on the trail, taking our time and enjoying the views along the way.

We walked for a while going under the Dunn Memorial Bridge, passing the USS Slater and eventually ended at Dutch Apple Cruises & Tours. We had reservations for a Hudson River Boat Cruise at 1:00pm. We arrived about an hour early so we found a spot to sit and relax while we waited to board for the cruise. Around 12:40pm they opened the gate and we were able to board the boat. We went up to the second level and found a table with two chairs and picked that as our spot to enjoy our tour of the Hudson River. Our tour took us south on the river but I am not sure how far we went. I do know that the tour laste an hour and 45 minutes. It was interesting and informative. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and funny. We saw wonderful areas of nature and beautiful homes as well as deer, herons and an eagle. I really enjoyed the relaxing boat ride, the history and the scenery. I really recommend Dutch Apple Cruises & Tours.

    

Once we were off the boat and back on solid land we started our walk back to downtown Albany. We followed the Mohawk Hudson Hike Bike Trail for only a short distance again going under the Dunn Memorial Bridge until we came to a stop light and crosswalk that took us across Quay Ave. and through an underpass to Broadway. Since it is Saturday and all the office and government agencies were closed the downtown area was quiet and peaceful.

We walked along Broadway enjoying the beautiful afternoon and stopped along the way to take pictures or sit and relax on a bench. One of the first stops we made was at SUNY (State University of New York) Administration Building. The building was stunning. After taking pictures and sitting and relaxing we decided we were hungry. We saw a sign for Jack's Oyster House and headed there. It was still early for dinner but we hadn't had anything today except for our coffee and snack before our cruise. So we needed a good meal. The restaurant was a little expensive but the food was incredible. Thomas had a Filet Mignon and I had the Crabcakes with Mango Chipolte Herb Aioli. Both meals came with a salad and fresh steamed vegetables. Absolutely delicious! From the restaurant we continued along Broadway and stopped and relaxed on a bench in Tricentennial Square. After a short rest we finished our walk back at the Visitors Center and our car.

 We had a great relaxing day and decided we were ready to return to the hotel and do some more relaxing and some reading. I also did a little research to see what we could do in the area tomorrow. I found something for us to do but will require a drive. Now that I have this post complete it is time for some sleep.