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.

Well despite coming here to Albany for such a short time out of disappointment in regards to my…read morefamily who never told me that they wanted to stay here shortly I had left them alone and went my own way to this Shaker heritage community unfortunately they are closed on Monday and Tuesday and originally I was supposed to go to Cleveland for at least going to the arboretum down there in Cleveland no they want to go over here and stores are closed anyways this looks like a good place to check out I would come back here again but without my family since I like the quaintness of state capital Albany in upstate New York other than that not much I could say I like how they have this rare cow that they raise here that's almost extinct chickens and how they educate you about the Shakers since they don't live a life of producing but rather of the celibate life in Christianity from the days of George Washington and the American revolution. That is what I learned about this place unfortunately I couldn't go to the museum because it was closed on Monday

"Hear, O Israel! Adonai is our G-d! Adonai is One!" - Proud of this amazing structure, tremendous…read moreamount of Jewish history - alive and well in this amazing town! G-d Bless America!

Nice old shul. It's a historic landmark. During the summer, they use it every day. During the year…read moreit's used infrequently. In the summer, it's orthodox.

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.

A must see attraction in the Hudson Valley! A wonderful site with much to offer. The Church 200…read moreExhibition is excellent and the grounds and house are superb!

5/19- 5/20/26 Visits:…read more -5/19/26: We came for the special Fredrick Church 200th b-day exhibit. The paintings were wonderful to view. I'm taking one star off. The male tour guide was underwhelming to say the least. He did admit that it was his first tour. I believe for Church's 200th birthday exhibition, a paying customer would've expected the guide to give an overview on the artist and a description of his paintings. All we received was a a person walking the group into a couple rooms. I even tried to question him about one of the paintings. He basically threw the question back at me. -5/20/26: We took an electric car tour throughout the 5 mile narrow hilly estate. Price $40 and totally worth it! Ellen was our tour guide and driver. Brava to Ellen! She was extremely thorough and knowledgeable about the entire Fredric Church estate. A wonderful gift shop is available on the premises.

My boyfriend and I were in Kaaterskill Falls for our annual hike at the Rail Trail, when we…read morediscovered Saugerties Lighthouse. I don't even know how to be honest. But we like to drive around getting lost a lot, which is how we discover most places. The entrance is a little hidden, small parking lot. The trail is full of greenery. There is a mixture of bridges and dirt paths. Also we noticed little figurines hidden along the way. They are very cute! The views on the way to the lighthouse were as stunning as of the lighthouse alone. At some point you have to walk over the water - so it is wise to look at the tide schedule so you don't get wet or trapped. The lighthouse is dipped in history that you can read on their website (saugertieslighthouse.com). It is truly an incredible little place. I read there are tour and you can even stay there overnight! We definitely want to do either one or both in the near future. It was definitely an amazing find, which we will incorporate into our annual visits. Breathtaking location. The volunteers are doing a great job maintaining it. Definitely made for a memorable visit.

This place is really cool! There aren't any other lighthouses that I know of in the immediate area…read moreof the Hudson Valley that is accessible on foot (without a boat). During the week the lighthouse deck is open so you can walk to the back deck to enjoy this place up close but on the weekends the deck is closed to guests that might be staying the night. You can actually lodge at the lighthouse which is even cooler than just visiting the outside. The walk to the base of the lighthouse is an easy walk but don't arrive too late because the tide could be really high making the walk likely very muddy or very wet to pass. Parking area is super small so arrive early to ensure parking or you'll have to wait in your car for a spot to open up. I wouldn't advise parking on the grass of the adjacent coast guard property since there are signs that say come back if there is no parking likely implying "If you park here you will be towed" but signs don't explicitly say that so beware if you park outside lot.

Lovely spot to go for a walk around the grounds. Sadly, the gardens could use some weeding. The…read moremansion is also closed for renovation. I feel like the gardens were nicer in the 90s when Historic Hudson Valley owned the property. Nonetheless, I am sure Bard will do a great job of keeping up the house. They have some nice trails, which are also being maintained. I highly recommend a trip out there

This place is like an oasis of calm. The mansion is beautiful and it has an amazing history. The…read morearchitecture is a dream that I'm going to use when I build my house. It is the quietest site I ever visited. When you get there, after you park, there's no one anywhere to let you know where to go and what to do. We got there on a day where there were another 9 people roaming around and 3 of them took the mansion tour with us. An older couple was having a picnic, a young lady was walking around by herself and another couple was walking all over the place, creeping out in the mansions windows. The tour guide was well informed so he went on with the story of the place like he was teaching a history class. It was informative a thorough. To visit the inside of the house it will cost you $10 in cash, a person. We have a membership so we didn't have to pay. The tour takes about an hour and you will only tour the first floor. The basement, the second and the third floor are closed to the public. I do recommend you to visit this site if you want to know more of the history of the area.

We did the train robbery excursion. What excitement- a great trip for kids. They provided earplugs…read morefor the fake shots and bombs going off. All the actors were having a blast and so were we. I would love to come back for their BBQ train ride

We came here recently for their "Touch a Train" day and it was a lot of fun…read more Admittedly, any day riding trains is fun but they had a lot going on: FREE train rides on their 12" gauge park train; FREE tour of their station with many model train exhibits; FREE tours inside of a diesel engine including cab with opportunity to ring the bell and activate the brakes; FREE live music; inexpensive food including popcorn (yum); FREE gift bag for the kids with stickers, wooden train whistle, and other things like that; FREE demonstration of a working railroad work crane; $5 caboose train rides up and down part of the line; run the Lionel train layout in the station for a quarter for a couple of laps. They do this once a year, so don't show up anytime and expect to get all of the above. But they are a great little railroad and museum trying to keep up the history of trains in the area. The staff were super friendly too.

Wow, what a huge historical museum and tribute to our nations history. Definitely stop and spend…read moretime in this town. The whole story of the troops holding off the British soldiers from that place is amazing. The cemetery is amazing too. You can almost feel the soldiers running up and down the stairs and outside. Loved the cannon balls and to see the hole is pretty neat. I loved the whole area and town has historical homes all along the roadside. Nice shops too!

The Old Stone Fort in Schoharie, NY is one of those places that quietly draws you in with how much…read morehistory it holds. At first glance, it looks like a simple old church, but once you step inside, you realize you're standing somewhere that has witnessed more than 200 years of stories. Built in the 1770s as a German Reformed Church, it was later fortified and turned into a defensive stronghold during the Revolutionary War. You can still spot a cannonball hole in the wall a little visual reminder of how real that history was. The museum complex is spread out beautifully, with several old buildings and scenic grounds that make it easy to wander around at your own pace. Each building feels like a glimpse into a different part of Schoharie's past from farming and school life to vintage machinery and military history. The volunteers here really add to the experience they're kind, knowledgeable, and genuinely passionate about the history they're sharing. It's the kind of museum that doesn't feel overly polished, but that's exactly what makes it charming. You can sense the age of the wood floors and the craftsmanship in every display. It's quiet, peaceful, and even a little haunting in the best way, especially if you walk through the small cemetery nearby. If you enjoy exploring local history or hidden gems off the main tourist path, the Old Stone Fort is definitely worth a visit. It doesn't take long to go through, but you'll likely leave thinking about how much life and resilience are preserved in those old stone walls.

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!

The Queen of Queens heads to the capitol. I was pleasantly surprised by what I saw. A beautiful…read morebuilding that was easily accessible although you will have to go through multiple security checkpoints when navigating through the building. Don't worry, security officers were personable and were happy to direct to where you need to be. I think they rather you ask than aimlessly wander around this pretty important government building. There are shops and places to grab a quick bite. There is also a Dunkin' in there and this was what I needed to refuel halfway through the day. If you like history/public affairs/governmental stuff...definitely worth a visit. I'm sure I'll be back in some capacity.

Can't recommend this place enough. Amazing air BNB/inn located in the Catskills on an old abandoned…read morezoo. As a guest you were able to explore the zoo day and night however, you need to stay out of the buildings. The in itself is gorgeous and the rooms are comfortable. There is a total of five guestrooms. There is even an option to rent out the whole inn. There is a large kitchen and living room for guest to use That is a shared space. You can bring your own food and cook there if you want. There is also a few tent sites. Dog friendly! Definitely a unique experience and close to other attractions in the area.

Wow. You are not likely to find a more fantastic and unique place to stay. This was part of a…read moresurprise birthday weekend for my wife and until we got to Game Farm Road, she had no idea where we were going. Everyone is shocked when I tell them that we stayed inside what was the giraffe house. The rooms are well-appointed, and the communal are spacious. There's a full kitchen for you to use, couches, tables, a coffee bar. But for the people who are here to explore the modern ruins, the real appeal is outside the inn. We probably spent 5 hours exploring all over the abandoned zoo, and I'm not sure we covered everything. Almost everything is open, so you can go into the buildings, inside the fences, even inside the cages. It's spooky, but so cool. And since the inn has only five rooms, we hardly saw anyone while we were out there, since you can only explore the property if you're staying there. It's only about 20 minutes to downtown Catskill, where we went to eat both nights, but while you're on the property, it's completely quiet, except for the creepily atmospheric sounds of the gun range down the road.