Welcome to Albany
Looks Like History, feels like a vacation

Albany’s rich heritage spans almost four centuries and throughout those years the city and indeed the county has continued to reinvent itself.  First a trading center, then a hub of government, now home to world art and architecture and cutting edge technology and research.

But Albany is more than its historic Capital city.  The county stretches north, west and south and encompasses quaint towns, historic river cities, rolling hills and a dramatic escarpment.
Watervliet located on the banks of the Hudson River and Cohoes situated at the confluence of the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers are two Albany county cities with their own rich history.

The Watervliet Arsenal is located in the river city that bears its name. This “Cannon Factory” is the nations oldest founded in 1813 to support our nation’s second war for independence, the war of 1812.  The Arsenal continues to produce today’s high tech weaponry and is the location of other innovative companies.

And just north in Cohoes there are still examples of mills that made the city prominent in the 19^th century.  A series of ten canals built on three levels allowed for water to be used six times by the mills before it was dumped back into the river. The Cohoes falls is the subject of Native American legend, European exploration, Irish poetry and daredevils in barrels. In the mid 1800’s the cataract was a major tourist attraction and resort area.
The Hill Towns are found in the southern portion of the county.  Beginning in New Scotland travelers ascend the Heldeberg Escarpment and can make a stop at its top for a view of the Capital city.  Then venturing farther south the towns of  Knox Rensselaerville, Berne, Westerlo and Coeymans hold historic treasures that date back to before the American Revolution.  An important part of hilltown history is the Anti-rent Wars which lasted 41 years.  Tenant farmers became “Calico Indians” in protest of Dutch Patroon lease agreements.  The book “Tin Horns and Calico” by Henry Christman chronicles that history.

This panoply of resources and history combine to make Albany County the perfect getaway destination whether your tastes are for great museums and historic sites, great art, great theater, great music, great sports or the great outdoors.

For up to the minute information on Getaway Packages, Events and Attractions go to www.albany.org