If you are traveling Upstate and have a layover at Albany airport, there are plenty of things to do. Here are 13 things to do at or near Albany airport:
13 Things to do at or near Albany Airport
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Visit the New York State Museum:
The New York State Museum is located just a few miles from Albany airport and is one of the largest museums in the country. With exhibits on natural history, art, and science, there is something for everyone at the New York State Museum.
Visit the Albany Institute of History and Art:
The Albany Institute of History and Art is also located just a few miles from Albany airport. With a collection that includes paintings, sculptures, furniture, and more, the Albany Institute is one of the oldest and largest museums in New York State.
Take a Tour of the Capitol:
The New York State Capitol is located in Albany, just a short drive from the airport. Tours of the Capitol are available Monday through Friday, and they offer a great opportunity to learn about the history and architecture of this iconic building.
Visit the Empire State Plaza:
The Empire State Plaza is a complex of state government buildings in Albany. The plaza includes the New York State Museum, the Empire State Plaza Art Collection, and the Egg, a performing arts center. The plaza is also home to a variety of shops and restaurants.
Explore the Albany Pine Bush:
The Albany Pine Bush is a preserve located just outside of Albany. With miles of hiking and biking trails, the Albany Pine Bush is a great place to get some fresh air and explore the natural beauty of upstate New York.
Visit the Albany Heritage Area Visitor Center:
The Albany Heritage Area Visitor Center is located in downtown Albany. The center offers information on the history and culture of Albany and the surrounding area.
Take a River Cruise:
The Hudson River is located just outside of Albany, and there are a variety of cruises available that offer views of the river and the surrounding area.
Visit the USS Slater:
The USS Slater is a decommissioned WWII destroyer escort ship that is now a museum. The Slater is located in Albany and is open for tours.
Explore the Albany Tulip Festival:
The Albany Tulip Festival is an annual event that takes place in May. The festival features a variety of activities, including a parade, live music, and more.
Visit the New York State Capitol Building:
The New York State Capitol building is located in Albany, just a short drive from the airport. The Capitol building is open for tours Monday through Friday, and it is a great opportunity to learn about the history and architecture of this iconic building.
Check out Washington Park:
Washington Park is a large park located in Albany. It spans 84 acres and is home to more than 100 species of trees. The park also has a variety of gardens, including a rose garden, an herb garden, and a Japanese garden.
The park is home to a variety of activities, including a playground, a swimming pool, and more.
Visit Albany Heritage Area:
The Albany Heritage Area is located in downtown Albany. The heritage area offers information on the history and culture of Albany and the surrounding area. It is a 15-20 minute drive from the airport,
Visit Colonie Center Mall:
Colonie Center is a large shopping mall located in Albany. With more than 150 stores, the mall has something for everyone. The mall is located about 10 minutes from the airport.
What to do near Albany International Airport
| Activity | Details |
| Arts and culture | You can immerse yourself into the thriving art and culture scenes with many museums, historic sites and performing arts venue |
| Outdoor Activities | There are different options of outdoor activities to choose from during a layover. You can go for zip lining adventures or opt to go for mountain climbing. Alternatively you can also go for skating at the Empire skate plaza |
| Visit Tourist Attraction sites | You can always seek alternatives to areas with top attractions including amusement parks, extreme adventure hotspots and those that cater for kids. |
| Shopping | There are different options and spots to go do some shopping ranging from large malls and shopping centers to smaller boutiques that offer a great assortment of places to shop. |
| Food drink and nightlife | You can try out beer or wine tasting, check out a local farmers market for some fresh produce. |
| Spas and Wellness | You can choose to have some relaxing moments at the spas and get some massages or get some new looks at a local salon. |
| Take some boat rides | You can take some short drive to open you up to the different boat riding experience in the capital region. |
| Explore the historical attractions | You can opt to check out different historic attractions of the Albany area and get some perception of the true history of the region. |
| Go sightseeing | You can choose to go for sight viewing at the corning tower observation deck and get views from 42nd floor of the building |
| Visit the Washington Park | You can choose to go spend some quality time and enjoy the weather, plan a picnic or go for a walk at the Washington park. There is a pond, a bridge to walk over and in the in spring time there are a thousand of tulips in bloom |
My name is Alex Mutuma and I founded this blog, Airport LLC as a way to document and engage with clients in my travel consulting business. Airportllc.com is the only source of over 2,000 fun things flyers could do during layovers.
Over the past 7 years, I have designed and planned tour packages for hundreds of clients and have recently focussed on the mission of changing boring layovers to excellent mini-vacations by giving you the best suggestions on must-do activities when flying over different airports.
Next time you or your friend are looking for suggestions on what to do in some airport, remember Airport LLC or Airportllc.com. On this site, you’ll get the best suggestions available on the internet regarding hand-picked activities that will fulfill your airport experience.
I currently reside in New York City and have obtained a license to provide professional tour guidance at Airports in the US and across the world. Why should you listen to my suggestions? I have flown through more than 100 airports in the world and fortunately, I have pictures, stories, and tips to share with you regarding all the fun stuff you can do as you wait for your next flight.
Aside from gaining thousands of flying miles, I am also a travel consultant assisting clients with bookings and specifically advance tour bookings of things to do at airports when the layover is longer than 5 hours.
To make a 15-minute free things-to-do consultation with Alex, use my email, alex@airportllc.com.
This is only recommended for flyers with long layovers of over 5 hours. If your layover is 3+ hours, you can still reach out but we cannot guarantee the ideal package that will change your layovers to mini-vacations. I only support clients flying through US airports and a select number of cities across the world.
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Name: Alex Mutuma
Profession: A professional travel consultant with a focus on airport activities to do during layovers
Email: Alex@airportllc.com
Phone: +1 945 348 889
Website: airportllc.com
Location: 322 Main Packway Street, Boston, US
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