I’ve often heard the rumor that there isn’t much to do in Troy, or the Capital District in general. If you come across this heresay, realize that it is nothing more than a silly rumor—there is a ton to do! I will agree that transportation may be a slight problem, but please remember that CDTA is free with a student ID, and many times people will attend the same event you want to go to—carpooling can be fun! From restaurants to concerts to other excitement, there should never be a dull moment if you are staying in the area for the summer.
Explore the many cafés in downtown Troy filled with several delectable options. My personal favorite is a coffee shop, the Flavour Café, because I love coffee and the atmosphere is so nice. The Poly does have lots of different restaurant reviews, however, if you type “restaurants” into “Search Archives” on the website (http://poly.rpi.edu/).
If you want to explore Albany, there are many eateries to be discovered. Around mid-August, many businesses will participate in restaurant week, a promotion that features different dishes each priced at $16.09 in honor of Henry Hudson’s first arrival to the area in 1609. Many of the specials are for two people, or are three-course meals with seafoods, steak, duck, etc. Several of the menus for the different restaurants are available online by way of a simple Google search.
If you like galleries and exhibits, there are several in the area that might be worth a visit. At the New York State Museum, there are many different exhibits throughout the summer, such as “Alex Katz—Selections from the Whitney Museum of American Art,” “Look-Alikes: The Amazing World of Joan Steiner,” “The 2007 Best of SUNY Student Art Exhibition,” and “unseenamerica NYS”—comprised of pictures of working lives taken by working hands. With a bit of travel, one could go to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, located in Saratoga Springs. This unique gallery museum is dedicated to horse racing; it has many different events and could be a unique experience. Also in Saratoga are the Saratoga Auto Museum and the National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame. There are many more museums in the area if that interests you.
Looking for something a bit more lively? There are also several different concerts and events. At the Times Union Center, Josh Groban will be performing on July 28. There is also the WWE Smackdown on August 28, and the American Idols Tour on August 30. At the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, the New York City Ballet has performances throughout the summer. SPAC also has several concerts this summer, including John Mayer and Ben Folds, Meatloaf, the Goo Goo Dolls, and many others. There are also several classical concerts also at SPAC. These include the Philadelphia Orchestra and The Saratoga Chamber Music Festival.
If you are looking for some outdoor events to partake in, you could go berry picking at Hick’s Orchard! There are also several other farms in the area, if you want to experience more than one.
In August, horse racing begins in Saratoga, and this means lots of fun! During the evening, there are several musical acts often set up along Broadway, ranging from soloists to barbershop quartets.
On Saturday, August 25, there is the Latin Fest at Washington Park in Albany. This event is one of three big festivals—September will also see the Jazz Fest and Lark Fest.
There are a wide variety of activities during the summer months to fit anyone’s interests. I hope you find some time to enjoy all that the area has to offer you!
