Every school kid knows Albany is the capital of New York. It’s also the oldest city in the state.
But let’s face it, it’s hard to stand out when you’re competing with NYC.
The New York State Capitol
This time of year, it’s a great time to visit.
Not just to leaf peep, but to architecture peep too.
NYC isn’t the only famous New York city to sit on the Hudson River, so does Albany.
The city of Albany is over 400 years old.
And it’s fascinating how they mixed centuries of architecture together in the Empire State Plaza.
Agency 1, Agency 2, Agency 3, Agency 4
The Egg
Believe it or not, The Egg is a theater designed by Harrison & Abramovitz in the 60s and 70s.
The Cultural Education Center
Francois Stahly’s Labyrinth
This wooden sculpture was built from 230 hand-carved pieces of wood.
Herman Melville
lived in Albany
Even though Albany is the capital of New York, it’s only the 11th largest city in the state.
Albany is the perfect spot to start a leaf peeping adventure.
So after you see the city sights, get on the road to take in the surrounding nature.
We’re headed out to Thatcher State Park in Voorheesville.
How spectacular are these trees?
You can even see Empire State Park from up here.
Fall Crunch
The best time to see the changing leaves in Albany, is in late September through October.
Here’s a website if you want to check for peak foliage.
Over 170 species of birds call Thatcher Park home.
The area has several underground springs and sprawling pathways.
The limestone is also full of fossils.
But the trees are the real star of the show: the maples, the pines, the basswood.
Happy Fall!
for the love of nike 
Wow. Thanks for the photos. Amazing architecture. Amazing trees.
Great pictures. When did you shoot fall?
If you read Storyteller, you’ll know how I photograph fall. I grab a coffee, take a couple of dogs and walk out on the porch and make fall pictures. We bought a former dairy farm in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. We aren’t farmers.
I think it’s good that Albany has a giant Jenga in the city.