Albany Parks and Gardens

(Albany, New York - NY, USA)

New York State's capital is a particularly green city, with more than 60 parks, public gardens and recreational areas located within the boundaries of Albany.

Conveniently sited within the Center Square area is Washington Park, which is bounded by Western Avenue, South Lake Avenue and Madison Avenue, with its origins as a public space dating back to the late 17th century. Washington Park covers around 33 hectares / 82 acres and offers many seasonal attractions. The springtime Tulip Fest recognizes Albany's rich Dutch heritage and features a huge amount of color each May, along with a popular craft fair. During the summer, the lakeside Playhouse regularly stages musicals and concerts, while open-air events often take place at the amphitheater.

When the winter is at its coldest, officials check the thickness of the ice on Washington Park Lake, and if it is at least 18 cm / 7 inches thick, you are permitted to ice skate on the lake for free, until sunset. Signposts around the lake will be put up if the ice is considered to be unsafe.

General Information

Also very much of note in Albany is Lincoln Park, which sits on the corner of Delaware Avenue and Morton Avenue, just a short distance to the south of Capitol Hill and the Empire State Plaza. Spread over almost 30 hectares / 74 acres, Lincoln Park was created at the turn of the 20th century and boasts an enormous outdoor swimming pool, as well as basketball and tennis courts, playground areas, ball fields and a fitness center.

Buckingham Lake Park lies on the western side of Albany, in the New Scotland neighborhood and next to the Berkshire Boulevard, Davis Avenue and Rafts Way. Highlights here include picnic tables overlooking the spacious lake, a children's playground and a pleasant pathway. This is certainly a good place to come and feed wild ducks and Canadian geese, since many live on the lake and are very friendly.

Based within the 5-mile / 8-km long Corning Preserve, the Albany Riverfront Park is a lively place during the summer months, with its giant amphitheater being capable of seating some 800 spectators. The Alive at 5 concerts are a big draw here in the summer, while the visitors center offers an insight in the ecology and importance of the adjacent Hudson River. A stroll along the Mohawk Hudson Hike Bike Trail is also recommended here.

Additional parks worth looking out for in Albany include those of Beverwyck, Hoffman, Liberty, Ridgefield and Westland Hill Park. On the western side of the city is the expansive Albany Pine Bush Preserve, which is approximately 1,200 hectares / 3,000 acres in size and features a network of hiking trails. Roughly 30 minutes to the west of the city, the John Boyd Thacher State Park is also quite a size and covers some 800 hectares / 2,000 acres, being found on the Helderberg Escarpment and featuring excellent facilities for its visitors, such as outdoor picnic pavilions, nature trails and a large swimming pool.