Where to stay in Cohoes
Cohoes Falls on the Mohawk River
Cohoes has one small hotel and roughly 10 rentals at $95-$140, sitting where the Mohawk meets the Hudson north of Albany.
Who it suits
Cohoes is a former mill city at Cohoes Falls, the second-largest waterfall in New York by volume. Remsen Street has a small restored downtown with the Cohoes Music Hall (a 1874 theater with regular shows), Smith's Tavern, and a couple of coffee shops. Rentals in the Van Schaick Island area or off Columbia Street run cheap and sit 15 minutes from Downtown Albany via I-787. Book Cohoes if you have Music Hall tickets, want to walk to the falls, or are working at any of the Mohawk River industrial sites.
Who it doesn’t suit
Cohoes is small and quiet — dinner options thin out fast, and outside Remsen Street the city feels genuinely sleepy. There are no chain hotels of note, no nightlife, no attractions beyond the falls and the Music Hall. Skip Cohoes if you want to walk to a real restaurant scene, if you need hotel amenities, or if your plans are Albany-centric. For a Downtown Albany-focused trip, book in Albany or Menands and drive up to see the falls for an hour.
Before you book
The questions people ask about Downtown Albany, answered with this month’s numbers.
Yes, especially after spring runoff or heavy rain, when the volume is genuinely dramatic. Falls View Park has the best viewing platform.
About 8 miles, 15 minutes on I-787 with no traffic.
