Free things to do in Albany
Fifteen legitimately free attractions and events that fill a full weekend without touching your wallet.
Interior of the New York State Museum with dinosaur skeleton
The big four, all free
Empire State Plaza itself is a modernist plaza worth an hour walking. New York State Museum on Madison Avenue: free, 3 hours minimum, includes the working Sesame Street set and a serious 9/11 exhibit. New York State Capitol tour: free, hourly on weekdays, the Million Dollar Staircase alone justifies it. Corning Tower Observation Deck on the 42nd floor: free, weekdays 10am to 4pm, best view of Albany and the Hudson.
Parks and walks
Washington Park: 81 acres, free, tulips peak early May. Corning Preserve boardwalk along the Hudson: 5 miles, free, dogs and strollers welcome. Albany Pine Bush Preserve on New Karner Road: 3,300 acres of rare pitch-pine barrens, free trails, Discovery Center free entry. Academy Park downtown between the Capitol and City Hall: small but pretty for a lunch break.
Free events year-round
Empire State Plaza Free Wednesday Concerts, late June through August, 5pm to 9pm, real bands. Tulip Festival second weekend of May: free entry, live music, food vendors ($8 to $12 if you eat). Alive at Five Thursdays in summer at Jennings Landing on the Hudson: free concerts, food trucks. Capital Holiday Lights at Washington Park: free walk-through in December, drive-through $20.
Free art and history
New York State Executive Mansion tours: free, Thursday afternoons September through May, reserve online, and you walk the same rooms the governor lives in. Ten Broeck Mansion first Saturdays free (usually $8). USS Slater has occasional free days, check ahead. Albany Institute of History & Art is not free but is $10 and worth mentioning as the one paid thing that punches way above its price.
Frequently asked questions
What people ask before they set off on this one.
New York State Museum on Empire State Plaza. Free, three hours of content, the carousel and Sesame Street set are the highlights.
Yes, no ticket needed. Weekdays only, 10am to 4pm, closed weekends. Take the elevator from the concourse; security screening at the base.
Yes, free tours Thursday afternoons September through May. Reserve in advance through the mansion's website. It's the actual working governor's residence.
Yes, both Empire State Plaza Wednesdays and Jennings Landing Thursdays. Bring a chair. Food vendors are cash and card.
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