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Friday Field Trip to Historic Downtown & Waterfront Albany The Albany Aqua Duck amphibious shuttle will take you on a tour of historic sites in downtown & waterfront Albany. You will see such sites as First Church, the oldest church in upstate New York; the Ten Broeck Mansion, home of brigadier general Abraham Ten Broeck, commander of the New York Militia at the Battle of Saratoga; the Palace Theater, built in 1931 and designed by John Eberson, an eminent motion picture theater architect; and much more. From the Hudson River, you will see sites such as the USS Slater, the only Escort class destroyer from WWII still afloat; Fort Crailo, home of the Hendrick Van Rensselaer family and today a museum of colonial Dutch culture; and much more. The field trip begins at 2pm on Friday, June 8, 2007, and leaves from the Desmond Hotel parking lot. After a short trip to downtown Albany, the Aqua Duck will tour land sites for 45 minutes to an hour, then plunge into the scenic Hudson River for 30 minutes of water touring. The shuttle returns to the Desmond Hotel between 4 and 4:30pm in time for conference registration and check-in. Since the field trip is before registration and official check-in time, luggage can be stored securely at the Desmond Hotel’s storage area. Seating is limited to 42 people, and the cost is $25.00 per person. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. A sign-up form will be included in your registration packet. Local Attractions Albany is exceptionally rich in historical attractions. One of the best resources about Albany is the Albany County Convention and Visitors Bureau. On their home website they note: Albany is firmly rooted in its history and moving toward the future… the history, heritage and hospitality have attracted visitors to Albany for hundreds of years… For almost three centuries, Albany has been hosting meetings that shaped the nation and continue to mold its future. The website is http://www.albany.org. Here you will find introductions to tours such as: Tours by Trolley and Horse Drawn Carriage: for example, the 17th century site of Fort Orange, the 19th century Underground Railroad sites, and tours of the futuristic Empire State Plaza. Self-Guided Walking Tours: A printed tour brochure guide visitors through history Albany’s streets and buildings. The best place to start is at the Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center. As their website states: The first stop to exploring Albany is at the Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center. There are plenty of brochures and information about the region and knowledgeable staff to answer questions. But the Visitors Center holds much more than brochures! It also offers an orientation show and exhibits that explore the history of Albany, the Gift Shop and the Henry Hudson Planetarium. Tours and special events are scheduled throughout the year. The Albany Heritage Visitors Center shares it home with the Albany County Convention & Visitors Bureau (ACCVB) at historic Quackenbush Square at the corner of Clinton Ave. and Broadway in downtown Albany. Free parking is available in the Visitors Center parking lot adjacent to Quackenbush Sq. (off Broadway via Spencer Street). Open Monday-Friday 9am-4pm, Saturday and Sunday 10am-4 pm. Examples of historic sites are:
Historic Cherry Hill Schuyler Mansion http://nysparks.state.ny.us/sites/info.asp?siteID=27
32 Catherine Street, Albany, NY 12202
Ten Broeck Mansion http://timesunion.memlink.com/default.aspx?xsubmittype=GoSite&xsubmit=10014149
9 Ten Broeck Place, Albany, NY 12210
From: RoundTheBend’s: Online Travel
Guide to Upstate New York |