Best Time to Go
Horse racing at the Saratoga racecourse runs from July through Labor Day weekend. You can catch the Capital District Scottish Games annually each Labor Day weekend. Over Memorial Weekend, you’ll find the Saratoga Festival and craft show and dressage event. During the entire summer, the Albany Trolley runs weekend tours through the Historic District. The Great Escape and Watersplash Kingdom, a Six Flags theme park, is open during the summer months. Numerous historic homes and the state capital are worth visiting any time of the year.

Average Weather
Brrr-rrr! Button up if you are in Albany during January - the coldest month’s temperatures average lows of 11 degrees Fahrenheit and highs in the 30s. Average January precipitation is around 2.5 inches of the snow. December and February are almost as cold. Spring and fall temperatures average in the 40s and 50s with the occasional cold snap or unseasonably warm day. Summer in Albany is almost always pleasant with averages ranging from the high 60s to mid-70s. Even in August, the hottest month, highs only hit the low 80s.

Transportation
The Albany International Airport is serviced by six major carriers; AMTRAK trains arrive daily at three regional depots. Enterprise Car Rental has an Albany outlet. Capital District Transportation Authority provides bus services throughout the area; they can be reached at 518-482-8822. Yellow Cab can be reached at 518-434-2222.

In-Season Costs
As the capital of the Empire State, Albany has her fair share of establishments suitable for a blowout night out. You can easily spend around $40 per person on an evening meal with wine in a nice restaurant. You’ll also find an array of eateries with entrees in the $11-$18 range. Expect to pay around $60 for a budget room and $100 to $110 for a moderately nice room. While you are in Albany expect to spend around $10 to $20 daily on admissions and sightseeing.

Day Trips
Howe Caverns is 200 feet underground, along a subterranean lake. The main cavern follows a stream called the River Styx for a mile and a half including enormous chambers and a stalagmite a half-million years old. The attraction has wide, smooth paths with handrails and powerful lighting and narrow pathways. Howe Caverns in Howes Cave, New York, is 37 miles west of Albany New York, located off state Route 7 between Cobleskill and Central Bridge and is visible from Interstate 88. Howe Caverns is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. June 29 through Labor Day, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. the rest of the year. Further information is available by calling (518) 296-8900.