With a gold milliondollar staircase, a war room and the senate chambers, a visit to the elaborate, stone New York State Capitol Building (it resembles a French chateau) is a great way to get your Capital Region visit started. It sits at one end of the famous, modernist Empire State Plaza, with an extraordinary art collection and an architecturally fascinating eggshaped performing arts center. There’s public art bursting out all over Albany and an award-winning craft beer scene, too. Troy and Schenectady have also recently undergone exciting revitalizations and offer worldclass culture and dining scenes. Both cities offer vibrant outdoor waterfront activities along the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers or tour one of the many family farms in rural Washington County. Of course, the spectacularly bucolic Saratoga Springs offers world class thoroughbred racing, live outdoor performances, a globally famous spa and a chic downtown perfect for shopping, sipping and people watching. Bar hopping on Caroline Street—with its legendary wall-to-wall bars and pubs—is a must for partiers.