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November 13, 2025
Albany-Rensselaer   Hudson Valley   New York City
A Mother-Daughter Adventure Through Upstate New York by Amtrak
From New York City’s iconic sights to the historic charm of Schenectady, Troy, and Albany, our first-ever mother-daughter trip became an unforgettable journey thanks to Amtrak and New York By Rail.

Our first trip together starts in New York City

My mom had never been to New York and had never taken the train, so, one day, I asked her if she would join me for a train trip to explore upstate New York a bit.  Living in different states can be challenging, and we’ve never taken a mother-daughter trip before, so I was delighted when she said yes and booked her flight from Tampa to New York City.  Once at Penn Station, we had a couple of hours to kill before our train left, so we explored the surrounding area, and my mom was in awe. New York City was everything she had seen in the movies! We had delicious pizza and then walked around on the dreamy High Line. We peeked into Hudson Yards and got a latte made by a robot at Muji on 9th Avenue.  Once we boarded Amtrak, we settled into our seats, and my mom was amazed by how comfortable they were. The conductor scanned our tickets and put destination tags above our seats to remind us of when to get off the train. It would take us a little more than three hours to get to our destination, but it felt more like thirty minutes.

Two slices of pizza on paper plates rest on a red countertop by a window, with a blurred urban street scene and tall buildings visible outside in the background.

Pizza in New York City

A honeycomb-shaped, copper-colored building with multiple staircases and landings stands among tall modern skyscrapers against a clear blue sky, with green trees at its base.

Hudson Yards

People walk along a raised urban park lined with greenery, surrounded by modern and older brick buildings under a blue sky with clouds, likely the High Line in New York City.

High Line in NYC

Taking in the beauty of the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains

Once north of the city, the view of the Hudson River and the Catskill Mountains was beautiful. We gasped when we saw West Point across the river and were fascinated by Bannerman’s Island just before we approached Beacon.  After that, we traveled under Walkway-Over-the-Hudson in Poughkeepsie and, about an hour later, spotted the Hudson Athens Lighthouse near Hudson.  We read books, sipped on hot drinks from the cafe car, and I even took a nap. My mom said she felt like she was in an Agatha Christie novel, and it really did feel that way. We’d both spent our whole lives romanticizing train travel, and we finally got to live it…together! 

A magazine titled new york by rail lies on a marble surface, partially covering an open page featuring Hudson Valley with a photo of a large stone building and sections labeled Eat, Drink, Stay, and Play—perfect for exploring without a car.
2025-2026 Edition of New York by Rail
A calm lake stretches out toward a distant tree-covered shoreline under a sky partly filled with fluffy white clouds and patches of blue. Low mountains are faintly visible in the background.

View of the Hudson River from the Train

A woman with brown hair sits alone at a table on a train, looking out the window at a river and distant green hills. Sunlight streams in, illuminating her and the empty seat across from her.

Sitting comfortably on Amtrak

A woman with shoulder-length brown hair and a striped shirt smiles while sitting at a table by a train window, with a scenic view of a lake and distant hills under a blue sky outside.

Enjoying Train Travel & Hudson River views

Second Stop: Schenectady, New York

The train finally stopped in Schenectady, New York. We stepped outside the station and had a short walk to our Airbnb in the Stockade District. Our host told us about the history of the building and let us try out the old player piano that was in the kitchen (yes, the kitchen.) My mom loves history, so we then spent hours wandering up and down every street in the Stockade District, looking at homes and churches and graveyards that have been around for hundreds of years. My mom had never seen architecture like that, and they simply don’t make buildings like that anymore. We had dinner at an Italian bistro called Stella’s; it was a great deal and tasted so fresh. Then, we walked around at night to see how beautiful the homes looked by the glow of their lanterns and sconces.

A bronze statue of a Native American figure holding a bow stands on a stone pedestal, surrounded by pink flowers, with colorful historic houses and green trees in the background under a clear blue sky.

Stockade District Statute

A row of historic white brick townhouses with green shutters lines a sunny sidewalk. Potted plants sit by the steps, and trees, cars, and a clear blue sky are in the background.

Stockade District Neighborhood

A red-brick building with large windows and ivy growing on the roof, featuring an awning reading Stella Pasta Bar 237. Warm lights glow inside and outside by the restaurant entrance. Trees frame the scene.

Stella Pasta in Schenectady

A room with a brown upright piano against a wooden and stained glass wall, flanked by stacks of piano rolls. Two ornate red chairs, a microwave, and wooden cabinetry are also visible. The floor is patterned tile.

Player Piano in Schenectady

In the morning, we walked to Jay Street and followed New York By Rail’s recommendations for coffee shops. We had bread-pudding muffins from Ambition and coffee and tea from Storied. Then, we boarded the bus for Troy to follow some of NYBR’s recommendations there. In Troy, we were blown away by the artful alleys and interesting store displays. We had lunch at a diner called Manory’s, looked at dozens of murals at their outdoor art gallery and enjoyed walking by the river and peeking our heads into all the little shops.

A hand holds a partially eaten pastry on a brick-paved city street lined with shops and buildings under a blue sky with scattered clouds.

Bread-pudding muffins from Ambition

A tall, narrow brick building on a city street corner houses a bookstore with large windows displaying books. BOOKS is spelled vertically on the glass. A fire hydrant and parked cars line the sidewalk under a clear blue sky.

Artful Alleys of Troy, New York

A yellow townhouse with white trim and black shutters is lit warmly from inside at night. A large tree partially obscures the house, and a blue flower pot is placed near the entrance steps. The sky is dark blue.

Townhouse in Troy, NY

A breakfast plate with a sandwich on a bun, featuring egg and possibly sausage or bacon, served with a pile of crispy, cubed hash browns. A chocolate donut and red plastic cups are in the background on a wooden table.

Manory's Diner in Troy, NY

Final Stop: Albany, New York

We finally made our way to our third city of the day, one of my personal favorites in all of America: Albany, New York. Before checking into our Airbnb, I wanted to show my mom the Empire State Plaza. We admired the view from Corning Tower, and I pointed out the Schuyler mansion (a favorite view for Hamilton fans.) We stopped into the New York State Museum, which had more cool things to see than we could possibly soak up in one day. Then, we wandered the halls and staircases of the New York State Capitol building. My mom couldn’t believe how many cool things we were seeing all at once, and I was happy to show it all off to her. It’s amazing how much we got to see in just a couple days thanks to train travel and car-free accessibility. New York is an incredible state, and I absolutely loved exploring it with my mom. Big shout-out to New York By Rail magazine for giving us the best recommendations and ideas to explore in places that were new to us.

P.S. Don’t forget to use the See New York and Save 15% discount.

A warmly lit room with ornate wood paneling and an intricate coffered ceiling features a dining table with chairs, a chandelier, sofas, armchairs, a fireplace, and a TV near a large window.

Air BNB in Schenectady

A view of a historic, ornate stone building with tall chimneys and arched windows under a partly cloudy sky; a taller skyscraper stands in the background.

NYS Capitol Building

A large historic building with red-roofed towers stands under a blue sky with scattered clouds. In front, a sign reads I ♥ NY in bold white letters with a red heart.

Front of NYS Capitol Building

A long, elegant hallway with arched ceilings, hanging lights, and framed artwork on cream-colored walls. Two people walk in the distance, and the polished floor reflects the overhead lights.

Capitol Hall

A grand, ornate interior with arched balconies, decorative columns, and a glass ceiling letting in natural light; informational displays stand on the floor below.

Capitol Staircase

Stairs inside the Capitol

Don’t forget to use the See New York and Save 15% discount.