First Stop: Albany, New York
When I was taking the train to Albany with plans to make my way towards Chicago and Milwaukee, I was so blown away by the beauty of the towns along the Hudson River that I decided to change my plans and hop around some of those instead.
I started the day off in Albany, which is one of the prettiest cities. There’s so much to see and do there. The New York State Capitol is one of the most interesting architectural marvels I’ve ever seen. There’s so much to see, do, and eat in Albany. (Erin McCendrick wrote a neat article about it here.)
Enjoying a cup of coffee on the Amtrak Train
Approaching the City of Albany via Amtrak
New York Capitol Building in Albany
Neighborhood in the City of Albany
New York by Rail Plans the Way Forward
When I was at the train station that morning, I happened to see a copy of New York By Rail magazine, which is free! Flipping through that helped me plan where I was going to go that day. I knew next to nothing about these towns but I was thankful that it highlighted some hidden gems I didn’t know about. I started saving things to do in my phone and figuring out which towns and cities I wanted to prioritize.
Second Stop: Hudson, New York
I got off the train in Hudson, an adorable little town with some of the happiest locals I’ve ever seen. I sat at a diner and heard stories from an older gentleman who has been a janitor, grave digger, factory worker, and extra in movies that were filmed in that area. He was apparently in War of the Worlds and met Tom Cruise! He told me about some special places to visit and I had so much fun wandering around. I found a sidewalk sale and bought a great blazer for $5, I visited the firefighting museum, I enjoyed a cider from a pub that’s also a bookstore and art supply shop. I talked to various shop owners and made friends at the Jamaican food store. It’s an amazing city.
Third Stop: Poughkeepsie, New York
Then I got back on the train and went to Poughkeepsie because of the things I saw in the New York By Rail magazine. I love pedestrian bridges and it turns out that Poughkeepsie has the longest elevated pedestrian bridge in the whole world! But first I crossed the river taking another bridge, and from there I followed signs to a park and went on a hike and saw ruins! I couldn’t believe it.
I also drank water from a mountain stream and wandered a very long way over to a little hamlet and I couldn’t believe that I was getting to experience all these things without a car. It’s all in walking distance from the train station. I made it to the Walkway Over the Hudson for golden hour and it was a super pleasant stroll. I love a good pedestrian bridge, and Poughkeepsie has two.
Hope Henchey on the Walkway of the Hudson
Outside the Poughkeepsie Train Station
Ancient Ruins located in Poughkeepsie
A view of the Poughkeepsie Bridge
Fourth Stop: New York City
Then I got back on the train and was really surprised by how pretty everything was at night on my way back down to New York City. When you fly into New York, you’re still kind of far from the city, but Penn Station is right next to Madison Square Garden. So while I waited for my train to DC that would take me in the direction of home, I stepped outside and soaked in a truly quintessential New York minute. It had previously rained, so the lights, the air, the beeping, people talking, the smells of food…it was everything I wanted New York City to be. I got a cheap slice of pizza and the proportions were all perfect. It was the best way to finish a day around the Empire State. Can you believe everything I squeezed in?
Shout out to New York By Rail for being informative and helping someone with no knowledge of the area plan a trip last-minute. I hardly spent any money all day and felt so full. You might not want to squeeze as many things into one day as I did, but train travel is such an underrated form of travel and I love how it drops you off in the most central locations and you can just start your adventures immediately. Maybe share this article with someone you want to hop around New York with!
