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- New York
During a recent tour of beautiful New York State, I headed a few hours north of Manhattan to the Capital Saratoga Region.
This is where the great Hudson and Mohawk Rivers meet and where the whole family will be entertained. It was my third visit here. Since I never have enough time to squeeze everything this region has to offer into my itinerary, multiple visits are proving necessary. I’m not complaining, though. No matter what time of year it is, a visit here never gets old!
New York State Capitol
My visit began with a guided tour of the New York State Capitol Building in the city of Albany. The building is amazing! And it should be, considering it took five architects and 32 years to build it. Incidentally, the first architect, Thomas Fuller, was British. Apparently, he managed to spend nearly $10 million in 10 years, and only built the first two floors.
The building was finally completed in 1899. Because of all of the architects involved, there’s a clash of different styles and detail, but surprisingly, they blend together perfectly. The hand carvings are extraordinary, and the tour guide told me that they were done by artisans from England, Ireland and Scotland.
Entrance to the New York State Capitol Building in Albany, New York
Saratoga National Historical Park and Historic Homes
My favourite bit about the Capital Saratoga Region is not just the picturesque countryside – there’s tons of history here too! The next place on my itinerary was the Saratoga Battlefield, which is part of the Saratoga National Historical Park. Here, I took a self-guided 10-stop tour of what is, nowadays, a very tranquil, lush environment. Clearly no battles have occurred in quite some time! I then headed north to the Saratoga Monument and Victory Woods. Victory Woods was the last encampment site of the British Army before they surrendered to the American forces on October 17, 1777. And as the saying goes, the rest is history.
In the Village of Schuylerville, I found the Schuyler House, which was occupied by American General Philip Schuyler in 1777. This one of numerous historical homes in the area, which are definitely worth checking out.
Aerial view of the Saratoga Battlefield National Park in Stillwater, New York
Relaxing on the River Hudson
Finally, I wrapped up my perfect day with a very relaxing and informative cruise along the great Hudson River with Dutch Apple Cruises and Tours. As I sat back and soaked up the sun for an hour or so, a Hudson River historian narrated the journey.
In the Capital Saratoga Region of Upstate New York, I found a place submerged in history. I doubt it’ll be long before I return once more to continue with my discovery of the area. Maybe next time, I’ll try my hand at one of the region’s famous pastimes, horse racing.
Taking a ride on Dutch Apple Cruises and Tours in Albany, New York
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