101 Family Day Trips and Staycation Ideas Around The Capital District | What’s happening in the Capital District

101 Family Day Trips and Staycation Ideas Around The Capital District

Remember, it's always best to follow each link to get details about your visit directly from your destination, since some places operate seasonally or by reservation, as well as to check each venue's COVID requirements (masks, limits, social distancing).

Looking for a new place to explore that's still close to home? Kids Out And About has tons of staycation ideas for family travel, with places to explore, learn, and have fun! We've collected the coolest stuff for a staycation in town and road trips for less than a tank of gas from Albany, Schenectady, Troy, and Saratoga.

Free activities and splurges that are worth it. The coolest stuff for a staycation in town and day trips for less than a tank of gas. KidsOutAndAbout has tons of ideas for places to explore, learn, and have fun!

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Explore Gardens & Sculpture Gardens 

  Explore Public Art Around Downtown Albany
  Art OMI Sculpture & Architecture Park
  Landis Arboretum
Opus 40 Sculpture Park & Museum
Berkshire Botanical Garden
Lavenlair Lavender Farm

 

Get Wild on a Hike   

  Dyken Pond
Wilton Wildlife Preserve
Hannacroix Creek Preserve
Mount Greylock
Bartholomew’s Cobble
Kaaterskill Falls

 

Time Travel Today

Hanford Mills Museum
Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum
Crailo State Historic Site
Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site
Underground Railroad History Project of the Capital Region
Mabee Farm Historic Site
Hancock Shaker Village
Ten Broeck Mansion
The Farmers' Museum
Fort Ticonderoga
Saratoga National Historic Park
Old Sturbridge Village
Hyde Park

 

Make Life a Beach

  Moreau Lake State Park
Million Dollar Beach at Lake George
Grafton Lakes State Park
Snyder's Lake
Saratoga Lake
Cherry Plain State Park

 

Splash into Some Water Fun

  Zoom Flume
Six Flags Great Escape Lodge
Splashdown Beach
The Kartrite Resort & Indoor Waterpark
Enchanted Forest Water Safari

 

Spend the Day at a Museum

New York State Museum
OMI International Arts Center
Albany Institute of History & Art
miSci
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art
World Awareness Children's Museum
Norman Rockwell Museum
FASNY Museum of Firefighting
Olana
Storm King Art Center
Mass MOCA
Iroquois Indian Museum

 

Explore These Cities and Villages

Boston, MA  (the New England Aquarium is a reader favorite)
New York, NY
Pittsfield, MA  (the Berkshire Museum is a reader favorite)
Saratoga Springs, NY  (have you visited the National Museum of Dance?)
Lake Placid, NY
Rochester, NY
Manchester, VT
Lenox, MA
   

All Aboard Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (and Boats!)

Lake George Steamboat Company
Saratoga Automobile Museum
Empire State Aerosciences Museum
USS SLATER
Adirondack Scenic Railroad

 

Grow Some Fun at the Farm

  Indian Ladder Farms
Ellms Family Farm
Ioka Valley Farm
Cooper's Ark Farm
Liberty Ridge Farm
Bowman Orchards
Lilymoore Alpaca and Llama Farm
Clover Brooke Farm

 

Play Ball!

Amsterdam Mohawks Baseball
  Tri-City Valleycats
National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum
Pirate's Hide-Out Mini Golf, Ice Cream, and Grill

 

Connect with Nature

  Howe Caverns
Huyck Preserve
Five Rivers
Thacher Nature Center
Albany Pine Bush Preserve and Discovery Center
The Wild Center
Max V. Shaul & Mine Kill State Park
Landis Arboretum

 

Amuse Yourself at These Amusement Parks

  Huck Finn's Playland
FunPlex Fun Park
Great Escape and Splashwater Kingdom
Santa's Workshop

 

Talk to the Animals

  Adirondack Animal Land
Via Aquarium
Dakota Ridge Farm
The Bronx Zoo
Krumkill Stables
Rocking Horse Ranch

 

Get Active Indoors

Billy Beez at Crossgates Mall
A.I.R. Albany's Indoor Rock Gym
Guptill's Arena
Rollarama

 

Challenge Yourself to Outdoor Adventure

  Ramblewild
Adirondack Extreme Adventure Course
Mountain Ridge Adventure Treetop Challenge Course & Zip Line Park
New York Zipline Canopy Tours
Howe High Adventure
Ausable Chasm
Rock Climbing in the Adirondacks
Natural Stone Bridge and Caves
Wild Waters Outdoor Center rafting
Adirondack River Outfitters

 

Limiting our list to 101 ideas meant some great destinations may have been left off the list - if there is something you’d like to see added, share it with us on Facebook!


Most of these destinations are within an hour from downtown Albany. For those that are a bit farther away:

            = Less than 1 hour away

         = About an hour (I'm counting, say, 55 minutes) to 2 hours away

      = 2 to 3 hours away

   = Just over 3 hours away