You've seen the tee shirt, “I (heart) love New York.” Not being from the area and loving wide open spaces, I've often wondered who could really love New York that much. For sure those who have chosen to live there, but often I've heard people say “there's no place like New York.” In exploring the Hudson River Valley, seniors will find there truly is “no place like New York.” Nowhere in the United States can one ride down a river and touch ten counties while experiencing extremes from castles to revolutions to wineries and still be in the same state. It only happens in New York. As diverse as its people who inhabit it, so is its terrain. Boasting of being the crossroads of the Northeast, the county of Albany, New York is resplendent with a rich Dutch heritage. Every year thousands of tulips emerge into full bloom while the residents of Albany don clogs and enjoy reliving their historical culture of being known as the first chartered city of royalty in the United States.

Unlike the portrayal of New York on television's crime stories, the Hudson River Valley area is teeming with friendly faces and waiting for the young at heart to explore the wonders of this remarkable area. Albany is tourist friendly. Walking tours are set up with those seniors in mind who are heart healthy and enjoy getting out to relax and take in the architectural styles of Italian and Romanesque homes. While touring the column houses, in June, rear garden tours are extremely popular. Since space is a premium, most housing is rather tightly constructed side to side and the beautiful gardens can only be seen during tour times. Visitors can find out touring opportunities by contacting www.albany.org . Many seniors will also enjoy the group tour programs available including information on visiting New York's State Capitol which took thirty years to complete and a price tag of approximately twenty-five million dollars. One of the nation's few capitol buildings without a dome, its European chateau architecture features a million dollar staircase resplendent with evolutionary creatures which words elude description. Depending on how well your companion is cooperating on the trip, you may feel this is where they came from – take a real close look at that staircase!

Albany is located close enough for day trips to visit the Thoroughbred and Harness Race Tracks at Saratoga which is the oldest track in the United States. You'll enjoy visiting there and experiencing the excitement of the energy from the horses and reminiscing of races past. Take a relaxing mineral bath, or ride on a Lake George Steamboat. Day trips to the mountains to enjoy festivals, picnics, and craft fairs can be scheduled through the www.travelhudsonvalley.com website.

In Albany, New York, experience during the month of June the skillful trade of learning blacksmithing, visit regional artisans and crafts as folks display their wares on the curbside while street musicians provide fanciful background music to give the atmosphere that whimsical flair. Schedule your trip so you can once again experience the soulful music of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel famous for “Bridge Over Troubled Waters.” They are together again for the first time in twenty years and will be in concert this June in Albany, New York.

Seniors, you don't have to wait for your local restaurant to serve lobster. Albany is having a Lobster Fest in June. You bring the blanket, the picnic supplies and find a place to sit in the park, and Albany brings the lobster. After lobster, stay around for some dancing in the streets. Several days of Celtic, Festive Folk dance and of course music with the Temptations and Joe Sample will complete your June vacation in Albany. Do you need some spirits to go with all that music? Well aren't you in luck! June is the month of the Hudson Valley Wine and Food Festival. Did I mention the Greek Festival, the Shakespeare Festival, the Balloon Festival, the Blues Festival, the Bluegrass Festival, the Irish Festival, and the German Alps Festival? There are more but I should stop due to lack of space.

Ok, so maybe this is too much activity for the senior digestive track and you're used to a slower pace and wide open spaces. There is always golf, fishing, and cruising in a boat of course. Shake a leg and a walking stick, you've got a lot to do in Albany. Go buy a tee shirt, you'll love New York. Happy Traveling!