Albany sites and restaurants

Museums and Cool Sites
There's a Shaker Museum (near the airport), the NY state museum downtown in the Empire State plaza, Revolutionary War Saratoga Battlefield in Stillwater, the Bennington Battlefield (near the Vermont border), the Berkshires, Stockbridge Mass (an hour from Albany) has the Rockwell museum, Modern Art Museum in North Adams (30 mins north of Stockbridge), the Red Lion Inn (real fancy, expensive restaurants and a cool pub called the Lion's Den down in the basement), Adirondack State Park, the town of Woodstock, New World Home cooking restaurant between Woodstock and Saguerties.

Restaurants recommended by Times Union staff
Brew Pub
Firken and Fox (on Wolf down the road from the paper)
Emperor's Palace (Oriental)
Grandma's Country Pie Store on Central Avenue (great desserts)
Ron and Ted's fish fry on Central Avenue
Koto's Japanese Steak House

All downtown
(87 south to 90, 90 east to 787 south. Stay right, exit Clinton, light at end of ramp):
The Pump Station (right from light)
Nicole's Bistro
The Palace
Yono's at the Hampton Inn downtown (straight down block from off-ramp)
677 Prime (Angelo's Place) left off ramp
Lombardo's Italian
Jack's Oyster House

Approaching downtown:
Envy Lounge
McGuire's
Bayou Cafe (on Pearl Street; good beer and cocktails)

Restaurants we've tried and liked
Old Chicago pizza (on Wolf Street)