Population:      Population:  The population of the city of Albany is approximately 100,000 while Capital District residents number about 800,000.

Elevation:            30 Feet

Area:                21.4 square miles

Location:         Albany is located on the Hudson River, approximately 138 miles north of New York City, 144 miles west of Boston, Massachusetts, 108 miles east of Syracuse and 196 miles south of Montreal, Canada. 

Time Zone:      Eastern Standard Time. Daylight savings time is in effect from 1am on the first Sunday in April through 1am on the last Sunday in October.

Weather:

Average weather in Albany, New York

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Average temp. (°F)

22.2

24.8

34.8

46.6

58.3

66.6

71.5

69.5

61.0

49.6

39.4

28.2

High temperature (°F)

31.2

34.3

44.5

57.3

69.9

77.7

82.6

80.2

71.8

60.2

47.8

36.2

Low temperature (°F)

13.1

15.3

25.1

35.9

46.7

55.4

60.4

58.6

50.1

38.9

30.9

20.2

Precipitation (in)

2.6

2.2

3.1

3.3

3.7

3.8

3.7

3.8

3.3

3.3

3.3

2.7

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Days with precipitation

13

11

12

12

13

11

10

10

10

9

12

12

Wind speed (mph)

9.8

10.1

10.6

10.5

9.0

8.3

7.5

7.0

7.4

8.0

9.1

9.3

Morning humidity (%)

78

77

76

72

75

79

81

86

89

86

82

80

Afternoon humidity (%)

64

58

54

49

53

56

55

58

59

58

63

65

Sunshine (%)

46

52

54

54

56

60

64

61

57

52

37

39

Days clear of clouds

5

6

6

5

5

5

6

7

8

8

4

5

Partly cloudy days

8

7

8

8

9

11

13

12

10

9

8

7

Cloudy days

18

15

17

16

16

13

12

13

12

14

18

19

Snowfall (in)

16.7

13.7

11.6

2.7

0.1

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.0

0.2

4.3

14.6

Local Seasons:

Summer is peak season, accounting for about 40% of New York State tourism. From June to August, the weather is pleasant and mostly sunny, though it tends to be humid. Summer weather is ideal for travel; parks and campgrounds are filled with vacationers, even more so on weekends.

Fall, from September through November, is another popular time to visit. The air turns to crisp jacket-weather in September, but farther south summertime lingers until early October. New York's beautiful fall foliage is a huge draw, especially in mid-October -- the best time to catch trees sporting brilliant reds and golds.

Contrary to popular belief, winter temperatures aren't miserable -- they normally range from the mid-20’s to highs in the 40’s. Most of upstate New York is blanketed in snow from December to March.

The spring thaw begins in March, but it's not unusual for snow to fall in April, or even May. There are spring showers, but the average amount of precipitation is no heavier than in summer or fall. If you enjoy the quietly melting snow and fresh spring breezes, this season may be your golden opportunity to indulge in outdoor activities before the summer rush.

How to get there:  

By Car:  To get to Albany from points north, take the Adirondack Northway (I-87) south to I-90 east to I-787 south. From points south, take the New York State Thruway (I-87) to exit 23 to I-787 north. From the western part of the state, take the New York State Thruway (I-87) to exit 24 and follow I-90 to I-787 south.

By Train:  Three main Amtrak routes cross New York State, connecting major metropolitan areas and the towns along the way. Several trains, including Metroliner shuttle service and high-speed Acela Express trains, travel the Northeast Corridor from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston. Empire Service runs north from New York City to Albany, then west to Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo, and Niagara Falls; the Maple Leaf runs daily, extending the same route through Toronto, Canada. The Adirondack travels the Hudson River Valley north to Albany (making stops in Yonkers, Croton-on-Hudson, Poughkeepsie, Rhinecliff, and Hudson), then follows along Lake Champlain to Plattsburgh and finally Montreal, Canada.

By Plane:  Most visitors traveling by air will arrive via Albany International Airport; (518/242-2299) located about 10 minutes from downtown Albany and about a half-hour from Saratoga Springs. The airport is served by most major domestic and several international airlines. Driving from the airport to downtown Albany, you can either take Albany-Shaker Road south, which will put you close to the visitor's center and Broadway, or take I-87 south to I-90 west.  The information desk can provide details on getting to either Albany or Saratoga Springs. The significantly smaller Saratoga County Airport (518/885-5354) handles small charter flights.

By Bus:  Greyhound (518/434-8095) and Adirondack Trailways (800/858-8555) travel to both Albany and Saratoga Springs. The Upstate Transit Albany-Saratoga Bus Service ( 518/584-5252) travels between Albany and Saratoga.

Getting around

Getting Around

Most of the year, the only way to navigate Albany is by car.  If street parking in not available, check out the very large parking lot below Empire State Plaza off Madison Street.

Albany City Trolley

Quackenbush Square at Broadway and Clinton Avenue

518-465-3632

July to September, 11:45am-1:45pm

All summer long you can catch the Albany City Trolley, which runs through the middle of the day from Quackenbush Square at Broadway and Clinton Avenue, and makes stops along State Street and Washington Avenue to Empire State Plaza.