All Over Albany

Hikes for tykes

Danger- cuteness ahead!

Way back in 1997, Elizabeth Meer was looking for a way to continue her weekly wildflower walks, but with her kids. So she, and a group of about five other families, started a weekly group focused on finding kid friendly nature walks in the area.

Skip ahead 13 years later and these hikes are still going strong.

While the faces of the families have changed as children have gotten older, the group is still scheduling walks and introducing preschoolers to the beauty of the great outdoors.

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Baby animals at Hancock Shaker Village

This way to the cuteness...

Growing up in Pennsylvania, every couple of years we took a compulsory school field trip to Amish Country, where we were transported back in time to find out how these traditional, religious communities lived. I get the sense the equivalent of that trip in this neck of the woods is a visit to the Hancock Shaker Village in Western Massachusetts.

Unfortunately, I didn't get chance to delve into too much of the history on my most recent visit because the real reason we were at the village was the baby animals.

And what's cuter than baby animals, you ask? Nothing, I say. And I have children.

(Yes, there are baby animals after the jump.)

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The Balloon Room

How could you not smile in a room full of balloons?

When Burnt Hills' Cindy Gotobed wants a party, she doesn't mess around.

For the past five years she and her family have hosted a Balloon Room party in their living room for her kids and their friends. What's a balloon room party, you ask? Only 1000 inflated balloons packed into your living room.

Why? It's 1000 inflated balloons packed into your living room.

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Colonial Car Wash / Salad Bar

A rinse for cars and leafy greens?

I don't know how many times I have driven by the Colonial Car Wash on Western Avenue, only to scratch my head in confusion. Under the Colonial sign, there is another sign advertising...wait for it... a free "Salad Bar."

A salad bar at a car wash? Kind of makes you go hmmm, right?

Yeah, me too. So last week, when I was craving some veggies and an express wash, I decided to check it out.

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The Herkimer Diamond Mines

There's double-terminated quartz in them thar hills.

About an hour and a half from here, there's a resort and campground that charges you to play in the dirt. Crazy, right?

But, what if I told you that the very dirt I speak of held the glittering promise of diamonds (er, "diamonds").

Well, then... you might just be willing to dig a little deeper.

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I Love Books in Delmar

So, it's... books?

When a shop has a name like "I Love Books" it's not hard to guess what's inside. Books... bookstore... got it.

But what if it was called something like "I Love Books, funky gifts, and toys I haven't seen since I was a kid?"

Well then, you might just want to take a closer look.

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Where to take foreign language classes

They'll still make fun of you, but at least you'll know you tried.

Have you ever wished you would have kept up with the four years of Spanish you took in high school? Have you ever wanted to impress your significant other by ordering a crepe in French? Have you ever wondered what that cute foreign guy was really saying about you?

Well, wonder no more.

Here are some local language schools to get you started on your way to impressing everyone with your worldly sophistication.

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The Yellow Brick Road

The way to the Emerald City?

Nestled in a quiet spot between Albany and Delmar lies the Normanskill Farm and Hiking Trail. How do you get there, you ask?

Why, just follow the Yellow Brick Road.

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Hammering away at Home Depot

What better way to bond (hopefully not literally) with your kids on a Saturday morning than with a hammer, some nails and wood glue?

On the first Saturday of every month Home Depot offers free "Kids Workshops" where you can channel your inner carpenter and relive your shop class glory days.

Your kids will probably have fun, too.

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Davey Jones Locker

Something fishy.

Since my husband is allergic to every animal that walks on earth, fish have become the pet of choice at our house. But the over bred and sad little fishies sold at the big box pet stores weren't cutting it. I needed to find fish with gumption. I needed to find fish with the will to live.

My search led me to a flipping good fish store (I know, but it's really tough to resist a good fish pun).

Davey Jones Locker is like a funky little aquarium on Delaware Avenue in Albany.

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Consignment shops for kids

Consignment for kids, Fifi's and Polkadots

Parents are always looking for a bargain. Especially on clothes. I mean, no sooner do you get them into a new pair of jeans or shoes then it's time to go shopping again.

Sure it's great to pass clothes and shoes back and forth between family and friends, but that's never enough. So I thought I'd check out a couple of the kids consignment shops in the area.

Umm... and the kids aren't the only ones I found things for.

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Hoffman's Playland

WARNING: Seeing this sign makes kids go a little nuts.

Remember the little amusement parks you went to as a kid? Not the giant, spend the whole day, super roller coaster, Great Escape variety. The little places with the kind of strange carney-like atmosphere where you could drop into for an hour or two, buy a roll of tickets and ride the Ferris wheel, or the choo-choo.

Well -- welcome to Hoffman's Playland.

Where the clowns are slightly creepy, the rides a little dated, but the kids are happy.

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Camping at Thompson's Lake State Park

It's a little like camping in the backyard. But cooler.

In my experience, camping with young children can go one of two ways: relatively well -- or really, really badly.

Thankfully, Thompson's Lake State Park, only about 20 minutes away from Albany, is a great place to take the kids camping. And if the kids (or you, for that matter) decide they've had enough of camping, you can all be back home and in time for bed.

So, Thompson's Lake has location going for it -- but there are plenty of others reasons to check it out.

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L.L. Bean walk-on adventures

Kayaks lined up for an L.L. Bean walk-on adventure

If you're not really the outdoorsy type, walking through the L.L. Bean store can make you feel like a bit of a hypocrite -- bypassing the kayaks and fishing rods in favor of the ice cream balls and monogrammed totes.

If any of this sounds a little too familiar to you, here's a way to get some real 'trail-cred' without committing yourself to the weekend warrior lifestyle.

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The carousel at the NYS Museum

Say hi to Ann when you visit.

What's the most fascinating exhibit at the New York State Museum?

The giant woolly mastodon? The Iroquois longhouse? The set of Sesame Street?

Ask my kids and they'll tell you it's the merry-go-round on the fourth floor. Ask me-- or other adults that have seen it-- and you might actually get the same answer.

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