Hiking the 518: Exploring upstate NY’s best trails 🥾🌲

Happy Thursday, Capital Region! Today, we’re putting a little spring in our step with some of upstate NY’s very best hikes and hidden gems. Plus, get ready for a foodie weekend with a bunch of Restaurant Weeks and hot chocolate in Troy 🍫

We stand corrected: A keen-eyed reader let us know that Tuesday’s elegant Home of the Week at 339 Hudson Ave in Albany is actually located in Hudson/Park, not Center Square. Also, it should really be called a rowhouse, not a townhouse. Thanks for keeping us on our toes, Nancy!

—Phat X. Chiem & Karley Sullivan

Hiking the 518: Exploring upstate NY’s best trails 🥾🌲

With the official start of spring just weeks away, we’re thinking about hitting the trails again.

To prepare, we turned to Alysha Weisner, who runs an awesome Instagram account dedicated to finding the best hikes, waterfalls and hidden gems across the 518 and beyond.

“We love waterfall chasing,” says Alysha, who lives in Guilderland with her husband, Luke, and infant son. “We’re always going back to old favorites like Plotter Kill Preserve and discovering new trails across the state.”

A passionate advocate for making travel accessible, Alysha balances a full-time job, motherhood, and road-tripping across upstate New York. “We want to show how doable it is to travel while working full-time,” she says. “Even with a newborn and two large dogs, we’ve made it work.”

Her IG page highlights breathtaking locations, from the awe-inspiring cascades of Watkins Glen to the lesser-known Pratt Rock—dubbed "New York’s Mount Rushmore.” 

Here are some of Alysha’s top recommendations for hikes around the Capital Region:

The waterfalls at Plotter Kill Preserve in Rotterdam: Alysha calls this the “best hidden gem in New York.” Here’s a video of her walking up to the frozen waterfalls—with baby in tow.

Christman Sanctuary in Duanesburg: “One of NY’s best kept secrets” features a 30-foot waterfall with other cascades. Here’s video of Alysha tackling the trail with her dog.

5 waterfall hikes for beginners: Alysha’s list features Akron Falls, Indian Ladder Trail, Taughannock Falls Gorge Trail, Barberville Falls and Myosotis Lake Trail. Watch her video from these hikes (the title says 3, but it’s actually 5).

3 underrated waterfalls to visit this winter: The list includes Barberville Falls, Plattekill Falls and Aunt Sarah Falls.

10 New York State Parks you need to visit in 2025: Among these, Alysha especially loves Thacher in Voorheesville (one of our faves too!) and—unpopular opinion here—Niagra Falls. Here’s why she thinks Niagra Falls is NOT overrated!

And one last important tip from Alysha…

“Spring is waterfall season,” she adds, “but always hike prepared—microspikes, extra layers, food, water, and headlamps are must-haves.”

As she approaches 10,000 followers on Instagram, Alysha encourages y’all to break out your hiking boots and get out of the house. “This state is so much more than just the city,” she says. “There’s adventure everywhere—you just have to go find it.”

😎 WEATHER WATCH

WELLNESS. EDUCATE. EMPOWER.

Noteworthy Resources helps people connect with the mental health resources they deserve. Finding a therapist can be like dating—you might need to visit a few to find “the right one.” We understand that this process can be discouraging and exhausting, and we’re here to help. Noteworthy Resources helps you find the right therapist for you. This free, confidential service is for people of any age who reside in any New York ZIP code! 

🛝 New York State is investing $500,000 in Albany’s South End Children’s Café to fund an expansion and renovations. Founded in 2015, the nonprofit offers free meals, homework help, and enrichment programs for children. [News10]

🤖 With so many smart folks and higher ed institutions in the Capital Region, it's no surprise that Gov. Hochul sees potential to build a true tech hub here. That vision is becoming a reality with initiatives such as the $400 million Empire AI partnership, which includes RPI and UAlbany. These schools are coming together to explore emerging technologies to solve real-world problems and boost economic growth. [WAMC]

🔭 Star gazers can expect a rare celestial event on Friday as all seven planets will be visible in the evening sky. This phenomenon is known as a "planetary parade" and occurs when multiple planets form a line in the sky. To catch this parade of planets, look up about half an hour after sunset. [WAMC]

🔮 Btw, our resident astrologer (that’s Karley) notes that with Saturn, Neptune and the Sun in Pisces harmonizing with Mars in Cancer, emotional connections and a restful pace will be key to successful action.

⭐️ = The 518 Staff Picks

⭐️ 🍫 Troy Hot Chocolate Stroll is one of the best winter traditions around. Get downtown for $2 hot cocoa samples or $5 for the boozy kind 😉 Your best bet is to spring for the $25 mug to taste everything for one price.

🥃 Troy Night Out goes late this month with the opening of Daisuki, a Tokyo-style whiskey & sake bar with just 12 seats for an intimate, low-key vibe. Be sure to peep their custom neon signage from Snyder Signs. Fri, 9p—3a. And get brownie points for joining Friday’s national Economic Boycott by shopping small businesses using cash.

⭐️ 🍽️ It’s a foodie weekend with not one but three Restaurant Weeks running nearly concurrently:

• Schenectady Restaurant Week goes through Sunday with $20 lunches, or $30/$40 three-course dinners.

• Saratoga Restaurant Week runs through next Thursday with $15 breakfast/lunch specials and three-course dinners for $25, $35 or $45.

• Glens Falls Restaurant Week kicks off Sunday and goes through next Saturday. Take your pick of 3-course prix-fixe dinners for $25, $35 or $45.

⭐️ 🎷 Brooklyn-based composer and multi-instrumentalist Melanie Charles founded Make Jazz Trill Again (MJTA) to revitalize the independent jazz scene in the digital era. Trill 101 is the culmination of a year-long interdisciplinary project by Charles and MJTA, in collaboration with Skidmore students and faculty. Zankel Music Hall, Sat, 8p, free.

⭐️ 🧪 Hannaford Kidz Expo is a family-friendly bonanza featuring face painting, bounce rides, and reptile room at the Empire State Plaza Convention Center. Don’t miss the event’s featured performance, the Ridiculous Nicholas Super Science Show at The Egg. Sat, 10a—4p, free.

⭐️ 💜 Lost & Found’s Mardi Gras party: You don’t need to get to New Orleans to join the fun. One of our favorite bars in Albany is throwing a Mardi Gras fête, complete with beads, dancing, and live music with The Nolanauts, The Brass Machine and—straight from Nawlins—The Glen David Andrews Band. Sat, 2p—2a, $28.52.

🎟️ MORE NOTABLE EVENTS

🖼️ This week is your last chance to see Screenprint Biennale 10th Anniversary at Opalka Gallery.

🧵 Also ending this week is the whimsical “Enchanting Threads: The Art of Salley Mavor” at the Albany Institute of History & Art.

THURSDAY

🍷 Level up your grape game at Troy Wine Co.’s in-store wine class, featuring “Oscar-winning” wines.

FRIDAY

🤣 Next Stop Comedy brings some of the best comedians in the country to Common Roots Albany Outpost.

💼 Looking to network with other professionals? Multiple chambers of commerce are coming together for the 2025 Business Bridge.

🎭️ Home Made Theater presents Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” starting Friday and running through March 9 at the Saratoga City Music Hall.

SATURDAY

🧗‍♂️ The Boy Who Live, Love, Laugh; A Harry Potter Parody at Albany Indoor Rock Gym is for “anyone who loves, or loves to hate, Harry Potter, D&D, high fantasy, and the institution of college” + 🔥 climbers. Rock my world, baby.

🐒 Creatures of the Night Planetarium Party at Putnum Place celebrates the release of “The Monkey,” by bringing in the original film’s writer/director Spencer Sherry for a night of “dancing, drinks, and a whole lot of animal print.” The dress code is “bestial”—let your imagination run wild with that one.

🍺 The Adirondack Brewery Barrel Fest in Lake George is your chance to taste barrel-aged beer, cider and wine. It’s also the last weekend for the Lake George Winter Carnival.

SUNDAY

🕌 This is a bit out of our usual range, but still worthwhile: Bridge Street Theatre in Catskill hosts “Muslim Girls DTF” (Discuss Their Faith), which promises to be a wildly provocative, hysterically funny standup show.

💃 No Fun hosts Salsa Night with lessons by Felix Ortiz and music by DJ Loca.

🎸 LIVE MUSIC & MORE

GET YOUR EVENT ON THE LIST 🎸

Sundays are the deadline to be included in the coming week’s list!

🦫 GET IN TOUCH!

Got an awesome business, event or personality we should feature? Let us know! Contact: [email protected]