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Our town, our region

Staff and students having a chat by picnic table near the Mohawk River

EXPLORE THE REGION:

A Schenectady sampler

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Within a two-mile radius of campus, you'll find some 50 restaurants, from Moroccan to Middle Eastern, sandwiches to sushi. Have a tea, latte or lunch along Jay Street's cobblestone walkway, or find your sweet spot at one of the family-owned Italian bakeries in Little Italy.

Stock up on fresh produce and crafts from local food growers, bakers, brewers, cheesemakers, chefs and artisans at the Schenectady Greenmarket. Popular among Union employees, this vibrant homegrown event also features local musicians and other performers.

See a Broadway blockbuster at Proctors or a community production at Schenectady's Civic Playhouse or Light Opera. Catch the latest Hollywood hits at the Movieland Cinema.

Just a short distance from campus nature preserves, parks and paths abound. The city's own Central Park, with its famous Rose Garden, is the perfect place for a summer stroll. Or make your way by foot or bicycle along the Mohawk River on a 97-mile bike-hike trail. Take to the water in one of the kayaks for rent at the Mohawk Harbor. This extensive riverfront development includes luxury apartments, offices, restaurants and retail shops, as well as outdoor venues for musical acts and other performances.

History buffs will want to tour Schenectady's beautiful Stockade neighborhood. Stroll down narrow streets past quaint brownstones and colonial-era houses in what is New York state's oldest historic district. In the heart of the Stockade, you'll find Arthur's Market, a local institution since 1795 (the same year Union was founded). Its eclectic menu, rustic ambiance and outdoor seating make it a great spot for coffee and conversation.

LEARN MORE:

20 - 30 minutes from campus

  • Albany

    Have fun on funky Lark Street with its independently owned shops, coffee joints, galleries, ethnic restaurants, clubs and pubs. Discover a hit parade of performance venues including Capital Rep, the Egg, and the Linda and the Palace theaters. View a significant collection of 19th-century paintings and other exhibits at the Albany Museum of History and Art. The state’s natural and cultural diversity is on display at the New York State Museum. Among the exhibits: a replica of Mohawk (Kanien’keha:ka) longhouse that you can enter to catch a glimpse of life before European colonization.

  • Saratoga Springs

    Experience beautiful parks, exclusive shopping and dining, thoroughbred racing and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, the summer home to the New York City Ballet.

  • Troy

    Explore galleries, restaurants and one-of-a-kind mom-and-pop stores and marvel at the city's Gilded Age architecture. Music mavens: Make sure to catch a performance at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall, an acoustical gem.

About an hour + away

  • The Berkshires

    Arts, culture and entertainment options abound in this mountainous region dotted with quintessentially New England towns. Witness gravity-defying dance at Jacob's Pillow, view great art at the Clark Institute, Mass MoCA and Rockwell Museum, experience a-list acting at the Barrington Stage Company and the Williamston Theatre Festival, and catch top-notch music acts at Tanglewood, the Boston Pop's summer residence.

  • Cooperstown

    See the "Mona Lisa of baseball cards" and other rare memorabilia at the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Peruse the extensive art collection at the Fennimore Museum and lunch at its backyard veranda with its view of Otsego Lake. Step back in time at the Farmer's Museum, a recreation of a pre-Civil War village.

  • The Catskills

    So picturesque they inspired an art movement, the Catskills remain a favorite among artists, foodies, nature lovers, rock-climbers and counterculturalists alike. And where else can you peer into a 56-foot-tall kaleidoscope, reputably the world's largest?

  • Lake George

    Hike or drive to the summit of Buck mountains for sweeping views one of the most breathtaking lakes anywhere. Take a cruise on an authentic paddlewheel steamship or tour the battle site that inspired the classic novel, "The Last of the Mohicans." Add camping, arcades and great factory outlets, and your perfect backyard escape is complete.

Within a two hour drive

  • The Adirondacks

    Find your favorite place to hike, camp, boat or swim in the six-million-acre Adirondack Park. With 46 majestic High Peaks and an abundance of lakes, streams, rivers, ponds and mountain villages, this region has long been a favorite all-seasons escape. Hit the slopes in the winter, especially White Face Mountain in Wilmington, site of the 1980 Winter Olympics.

  • Vermont Green Mountains

    Autumn, of course, is for leaf peeping. Travel country roads past mountains erupting in fiery reds and deep yellows. Winter brings the snow bunnies, and if you are one of them, Killington, Stratton and Mount Snow offer especially good downhill skiing. Maple syrup season arrives sometime between March and April. Smother your flapjacks with the liquid gold, and you will discover why the state ships 1.9 million gallons of the stuff each year.