Nestled just a short drive outside of the city limits of Schenectady, New York, is the lovely Indian Kill Nature Preserve. We got the chance to explore around on a beautiful sunny day. There was a wonderful feeling to the place. Especially walking down around the creek edge, it felt simply… magical.
I’m always amazed to find such wonderful and vast areas for hiking within a short drive of the Capital District. The Plotter Kill Preserve in Rotterdam in upstate New York is a wonderful place that provides miles and miles of trails in addition to scenic waterfalls and is great for those who want to get out into nature but who don’t have a lot of time.
It was a lovely spring day and we decided to celebrate it with a visit to the Hollyhock Hollow Sanctuary in upstate New York. This nature preserve has over 140 acres with plenty of trails for hiking, a babbling creek to calm the soul, a little pond to sit beside, and a diverse mixture of woods that attracts a variety of wildlife. I even saw my first spring flowers popping up.
We visited Cupsogue Beach on the west end of Westhampton Island on a warm day in February for a lovely afternoon of ocean, sand, and seals. I’ve lived in New York State my entire life and when I want to go to the beach, I never think of Long Island. That was a mistake I will not be repeating.
We visited Olana State Historic Site, the estate of artist Frederic Edwin Church, on the most perfect fall day. It was the exact moment of the fall season where the colors were the brightest, and we had such beautiful weather. We hiked along the Lake Road up to the top of Crown Hill, then from the farm to the main house via the Farm Road and North Road. Olana and Clermont have always been personal favorites of mine. Our family has visited these sites so many times over the past several decades. And in the fall, it is the best place for leaf peeping in Upstate New York.
It was a 45 degree day outside (very odd in January!) so we went and spent some time at the Nature Conservancy’s Christman Sanctuary. Nestled in Delanson just west of the Capital District is a nature sanctuary with a wonderful little set of trails and a large waterfall. Our hike was cut short due to poor walking conditions, but it was so lovely to see the sanctuary at this time of year.
It was a mild winter day, and we decided to take another walk in a local wetland preservation area. We visited the Swift Wetland Preserve, a small nature conservation area in Delmar, New York, and for just a little while, we were able to get away from it all.
We had a mild winter’s day, and wanted to give our year and a half old son some fresh air. So, we decided to take him for a walk along the boardwalk at the Lewis A. Swyer Preserve. We had a beautiful winter walk that heightened the senses and energized the whole family. Even on a winter’s day, it was a wonderful way to spend some family time together and be closer to the nature that we love so very much.
I love art and because of that, I’m trying to get my son exposed to art from an early age. We have been to several museums, but it gets tricky with a one year old. This is especially true because we don’t want to inadvertently ruin the museum experience for anybody else. This is where Art Omi comes in to save the day. There is art and it is outside. Win and win! My son can run around all he likes, scream, and be fascinated with the giant sculptures scattered throughout the grounds, and it won’t ruin anybody else’s own personal art experience.
We’ve been really enjoying our walks at the Mohawk Hudson Land Conservancy, but decided to wander over to the other side of the Hudson River this week. We decided upon the Hand Hollow Conservation Area; a large conservation area with ponds, trails, and a lake. In the title I say “a glimpse” because our hike was cut short by the very strong and cold wind on the day of our visit. It was just not conducive to a small child. No worries! We shall return!
