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NY's state capital is celebrating the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's arrival with refreshed historical sites, attractions and value.

My family and I recently discovered that Albany, New York is a great family vacation destination for a fun and educational getaway. If you are planning a multi-generational family trip, Albany fits the bill well. My 77-year-old father, a life-long New Yorker, came with us and marveled at his home state's capitol, seeing it for the very first time.

Albany's vibrant, condensed downtown is pedestrian friendly. It is a well-served transportation hub, making it a good "car optional" trip from many departure points and thus, a good value, too. It has a growing restaurant scene, with an eclectic variety of nearly 70 eateries located downtown. Add a slew of festivals, free exhibits and special activities that are planned to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Henry Hudson's sail up the Hudson River to the mix, and 2009 shapes up to be a great time to visit.

DUK Tours of the Riverfront

The Albany Heritage Area Visitors Center (518/434-0405) located in historic Quackenbush Square, is a good place to start. Its small planetarium offers frequent screenings of "Albany: A Cultural Crossroads," that gave us a brief, easy to watch overview of the city's history. It made the point that Albany's growth had much to do with its location on the Hudson River which gave Albany easy access to the Atlantic Ocean, so essential to its prosperity.

Just in front of the Visitor's Center we were able to board the Albany Aqua Ducks Tour (518/462-3825). This amphibious vehicle gave us a good look at the city from dry land, but things got really fun when it transformed into a sea worthy vessel that took us out onto the Hudson River. It offered panoramic views as well as first-hand understanding of the river's importance to Albany's historic growth.

Leading the tour was "Henry Hudson," dressed just as he would have been in the year 1609. We all enjoyed blowing into the duck mouth-shaped "quackers" (whistles) that we had been given when we embarked. We tooted at the friendly locals who waved at us. This noisy, splashy ride was fun for our entire group.