Ah, Albany. The capital of New York state and the home of the 2026 first round NCAA Regionals. For any fans making the trek to the Capital Region to watch the Nittany Lions, you might be wondering what else there is to do in upstate New York to fill your time. Spoiler alert: There’s not much.

But as an Albany, New York, native, I’ve compiled a few options for when you aren’t at the rink.

The New York State Museum

The New York State Museum is located right near the MVP Arena, where the game will be held. The museum offers free admission and is both the oldest and largest in New York. It has a carousel and over 100,000 square feet of exhibits, making it the perfect stop for any families or history buffs in town.

Eat & Drink In Downtown Albany

Also located right near the MVP Arena is a large stretch of restaurants and bars to hit either before or after the game. Some of my personal favorites include Druthers Brewing Company, Lionheart Pub
Lark Tavern, and Wolff’s Biergarten.

Maple Weekend

Now this one might not be directly in Albany, but you’ll quickly learn everything worthwhile in upstate New York requires a drive. On Saturday, March 28, you can head to various locations around town for a taste of some of the best maple syrup in the state.

Take A Walk In Washington Park

If the weather is nice, head on over to Washington Park. It has over 81 acres of greenery, ponds, and places to sit and take in the (probably cold) temperatures.

Get Stewart’s Ice Cream

I’ll end with the only activity on this list that might actually be worth your while. Albany may not have all the bells and whistles of downstate, but there’s one thing we do have, and that is Stewart’s ice cream. Never mind the Sheetz vs. Wawa debate. Stewart’s is a convenience mart with the best homemade ice cream in the nation.

Every year, it consistently wins multiple awards at the World Dairy Expo, so don’t just take my word for it, listen to the pros. Win or lose this weekend, treat yourself to a scoop of the best ice cream you’ll ever have (full hate to the Creamery intended (sorry, not sorry)).