New York By Rail 14th ed. | Page 53

SCHENECTADY The “ELECTRIC CITY,” once HQ for Thomas Edison. Now a quirky, burgeoning downtown, one block from the train station. An ARTISAN district in the making. And a FAMOUS collection of Colonial houses. see map pages 8-9 Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady WHAT’S NEAR THE STATION WHAT’S NEW Rivers Casino & Resort Schenectady Schenectady’s casino gaming facility, just opened this year. Riverscasinoandresort.com From SDY Station: 0.8 miles car; 14 minute walk Via Aquarium (above) New aquarium in renovated shopping mall offers all the ocean’s wonders. Viaaquarium.com From SDY Station: 3.8 miles car; 18 minute bus Great Flats Brewing Downtown’s new farm-to-table craft brewery. Yooying.com/greatflats From SDY Station: .4 miles car; 9 minute walk Jay Street Marketplace Riverfront Park’s rich and diverse marketplace. Visitschenectady.com WHAT’S NOT TO MISS MiSci (above) Science features a planetarium and simulated space mission. Schenectadymuseum.org From SDY Station: 0.2 miles car; 5 minute walk; 5 minute bus Proctor’s Theatre (above) This restored former vaudeville house hosts world-class performers. Proctors.org From SDY Station: .9 miles car; 12 minute bus Empire State Aerosciences Museum See historic aircraft, Amelia Earhart exhibit and a Simulated Reality Vehicle. Esam.org From SDY Station: 3.8 miles car; 18 minute bus From SDY Station: 0.3 miles car; 5 minute walk Stockade Historic District Schenectady Civic Players star among 17th-to-20th-century buildings. schenectadyhistorical.org Woodlawn Preserve Over 135 acres of forever wild land, home to wildlife. Woodlawnneighborhood.org From SDY Station: .5 miles car; 8 minute walk From SDY Station: 5.5 miles car; 38 minute bus VISIT NEWYORKBYRAIL.COM FOR MORE INFORMATION LOCALLY MADE A family’s dedication to their Italian roots has kept Civitello’s Pastry Shop going since 1921, when Ralph Civitello, who arrived in America at age 16, in 1911, left a job at GE to follow his heart. Today, Ralph’s three granddaughters run the shop in its original location on Jay Street. You can order Civitello’s fine Italian cookies, pastries, rum cakes, spumoni, pizza and sandwiches online, but better yet, go inside and take in the sweet scents of baking and the carefully preserved old-fashioned charm (including its original lemon ice counter and Viceroy ad). No wonder it’s still a lively gathering spot for young and old! Civitellos.com Amtrak.com New York By Rail | 51