Plan to Stay
Make the Most of Your Visit
Schenectady is a small, diverse city with a walkable, revitalizing downtown just 25 minutes from Albany. There is a lot to do in Schenectady, as well as the rest of New York’s Capital region. Schenectady is near some of New York state’s most picturesque and interesting regions: the Adirondacks, the Hudson Valley and the Mohawk Valley. Late April is a great time to be there.
As a post-industrial town with the combined opportunities and issues and big and small cities, Schenectady is like a lot of communities in New England and the Mid-Atlantic. That makes it a great place to have
the Creative Placemaking Leadership Summit.
All conference sessions on April 21 and 22 will be in, or start at, Proctors Theatre, 432 State Street, in the heart of Downtown Schenectady. It is an easy walk from the Amtrak station, and there are several hotels nearby.

The train is the most picturesque and relaxing way to go. Amtrak’s Empire Service runs from New York City to Niagara Falls, and stops in downtown Schenectady, just a few minutes walk from the Summit. Amtrak offers a 15% discount on the trip.
Major airlines fly direct to Albany International Airport from New York, Newark, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington D.C, Chicago, Detroit, Orlando, Raleigh, Charlotte, Nashville, Tampa, Miami (and other Florida airports), Nashville, Denver and Minneapolis. Find the best flight for you.
Schenectady is within a three-hour drive of New York City and most of upstate New York, northern Pennsylvania, southern Vermont, western Massachusetts, and North Jersey. It’s a nice ride: there’s a lot of greenery and small towns to stop at along the way.
-
Niagara Falls, NY (NFL)
-
Buffalo, NY - Exchange Street Station (BFX)
-
Buffalo, NY - Depew Station (BUF)
-
Rochester, NY - Louise M. Slaughter Station (ROC)
-
Syracuse, NY - Regional Transportation Center (SYR)
-
Rome, NY (ROM)
-
Utica, NY (UCA)
-
Amsterdam, NY (AMS)
-
Yonkers
-
Croton-Harmon
-
Poughkeepsie
Amtrak Services
From NYC Moynihan Train Hall at Penn Station
3 Hours from Montreal
CDTA
12 bus routes through Schenectady and surrounding area (as far as Saratoga/Wilton - 45 minutes away, and at least one to each of the surrounding areas including the cities of Albany and Troy, NY
Greyhound Bus Station
-
Rhinecliff
-
Hudson
-
Albany Renselear
Dining
There are a lot of choices within walking distance of the Summit. This includes sushi, Southern, classic and contemporary American, Italian, Moroccan, Vietnamese, Indian, Mexican, Dominican, Puerto Rican, Caribbean, Ethiopian, brew pub, tea room and more.
You’ll get up to $40 of food vouchers when you join us in person, so try a few different places.
-
Bud's on Jay
-
Pho Queen
-
Raw Cafe
-
Take Two Cafe
-
Tara Kitchen
-
The Whistling Kettle
-
Ya Ya's House Southern Cuisine
-
Ambition Cafe
-
Bomber's Burrito Bar
-
Nico's Pizzeria & Rooftop Tavern
All in person tickets will include vouchers at the following restaurants:

Transportation

Staying in Town
There are several hotels in downtown Schenectady, within a 15-minute walk for most people.
Downtown hotels may offer special rates for Summit participants.
-
Hampton Inn
-
Average price - $142 per night
-
-
Doubletree by Hilton
-
Average price - $152
-
-
The Schenectady Inn and Suites
-
Average price - $85
-
-
Americas Best Value Inn
-
Average price - $65
-
Closest hotels: