15 Best Things to Do in Glens Falls, NY

March 17, 2020 - Updated

Chapman Historical Museum

Nestled in the heart of the Adirondack Mountains and surrounded by spectacular natural beauty, the city of Glens Falls is packed with things to see and do for the whole family. Exuding quaint architectural charm of the past in many of the buildings, Glen Falls is a well-known destination for the arts and entertainment with plenty of excellent museums, galleries, and cultural institutions to explore. The town also hosts several festivals throughout the year, including the Adirondack Theatre Festival and the Lower Adirondack Regional Arts Council’s June Arts Festival, and the Glens Falls Civic Center presents a variety of concerts, extravaganzas, and family-fun events.

1.The Hyde Collection Art Museum and Historic Home

The Hyde Collection is a historic house and museum complex that houses an impressive collection of historical paintings, pottery, sculptures, furniture, and books. Founded by Louis and Charlotte Hyde in 1952, the museum is based in a beautifully restored early twentieth-century residence on Warren Street, known as the Hyde House, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The collection includes a refined selection of Italian Renaissance and eighteenth-century French antiques, and paintings by Picasso, Degas, Matisse, Renoir, Ingres, and Botticelli, among other famous artists. Open year-round; the museum features five galleries in which the collection is exhibited and offers art experiences for all ages.

161 Warren St, Glens Falls, NY 12801, Phone: 518-792-1761

2.The Shirt Factory

The Shirt Factory is a historic old factory building in the heart of Glen Falls that houses a variety of creative businesses ranging from artist studios, art galleries, indie shops, fitness studios, and more. The complex is home to more than 100 eclectic artists and artisans who have studios in the building and produce original artworks ranging from painting, photography, clay, wood, and ceramics. Other services offered include massage therapy, fitness classes, children's activities, and a beauty salon, along with cafés, coffee shops, and eateries.

71 Lawrence St, Glens Falls, NY 12801, Phone: 518-502-1450

3.Chapman Historical Museum

The Chapman Historical Museum is a beautifully restored historic house museum that showcases life in Glens Falls during the late 19th century. Owned and operated by the Glens Falls/Queensbury Historical Association, the museum is based in a house built initially by Zopher DeLong and later restored in 1968 and features antique furnishings and historical artifacts documenting Glen Falls in the 1900s. Visitors to the Chapman Historical Museum can enjoy guided tours of the DeLong House, explore the ever-changing exhibitions, a range of hands-on activities and family programs for families and children, and finding unique souvenirs in the gift shop.

348 Glen St, Glens Falls, NY 12801, Phone: 518-793-2826

4.Cole's Woods

Cole’s Woods is a multi-use trail system named for local blacksmith Norman Cole and offers a wide range of outdoor recreational activities throughout the year. Opened in 1971, the park featured North America’s first lighted cross-country ski trail system and now offers an array of different trails and terrains for users to enjoy. The trail system is used in summer for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, backpacking, geocaching and birdwatching, and cross-country skiing, ice-skating at the Glens Falls Recreation Ice Rink and sledding in the winter. Cole's Woods hosts several cross-country skiing races each year, along with running races and other community events.

40 Parkview Ave, Queensbury, NY 12804, Phone: 518-761-8216

5.Cool Insuring Arena (Previously Glens Falls Civic Center)

The Cool Insuring Arena, previously known as the Glen Falls Civic Center, is a multi-purpose arena with a seating capacity of 4,800 that currently serves as the home of the Adirondack Thunder of the ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League). Built in 1979, the Cool Insuring Arena was originally the home of the Adirondack Red Wings, and now hosts the ECHL's Adirondack Thunder. The arena hosts high school basketball tournaments every winter, as well as a range of music concerts, family-friendly performances, ice shows, and other events. Other attractions at the arena include a walking track and an ice-skating arena.

1 Civic Center Plaza, Glens Falls, NY 12801, Phone: 518-798-0366

6.Davidson Brothers Brewing Company

Davidson Brothers Brewing Company is a casual brewery and restaurant based in a historic 130-year old building in the Exchange Street Plaza that serves classic American fare and local house-brewed craft beers. The brewery produces a range of traditional IPAs using aroma-filled hops to create a hoppy, medium-bodied beer, along with a variety of other beers, casual wines, and handcrafted cocktails. The restaurant offers a delicious menu of pub-style fare such as hearty burgers and juicy steaks, fresh salads, fish and chips, pasta dishes, and homemade soups, and guests can enjoy live music while dining on several nights of the week.

184 Glen St, Glens Falls, NY 12801, Phone: 518-743-9026

7.Sip & Canvas

Sip & Canvas is a fun-centric social art studio that offers an open space for budding artists to paint, draw, make ceramics, and more, along with art lessons and a casual bistro that serves light fare and drinks. Visitors can create artworks from painting on canvas, glassware or pottery, to collage, clay, and mosaics. The studio also offers guided painting classes and other workshops in a variety of other art mediums for all ages and is available to rent for special events and functions, such as birthdays and team-building. Sip & Canvas serves a variety of craft beers, wine, and soft drinks which can be enjoyed while creating art.

21 Bay St, Glens Falls, NY 12801, Phone: 518-791-4888

8.Adirondack Thunder

Adirondack Thunder is a professional ice hockey team in the ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) that is affiliated with the NHL's New Jersey Devils and is based at the Cool Insuring Arena. The Cool Insuring Arena, previously known as the Glen Falls Civic Center, is 4,800-seater stadium hosts the ECHL's Adirondack Thunder, along with high school basketball tournaments every winter, as well as a range of music concerts, family-friendly performances, ice shows, and other events. Other attractions at the arena include a walking track and an ice-skating arena.

1 Civic Center Plaza, Glens Falls, NY 12801, Phone: 518-480-3355

9.Upstate Model Railroaders

Located in the basement in the former B. B. Fowler Building on Glens Street, the Upstate Model Railroaders Club (UMRR) features six operating railroad layouts in different sizes, including standard-, O-, S-, HO-, N- and Z-gauges as well as Lego™ trains. The Upstate Model Railroaders host an Annual Train Hobby and Craft show every year where a variety of model railroad and hobby merchandise, and handmade crafts are exhibited and sold. Other attractions at the show include model railroad layouts, bounding castles for children, and a white elephant table.

22 Hudson Falls Rd, South Glens Falls, NY 12803, Phone: 518-747-4112

10.World Awareness Children's Museum

The World Awareness Children's Museum is a child-centric institution that encourages children to explore, discover, and learn through play. The museum features a variety of interactive exhibitions, including ¡Hola, Mexico!, World Music, The Marketplace, Home and Family Life, World Fashion, and the One World Gallery, among others. The museum also offers a host of multicultural programs and exciting events for visitors of all ages that feature hands-on games and challenges, story-telling, dance, and music performances. Other attractions at the museum include guided and self-guided tours, a series of outreach programs, and an International Youth Art Exchange Program.

89 Warren St, Glens Falls, NY 12801, Phone: 518-793-2773

11.Studio Chrome

Studio Chrome is a fitness studio that offers ‘pole sports’ classes to get the community fit and healthy. Owned by Terri Murray, the fitness studio is the first fitness studio of its kind to offer the unique fitness classes that combine dancing, fitness, confidence, self-esteem, and camaraderie. Pole sports involve acrobatics and dance moves on a vertical pole and are now recognized by the Global Association of International Sports Federation as an official performance sport. Movements include lifting, rotating, spinning, rotating, and even turning the body upside down on the pole. Studio Chrome has nine poles, and classes are limited to nine people.

7 Broad St, Glens Falls, NY 12801, Phone: 518-232-0589

12.Morgan & Company

Morgan & Company is an award-winning restaurant that specializes in modern American cuisine with an international flair. The locally-owned fine dining restaurant serves a menu of comfort food with a Mediterranean-Bohemian flair prepared with fresh, locally-sourced ingredients and global accents with signature dishes like Sicilian Octopus Puttanesca, Swordfish Milanese, Carolina Barbecue, and Grilled Berkshire Pork Chops. Brunch dishes range from Brisket Eggs Benedict, Coffeecake with creamy maple butter, and Funnel Cake French Toast, and the full-service bar serves a selection of craft and draft beers, casual wines from around the world, and handcrafted cocktails prepared using high-end spirits. Morgan & Company is open for brunch, lunch, and dinner daily.

65 Ridge St, Glens Falls, NY 12801, Phone: 518-409-8060

13.DownTown City Tavern

DownTown City Tavern is a classic steakhouse-style restaurant that serves traditional steakhouse fare, craft beers, and casual wines in a stylish, laid-back setting. Based in the former Boston Candy Kitchen building, DownTown City Tavern has elegant décor, comfortable furnishings, a marble-top bar serving a range of libations, and soft lighting, creating an intimate ambiance. The menu boasts hearty burgers and fries, prime steaks and chops, wood-fired pizzas with various toppings, fresh salads and vegetarian options, and decadent desserts. The full-service bar serves a selection of local and imported craft and draft beers, casual wines from around the world, and handcrafted cocktails prepared using high-end spirits. DownTown City Tavern is open for lunch and dinner, seven days a week.

21 Elm St, Glens Falls, NY 12801, Phone: 518-480-3500

14.Poopies DiManno's Lunch

Nestled in the East End of Glens Falls, Poopies DiManno's Lunch is a family-owned and operated restaurant that is renowned for great food and wine served in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Established by the late Joseph DiManno in 1954, the family-friendly restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch with signature breakfast dishes of eggs, pancakes, breakfast sandwiches, and French Toast, and lunch plates of homemade soup, burgers, sandwiches, wraps, and Philly Cheese Steak. The traditional restaurant has been offering a unique dining experience in the heart of Glens Falls for more than 50 years.

54 Lawrence St, Glens Falls, NY 12801, Phone: 518-792-6155

15.New Way Lunch

New Way Lunch is renowned for its world-famous one-of-a-kind hot dogs topped with mustard, diced onion, and a special meat sauce that have been served since 1919. Also known as Dirty John's or Hot Dog John's, New Way Lunch is a local hot dog eatery with three Glens Falls Region locations with cozy leather dining booths and an extensive menu of casual American fare. In addition to a variety of hotdogs, the menu also features hamburgers, cheese and Philly steaks, a selection of sandwiches, fresh salads, nachos, and several sides. Beverages include coffee, sodas, juices, and hot chocolates, and the diners are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

21 South Street, Glens Falls, Phone: 518-792-9803