Overview of Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, NY is beautiful city in upstate New York with a lot to offer its local community and all who visit. It’s about 30 miles north of Albany, the state capital. For us, the draw was initially the music scene. It’s truly much more than that. The surrounding area was inhabited mainly by the Mahican tribe of native Americans when the British arrived in the late 1600s. For them the natural mineral springs in the area were very important. Historically for the USA, the battles of Saratoga were a significant turning point in the American Revolutionary War.
Today the city is renowned for its thoroughbred horse racing and mineral baths and spas. But it also has many other attractions including an automobile museum, a horse racing museum, and an outdoor amphitheater that hosts a variety of music performances. The downtown area boasts an expansive park, boutique shopping, and an impressive array of dining establishments for every budget. Saratoga Springs is also home to Skidmore College, a small liberal arts college. We’ll try to share the highlights of this place with you to help you decide what to do when you visit.
Saratoga and the American Revolution
The Battles of Saratoga took place during the American Revolutionary War in 1777. These battles, specifically the Battle of Freeman’s Farm (September 19) and the Battle of Bemis Heights (October 7), marked a turning point in the war. The American forces, led by General Horatio Gates and supported by Benedict Arnold, achieved a decisive victory over the British under General John Burgoyne. Burgoyne’s surrender after the second battle had significant implications, including encouraging French support for the American cause. Today the area where these battles took place is now Saratoga National Historical Park. We still haven’t had time to visit the park as it really deserves at least a day of our time. So, we’ll build in a day for this the next time we visit and then write about our experience there.
Saratoga Spa State Park
Throughout its history, Saratoga Springs gained fame as “the Queen of the Spas.” Just outside of town you’ll find Saratoga Spa State Park. This sprawling park has a Vintage hotel, the Gideon Putnam Hotel dating to 1935, a golf course, a spa, an automobile museum, a children’s museum, an historic hotel, a pool complex, tennis courts, banquet facilities, and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC), an outdoor concert venue. The entrance to the park is on Avenue of the Pines with its soaring evergreen trees, winding through the golf course to the hotel and other park facilities.
Naturally Carbonated Mineral Springs
In the 1600s, the native Americans introduced the springs to the early British settlers and even helped heal at least one wounded soldier. During the 19th and 20th centuries, Saratoga Springs served as a health resort and gambling center. The region’s unique feature was its naturally carbonated mineral springs, which were believed to have healing properties. Visitors flocked to Saratoga to “take the waters” by drinking and bathing in these springs. Notably, Congress Spring, located in Congress Park, became a popular spot for visitors seeking health benefits. Today, you can still experience the healing waters at places like the Roosevelt Baths & Spa. We’ve soaked in their deep tubs filled with water from the mineral springs and had various spa treatments and messages there. It’s an incredibly therapeutic and calming experience. If this is your thing, plan to spend a few hours at the spa and then head to a musical performance at SPAC or head downtown for some shopping and a memorable meal.
Saratoga Automobile Museum
While we’d visited Saratoga Spa State Park several times in recent years, we had overlooked the Saratoga Automobile Museum. We took the time to visit it recently and found it very interesting. They have temporary exhibit space on the ground floor and a permanent collection upstairs. When we visited, the exhibit space featured Ferrari automobiles from its early days up to the present. The permanent collection is focused mostly on cars built in New York State. There you’ll see race cars, a mod van, and cars from various points in American automobile history. One of our favorites was the amphibious car!
Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC)
This year our trek to Saratoga Springs was to see the Dave Matthews Band play at SPAC for two epic shows. If you can manage to get tickets, they play two nights here every summer, typically in early July. The hotel surge pricing can be a bit crazy. So, you’ll want to plan and save up. If Dave Matthews Band is not your speed, they have plenty of other shows on their schedule. Check out the SPAC website and plan a long weekend of fun around the show that suits you and your group.
Equestrian Experience in Saratoga Springs
Saratoga Springs is also home to the oldest thoroughbred racetrack in America. The Saratoga Race Course, established over 160 years ago, hosts elite horses during an eight-week summer season. The track’s prestigious races, including the Travers Stakes, attract racing enthusiasts from around the world. Saratoga Race Course remains a beloved tradition, where spectators gather to witness thrilling races and enjoy the vibrant atmosphere. If you aren’t in town during race season or you’re looking to learn more about the history of horse racing, you should plan to spend an hour or so browsing the memorabilia and seeing a very engaging film about the horse racing hall of fame at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. We recently did this and gained a much greater appreciation for the sport. We’ll probably be more engaged by the race the next time we attend a Kentucky Derby party.
Downtown Saratoga Springs
Broadway and Congress Park
Earlier we mentioned downtown Saratoga Springs with its park, boutique shopping, bar, and restaurant scene. It’s such a cool town to hang out in. Take a stroll through Congress Park at the south end of town. There, you’ll find the Saratoga Springs History Museum (we still need to make time for this), the Congress Park Carousel, several ponds and walking paths. You can find a shady spot under a tree to take it all in.
We especially enjoy meeting all the dogs being walked in the park and along Broadway, the main shopping and dining strip. We have our favorite shops, and we discover new ones each time we visit. You’re sure to find some treasures when you go.
Restaurant and Pub Scene
And the restaurant and pub scene is top notch. There’s a lot to choose from and maybe we’ll eventually try them all. We have a few favorites, and we gravitate toward those. Boca Bistro serves very nicely prepared Spanish tapas and paella. They even serve typical Spanish cocktails and vary their cocktail menu by season. Druthers Brewing Company serves nice craft beers and ciders as well as cocktails and wine, and their menu includes pub favorites like fish and chips and creative sandwiches. The Merc is where we have brunch, and they serve up some creative options. The Cantina has great food and atmosphere with an impressive selection of tequilas. If you’re looking for a steakhouse, Salt & Char at the Adelphi Hotel is a must. They are very attentive with great classic menu items and a nice selection of wines and cocktails. There are so many places to choose from and we haven’t even mentioned the top-notch places away from Broadway. Head down the side streets and you’ll find more restaurants and bars, some with live music. Many of the restaurants in Saratoga Springs are very popular. So, you’ll want to make reservations.
To wrap up, if you're looking for a place to enjoy a long weekend, relaxing and enjoying time with family or friends, Saratoga Springs really has it all. If you live in the northeastern Unites States, you can probably get there in your car, avoiding the challenges associated with air travel. We think you should have this on your list for sure.
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