Saratoga Springs

A spa and horse-racing town in Upstate New York, with its summer race meet, mineral-spring park and Revolutionary War battlefield, plus Lake George just to the north.

Saratoga Springs lies in Saratoga County in northeastern New York State, about 50 km north of the state capital, Albany, at the southern edge of the Adirondack Mountains, and has a population of around 30,000. From the 19th century its natural carbonated mineral springs made it a spa resort for America's upper class, and the racetrack that opened in 1863 turned it into the horse-racing capital of the United States. The town divides into three main areas: downtown, where Broadway, Congress Park and, to the east, the racecourse, the National Museum of Racing and Yaddo Gardens are all linked on foot; Saratoga Spa State Park on the south side of town, with its mineral springs, bathhouses, Saratoga Performing Arts Center and National Museum of Dance; and the outskirts, home to the Saratoga National Historical Park battlefield, Saratoga Lake and Grant Cottage. About 40 minutes south is Albany, where you can tour the New York State Capitol; about 45 minutes' drive north is the Lake George resort area (see the separate Lake George destination), an easy day trip. Summer is the best season: the racing season from mid-July to early September and the SPAC performance season make the town its liveliest, but room rates can double, so book well ahead. Late September to mid-October brings fall foliage with fewer crowds; winters are cold and snowy, and many attractions close for the season. Getting there: Albany International Airport is about 35 minutes' drive away, and Amtrak's Adirondack and Ethan Allen Express trains run direct from New York City's Penn Station to Saratoga Springs station in about 4 hours. Local buses are limited, so a car is best for the outskirts and Lake George. Plan on 2–3 days. When sampling the mineral water, note that the taste varies a lot from spring to spring, so try a small sip first.

Top sights

• Saratoga Race Course – Opened in 1863, this is one of America's oldest racetracks. Its summer racing season is the liveliest event in town.
• Saratoga Spa State Park – A spa park with National Historic Landmark status, where mineral springs, neoclassical bathhouse buildings and pine-shaded trails come toge…
• Saratoga National Historical Park – The battlefield of the 1777 Battle of Saratoga, a turning point of the American Revolutionary War. It can be toured by car or bicycle.
• National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame – An American Thoroughbred racing museum across from the racetrack, showcasing famous horses, jockeys, and racing history artifacts.
• Congress Park & Canfield Casino – A Victorian park in the city center with Congress Spring, fountain sculptures, and a former casino converted into a history museum.
• Broadway Historic District – Saratoga’s main street and historic district, where Victorian buildings house restaurants, cafés, bookstores, and boutiques.
• Yaddo Gardens – The gardens of a renowned artists’ residency estate, with a rose garden and Italian-style fountains open to the public free of charge.
• Saratoga Performing Arts Center – An open-air amphitheater in Saratoga Spa State Park that hosts the New York City Ballet, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and pop concerts each…
• National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame – The only museum in the United States dedicated to professional dance, housed in the former Washington Bathhouse building.
• Saratoga Lake – A lake southeast of the city for boating and fishing in summer; lakeside restaurants offer sunset views, and it is also a rowing training s…
• Grant Cottage State Historic Site – The mountain cottage where President Ulysses S. Grant, the 18th U.S. president, finished his memoirs and died; the interior is kept as it w…
• New York State Capitol – The grand 19th-century legislative building in Albany, famous for its “Million Dollar Staircase,” with free guided tours.
• Empire State Plaza – A modernist government complex in Albany with a free observation deck, the New York State Museum, and the egg-shaped Egg theater.
• Moreau Lake State Park – A forest-lined state park on the Hudson River, where you can swim, paddle and camp in summer, or hike the ridges for views of autumn foliag…
• Tang Teaching Museum – A free contemporary art museum on the Skidmore College campus, known for interdisciplinary exhibitions that bring together art, science and…

Where to eat

• 15 Church – A high-profile New American restaurant downtown; roasted Spanish octopus and filet mignon are signatures, and it has lo…
• Hattie's – A Southern soul food institution founded in 1938 and famous for its fried chicken; one of Saratoga's most storied resta…
• Olde Bryan Inn – A tavern-style American restaurant in a historic stone house, where the French onion soup and maple chicken salad are r…

Itineraries

• Hudson Valley to Adirondacks Loop – Head north from New York along the Hudson River to Lake George and Lake Placid, then return south via the Catskills.
• Lake Placid Winter Olympic Town Snow & Ice – Ski and see the ski jumps at the two-time Winter Olympics host town, with a stop in Saratoga Springs on the return.