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Thoroughbreds, bubbling mineral springs and summer ballet give Saratoga Springs a mix no other American small city can match. This city of about 28,000 in upstate New York, half an hour north of Albany, has been a resort since the early 1800s, when visitors came to drink and bathe in its naturally carbonated waters.
Grand hotels went up, and in 1863 a racetrack opened that is now one of the oldest sporting venues in the country. The summer meet at Saratoga Race Course, with the Travers Stakes as its highlight, still fills the town every July and August. Victorian mansions line Union Avenue, and Broadway is packed with restaurants, bookstores and boutiques that stay busy year round.
Saratoga Spa State Park holds the Roosevelt and Lincoln baths, mineral springs you can taste, and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center, summer home of the New York City Ballet and the Philadelphia Orchestra. Congress Park keeps the old Canfield Casino, Skidmore College runs the Tang museum, and the Saratoga battlefield, turning point of the American Revolution, lies 15 miles southeast.
Opened in 1863, this track hosts a summer meet from July to Labor Day, highlighted by the Travers Stakes. Picnic tables under the trees, open paddock views and early-morning workouts make it more relaxed than big-city tracks. Arrive early on weekends, and watch breakfast workouts for free.
An open-air amphitheater in Saratoga Spa State Park, summer home of the New York City Ballet and the Philadelphia Orchestra, plus rock and pop concerts. Lawn tickets are cheap and you can bring a picnic. Check the season calendar early, as ballet weeks sell out quickly.
Opened in 1960, this small upstairs coffeehouse on Phila Street is one of the oldest continuously operating folk music venues in the country, where Bob Dylan played early in his career. Intimate concerts run most nights. Buy tickets ahead for well-known performers.
Across the street from the race course, this museum tells the story of American thoroughbred racing with trophies, jockey silks, paintings and interactive exhibits, plus the Hall of Fame for horses, jockeys and trainers. Plan about two hours, and pair it with a morning at the track.
Housed in the former Washington Bath House in Saratoga Spa State Park, this museum is devoted to American professional dance, with costumes, photographs, videos and a Hall of Fame. Changing exhibits feature choreographers and companies. It is usually open in the warmer months only.
A large state park with classical-revival bathhouses, the Hall of Springs, mineral springs you can sample, walking trails and two golf courses. The Roosevelt Baths still offer mineral soaks. Bring a cup to taste the springs, each with a distinct fizzy, salty flavor, along the Geyser Creek trail.
A landscaped park in the middle of town with mineral springs, ponds, sculptures and a vintage carousel. The 1870 Canfield Casino, once a famous gambling hall, now holds the Saratoga Springs History Museum. Try the Congress Spring water and stop by the carousel in summer.
The rose garden, rock garden and fountains of Yaddo, the famous artists' retreat where writers and composers have worked for over a century. The mansion itself is private, but the gardens are open free to the public from dawn to dusk. Visit in June or early July for the roses.
The Frances Young Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery at Skidmore College shows contemporary art in creative, cross-disciplinary exhibitions. The building has a striking roof deck. Admission is free, and it is a quiet escape on a busy racing day.
The site of the 1777 Battles of Saratoga, a turning point of the American Revolution, about 15 miles southeast of the city. A tour road with stops crosses the battlefield, and the visitor center has a film and exhibits. Allow half a day and add the Saratoga Monument in nearby Victory.
A lake just southeast of the city, popular for boating, kayaking, fishing and rowing races, with lakeside restaurants and marinas. Kayak and paddleboard rentals are available in summer. Come at sunset for dinner on a waterfront deck.
The main street of the city, lined with Victorian buildings that house restaurants, bars, bookstores, boutiques and galleries. It stays busy even outside racing season. Side streets like Caroline Street have lively nightlife, and the farmers market runs near the High Rock Spring.
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