Saratoga Springs Travel Guide: Racing & Mineral Spas in Upstate New York

Saratoga Race Course is the heart of summer here. From mid-July through Labor Day, thoroughbreds run on a track that opened in 1863, hosting America’s oldest sporting venue with wooden grandstands that have barely changed in over a century. You can hear the thunder of hooves from the rail and smell the fresh-cut grass of the infield. Families spread picnic blankets on the lawn and bet on horses with names that catch their fancy. Even if you don’t gamble, the people-watching and the atmosphere are worth the trip. The track is the reason hotels book months ahead for August.

Saratoga Spa State Park preserves what drew visitors before the horses: mineral springs that still bubble up naturally carbonated from the ground. The Roosevelt Baths offer soaking in the mineral water, a ritual largely unchanged since 1935. Beyond the baths, the park spreads across nearly 2,400 acres with walking paths, golf courses, and SPAC (the Saratoga Performing Arts Center) which hosts concerts and the New York City Ballet each summer in a natural amphitheater.

Downtown centers on Broadway, a walkable stretch of restaurants and shops that stay busy year-round. Hattie’s has served Southern food since 1938, and the line out the door proves the reputation. Chez Pierre offers French bistro fare in a quieter setting. Cafes fill for brunch, bars come alive after the races, and porches that line Broadway encourage lingering with drinks in hand while the evening unfolds.