Saratoga Springs

Saratoga Springs, situated in the foothills of the Adirondacks 40 miles north of Albany in New York State, has been a resort destination since the early 19th century when the natural carbonated mineral springs beneath the city first attracted visitors seeking curative properties. The city today encompasses multiple distinct attractions within a compact, walkable downtown of Victorian architecture centered on Broadway. Saratoga Race Course, open for thoroughbred racing from late July through Labor Day in early September, is the oldest active major thoroughbred racetrack in the United States, established in 1863; the morning training sessions open to the public from 7AM during the racing season are a beloved tradition, allowing visitors to watch horses work the main track from trackside bleachers. Saratoga Spa State Park, a National Historic Landmark comprising 2,400 acres southwest of downtown, contains the Roosevelt Baths & Spa where the original mineral spring bathhouses have been restored; visitors can soak in private, naturally carbonated mineral baths as visitors have done since the 1930s. The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, adjacent to the track on Union Avenue, provides comprehensive history of American thoroughbred racing through artifacts, interactive displays, and an extensive gallery of Hall of Fame inductees. The Saratoga Performing Arts Center, also within the spa park, serves as summer home to the New York City Ballet and the Philadelphia Orchestra, with its 5,000-seat amphitheater backed by state forest. The city's restaurant scene on Broadway and Phila Street is sophisticated for a city of 30,000, with strong seasonal menus drawing from local Adirondack farms.