February 27, 2023 by Natalie Rock (’23)
Saratoga Springs is a fantastic city with so much to offer. Not only does Saratoga showcase the arts, great food, and nice people, but it also has history. The Battle of Saratoga of 1777 may be seen as the start of Saratoga’s history, but it continues to grow every day. With all that Saratoga has to offer, it is impossible to highlight everything in just 34 hours, but, from the perspective of a Saratogian, these are the things you just can’t miss.
The Itinerary:
7:00am-8:30am: A morning walk or run at Saratoga National Historical Park
(https://www.nps.gov/sara/index.htm)
The Saratoga National Historical Park, also referred to as the Battlefield, has both history and incredible scenery. It is the perfect place to walk, run, or bike in the summertime. The 11-mile course with 10 stops is perfect for everyone because you can stop whenever you please. With so much to explore and see, how can you say no?
8:30am-9:45am: Breakfast at Country Corner Café (https://www.countrycornercafe.net/)
Country Corner Café has a warm, homey environment with some of the best pancakes you’ll get in all of Saratoga. Be sure to prepare for a slight wait though, because everyone else also wants to enjoy some, and we can’t blame them.
9:45am-12:30pm: “Museum Crawl”
Saratoga has a lot of history and art to explore. Use this time to choose a few museums or art exhibits that interest you. Some notable places include:
- The Saratoga Springs History Museum (https://www.saratogahistory.org/),
- The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame (https://www.racingmuseum.org/),
- Saratoga Automobile Museum (https://www.saratogaautomuseum.org/),
- Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery (https://tang.skidmore.edu/),
- The National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame (https://www.nationalmuseumofdance.org/),
- and even more!
12:30pm-1:30pm: Lunch at Comfort Kitchen (https://comforteats.com/)
Comfort Kitchen is the perfect place to stop for a quick lunch. Comfort Kitchen has a wide variety of options where everyone can find something they love. Ingredients are locally sourced, and the Mac and Cheese is incredible.
1:30pm-3:30pm- Walk around the Downtown strip, shop around, and take a rest in Congress Park
This is the time for the members of your party to do as they please. Some may want to shop, some may want to find a bench in the park, some may want to get a coffee, and some may want to just walk around and explore the downtown strip of Saratoga. We recommend doing all of these things if you have the time.
Some shops to be sure to check out include:
- Northshire Bookstore (https://www.northshire.com/)
- Saratoga Tea and Honey Company (https://www.saratogateaandhoney.com/)
- Pangea (https://www.pangea-saratoga.com/)
- Impressions of Saratoga (https://www.impressionssaratoga.com/)
- Silverwood Home and Galleries (https://silverwoodgalleries.com/)
3:30pm-5:00pm: Creative Sparks (https://www.facebook.com/creativesparksceramics/)
Creative Sparks is the perfect place to wind down from all of the action of the day. This art studio offers paint-your-own pottery, mosaic building, and glasswork. Each member can choose their own activity, but we recommend sticking to the classic pottery painting.
5:00pm-6:45pm: Dinner at Cantina (https://www.cantinasaratoga.com/)
Cantina serves fresh Mexican cuisine that’ll make you want to move to Saratoga. We recommend basically anything on the menu. I mean, how can you say no to a restaurant that gives you free chips and salsa?
7:00pm-9:45pm: Open Mic at Caffe Lena (https://www.caffelena.org/)
Come see the local talent Saratoga has to offer at Caffe Lena’s open mic night. You can see a range of performances including slam poetry, comedy, and original songwriters. If you’re feeling brave, you can even sign up and share some talent of your own.
9:45pm-12am: Late Night Showing at Bowtie Cinemas (https://www.showtimes.com/movie-theaters/bow-tie-criterion-cinemas-11-btx-9628/)
Depending on the movies that are showing in the theater when you’re here, you can enjoy an amazing late-night movie at the Bowtie Cinemas just off of Broadway. End the night with some great cinema and buttery popcorn.
Enjoy a night’s rest at The Inn at Saratoga (www.theinnatsaratoga.com)
10am-12pm: Brunch In Saratoga Spa State Park (https://parks.ny.gov/parks/saratogaspa)
Give yourself the morning to sleep a little late, and then head off to a picnic brunch at Saratoga Spa State Park. For food, we highly recommend taking Uncommon Grounds (https://www.uncommongrounds.com/locations/saratoga-springs/) to go. The bagels will not disappoint.
12pm-2pm Finish any shopping and exploring, and try all the springs throughout the city (https://www.saratoga.com/things-to-do/springs/)
We didn’t get the name Saratoga SPRINGS for nothing. Use some of these last hours to walk around, finish shopping, but most importantly, locate the springs that have become our claim to fame. You can even bring a water bottle to fill for the trip back home. You’ll be able to smell Hawthorn Springs before you get a chance to taste it, but we still believe it is a part of the full Saratoga Experience.
2pm-5pm: Show at SPAC to end your trip (https://spac.org/)
Depending on when you’re visting, we recommend that you find yourself at SPAC at some point. Even if it’s not your favorite band playing, SPAC offers a unique performance experience that you won’t want to miss. If you visit Saratoga in the summer, the concerts will be amazing.
Saratoga Springs has so much to offer. 34 hours cannot cover all you will want to do and see while you’re here. This “perfect day” would look different during the warmer months, but no matter if it’s winter or summer, Saratoga has plenty for all. This beautiful, welcoming city is asking to be explored… will you answer its call?