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Every year in July our little girl gang (current members: my daughter, Em; my sisters – Jackie and Hilary; our mom – Susan aka Gram Gram; my niece, Maisie; and me!) take a long weekend and explore a little corner of the world. This year, rather than follow the crowds coastal for a beach vacay, we decided to look inland: Saratoga Springs, NY. As those of you from the area (and those of you that travel to the area) can attest, it really is a dream summer vacation locale.
Tourists originally journeyed to the area for it’s natural mineral springs (which still exist are really cool), but with the city’s focus on the surrounding natural resources combined with the historical significance of the area (battle of Saratoga, Schuylerville, Saratoga National Historical Park, etc.), the strong visual and performing arts veins (SPAC, dance hall of fame, Yaddo, etc.), the Saratoga Race Track, the family resort vibe and the bustling night life, this city truly is a place for everyone.
Getting there…
Emily and I left at Maryland at 8:45am on a Thursday and arrived in Saratoga Springs exactly five hours later. (Emily seems to be “blessed” with a bladder like me and we didn’t have to stop ONCE – we will def have to stop with the boys in tow.) We made our way to Target (duh) for the **essentials** (i.e., toothbrushes that we inevitably forget every time and this fun hat for Em) and made it to our VRBO by late afternoon. Bonus: all of us fit in the minivan, which made traveling around town a breeze (when we weren’t walking – bonus to staying in town).
Eating there…
We only scratched the surface of the food scene here, can’t wait to go back and try places like Boca Bistro, Salt & Char, and Druthers Brewing Company.
Gaffney’s
Thursday night dinner was a bit of a cluster – we didn’t have reservations anywhere and with opening ceremonies for the race track, it took a bit to find a restaurant that could fit us (the torrential downpour didn’t help matters either). Good news, though, because the downtown area is full of places to eat, it didn’t take long to land somewhere (and after that night we had beautifully sunny days!). We ate at Gaffney’s which, on the bar scene to fine dining spectrum, is leaning heavily towards the former. They have patio seating, but because it was raining we sat on the “porch”, which had retractable floor to ceiling windows (that they closed as the rain got heavier). The food was above average bar food, but it’s not going to win any awards with its drink menu. The live music was starting as we were leaving and it seemed like a good crowd was forming.
Uncommon Grounds
One morning the early birds (i.e., the moms, the toddlers, and the teacher) walked to the downtown area for coffee and bagels at Uncommon Grounds (¾ of a mile through beautiful neighborhood that reminded me of the garden district in New Orleans). This place was PACKED. Much like a typical bagel place you stand in line, order and pick up your food, and seat yourself. Even with it being crowded we didn’t have to wait for a table, but it was inside as the outside seating was limited. Espresso and coffee drinks and bagel sandwiches were on point (which is why it’s the arguably the best coffee joint in the heart of the downtown area – trip advisor). We got carry out for the matriarch’s (my mom and aunt back at the place).
Bread Basket Bakery
We also tried Bread Basket Bakery, which is located on Spring Street, about a block and half away from the heart of downtown and directly across from Congress Park. With its comfortable, shaded outdoor seating and killer homemade baked goods and breakfast eats (try the egg sandwich on a grilled scone!), this place was my favorite (a parking lot in the back makes it really convenient if you drive there, too).
Saratoga Springs Farmers Market
As we do on every girls trip, we visited the local farmers market on Saturday. The Saratoga Springs farmers market is located at the High Rock Park pavilions. As expected, there were TONS of amazing, locally sourced items: too many to list but it included flowers, fruits, vegetables, meats, seafood, cheese, eggs, freshly made pasta, and even locally distilled bourbon and vodka! Everything we needed for our home-cooked surprise birthday celebration for Aunt Mary!
Saratoga Winery
Plan on making a night of it at the Saratoga Winery (10 minutes from downtown) if you go – we definitely could have! They had awesome live music from the Vinny Michaels Band, and delicious local craft beer and wine flights plus some fun signature cocktails made with locally distilled spirits. We ordered the cheese board, some wood-fired pizzas (the Bill & Pat was my favorite!) and drank, ate, sang and danced the evening away. They also have a patio with a fire pit (lit at dusk), lawn games, and some picnic tables (to sit at while watching the tiny girl gang run around). Heads-up: it is in the middle of the woods, so it was a little buggy – but these bug bracelets helped keep them away!
Prime at Saratoga National
While we only stopped here for a photo op and a drink, the setting alone makes us want to return. Located on the sprawling grounds of Saratoga National Golf Course, it is a perfect place to relax and enjoy brunch (live jazz brunch on Sundays!), lunch, happy hour, or dinner. I was nervous about bringing the tiny girl gang into a place this “fancy” (prices are definitely in the $$$ category) but we never felt out of place or unwelcome; it’s truly a family establishment!
Sperry’s
On our final night, we ate on the garden patio at Sperry’s. A historic restaurant with a charming atmosphere and excellent food. Again, on the higher end of the price range, but worth it. There is no “children’s menu” and they specifically ask that no substitutions be made, but when we asked for a few raviolis (which were part of an entrée) separately for the tiny girl gang they happily accommodated us. The atmosphere was so relaxed, that after the meal was over, the little girls were able to run around for a bit while the grownups finished up some after dinner cocktails. Side note: they do have inside dining here and a really cool looking bar – but it seemed a bit more stuffy in there.
Being there…
My favorite part about the city (the parts that we saw) is that it clearly had a lot of people and wealth flowing through it but it isn’t over urbanized. (I actually struggled to find a gas station even when I put the address in the gps; they did a great job camouflaging it.) Our VRBO was situated pretty centrally between the Saratoga Race Track and Congress Park, which was ideal for exploring the downtown area.
Congress Park
Exploring Congress Park (which was designed by the same guy who designed Central Park and Prospect Park) in the mornings was especially fun for the tiny girl gang. While it doesn’t have a playground area (which disappointed Em) it does have a plenty of fountains, a few mineral springs, beautifully manicured grass to run around in, a historic wooden carousel, and everywhere you looked there were mama ducks and ducklings! According to the signage (and very obviously) there is a duck population issue there (the ducks even have a twitter handle: @CPDucks) but we were happy to see the sweet little ducklings running around (just don’t feed them). What we didn’t explore, but I am super intrigued by, is the Canfield Casino, which is one of Saratoga Springs’ most treasured landmarks.
Right outside the Canfield Casino is the Morissey Fountain (named for the founder of the Saratoga Race Track), a 150 year old foundation that was just recently restored (we failed to get a picture of us with it!).
There are several mineral fountains scattered throughout the park, each with a different smell/taste. This is Congress Spring, discovered in 1792. 
Another one of the fountains you’ll find nestled on the clean and manicured grounds of the park.
The historic wooden carousel – make sure you bring cash (no coins) to feed the “token” machine. 
Each token is a dollar and is good for one ride. Anyone under age 5 is free with a paying adult. Check here for times.
High Rock Park
While at the farmer’s market, we explored a bit of High Rock Park as well (love two-fors…). Here we found more mineral springs, as well as the 9/11 memorial sculpture, Tempered By Memory, made from World Trade Center Steel.
Photo courtesy of Saratoga-springs.org
Peerless Spring (in the background, behind the other tourists). 
High Rock Spring, known to Native Americans for thousands of years for its healing powers.
Spa Cascada
On Saturday while we prepped for the surprise birthday celebration at the house, Gram Gram and Aunt Mary got massages at Spa Cascada. This is located in the downtown area so it’s easy to get to and they both had a great experience. Plus, word on the street is that, when in town on tour, Dave Matthews has a standing appointment with one of the masseuses here.
Saratoga Race Course
The next time we visit Saratoga Springs, we will be carving out a day for the races. The vibe ranged from a fancy polo match, as you would expect, to a country music festival, and everything in between – kids welcome, coolers welcome. It has the old-time charm you would expect but with modern amenities.
Saratoga Arts
As I mentioned earlier, Saratoga Springs is rich in the arts, both visual and performing. Unfortunately we didn’t get to explore much of either during this trip, but we did get to experience the current exhibit at Saratoga Arts: the 10×10 Community Arts Show. This exhibition is open to everyone – “new artists, veteran artists, young and old artists, artists who are showing their work for the first time and artists who have been showing their work for years” and “this year [the] youngest artist is 3 and [the] oldest artist is in her 90s”. I was especially drawn to the exhibit and will probably enter it next year! It has even inspired a little project here at home – stay tuned!
I always enjoy exploring the art scene anywhere we go; inspiring and especially meaningful that I am able to share it with Em.
Must-haves to make the trip go smoothly…
We will be back…
As the city’s motto boasts, “health, history, horses” are it’s focal points – we merely scratched the surface; there are so many more things to explore! Here are the places on our list for next time:
- Yaddo
- Saratoga Spa State Park, which has the first heated pool in the US!
- Brown Beach on Saratoga Lake and Lake George
- National Museum of Dance, Dance Hall of Fame
- Saratoga National Historical Park
- Schulylerville and the Schuyler House
Those that are from the area and those who visit frequently – what am I missing? What should I add to this list!? Comment below!
