Saratoga Springs, nestled among the rolling hills of Upstate New York, is a city just as captivating as it is charming. Often referred to as the “Spa City,” Saratoga Springs boasts a rich history interwoven with natural mineral springs, its legendary Saratoga Race Course, and a vibrant downtown area filled with character and delight.
This city has a little something for everyone and with summer upon us, there’s no better time to enjoy a rejuvenating escape in Saratoga Springs. Saratoga had personally been on my list for years and I just recently ticked it off with the two most perfect days taking in everything that this charming city has to offer. In this post, I will outline how we spent our time and exactly what you can expect to discover as a first time visitor. Get ready to fall in love with the magic of Saratoga Springs!
Getting There
Saratoga Springs is a very accessible city to travel to because of where it’s located. Situated in the Adirondacks region of New York State, it’s close in proximity to Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut as well as dozens of cities. Below I will list some places with close enough radiuses to Saratoga Springs, making for an ideal weekend visit or road trip idea:
- Buffalo,NY– 280 miles, 4.5 hour drive
- New York City– 180 miles, 3.5 hour drive
- Hartford, CT– 145 miles, 2 hour drive
- Burlington, VT– 115 miles, 2.5 hour drive
Looking for other New York State Guides & Itineraries? Save one of these for later:
- Visiting The Finger Lakes: A Guide to One of New York’s Most Favorited Regions
- A Perfect Day Trip to Corning, New York
- A Guide To Letchworth State Park in New York
Saratoga Springs Itinerary: Day 1
Your first day in Saratoga should be relaxing and fun. Spend time settling into your hotel, getting familiar with the area, and enjoying the local shops and restaurants. Let’s get into it!
Plan Your Arrival
Depending on where you’ll be traveling from, plan your arrival time for the late morning or early afternoon. You’ll want to have a full-day so that you can make the most of your time without rushing and really enjoy your day!
Stop 1: Have Lunch at Eddie F’s New England Seafood
After hours spent traveling, lunch is a very necessary first stop! Once you get into the city, head to Eddie F’s New England Seafood. This adorable restaurant looks like it belongs right on the coast of Maine and the extensive sea food menu will also have you fooled! We came for their lobster rolls and were not disappointed. They serve their lobster rolls two ways: cold with celery and mayo, or my personal favorite, hot with drawn butter. Their housemade New England chowder is also exceptional
Location: 119 Clinton St.
Hours: 11am- 8pm, closed Sunday
Stop 2: Check into Saratoga Arms Hotel
Next, head to your hotel to get checked in and settled in. There’s nowhere I could recommend more than Saratoga Arms Hotel. Here you’ll find that comfort, elegance, and charm all seamlessly have their place. The rooms are so beautiful and spacious with delicate fixtures, well-thought out details and modern amenities. You can expect cozy bathrobes hanging in the closet, and a beautiful view from the room’s balcony. There’s also a fantastic snack bar across from the check in desk, so help yourself to all of the delicious treats! If you’d like to book your stay at Saratoga Arms Hotel, click here.
Location: 497 Broadway
Stop 3: Stroll Down Broadway and Check out the Shops
One of my other favorite things about Saratoga Arms Hotel is its location. It’s perfectly situated on Broadway with everything you could possibly want within walking distance. After getting settled in and maybe spending some time in your cozy bathrobe, take a stroll down Broadway. Here you’ll feel the vibrant energy of Saratoga Springs as you make your way into cute, local shops, and wander past all of the enticing cafes and restaurants. Here are just a few places I’d highly recommend going into:
- The Local Branch– a leather goods store with tons of treasures from beautiful USA made leather bags, to incredible smelling candles. It’s the perfect place to find a gift for someone special or to even treat yourself
- Mystic World– everything from stones and crystals, to jewelry and incense. This place is filled with great energy and has tons of fun stuff to look at
- Northshire Bookstore– we spent more time here than anywhere else in Saratoga! This extensive bookstore will reel you in and make it very hard to leave
- Silverwood Home & Gallery– specializes in home decor, furniture, fine art, and accessories. There’s many beautiful, eclectic pieces here that truly honor the regions beauty and uniqueness
- Saratoga Tea & Honey Company– this place is like a bar, but with tea! There’s such a phenomenal selection of different teas, honey, and beautiful tea sets. There’s indoor and outdoor seating if you’d like to enjoy your tea there
Stop 4: Enjoy Drinks at 15 Church
For a little pre-dinner appetizer, head to 15 Church. We stumbled in here kind of on accident and it was so incredible we returned the following night as well. The ambiance is super classy but welcoming. The staff was so friendly and immediately made room for us at the bar even though we didn’t have a reservation. After ordering a glass of champagne we decided on half a dozen oysters with cucumber, yuzu, soy, and fresh wasabi. They were some of the best oysters I’ve ever had!
Location: 15 Church St.
Hours: 4:30pm- 9pm, Fri-Sat. -10pm
Stop 5: Dinner at Boca Bistro
Next, head to Boca Bistro for an amazing dinner. Boca Bistro is a Spanish tapas style restaurant with an incredible menu. This is the perfect place to go hungry, order a bunch of small plates to share, and enjoy a little bit of everything. We ordered a cheese plate, octopus, ham croquettes, garlic shrimp, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower. Our server coursed it out perfectly and we loved every bite.
Location: 384 Broadway
Hours: 11:30am- 9pm, closed Tues & Wed
Stop 6: Dessert at Saratoga Gelato
Make sure you save a little room so you can stop for gelato before ending your night. Just down the street from Boca Bistro is Saratoga Gelato. Their gelato is homemade daily and with 24 flavors to choose from, this will be your most difficult decision to make all day. There’s gluten-free, dairy free, vegan, and low fat options as well.
Location: 458 Broadway
Hours: 12pm- 9pm
Saratoga Springs Itinerary: Day 2
Day two in Saratoga is filled with fun activities, a unique spa experience, and some time spent out in nature. It’s the perfect combination of experiences to make for a fantastic day in Saratoga Springs.
Stop 1: Breakfast at Saratoga Arms Hotel
Saratoga Arms isn’t just a fantastic place to stay, they also serve up an incredible breakfast! Served from 7:30am – 10:30am daily, the menu has a little something for everyone. Their menu includes freshly baked goodies, local farm brown eggs, fresh fruit & yogurt, as well as gluten-free, vegan, and dairy-free options. I absolutely loved their omelet (which is customizable) and the lemon poppyseed bread. It paired perfectly with a fresh squeezed orange juice mimosa!
Location:497 Broadway
Stop 2: Relax in a Mineral Bath at Roosevelt Baths & Spa
After breakfast, head to Roosevelt Baths & Spa located inside Saratoga Spa State Park. This spa resort opened in 1935, thanks to President Franklin Roosevelt’s visionary act to preserve the Saratoga Springs. This place is steeped in history and is perfect for experiencing some luxurious pampering. The spa utilizes the naturally mineral-rich spring waters that have made Saratoga famous for centuries. Upon checking in, we were each taken to our own room with an already drawn bath filled with the mineral rich water. The staff member explained how buoyant the water would be and it was very unique and relaxing to experience. At Roosevelt Baths & Spa you can also indulge in a massage or one of their other rejuvenating treatments as well.
Location:39 Roosevelt Dr.
Hours: 9am- 5pm
Stop 3: Walk around Saratoga Spa State Park
As I mentioned, Roosevelt Baths is located inside of a state park, appropriately named Saratoga Spa State Park. After your mineral bath, take some time to wander around the park as it’s the perfect place to take in some natural beauty. Right outside of the spa, we stumbled onto a beautiful walking path through the woods. Surrounded by majestic trees and sounds of birds chirping around us made for a perfect continuation of relaxation.
Location:19 Roosevelt Dr
Hours: 9am- 5pm
Stop 4: Go to the Saratoga Automobile Museum
Also located in Saratoga Spa State Park is the Automobile Museum, something that history buffs and car enthusiasts will not want to miss! Housed in a beautifully restored neoclassical building, the museum showcases a collection of significant cars, trucks, and vehicles. Their exhibits change out roughly every six months. While we visited we were lucky enough to experience the Ferrari exhibit, which was extensive and fascinating. The exhibit included some incredibly rare models and a lot of in depth history about Ferreri.
Location: 110 Avenue of the Pines
Hours: 10am- 5pm
Stop 5: Spend Time by Saratoga Lake
From there, take a little drive to Saratoga Lake. This vibrant lake stretches 4.5 miles long and is considered the Jewel of the Saratoga region. There’s a cute public space called Waterfront Park which sits on a four-acre parcel of land. There’s free parking, benches, and picnic tables. The lower part of the park has been transferred into a sandy beach, perfect for relaxing in the sun. We spent a little time here just relaxing by the water and taking in the beautiful views of the lake. Something about being by water always feels so peaceful!
Location: 630 Crescent Ave
Hours: 7am- 9pm
Stop 6: Enjoy Wine Flights at The Saratoga Winery
Afterwards, head to The Saratoga Winery for lunch and wine flights. This winery is as adorable as it is welcoming. There’s a great bar with plenty of indoor seating. However, if you have a nice day like we did, I’d highly recommend sitting outside. There’s a deck that overlooks the property, fun games to play and cute places for photo ops. We grabbed a table and ordered a few of their wine flights. They also have a full menu and there’s so much good stuff on there that we couldn’t decide, so we went all out with a pizza, cheese plate, and big soft pretzel. Just let me tell you, it was worth all of the carbs!
Location: 462 NY-29
Hours: 12pm- 9pm Wed-Fri., 9am- 4pm Sat- Sun, closed Mon-Tues.,
Stop 7: Walk around the Saratoga Farmers Market
If you’re lucky enough to be in Saratoga on a Wednesday or Saturday, check out the Saratoga Farmers’ Market. This adorable little farmers’ market is filled with fresh produce, amazing honey and lavender products, gorgeous flowers, jewelry, fresh breads, and there’s even live music. It’s the perfect place to stop for a short time and support local
Location:112 High Rock Ave.
Hours: Wed. 3pm-6pm, Sat. 9am- 1pm
Stop 8: Have a Pre- Dinner Drink at The Merc
The Merc is one of those places we would have absolutely eaten at if we had more time. It has a super cool vibe, amazing decor, a welcoming atmosphere, and there’s plants everywhere, which we love! We still did manage to make it here for a drink however, which I’d absolutely recommend doing! The bar is cozy with lots of options, making it perfect for a pre-dinner cocktail. Had we not had such a big lunch, we would have probably tried one of their small plates too. But it’s always an excuse to head back to Saratoga again one day. From what I’ve heard The Merc is also THE place to go for brunch!
Location: 430 Broadway
Hours: Wed.- Sat. 9am- 9:30pm, Sun.- Mon. 9am- 4pm, closed Tues.
Stop 9: Dinner at Hamlet & Ghost
Dinner at Hamlet & Ghost may very well have been my favorite part of the whole two-day itinerary. This fantastic restaurant is located on a cute corner off of Broadway. From the moment we walked in the door, we knew this place was going to be good! It’s trendy and hip, and the fun ambiance speaks volumes. Thankfully, we made a reservation ahead of time and sat at the “Chefs Corner,” a little designed bar area where you actually get to watch the chefs at work. The menu dishes are created with thoughtful, seasonal ingredients, and the cocktail menu was beyond impressive. We ordered scallops as our main dish and the presentation was as beautiful as the flavors were delicious. This was the perfect end to a perfect trip.
Location: 24 Caroline St.
Hours: Mon.- Thurs. 5pm-11pm, Fri.- Sat. 5pm- Midnight, closed Sunday
Enjoy Your Time in Saratoga Springs!
I hope this post has given you some insight and inspiration as to how to spend your time in the charming city of Saratoga Springs. This perfect two-day itinerary is such an easy and fun one to add to a summer or fall bucket list and will surely leave you wanting to go back again and again. Please feel free to leave any questions or comments below and as always, happy travels!
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