Looking for the best things to do in Saratoga Springs, NY? This charming Upstate New York town in the Capital Region near Albany has completely captured our family’s heart. From historic mineral springs and scenic state parks to the famous Saratoga Race Course, cozy downtown shops, and fantastic food, Saratoga Springs is one of those rare destinations that works just as well for a weekend getaway as it does for a longer stay.

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Best Things to Do in Saratoga Springs

Here are the top things to do in Saratoga Springs for first-time visitors and returning travelers alike:

– Visit the historic mineral springs
– Explore Saratoga Spa State Park
– Relax at Roosevelt Baths & Spa
– Experience the Saratoga Race Course
– Walk through Saratoga Battlefield National Historical Park
– Browse Northshire Bookstore
– Eat your way through downtown Saratoga Springs
– Attend seasonal festivals like the International Flavorfeast

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Saratoga Springs has much more to do than its famous racetrack. You can taste naturally carbonated mineral water straight from the springs, spend an afternoon in Saratoga Spa State Park, soak in a historic mineral bath, explore downtown, visit Revolutionary War sites, and, of course, spend a day at the races.

These are the Saratoga Springs attractions and experiences I recommend most after years of returning to the area with my family.

Visit the Famous Mineral Springs in Saratoga Springs

You can’t visit Saratoga Springs without tasting the famous water, and the springs are still sputtering in Saratoga. You can visit the vast majority of the active ones and have a drink from each of them. Most have some sort of spigot for drinking or filling water bottles, but some are still in their natural state. They all have quite different tastes to them. Some taste like cold tap water while others are metallic, some highly carbonated, and a few are downright vile. Your kids will love it!

Congress Springs is probably the most visited spring. It is situated in a pavilion downtown in Congress Park. This spring is my oldest son’s very favorite. Every time we visit he brings empty jugs to fill up and take home. Continue your spring tasting tour with Columbian Spring and Deer Park Spring. They are steps away, and you can taste what we mean about metallic tasting spring water.

Cross the street and you will find Hathorn Spring One. This spring is lovingly dubbed “fart juice spring” by my boys and they love to watch unassuming people try it. It is fairly carbonated and has a very strong sulfur flavor and smell.

My personal favorite spring water is Hayes Well Spring located in Saratoga State Park. It must be a popular one with the locals as there are always cars lined up near it filling up large water jugs. It tastes like good old-fashioned tap water, but I imagine all the minerals in it must be good for me. If you want to visit all the other springs you can find a map of them at the visitors center.

Walk Through Congress Park

Congress Park is right in downtown Saratoga Springs, and you’ve probably already visited it without thinking of it as a separate attraction. This is where you’ll find several of the mineral springs I recommend tasting, including Congress, Columbian and Deer Park Springs.

But there is more here than spring water. You can walk through the gardens, see the historic Canfield Casino, wander around the ponds and fountains, and let younger kids ride the Congress Park Carousel. The historic wooden carousel dates to 1910 and is one of only a handful of surviving carousels carved by Marcus Illions.

Congress Park is also completely different from Saratoga Spa State Park. This one is compact, downtown and easy to incorporate into an afternoon of shopping and eating along Broadway. I’d plan to wander through rather than treat it as something you need to schedule.

Explore Saratoga Spa State Park

Very tall pine trees line the entrance to the park, and bike and walking trails line both sides of the street. As you enter the park, there are lots of signs to direct you to different locations. The Gideon Putnam hotel, baths, geysers, and more.

We have made use of the park for fall bike rides, winter snowshoeing, mineral baths, and our favorite fall walk to the Geyser Island Spouter.

The spouter is one of the few springs left in its natural state. You can walk on a path near it and see the minerals that have hardened on the rock over the centuries.

 

Relax at Roosevelt Baths & Spa

This experience is a good one for adults and older kids only, but it is so much fun it might be worth finding a sitter. The Roosevelt Baths and Spa were built in 1935 as a way to preserve Saratoga Springs and keep visitors coming during the Great Depression. These baths are situated in Saratoga Stake Park and the architecture is the same as it was when it was built, so it feels like you are stepping back in time.

While there are many treatments offered at Roosevelt Bath and Spa, I really recommend the mineral bath.

When you enter you are directed to a changing room and given a robe. After you change you are directed to the lounge to await your turn in the bath. You can enjoy lounge chairs, fresh fruit, and tea while you wait. When it’s your turn, you are led down the hall to a private room with a bath. Water is already running and calm music is playing. You receive instructions on how to use the tap and are then left in blissful quiet for the next 40 minutes. The water comes out of the tap clear, but as the minerals hit the hot water the water turns reddish-brown. So the bathtub doesn’t look as inviting as you might like, but trust me, it is glorious.

The bathtub is much deeper than one would expect, and since you can’t see the bottom due to the color of the water take a careful step in. The water from the tap is naturally carbonated so you will feel little bubbles tickling your skin. The bath stays warmer than a normal tub due to all the minerals, and the minerals are said to help with things like digestion and swelling, among others. I’m not sold on that, but I am sold on how relaxing those baths are.

 

Visit the Saratoga Automobile Museum

Car lovers should make time for the The Bottling Plant, located right inside Saratoga Spa State Park. The museum is housed in the park’s former bottling plant and features a combination of automotive history and rotating exhibits, so there is usually something different to see on a return visit.

You’ll find everything from historic automobiles to racing displays, along with exhibits devoted to particular manufacturers and eras. In 2026, the featured exhibition celebrates 140 years of Mercedes-Benz, while permanent exhibits include the history of automobile racing in New York State.

Go Swimming at Peerless or Victoria Pool

If you visit Saratoga Springs in the summer, bring your bathing suits. Saratoga Spa State Park has two very different outdoor swimming options.

Peerless Pool is my pick for families. The complex has a huge main pool, a children’s area and water slides. The children’s area and slides were renovated for the 2026 season, and admission to the pool itself is free, although you may have to pay the state park vehicle entrance fee.

For a completely different experience, Victoria Pool feels much more like stepping back into Saratoga’s glamorous spa era. Built in 1935, the smaller pool is surrounded by beautiful brick buildings and arched promenades. It was originally heated, although the pool is no longer heated today.

Both are seasonal, so check current opening dates before planning your visit. In 2026, both are open daily during the main summer season through Labor Day.

Visit the National Museum of Dance

The National Museum of Dance is another attraction inside Saratoga Spa State Park and makes an interesting addition if you are interested in dance or the performing arts. The museum celebrates dance in its many forms and is housed in the historic Washington Bathhouse, which fits beautifully with the rest of the park’s grand spa architecture.

The Saratoga Race Track

Saratoga Race Course is probably the attraction Saratoga Springs is most famous for, and if you’re visiting during racing season, spending a day at the track is an experience worth having even if you aren’t particularly interested in horse racing.

The racing season generally takes place during the summer, but dates, admission prices and reserved seating options change from year to year. Check the current schedule and ticket information before your visit, especially if you’re coming on a popular race weekend.

You don’t have to spend the day sitting in the grandstand. One of the things that makes Saratoga fun is the atmosphere surrounding the races. You can watch the horses, bring a picnic, grab food from the vendors, place a bet if you’d like, and simply enjoy the people-watching.

I recommend before you go that you visit www.saratoga.comfor lots of good information about your visit. It is crowded and confusing the first time you go, but if you read up on what to expect you will do just fine.

The first thing you will notice as your enter the track area is that there are lots of women in very large hats. The hat tradition of old is still in effect, and it is disconcerting to see ladies in extravagant hats wearing flip flops and tank tops. But it does lend a festive atmosphere. (Keep in mind that there are dress codes for certain seating areas.) You will find that info here: Racetrack dress code

As you move toward the tracks and find your seating, you can watch various races, place a bet, eat from various vendors, bring a picnic and make a day of it, and visit the playground with your little ones.

This is one of those things that is a truly different experience and one not to be missed if you can manage it.

 

 

Saratoga Battlefield: A Revolutionary War Landmark

The Battle of Saratoga is thought to be the turning point of the Revolutionary War. If you have kids like mine who love to visit a battlefield, this is a great one. It is a much smaller National Park than most battlefield of the Civil War like Gettysburg or Manassas but it offers enough for even the casual enthusiast to be impressed.

In addition to a movie about the Saratoga campaign there is a small visitors center. If you are lucky enough to visit when the National Park has family activities, you are in for a treat. We were able to help costumed rangers build a fire like they would have at the time, and the kids helped take down tents quickly. No matter the time of year, the drive around the 3,00o acre battlefield is beautiful at any time of year.

Plan on 2 hours.

Northshire Bookstore

An independent bookstore is a rare enough thing in this day and age to write about it. But this store does their kids section so well. The entire top floor is filled with delights in every nook and cranny. Your kids will enjoy the trains, the swing and story hour. The books are well displayed with catchy descriptions, and you could find yourself spending hours here. This is a great family friendly stop.

Best Places to Eat in Saratoga Springs

Comfort Kitchen

This is a restaurant that takes classic comfort food and puts a spin on it. We have eaten here on most visits to Saratoga, and have never been anything but impressed. We really like their pulled pork mac and cheese and their comfort burger. Seating is plentiful and the kids love their tater tots.

Ravenous

You come here for the french fries (or pomme frites) and stay for the crepes. This place is sure to please even your pickiest eaters. The fries come piping hot with your choice of dipping sauces, and they are the fluffiest, yet crunchiest fries you will ever eat. This place does get crowded and we often view it as a good place for an afternoon snack instead of lunch or dinner.

Hattie’s Restaurant

Hattie’s has been a Saratoga Springs institution for decades and is one of the city’s best-known places to eat. The restaurant specializes in Southern and Louisiana-inspired comfort food and is particularly famous for its fried chicken.

The original location is tucked just off Broadway on Phila Street, making it an easy dinner stop after exploring downtown Saratoga Springs. You’ll also find Southern favorites and Cajun and Creole-inspired dishes on the menu, along with weekend brunch.

If you want to try a restaurant with a long connection to Saratoga rather than simply grabbing a meal at a familiar chain, Hattie’s is one of the city’s classic choices.

The International Flavorfeast

Although this is merely a festival and not an actual restaurant, it bears mentioning. This yearly festival is comprised of 25-30 downtown restaurants. These restaurants offer a “tasting” for $1. The tasting may be something like a taco, bread pudding, pulled pork, beef stew, or peanut soup. The tastings vary in size but on average 5- 6 tastings makes a pretty great meal. We have been doing this since we wandered upon it 5 years ago in its inaugural year. We haven’t missed one since! The kids love it because we give them $5-10 and they can pick whatever they want to eat. Sometimes it’s nothing but sugar! Truly, the food is first rate, and there are no disappointing bites. We look forward to it every year!

 

It is generally the first weekend in October. It is a great festival to do on the same weekend as the Berkshire Garden Festival.

Where to Stay in Saratoga Springs?

The Gideon Putnam Hotel

This is our favorite place to stay in Saratoga Springs. It is in Saratoga State Park so it is surrounded by hiking trails, gorgeous forests, some of the untouched springs and the Roosevelt Baths.

It is one of the oldest hotels in Saratoga and although it has had extensive renovations it still has the feel of grand hotel from the turn of the century. Enjoy the fabulous Sunday brunch if you can!

For booking information click here.

Residence Inn Saratoga Springs

If you are looking for a more modern hotel with a pool for the kids I also recommend the Residence Inn.

This newer hotel has everything you would expect from a Residence Inn, including free breakfast. The bedrooms are larger than the Gideon Putnam and this hotel is closer to downtown in case you are visiting without a car. We have stayed here twice and were very happy with it.

For booking information click here.

Saratoga Springs History

Native Americans who lived near modern-day Saratoga Springs lived near natural mineral springs which they believed held mystical and medicinal properties. European settlers arrived in the late 1700s but Saratoga remained relatively small and obscure until the early 19th century. The advent of the railroad line to Saratoga brought flocks of visitors to the newly appreciated springs. Doctors began to prescribe visits to the springs to wealthy Manhattanites and Bostonians. Hotels cropped up all over, and the mineral springs made Saratoga the place to be in the summer months. The famed Saratoga Springs racetrack was built in 1863 and cemented Saratoga as a summer playground for the wealthy.

Today Saratoga retains much of its Victorian charm, and tourism continues to boom thanks to a very active tourism council. There is no end of things to do year round. When we first went to Saratoga we wandered into the visitor center across from Congress Spring. This small visitors center offered up an entire days’ worth of activities with its daily calendar. I recommend this as your fist stop as well.

How long should I visit Saratoga Springs?

It is possible to see the majority of sites in Saratoga Springs in one day, but I wouldn’t recommend it. I would plan on a weekend to allow you to get the most out of this vibrant town. You will have more time to walk down the 19th century Main Street, more time to enjoy the delicious food, and you can even venture to the Saratoga Battlefield.

Things to do in Saratoga Springs in Winter

There is plenty to do in Saratoga Springs in the winter as well as the other times of year. Upstate New York is famously cold and snowy in the winter, but Saratoga Springs keeps things fun year round. In early February, Saratoga hosts an annual Chowderfest. Restaurants around town wow visitors with delicious chowder to keep you warm.

You can also go snowshoeing in Saratoga State Park. Bring your own or rent some from the Gideon Putnam and set off and a magical winter wonderland adventure!

Enjoy the Roosevelt Baths and get warm and cozy at the spa, visit the Museum of Dance, and eat a delicious meal or two.

Plus hotels are very inexpensive from January through April so you can have a winter vacation and save some money too.

 

 FAQs About Visiting Saratoga Springs

Is Saratoga Springs worth visiting?
Yes! Saratoga Springs is one of the most charming towns in Upstate New York, known for its mineral springs, historic racetrack, walkable downtown, and year-round activities.

How many days do you need in Saratoga Springs?
A weekend is ideal, but you can see the highlights in one full day.

What is Saratoga Springs best known for?
Saratoga Springs is best known for its mineral springs, Saratoga Race Course, Victorian architecture, and spa culture.

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