Saratoga Springs became a resort because of what comes out of the ground. Natural mineral springs, naturally carbonated and tasting of salt and iron, bubble up in several places in town, and since the early nineteenth century people have come to drink, bathe and gamble. The Victorian hotels have mostly gone, but the wide, tree-shaded Broadway still has a grand, leisurely air, with galleries, cafes and old brick buildings. The horse racing, which has been held here since 1863 at the Saratoga Race Course, is one of the great fixtures of the American summer, and during the August meeting the town fills with racegoers, trainers and hopefuls.
The countryside around Saratoga has played a part in history. In the autumn of 1777, a few miles to the east, American forces defeated the British army of General Burgoyne in a series of battles that are often seen as the turning point of the Revolutionary War, because the victory brought France into the conflict on the American side. The battlefield is now a national historical park, with a tour road, markers and a visitor centre, and it is a fine place for a quiet ride.
The roads around the town are rolling, pleasant and well surfaced, running past farms, woodlots and small lakes, and a few miles north the foothills of the Adirondacks begin. Summer weekends are busy, especially in August, and traffic around Broadway and the racecourse is heavy. Early morning is the best time to ride out of town. In autumn, the maples glow red and orange, and the roads are lined with pumpkins and apple stands.
Fuel, food and rooms are plentiful. The town has dozens of restaurants, bakeries and cafes, and the springs in Congress Park and the Spa State Park offer free drinks of the famously fizzy water, which you can taste if you are brave. A morning workout at the track is a quiet pleasure: thoroughbreds gallop in the mist while the sun comes up, and visitors can watch from the rail. Be sure to book a room well ahead in August, when the town is at its busiest and its prices at their highest.