Saratoga Vacation Planning

[Deleted]

Trying to figure out the logistics of a possible bucket list trip to Saratoga in August. Can fly into Albany Tuesday the 6th through O' Hare arriving about 9:30 pm. Probably leave Sunday the 11th morning to be back at work on Monday so we will see racing Wed. thru Sat.

What are the recommendations once we hit Albany?

• Get hotel in Albany and rent a car (Uber? train/bus?) to drive to Saratoga for the races each day?
• Get to Saratoga Springs on Tuesday night and hotel there (Is this even possible?)
• Other ideas?

Appreciate any advice from seasoned Saratogans!

[cherokeescot]

Get an AirBnb in Saratoga and walk to the track every day . You will have a lot more fun that way

[cherokeescot]

Keith , Try and get in earlier as the 6th August is the second day of the Fasig Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale which is a must go to event for any horse lover . You will see some of the best bred race horses in the world and even better it’s free to attend !

[Deleted]

I could try Bev but the Manitoba Derby is on August 5 and I already bought a new sportscoat!

[gam]

LargeMac, try this link:

www.saratoga.org/tourism/where-to-stay/

[tenfurlongs]

It is probably very difficult to find quality hotel lodging still available in Saratoga Springs at this time Keith. Folks make reservations way in advance to get the best properties. You can try, but don't expect too much.

Bev's Airbnb suggestion is good, here are some offerings in/near Saratoga around your dates:

www.airbnb.com/s/Saratoga-Springs--NY/all?refinement_paths%5B%5D=%2Ffor_you&checkin=2019-08-06&checkout=2019-08-11&adults=3&children=0&infants=0&guests=0&search_type=UNKNOWN&place_id=ChIJOdRbx0443okRqKKUG2pFHWQ

VRBO will have more expensive listings, but perhaps more to your liking:

www.vrbo.com/search/keywords:saratoga-springs-ny-usa/arrival:2019-08-06/departure:2019-08-11?adultsCount=3&petIncluded=false

If you are willing to stay in the Albany area and travel each day, any of the top 20 properties on this TripAdvisor list should suffice:

www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g29786-Albany_New_York-Hotels.html

Hotels in Albany are clustered in three areas- downtown by the Capitol; Wolf Rd. by the airport; and Washington Ave. by the University at Albany. Wolf Rd. has everything you could possibly want within walking distance, and is right by the airport after you arrive, and adjacent to I-87 which takes you to Saratoga in 20 minutes.

Uber and Lyft service the Capital District with the airport having a constant pool of drivers available.

I suspect Mr. LaTour will chime in, as he is an Albany-Saratoga travel veteran, and should have some great advice.

Don't hesitate to ask about anything that hasn't been mentioned already. The same applies to others considering a Spa journey this season.

TW

[Deleted]

Thanks for all the good advice everyone. The trip is now looking pretty doubtful I’m afraid. I hate it when life gets in the way.

[hezethebest]

Seeing the latest the sense is that this might not be the year for you largemac, but if things change I highly recommend you look into Lake George for lodging. A car rental after landing in Albany is a must but at a mere 25 miles North of Saratoga you will find getting to the track daily quite convenient and the entertainment options in Lake George every bit equal to a stay right in Saratoga and extremely superior to a stay right in the State Capital. I spent 5 weekends up there during the last meet, 4 of them in Lake George and Travers weekend right in Saratoga with the famous condo group headed by hooper. I hope it happens for you but if not this year, maybe next.

LL

[grommet]

largemac, one of the great things about the Saratoga meet is that you really can't go wrong no matter what you decide. cherokeescot is spot on with the air b&b idea, it's the best experience if you're hitting the track on multiple days. If you decide to stay in Albany for cheaper, the drive north is easy and traffic never seems to be that bad. You can easily park in the surrounding neighborhood for free and be within a half mile of the track. If you take the slower back-road route that follows the Hudson River (route 4), there are some cool things to discover along the way like the Saratoga National Park and the Saratoga National Cemetery.  Oh yeah, and if you take a sip from one of the surrounding mineral springs, you're guaranteed to have at least one winning ticket with a 4-digit payout.

[gam]

If you were to choose outside of Saratoga, worth exploring the Clifton park area first, or up the Northway to Glens Falls. Would cut down on the drive time.