easy to find on the outskirts of town or even a fifteen-minute drive away on the pretty Saratoga Lake. You can get a very extensive list of accommodations from the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce.

Where to Eat

OUR GASTRONOMIC EXPERIENCES IN SARATOGA SPRINGS were almost universally positive. We liked everything from the oat-currant scones at Uncommon Grounds Coffee & Tea to the cold lobster salad at the Inn at Saratoga, not to mention the “Saratoga chips—better known as potato chips, which were invented out at Saratoga Lake.

Fortunately, probably because it’s a college town as well as a tourism center, Saratoga Springs is dotted with reasonably priced eateries alongside the grander places that cater to the Thoroughbred set. We particularly liked as a good middle ground Sperry’s (584-9618), a casual restaurant with a warm, lively bar scene and an appealing patio. For a quieter, somewhat more sophisticated atmosphere, try 43 Phila Bistro (584-2720), around the corner. The Olde Bryan Inn (587-2990) is in one of the town’s oldest buildings, and its ancient atmosphere is complemented by simple, hearty fare.

Siro’s (584-4030), right next to the track and open only during the racing season, is a Saratoga institution. Although dinner reservations are hard to come by, it’s worth stopping by to savor a drink at the piano bar. Or sit in on one of the free betting seminars that The Daily Racing Form conducts here. A highlight of any trip to Saratoga is breakfast at the track, where you can watch the horses’ morning workouts over a muffin and glass of Moët & Chandon. Call 584-6200 for information.

The Horses

THE SWEEPING SARATOGA RACE COURSE IS THE OLDEST operating Thoroughbred track in the country, and it has retained the easy grace of its early years. Open from late July through Labor Day, the track attracts racing fans from all over the world, particularly for the Travers Stakes, which is run in the third week of August. For any race a seat is a precious commodity. According to Town & Country magazine, the waiting list for private clubhouse boxes is currently twenty years, and advance tickets for seats in the clubhouse and grandstands often sell out by mail as early as the fall before each season. To purchase advance spots during the off-season, write to: Saratoga Reserved Seats, P.O. Box 030257, Elmont, NY 11003, or, for more information, call 718-641-4700, ext. 732. If you’re there during the season and haven’t reserved in advance, you can line up before eight o’clock each morning, when a limited number of the day’s grandstand seats go on sale, or simply bring a folding chair and find a good spot near the rail. For general information, call 584-6200.

Other equine events include the famed Fasig-Tipton Auction, an annual sale of yearlings, which is open to the public

and takes place the second week in August. Polo matches are held throughout that month. Call 584-8108 for a schedule. Saratoga’s harness races have gotten a bit lost in all the fanfare surrounding its Thoroughbred counterpart, but the sport is a vibrant part of Saratoga’s history, dating back to 1847. Today the races are held at the Saratoga Equine Sports Center and run from February through November. Call 584-2110 for details.

The Battlefield

THE SARATOGA National Historical Park is a fifteen-minute drive southeast of Saratoga Springs. The park’s visitors’ center, with its artifacts and backlit dioramas, gives clear and moving descriptions of the pivotal events that took place during September and October of 1777 and readies you for a tour of the field. A well-marked, self-guided driving route has stops at ten points of interest; you can buy a cassette-tape narrative at the visitors’ center, and it’s quite good, though you will surely have had your fill of fife music before it’s over. The Old Saratoga Carriage Company (695-6193) offers two-hour carriage tours of the field from April through October. For serious Revolutionary War buffs, a series of memorial events is staged on the battlefield throughout the year. Call the park at 664-9821 for a calendar.

Other Attractions

THE SARATOGA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (SPAC), ON the grounds of Spa State Park, hosts a variety of acts in its open-air pavilion from June through August. Performers range from the New York City Ballet, which takes over for most of July (it was briefly interrupted by Aerosmith last year), to the Philadelphia Orchestra, modern dance troupes, and blues, jazz, and rock musicians. The SPAC box office (587-3330) can provide schedules and ticket prices.

A short walk away, both the Roosevelt and Lincoln bathhouses offer wonderful traditional mineral baths and massages in gleaming white facilities that date from the 1930s. You’ll want to reserve far ahead for either of them; they’re often fully booked. Call 584-2011 for the Roosevelt, 583-2880 for the Lincoln.

For a town of its size, Saratoga Springs has an unusual number of fine museums. Heading the list is the National Museum of Racing and Thoroughbred Hall of Fame, which recently underwent a six-million-dollar renovation. The hours vary throughout the year, so call for the schedule, at 584-0400. The Saratoga Harness Hall of Fame (587-4210) offers lively exhibits on the history of these lower-profile horseraces. It’s located on the grounds of the Saratoga Equine Sports Center.

The National Museum of Dance, housed in a light-filled, renovated bathhouse, features a dance hall of fame as well as rotating exhibits. In July and August the public can also view classes at the Lewis A. Swyer School for the Performing Arts next door (phone: 584-2225).

The Historical Society of Saratoga Springs (584-6920) resides in the former Canfield Casino, and its two museums give a good idea of the town’s early history, with

an emphasis on gambling. Don’t miss the captioned photographs in the gift shop on the first floor.

The Outdoors

SET IN THE FOOTHILLS OF THE ADIRONDACK, SARATOGA Springs has gorgeous scenery—from the hilltops of the Saratoga National Historical Park and the shaded glens of Spa State Park to the pathways of Congress Park and the gorgeous grounds at the Yaddo artists’ retreat. The spots are equally suitable for summer picnics, autumn strolls, or winter sleigh rides.

For those who prefer more strenuous enjoyment of the outdoors, there are golf courses, tennis courts, jogging and bike paths, cross-country skiing routes, and two public swimming pools in Spa State Park (584-2535). On Saratoga Lake, four miles out of town, there are a number of places that rent jet skis, canoes, powerboats, and bass-fishing equipment, among other things. All are listed in the Saratoga Lake brochure, available from the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce at 584-3255. If you’re willing to drive a bit, you can get a bird’s-eye view of the surrounding landscape on a hot-air trip with Adirondack Balloon Flights (793-6342). There’s no better way to enjoy the fall foliage.