Saratoga Springs: Your Upstate Escape Where Everyone is Warmly Welcomed
From date-worthy culinary outings to historic equestrian excitement, fine wine and bubbles to effervescent mineral spas, Saratoga Springs, New York, is a welcoming LGBTQ cultural oasis in a natural setting—and it’s waiting for you!
New York State’s “Spa City” is a true LGBTQ hidden gem. I was surprised and delighted to discover that Saratoga Springs is charming, historic, walkable, and world-class. Part Gilded Age, part modern, LGBTQ-inclusive city, Saratoga Springs is nestled in a verdant landscape—in the southern foothills of the Adirondack Mountains—and offers an oasis of culture and an LGBTQ+ community. You may have heard of its signature slogan: “Health, History, and Horses.” But we could also say “Queers, Culture, Cuisine”…or so my recent trip proved.
Where to Stay
Saratoga Arms Hotel is an award-winning, LGBTQ-owned, historic boutique hotel in the heart of downtown Saratoga Springs. Originally built in 1870, Saratoga Arms is a beautifully preserved example of classic Second Empire-style architecture and evokes the Gilded Age without being imposing. The property is immaculate, and the attention to period detail is lovely. Basically, you are a king here. The service is uniquely personalized in that family-owned-and-operated way, and LGBTQ guests are treated like kin. Even the in-room amenities include Via Carota Craft Cocktails, created by NYC lesbian culinary couple Jody Williams and Rita Sodi.
Choose from 30 tasteful and spotlessly maintained guest rooms and suites, with crisp yet nostalgic decor that reflects the property’s era. This is one of the only historic hotels still standing on the city’s famed Broadway. Step back in time and soak up the vibe. Make new friends by the fireplace in the parlor. Mother-daughter owners Kathleen and Amy Smith have made Saratoga Arms Hotel both one of the first boutique concierge hotels in the U.S. and a proudly queer-owned property of high repute. With family connections tracing back to President Ulysses S. Grant, keep your eyes open for the examples of Grant White House china (and other fine objects) discreetly on display.
Plus, the location is perfect. You’re right on downtown Saratoga’s award-winning, tree-lined main street, Broadway, packed with locally-owned boutiques, bookstores, coffee and tea spots, and a thriving restaurant scene.
Where to Eat
Food and drink are major highlights in a town with one of the highest numbers of restaurants per capita in the United States, fueled by an affluent racing-season culture, a history of innovation, and an influx of LGBTQ folks from other cities. It’s wonderful that this small city of roughly 28,000 residents helps create and sustain a year-round, world-class dining scene as satisfying as any metropolitan hub. And, of course, food is in the DNA here. The potato chip and the Club Sandwich were cooked up in Saratoga. You’re also likely familiar with the iconic cobalt blue glass Saratoga mineral water bottle. The city’s 17 naturally carbonated mineral springs are a magnet for folks with savvy palates! So, here’s where we ate:
Three Daughters is the signature restaurant at Saratoga Arms and a destination dining spot for locals and guests staying at the hotel. This warm, tranquil dining room with friendly service offers elevated cuisine inside or on the lovely porch—breakfast is a must. Try Eggs Benedict with lobster! Breakfast at Three Daughters is giving 19th-century afternoon tea vibes! You will want to linger.
Sweet Mimi’s Cafe (& Bakery) is the place for elevated diner plates, or bakery treats such as Cinnamon Roll French Toast or Lemon Ricotta Pancakes. If you’re in a rush, grab a muffin or some biscuits to go. This is a buzzy, female-owned establishment that hits the spot.
Thorn + Roots is where you want to stop by for smoothies, juices, acai or grain bowls, salads, and everything fresh, vegan, or protein-forward. Tasty, healthy, generous portions beautifully presented, of course, it’s owned and operated by LGBTQ+ Allen Caruso and Brandon Acres.
For a sit-down lunch with perhaps a glass of wine, go to PDT Maison, an LGBTQ+-owned casual, intimate bistro for lunch and brunch with Continental flair. When we dropped in, it was definitely the spot for ladies who lunch. The servings are generous, so bring your appetite.
Another good lunch spot is Cantina, a local Mexican spot with a relaxing atmosphere, all your favorites made with fresh local ingredients, and cocktails. Sit outside and watch the world go by down Broadway as you’re sipping on a Skinny Margarita and munching on fresh-made chips and salsa. If it’s Spring, the rooftop will be open. A great plan for Happy Hour!
For that date night dinner at a gay-owned establishment, do not miss Standard Fare. This is fun, and a little bit fancy! Naturally, because it’s the latest spot created and curated by the husbands behind the city’s beloved Bocage Champagne Bar—Zac Denham and Clark Gale. The fare here is adventurous Modern American and served with flair. There’s everything on offer from oysters or steak to baked Alaska. If this is the local standard, I’ll take it! Be sure to visit the bathroom and try to spot all the pink flamingos.
Where to Drink
Zac and Clark knocked it out of the park with Bocage Champagne Bar, their original venture in Saratoga Springs, and right across the road from Standard Fare. This intimate, upscale yet unpretentious white jewel box of a space seats just 20 people, so go early for an aperitif or late for a nightcap. The staff is knowledgeable, and the selection of global bubbles and Champagnes is excellent. If you’re fancy, pair your beverages with some caviar, oysters, charcuterie, or a lobster roll. This is a lovely spot to sip and celebrate your good fortune at having discovered Saratoga Springs!
Photo: Instagram
We also thoroughly enjoyed Happy Hour with Saratoga Pride at The Thirsty Owl, a New York State wine garden and cellar door that offers a generous space to sip some of the best varietals from a family vineyard on the shores of beautiful Cayuga Lake. Whether you like fruity, sweet, or bone dry, there’s something for everyone here. Plus, its bistro offers delicious fare made from the finest local ingredients. You might just be in town for one of their popular wine pairing dinners.
Things to See and Do
Now that we’re properly sated, let’s revisit the concept of health, history, and horses. Famous for its naturally carbonated mineral springs, Saratoga’s distinct (and in my opinion, delicious) effervescent waters are available at the public fountains inside downtown’s beautiful Congress Park (or Saratoga Spa State Park). These waters have curative properties for both drinking and soaking.
For immersion, you must try the Roosevelt Baths & Spa. Slough off that big city tension with a traditional mineral bath at the historic Roosevelt Baths & Spa. Established in 1935, the Roosevelt Baths & Spa opened following President Franklin Roosevelt’s interest in health and civic enhancement, which led to this visionary project. This is a historic experience. You will be naked in a cast-iron tub in your own tiled Art Deco bathroom. The tub is filled with mineral-rich water captured from underground springs, then mixed with warm, fresh water. The natural oxidation produces a rusty color. Ignore that and listen to your mind slow down and your body respond as dozens of different minerals boost your system.
Now to the history! Take a guided tour of the Saratoga Springs History Museum and Canfield Casino in Congress Park. This is where the lumber barons of the Gilded Age socialized and kicked up their heels while in the resort town.
The Saratoga Springs History Museum does a wonderful job of bringing this storied past to life with carefully curated permanent installations, period rooms, and thousands of very curious artifacts, paintings, and objects, each with a story to tell about Saratoga’s fascinating personages who made the town their playground. Be sure to take the guided tour because the stories are full of drama and excitement, and go back to the Indigenous period and the Revolutionary War. Nearby Saratoga National Historical Park has preserved the Revolutionary War battlefield, widely considered the site of the American Revolution’s pivotal moment. What a destination to celebrate the nation’s 250th!
Horses and elite equestrian pursuits have built Saratoga Springs through the robust economy provided by racing, so where better to locate the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame? The historic Saratoga Race Course is the oldest organized sporting venue in the country, and this museum preserves the history and development of the sport in the United States, as well as the achievements and legacy of its thoroughbreds, trainers, and jockeys—including women and people of color—in the ‘sport of kings.’ This is a fun and informative outing, even if you’ve never spent a day at the races.
The Arts & Culture
Saratoga Springs has a thriving arts and culture scene largely due to its affluence, the influx of Summer tourism, and investments—both in talent and in equity—from the community. The result is a range of expression from world-class performing arts to grass-roots artist districts.
Photo: Erica Miller
Be sure to drop by the Tang Teaching Museum & Art Gallery at Skidmore College for a fresh take on contemporary art. Recent exhibitions and programs have spanned such fields as cultural history, biotechnology, intersectionality, post-feminism, and the natural sciences—all with thoughtful curation, intentionality, and a sense of whimsy.
But the big daddy for culture vultures is Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) with its lovely wooded setting and gorgeous open-air amphitheater. This is the heart of the arts and entertainment community, the venue for special events, tours, concerts, and the Summer home for the New York City Ballet and the Philadelphia Orchestra (out lesbian Marin Alsop is Principal Guest Conductor). We sat down with the erudite and impactful CEO, Elizabeth Sobol, who was lured out of retirement in Manhattan/Miami, to venture North for her second act. This better be good, she said—and it was! She stayed, and she’s still delivering innovative and unique seasons.
As an example of the programming, we were there for the reception, family-style dinner, and celebration of debut cookbook A Kitchen on Goose Cove by renowned Maine chef Devin Finigan. There was something special about sitting al fresco and sampling the best of a brilliant female James Beard-nominated restaurateur’s take on Northeast seasonal produce—from a Lazy Susan. Scallops with blueberries? Don’t mind if I do! But it was the lobster rolls with potato chips and regular pours of Rosé that got my vote, as did the panel discussion afterward, followed by miniature whoopee pies.
Saratoga Pride
It is a truth known to LGBTQ veterans that smaller cities often have the best Pride organizations because they are driven by grassroots necessity rather than commercialization. In Saratoga Springs, Pride and its events are deeply personal, welcoming, and meaningful at an interpersonal level. Saratoga Pride is focused on creating a sense of genuine belonging for their LGBTQ+ friends, neighbors, retirees, and business owners, from the height of Summer through to the depths of Winter.
We were thrilled to meet the female and trans-led, tight-knit, enthusiastic, and dedicated members of Saratoga Pride who sustain a visible LGBTQ+ presence year-round (yes, they have a Rainbow Crosswalk, and it’s staying), and deliver a banging Pride festival (starting May 31 through July 1) with events that reflect the richness of the community. Festivities begin with Opera Brunch, continue with hiking, a campfire chat, a winery drag brunch, writing workshops, history, trivia, baseball, softball, bowling, and, of course, Juneteenth. Plus, throughout the year, the volunteer-run Saratoga Pride holds regular events, fundraisers, meet-ups, and Happy Hours at popular local spots such as the Thirsty Owl, where we met transplants from California, Vermont, and New York City. And you gotta love a town that has a Pride Cornhole League! Big shoutout to lesbian powerhouses Trieste Cordova and Cindy Swadba from Saratoga Pride for making us feel so warmly welcomed—and inspired!
The Best Time to Visit
Our trip was in late Spring, just before Memorial Day Weekend, and it was pleasantly quiet and accessible, as it was the shoulder season. This is a great time to visit, as is Pride (the whole month of June). High Summer (early to mid-July to September) is peak season. The town is jumping, the racetrack is open, and most places and events are fully booked at premium prices. Fall (also shoulder season) is perfect for a relaxed, more affordable getaway, offering all the seasonal pleasures of a sophisticated country place in New York’s Capital Region.
Getting There
Drive if you’d like to explore the region, and its fantastic Saratoga National Historical Park and Adirondack Park. Urban folk coming up from NYC might prefer Amtrak—take the Adirondack line from Penn Station. It’s an inexpensive, relaxing trip under four hours, with scenic views of the Hudson River along the way and free Wi-Fi.
To find out more and plan your itinerary, visit discoversaratoga.org.
