The story of the sport of horse racing lies in its places: sprawling expanses of bluegrass nourishing generations, stunning mountain vistas watching over their battles, and timeless towns centered around these equine athletes. Summer brings America to one of those timeless towns, Saratoga Springs, N.Y., where the best that the sport has to offer congregate for new editions of long-running fixture races.

Every summer, hundreds of thousands of people make the pilgrimage to Saratoga Springs, N.Y., for one of the most celebrated meets in the world of horse racing. 

If you’re one of the lucky fans who’s about to make the trip to “The Spa” – and especially if you’re a first-timer – you’re probably wondering what else there is to see and do around Saratoga aside from the racetrack. While I’ve visited more than dozen times over the years, I knew if I was going to write this article I needed to find a true local, someone who knows Saratoga inside and out.