Saratoga Springs
I’m not much of a boutique person. Walking through quaint stores with elegant clothing is just not my thing and Saratoga Springs is pretty much as quaint of a town you can get in upstate NY. There are dozens of fancy little shops ranging from designer fashions to specialty teas and candy so if this sounds like a wonderful afternoon for you, you should absolutely book a weekend here. We recommend The Inn at Saratoga for accommodations, it has free parking and is just a ⅓ mile walk from the bustling shopping district on Broadway.
The Springs at Saratoga
This one caught us by surprise. While looking up things to do in Saratoga Springs, we learned that there are 21 public, natural mineral springs with taps scattered around the town. Andrew and I partook in 4 of them, and really that’s kind of all we needed. The flavor profile ranges wildly between “this tastes like tap” to immediate spitting it out. Another fun fact is that most of the 21 springs are naturally carbonating… didn’t even know that was a thing. Be sure to stop in Congress park on Broadway, you can knock out 4 of them as well as tour the Saratoga Springs History Museum. The Museum does a great job highlighting the importance of these springs to the earliest settlers of Saratoga.
Click here for a list of Active Mineral Springs in Saratoga.
Druthers Brewing Company
We posted an Instagram poll asking where we should go on our Albany trip and the overwhelming response was Druthers; which has three locations- Saratoga Springs, Albany and Schenectady. We were advised to visit the Saratoga Springs location which is conveniently located in the downtown just minutes walk from our hotel. We made our way over for a flight in their outdoor beer garden, which is a great space that is mostly hidden from the bustle of the busy street. We rated the flight of six at Druthers between average and good with the exception of Banana Papaya; a coriander, salt and lactose gose fermented on banana and papaya scored high marks from both of us. After picking out your beers do yourself a favor and order the Summer Street Corn Dip, you will not be disappointed.
Walt & Whitman Brewing Company
A short walk down the street from Druthers is Walt & Whitman Brewing Company. Unfortunately, no flights are to be had here but you can order a bunch of small pours in little stem glasses and call it a flight. The “Rough Day?” gose is a key lime wheat beer that tastes just like a pie is a must try if you see it on draft. Even if you can’t get your key lime fix we’re certain you will find something else unique to enjoy. As far as food at Walt & Whitman, apparently the homemade poptarts are the things to get… Unfortunately we didn’t know this until we were on our way out so let us know how they are.
Take a Long Weekend
If you’re planning a trip to Albany and/or Saratoga Springs, be sure to check out our other posts to help with planning. We believe you can hit the finer points of Albany and Saratoga Springs in the course of a long weekend. As usual, these posts are not a Top-anything list as we do continue to skip other delicious breweries that we’ve already visited. We’re always free to answer questions!
Albany, NY
Troy, NY – Across the river from Albany
Delmar, Catskill & Hudson, NY
On the way to Saratoga Springs
Arrowood Farms – A detour worth taking
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