Saratoga Springs, New York /// #WanderWithSarahS

Let’s do a math equation. What happens when you add five blocks of amazing shops filled with fashion, books, teas, honey, pastries, oils, plus restaurants upon restaurants, bars with handmade craft cocktails and local wines, plus absolutely gorgeous state buildings, homes, historic inns, and a world-famous horse track? You get Saratoga Springs in upstate New York.

The #WanderWithSarahS series brought us upstate, and boy was I pleasantly surprised. Where I come from, New York means one thing: the city. Boy was I wrong. Upstate New York is filled with small town charm, scenery, and adventures waiting to be explored.

You all know that I am an avid road trip lover, so the ride upstate was one I enjoyed. I loved the backroad-esque lanes as we winded along rows and rows of greenery. Much prettier than the planes of Oklahoma and Arkansas like states, that’s for sure! It made me want to dust off those wilderness skills and explore through the woods and mountains. But let’s be real, I’m not sure I even have wilderness skills.

The first and only stop from Long Island to Saratoga Springs was a real-life hometown diner on the side of the road. I’m talking like the only restaurant establishment for miles and miles. A quick get and in and get out visit to refuel had us back on the road in no time.

Now for the good stuff. It’s hard to even begin here, because I had such a great time with so many highlights of things to share. First stop, after the hotel of course, was Hattie’s Restaurant. Hattie’s has been serving Southern and Louisiana style cuisine since 1938. Once you walk in you understand that the Louisiana roots are proud and strong. The atmosphere was immediately welcoming. The entire place gives you total New Orleans vibes and makes you want to unwind, eat, and relax. A little of a Pat O’Briens vibe, for those of you that have been to this famous spot in New Orleans. If you ever stop here, which you totally should if you’re in the area, make sure to try the fried chicken. You’re welcome!

After Hattie’s, I walked the streets and explored a little. It was dark and late out, so most of the five-block town was closed. Off the main street, Broadway, were a bunch of hometown bars (for those night owls that want to burn the midnight oil). Since it was my first night there, I wanted to head back, sleep, and refresh for the days of exploration to come!

My first stop the next morning was Saratoga Tea and Honey Company. This turned out to be my home base for the duration of the trip. I sat there for a while each day, taking everything in. Let me start out by saying the staff here was so kind. The gals working the counter gave me a full-on tea education, recommendations, and happily poured me cup after cup. I will say, I was overwhelmed when I first walked in. You are immediately engulfed by the four LONG rows of large, silver, tea canisters to the left. To the right are rows of loose-leaf tea, for sale, on shelves, organized by category to make things easy and clear for the shopper. I am a general tea lover, meaning I enjoy all teas. I love black teas, green teas, oolongs, herbals, you name it! I loved that I could go to each section, smell the teas, and read an educational blurb on ingredients and facts. I then found the tasting bar to be extremely exciting and basically set up camp. I stayed for a while and tried several tea flights, giving me a chance to try three teas at a time, in small quantities. This concept is fantastic. It was a great way for me to try new things without feeling bad about not enjoying something (which didn’t end up being the case but you never know). Some of the teas I tried were Canfield in Red, Saratoga Wedding, Green Paddock Pom Pom, R & R, Love Potion, and a few others. I am drinking Green Paddock Pom Pom as we speak.

If we’re keeping it real, I have never been a honey girl. I can officially say that has changed. The back room of this store is a honey tasting room, filled with SEVERAL local and imported honeys. The house specialty is the Wildflower honey. “Our Wildflower honey comes from the beautiful spring wildflowers and budding trees located near Saratoga Springs, NY. Wildflower, or a poly-floral, honey from this area is teeming with aster and goldenrod. This wildflower honey is light and floral and yields a tangy, floral finish. It’s Saratoga Springs in a honey bottle,” says their website description. They also sell local honeycomb, raw cut from the hive and California imported honey infused with fruit extracts. I tried all of these, and let me tell you, they were out of this world. They offer the Wildflower honey and Mango infused honey at the tea bar to go along with your cup of choice. I had a refill or two of the Wildflower, and then decided I couldn’t go home without a jar.

From the tea shop, I made my way down the streets of Saratoga Springs – stopping for a bite to eat at another local restaurant while visiting local small business shops and boutiques. You can literally hear the Vanessa Carlton song playing in the background. Well, at least that’s the background music in my head!

During my week of travels, I also made time to stop by The Inn at Five Points, which turned out to be one of my favorite stops. The proprietors are a husband and wife team that purchased the house with dreams and passion for “entertaining and hosting, with a strong interest in local food and the culinary scene.” You can truly see their passion in each and every detail that makes up the beauty of this place. I was blown away by their hospitality and pure attention to detail. If you are planning a trip to the Saratoga Springs area, I would absolutely recommend checking The Inn at Five Points for availability. Jeff and I have several trips planned to upstate New York soon and will be staying here as a home base filled with comfort, history, and familiarity.

Down the street from The Inn at Five Points is a local winery, The Thirsty Owl. This family owned vineyard located in the Finger Lakes of upstate New York has a wine shop, restaurant, and tasting bar in Saratoga Springs. I treated myself to a little lunch and tasting, and I’m so glad that I did. One thing I love is good wine, and this winery did not disappoint. If you are ever in the area, stop by the Thirsty Owl tasting room and ask for Jenn. She had a vast array of knowledge and it was a pleasure to chat with her and be fully educated on the history and details of each wine.

Later that evening I dined at Osteria Danny, which is a small and cozy American/Italian restaurant located in the heart of the town. This was another highlight of the trip. The dining got better and better at each restaurant, but cheers to Danny and his family for holding down one of the best restaurants and bars I’ve ever been to. I couldn’t have asked for a better way to wind down, relax, and ring in another successful day.

Did you know that Saratoga Springs is known for their horse track and racing? Being from the town that hosts The Preakness, one-third of the triple crown, I am well aware of the significance of Saratoga and the history and tradition that comes along with this sport. I mean, we all know the famous Carly Simon “Your so Vein” lyric, “Well I hear you went up to Saratoga and your horse, naturally won.” It’s a classic! Didn’t we all have dreams that there were clouds in our coffee?

Saratoga also has beautiful parks. Did you know that Saratoga has twenty-one mineral natural springs located all around the city that still flow and are displayed for tradition and beauty? It is known that each spring has a different taste. I didn’t find them all, but it was a fun fact to learn.

I can’t wrap up this trip story without telling you about Kathleen and Susie, two women that hands down made this trip for me. The Saratoga Olive Oil Company is the home to some of the best olive oils, balsamics, sea salts, and spices I’ve ever had! Kathleen, the mother/mother in law to the owners and resident store manager, took me on an in-depth tour of the store pairing and tasting our way through what felt like the olive regions of Spain and Italy. For a split second I actually felt like I was visiting these countries, that’s how robust and fresh these flavors and oils were. Kathleen paired flavors that I wouldn’t have chosen together in a million years, and I even live with a chef! I fell in love not only with these oils but her kindness. Her compassion and hospitality alone were hands down a highlight of this trip and adventure. She then introduced me to Susie, the owner of Saratoga Spicery, a small batch, hand crafted spice blending company that sells their spices online and out of the Saratoga Olive Oil Company store fronts. Susie talked me through her creations and the story behind the brand and label. Together, these two women found a customer for life. It’s women like this that keep small business growing and flourishing. Thank you, Susie and Kathleen for your kindness, knowledge, and passion.

Thinking back and reflecting on this trip left with me one thing, an understanding that small businesses make all the difference, especially in a town like this. Each and every person I met from the Inn at Five Points to Saratoga Olive Oil company were extremely friendly, kind, and emulated their passion for their shops and absolutely love what they do. I loved seeing and feeling that raw emotion. It’s one of the reasons I love travel blogging and enjoy meeting new people. When you really see the passion seep out through their emotions and excitement, is when you truly lock in a lifelong customer.

Thank you, Saratoga Springs, for letting me visit and soak in your beauty. I will be back!