A clam shooter. I had 3 of these!
Chowder samples from Prestwick Chase

Lining up for chowder
More chowder lovers
Lining up outside Circus Cafe
It snowed on Saturday, which didn't stop chowder lovers!
We decided on the spur of the moment to get away to Saratoga Springs this weekend. I love Woodstock, but we all needed a change of scenery. When I found out that the annual
Chowderfest was on Saturday, I get even more excited. I have never been to a chowderfest, but I had visions of the family eating vats of chowder in our hotel room. I thought it would the kind of set up where vendors would all be in one location, and I would be able to buy as much chowder as I wished.
When I got there I soon realized that it wasn't going to be that easy. There was one vendor near the Visitors Center, the information hub of the Chowderfest, but all the participating restaurants were serving soup to chowder lovers at their own restaurants. Hence the lines all down Broadway, Saratoga Springs main drag. It is well organized, but not very kid friendly.
l knew my kids would not want to wait online for chowder since they don't like seafood or long lines so I just took 30 minutes to myself to have 3 servings of the vendor at the tourist site, and walked a bit down Broadway to take photos for HVGoodStuff.com, and take in the festive atmosphere. The town was crowded with people happily waiting the lines for tasty chowder. Now that I know the set-up, I will have a strategy next time. (Read: babysitter!) Later that day we enjoyed Take-Out crepes at Ravenous, which I highly reccommend. (Blog post coming soon).
Anyway, we still had a great time in Saratoga Springs. We enjoyed our stay at the Hilton Garden Inn. The hotel has a small pool and a jacuzzi. The pool was kind of cold, but of course, the kids don't care. My husband and I each took turns soaking in a mineral baths at Roosevelt Spas & Bath like we always do when we visit Saratoga Springs. Saratoga Springs is an easy 90 minute drive from Woodstock. There is also a cool Children's Museum in Saratoga Springs. We didn't go there this time around, but it is worth a stop. On the way home we didn't even require a bathroom stop. Amazing! What is your favorite thing to do when visiting Saratoga Springs?
The pool at the Hilton Garden Inn in Saratoga Springs, NY
Dining area at the Hilton Garden Inn
The Gideon Putman resort: Fancier hotel for couples, singles, or honeymooners