HudsonValleyGoodStuff

Day trip: Victoria Pool at Saratoga Spa State Park: Tranquil, relaxing with a great bar & cafe!

This past weekend my husband and I went on a day trip to Saratoga Spa State Park. We take the kids to Saratoga Springs once a year for an overnight get away, but we always go in the winter. This was our first time going without the kids, and during the Summer season so it was a totally different experience. We decided to check out the Victoria Pool, which is inside the Saratoga Spa State Park. It was constructed in 1934 so it has a bit of that 1940's retro feel, especially in the charmingly spartan locker rooms.

It is a perfect place to sunbathe and swim though very few people were swimming because the water was ice cold. I did go for 1 minute dip though. There is also a lift chair for swimmers in wheelchairs. There is a cafe and bar right next to the pool, separated by a rope so I had a margarita and a veggie burger and sweet potato fries for lunch. Entry fee is $8 for adults, and $4 for kids. There were a few kids here, but the crowd was made up of mostly singles, couples, and groups of friends.

If you are traveling with kids then go check out the Peerless Pool Complex at Saratoga Spa State Park. I haven't been there, but Saratoga.com has a good article about it. At the Victoria Pool I felt like I had been transported to a secret pool club!  If you are staying at a the Gideon Putnam hotel in Saratoga Springs admission is free. Bring your own towels. No towels for rent here. If you are set on relaxing in a lounge chair, get here early.

Delicious Detour: Little India Restaurant in Saratoga Springs, NY

My husband and I had a really delicious Indian dinner at Little India Restaurant in Saratoga Springs. I have been craving Indian food for months, but for our date night in Saratoga Springs, a friend of recommended other restaurants (Perry's, The Stadium Cafe). 

I had skipped lunch so I was feeling famished by the time we arrived in Saratoga Springs around 7pm. Finding parking in the streets of Saratoga Springs on a gorgeous Friday night in June proved impossible. Tom made a few wrong turns, and we ended up finding parking on a side street that seemed miles away from Broadway, the main drag.  About 2 minutes into our trek, we see Little India Restaurant, a tiny non-descript Indian restaurant.

Tom peers in the window. It looks cute inside, but we have never heard about this place so we huddle on the corner, madly searching YELP reviews on our iPhones.  (What did we do before smartphones? I guess we just went with our gut back then). We find only excellent reviews. I get the warm and fuzzies as soon as I walk in.

I ordered a vegetable thali for my main entree, and I convinced Tom to order the non-vegetable thali.  He loves Indian food, and has never tried a thali, what I call an Indian lunch box or tasting dish. We began with 2 mulligatawny soups.  The soups were good though I prefer the reddish version of this lentil soup. The thali was so good that we both went into a dinner trance. The basmati rice was fluffy and perfect. All the sample dishes were very fresh and spiced just right. (The server asked us if wanted it spiced medium or spicy. I can't remember if I said medium or mild, but it was spicy enough).

The mango lassi I ordered with my meal was served in large cocktail glass. Now, that's a lassi!  The nan and roti bread that came with the thali was also fresh and hot. The service was warm and friendly, but they gave us the bill before asking us if wanted tea, coffee, or dessert. (I was hoping for a good cup of chai).  We just went with the flow.  In my next Saratoga Springs post you'll read about the perfect place for dessert and coffee in Saratoga Springs an hour later. Little India, 60 Court Street, Saratoga Springs, NY (518) 583-4151

Family Weekend Getaway to Saratoga Springs recap: Chowderfest, mineral bath & incredible crepes!

 

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