Green Tourism In Saratoga

There are many options for those visitors interested in environmentally friendly choices while visiting Saratoga. 

Quick Links -

Green Vacation Packages 
Lodging
Restaurants
Things To Do
Transportation
 

Green Vacation Packages

For more information on the Escapemaker.com A-Z Green Saratoga Getaway Package, click here.

Lodging:

The following properties have shared their progress toward environmentally-friendly goals with us, but have not been formally rated by any organization unless mentioned in their description.

Inn At Saratoga — Located directly on Broadway in Saratoga Springs.  Dedicated to purchasing clean energy with 20% of all energy consumed by hotel being generated by wind turbines.  Two hours per day of complimentary use of hotel classic Roadmaster bicycles.

The Saratoga Farmstead B&B - Built in the 1800's, has been lovingly restored and is now a Bed & Breakfast.  The owners embrace the art of country living while using environmentally friendly practices such as composting, organically growing practices, recycling and energy saving strategies.  Operated by professional innkeeper/chefs, the B&B appeals to guests wishing to stay in a quiet and peaceful eco-friendly spot while enjoying all the activities that the busy city of Saratoga Springs and surrounding areas have to offer.  New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Certified Green Hotel.

Hyatt Place Saratoga/Malta - The Hyatt Place Saratoga/Malta has been recognized by Audubon International and the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation as a Certified Green Hotel. In its efforts to reduce waste, conserve resources and energy the Hyatt Place received a rating of three green leaves from Audubon International’s Green Leaf Eco-Rating program. The team at the Hyatt Place is excited to announce that Green Teams are now in place throughout Hyatt Place hotels!

Hilton Garden Inn - Saratoga Springs - We take great pride in our Green Initiatives in an effort to encourage energy and water conservation, reduce waste, reduce air pollution and protect natural resources.  Our practices are:  Towel and linen Re-Use program; Low flow faucets, showerheads, toilets; Programmable thermostats; Light timers in closets and parking lot; Recycling program; bin in lobby and back hallway; High efficiency air filters; HVAC’s are Energy Star Rated; High efficiency lighting; Recycle fluorescent lamps and batteries; Use environmentally preferred cleaners; Flat Panel TV’s are Energy Star Rated.

The Saratoga Downtowner - We are an eco-friendly motel that cares about the world we all live in!  Our environmentally-friendly program includes:  Central location offers walk ability throughout downtown, Operable room windows for fresh air circulation, Eco-friendly cleaning supplies used, CFC lighting throughout building, Bicycle storage in our basement is available, 50% of energy used from renewable resources such as wind and hydro, Radiant base-board heat in 38 of 42 rooms (no blown air keeps rooms cleaner/freer of dust etc.), Laundry re-use program, Recycling program for cans, bottles, plastic, cardboard and paper, Our Tree-in-a-Box gift offers the opportunity for guests to offset their carbon traveling footprint! Completely smoke-free facility, E-mail confirmations to reduce paper usage, and all toilet paper and kleenex is 100% recycled.

Gideon Putnam Resort & Spa - New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Certified Green Hotel.  The ISO 14001 certified Gideon Putnam Resort, is nestled in the 2300 acre Saratoga Spa State Park, offering refined yet casual dining, green meetings and 120 guest rooms which have a linen reuse program.  Experience our innovative menu and daily specials supported by local farms while enjoying the friendly atmosphere that makes an evening at Putnam’s a must. Our certified green spa, The Roosevelt Baths & Spa, is in the Top 10 New York State Green Destinations which offers full service relaxation, including mineral baths, massages and facials. Located just minutes from downtown Saratoga Springs.

Robinhood Motel - The Robinhood is moving towards environmental friendly goals by taking the following steps which include: Changing all the incandescent light bulbs to CFL lights to greatly reduce the greenhouses gas emissions that leads to global climate change & mercury into the environment. All the parking lots lights are on timers. Fifty percent of the rooms have been changed to wooden laminated floors & mini blinds as they are eco-friendly & don't collect allergens to help the allergy & respiratory sufferers. Low flow shower heads are installed in the showers for water conservation.

Click here for a list of Saratoga Campgrounds

Click here for a list of businesses with Rental Properties

Here is a list of all Saratoga Lodging. 

Restaurants and Food

The Local Pub and Teahouse-  Located in a “green” building on the corner of Beekman Street and Grand Avenue in the historic Dublin Neighborhood of Saratoga Springs, The Local Pub and Teahouse is a neighborhood bar/restaurant serving traditional English and Irish specialties with a unique selection of craft brews and organic teas from around the world.  Green initiatives are carried out throughout the building and incorporated into the  business, including: landscaping using native plants, zero use of pesticides, fertilizer or irrigation water; no-VOC paints; use of environmentally-friendly cleaning products; low-flow plumbing facilities; on-demand hot water heaters to minimize energy usage in all sinks; partnerships with local farms to incorporate local ingredients into their meals; use of Eco-Products packaging containers, straws and utensils.

Lilllians - Lillian’s Restaurant has always been an avid believer in the concept of taking care of the earth and the earth will take care of you!  We have implemented many “earth saving” ideas in our program; not the least of which is to recycle everything that we possibly can.  Our staff is diligent in returning bottles to the distributor, sorting plastic, glass & cardboard.  Lillian’s Restaurant has very little trash after all of this has been accomplished.  Although Lillian’s has a limited use of a fryalator, our oil is recycled into fuel.  Another concept is to always use earth friendly products for “to go” items.  By using products that are biodegradable Lillian’s is saving our fossil fuels as well as removing lifetime products from our landfills.

Wheatfields - Wheatfields Restaurant and Bar makes fresh all natural pasta daily. Using only the finest ingredients, our partnerships with local farmers, award winning wine list, and gluten free options make Wheatfields a standout establishment in downtown Saratoga Springs.

One Caroline and Mouzon House - Owned by the same family, these two restaurants buy everything from 32 local farms including meat, eggs, milk, cheese, honey and vegetables.  They also make their own bread and pasta and grow their own herbs and vegetables.  Both restaurants compost all kitchen waste, recycle paper and oil, and donate to local charities.   

Natural/Organic/Vegetarian Food
dine—Vegetarian
Fifty South Restaurant & Bar—Organic
Four Seasons Natural Foods Store & Café—Vegetarian, Organic
The Local Pub & Teahouse—Organic tea
Mouzon House—Organic French Quarter
Saratoga Farmers Market
One Caroline Street Bistro—Organic
Putnam’s (Gideon Putnam Resort)—Seasonal menu with organic and local
Putnam Market 
Ravenous—Organic
Scallions—Vegetarian
Sushi Thai Garden—Vegetarian
The Wine Bar—use Organic, Local, free range product whenever possible 

For a complete list of all area restaurants, click here.

Saratoga Specialty Products & Businesses (made/produced in Saratoga County)
Beverly’s Restaurant—Beverly’s Best Barbecue Sauce, Beverly’s Best Old Fashioned Apple Butter
Olde Saratoga Brewing Company—Saratoga Lager
PJ’s Barbecue—Sarasoda
Saratoga Garlic—Organic
Saratoga Peanut Butter Company—Various flavored all natural, no added sugars peanut butter
Saratoga Salsa & Spice Company—Saratoga Salsa, Daily Double Honey Mustard Pretzel Dip, Barbeque & Hot Sauces
Saratoga Spring Water Company—First bottled water
Saratoga Sweets—Saratoga Peppermint Pig, Saratoga Springs Water Taffy, Chocolates and Truffles
Sundae’s Best Hot Fudge
Whalen’s Horseradish 
Zola Kids - Eco-Friendly goods, natural and safe toys 

Things To Do and Attractions

Roosevelt Baths & Spa is listed as one of the Top 10 Green NYS Destinations by I LOVE NY.

Outdoor Recreation
Saratoga Springs and Saratoga County have thousands of acres for Outdoor Recreation, including state parks, wildlife preserves, designated Audobon areas and miles of mult-use trails.  Click here for Hiking and Biking Trails.

Schuyler Farms - Schuylerville 7-acre corn maze promoting sustainable energy and "Go Green" initiatives, such as reuse, recycle and reduce. Also includes a garden center, farm and other family attractions.

Here is a PDF of our Saratoga Outdoor Recreation Guide.

Bike Shops and Rentals
Blue Sky Bicyles
Elevate Cycles

Learn more information on bike routes, bike racks and organized rides through the Saratoga Healthy Transportation Network.

Water Sports
Saratoga has numerous lakes, rivers, creeks and even an historic canal system for kayaking, canoeing and whitewater rafting.

Saratoga Lake — NYS State Boat Launch, Rentals at the Kayak Shak on Fish Creek
Lake Lonely — Rentals at the Lake Lonely Livery
Ballston Lake — Outlet Road boat launch
Round Lake — Route 9 boat launch
Great Sacandaga Lake — Several boat launches, Rentals at Sacandaga Outdoor Center, Hudson River Rafting Company
Sacandaga River
Kayderosseras River
Hudson River
Fish Creek
Champlain Canal — Lakes to Locks Passage

Find more information on routes, driving directions and boat access at Johnny Miller Adventures.

Learn more about whitewater rafting in Saratoga County riding Class II and III rapids on the Sacandaga River or Hudson River.

Tours
Discover new things during a guided and self-guided walking tour and see historic homes & sites, mineral springs, nature, local attractions and so much more.  These can also be enjoyed by bike.  Here are some sample tour itineraries for the entire family.

Derby Tours - Guided downtown walking tours and learn about the people behind the buildings.
Saratoga Springs Visitor Center - Guided downtown walking tours about history & homes or mineral springs.
Moreau Lake State Park - Guided nature hiking events.
Saratoga National Historical Park -  Guided nature hikes and bike riding events.
Saratoga Spa State Park - Guided nature and mineral spring walking events.

History & Learning Fun
Saratoga has a number of state, national, county and local museums about the arts, horse racing, automobiles, military and more. Here is a complete list of Saratoga museums and historical sites.

Attractions Around Saratoga County:

Saratoga Springs (distance from City Hall in Saratoga Springs, NY)
Saratoga Race Course (1.2 mi)—Oldest continuous operating race track in the country
Beekman Street Art District (0.7mi)—Designated Art District with several artists’ studios & galleries, plus eateries
Caffe Lena (0.3mi)—Oldest continuously operating coffeehouse in the United States
The Childrens Museum of Saratoga (0.2mi)
Congress Park (0.3mi)—Downtown park with open lawns, restored historic carousel, mineral springs and Canfield Casino
East Side Recreation Park (0.8mi)—Playgrounds, sports fields, tennis & basketball courts, track, skateboard park.
Saratoga Farmers Market (0.2mi)— Locally grown vegetables, fruits, flower, crafts and more
Home Made Theater (2.5mi)—Resident theater company with performance October - May
Lake George Opera at Saratoga (2.5mi)—Operas during July in Spa Little Theater
Mineral Springs—Guided and self-guided tours
National Museum of Dance and Hall of Fame (1.2mi)—History of American dance
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame (1.1mi)—Thoroughbred racing history
North Broadway—Historic homes, guided tours
NYS Military Museum & Veterans Research Center (0.2mi)
Roosevelt Baths and Spa (2.7mi)
Saratoga Arts at the Saratoga Arts Council (0.3mi)
Saratoga Automobile Museum (2.4mi)
Saratoga Performing Arts Center (2.5mi)—NYC Ballet, Philadelphia Orchestra, festivals & concerts.
Saratoga Springs History Museum (1.4mi)
The Tang Teaching Museum and Art Gallery (1.3mi)
Yaddo (1.9mi)

Ballston Spa (distance from Front Street & Route 50 intersection)
Ballston Spa Farmers Market (0.3mi)—Wiswall Park
Kelly Park (0.5mi)—Fishing, picnicg, skateboard park, sports field.
Old Iron Mineral Spring (0.3mi)
Medbery Inn and Spa (0.2mi)—Restored historic inn with day spa.
National Bottle Museum (0.03mi)
Brookside Museum (0.3mi)—Saratoga County Historical Society

Corinth
Hudson River
Pagenstecher Park
The Town Museum
Veteran's Memorial Park
Snowshoe Capital

Clifton Park
Vischer Ferry Nature Preserve
Trails and nature paths
Farmers Market

Hadley
Hudson River
Great Sacandaga Lake
Whitewater Rafting
Historic Bow Bridge— Iron bridge dating back to the 19th Century

Waterford
Waterford Harbor Visitor Center
Towpath
Waterford Harbor Farmers Market

Schuylerville and Victory
Fort Hardy Park & Visitor Center
Champlain Canal and Tow Path
Hudson River
Hudson Crossing Park— Bi-county educational park project
Saratoga National Historical Park— Saratoga Battlefields, Saratoga Battle Monument and General Philip Schuyler House
Schuyler Farms - Going Green Corn Maze, mini-golf, petting zoo, hayrides, pumpkins and more

South Glens Falls
Cooper’s Cave— Where James Fenimore Cooper penned the novel "The Last of the Mohicans"
Saratoga County Heritage Trail—multiuse path

Round Lake
Round Lake Auditorium
History--Campground Community 

Transportation 

AMTRAK via the Saratoga Springs Train Station - Adirondack Route 
www.amtrak.com

CDTA —  Public Bus Transportation (PDF of bus schedules below)
www.cdta.org

• Route 50 - Ballston Spa Downtown, Museums, Attractions, Mineral Springs 
• Route 471 - Union Avenue (seasonal): Saratoga Race Course, National Museum of Racing, Empire State College
• Route 472 - Lake Avenue:  New York State Military Museum
• Route 473 - Jefferson Street:  Saratoga Gaming and Raceway, Skidmore College
• Route 875 - Saratoga Springs Visitor Trolley (seasonal):  Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Saratoga Spa State Park, North Broadway, Broadway, Downtown Hotels, Restaurants and Attractions

Adirondack Trailways — Bus station on Broadway. More Information.

Saratoga Springs Visitor Trolley - Visitor Trolley Memorial Day - Labor Day. More Information.

Rental Cars via Enterprise Rental Cars with Hybrid* and Fuel Efficient vehicles within their local fleet. *(Hybrid vehicles may require up to 14 days advance notice to ensure availability)  Local Enterprise Rent-A-Car: 518-587-0687