Here is a little about our first day in the Lakes to Locks Passage & Saratoga area.

We started out pretty early and hit a bump (poopy) in the road thanks to Lucas. (too much info?) We had to pull over to clean the little guy up and then hit a bit of traffic which set us back around 45 minutes. Once we got out of Manhattan, the ride was smooth sailing and traffic free.

Here are some of the things we did:

• Saratoga Farmer’s Market
• National Museum of Racing
• Sampled water from various springs
• Congress Park- Lucas went on his first carousel ride

Inside the farmer’s market

The Saratoga Farmer’s Market was our first stop. It’s only open until 1:00pm.  We got there around noon so we had about an hour which was plenty of time. The market is partially covered and not huge but was packed with lots of great products. We bought a bunch of things (honey chocolate peanut butter and an olive tapenade to name a few )and are glad that we made it before closing!

See what it’s like to ride a race horse!

Horse racing is a big deal in Saratoga but I can’t say that Kim and I are fans. However when I heard about the racing simulator at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, I had to go and try it out. The museum had lots of nice displays which we skimmed through but the highlight was definitely the simulator. For the $5 fee I got to dress up like a jockey and see and feel what it’s like to ride a race horse. After this experience, I really give jockeys a lot of credit. Definitely a fun experience! I need to make it back to Saratoga during racing season to attend a live race!

Our first taste of Saratoga spring water

Thanks to a comment from reader Rich A. we decided to try out some natural spring water in Saratoga. We were also chatting with a caterer at the Museum of Racing (they do wedding there) and she mentioned how the springs all have different tastes and supposed health benefits. On our first day we tried out water at four springs. So far I’ll take NYC tap water over any of these options. There are still more springs to find and taste. Maybe they will be more enjoyable than the first four.

Round and round they go

Kim got to take Lucas on his first carousel ride in Congress Park. We made it just in time before the carousel closed for the day so a wedding party could take pictures there. I’m not sure if Kim or Lucas had a better time during the ride but it was definitely worth the $1 fee.

We also ate some really great food so far:

• We tried a “dougboy” which is similar to a calzone but better and with chicken inside. It was so good that Kim and I ordered a third one to share!
• For dinner we had an incredible meal at Wheatfields. Known for it’s fresh-made pastas and open for over 20 years in Saratoga. I loved the tagline for the restaurant “from the local fields to your plate”. The Italian based menu listed the local farms where their products are sourced from. I highly recommend trying a pizza and gnocchi there!