Clearly, the Spa City’s not just a one-trick pony.
While Saratoga is certainly known for its historic race track, it’s the city’s vibrant and tree-lined main drag, with it’s century-old façades and sidewalk cafés, that recently earned national nods from Daily Mail and Secret NYC as one of New York’s standout main streets. Throw in our city’s eighth-place finish in WalletHub’s recently published list of America’s best small cities, and there’s no question: Saratoga has captured the country’s attention.
“Broadway is the kind of main street that makes you want to slow down, wander, and soak it all in,” Corey Fuller writes in the Secret NYC article, before mentioning that it’s a mere 3.5-hour drive from New York City. “From its theaters and boutique shops to cafés and vintage arcades,” the article continues, “the street is packed with things to see, do, and taste—all framed by Congress Park and the city’s signature historic architecture.”
In WalletHub’s recent ranking of the best small cities, Saratoga was judged in a variety of categories, from walkability to number of museums per capita. The findings? Saratoga boasts a sought-after lifestyle that beats a steady pulse even when the summer track crowds leave town. But beyond the glossy rankings, Saratoga Springs’ story is one of urban rejuvenation.
A generation ago, downtown storefronts leaned vacant in the off-season. Today, they hum year-round with boutique owners, restaurateurs, and professionals who choose to live where work and community blur into one. The city’s mix of old-money elegance and new-age entrepreneurship has reshaped how small-city success looks—not as a seasonal resort, but as a model for livability.
“There’s no better place in my eyes to raise a family, because of everything that we have to offer,” Sheila Sperling of Julie and Co Realty, LLC told the Daily Mail. She and Darryl Leggieri of Discover Saratoga expertly described our town for the UK tabloid as being more than the restaurants and leisure spots.
For residents, that vitality feels validating. For regional leaders, it’s a challenge: How can we build on Saratoga’s momentum without pricing out the very people who make it magnetic? The Capital Region doesn’t just need more cities like Saratoga; it needs more Saratoga in every city—that blend of beauty, history, and heart that keeps a place thriving long after the applause fades.
