Whether you seek homes central to the lives of two Presidents or transportation history on the Erie Canal, this day plan is built for those who want to jump into the past.
- Print or download your tour map.
- You’ve got a lot to see, so start your day at Saratoga Coffee Traders, the home of Death Wish Coffee, the strongest coffee ever made!
- Saratoga National Historical Park is a must see for anyone who appreciates American history. The 10-stop driving tour of the battlefield takes about 90 minutes, but you’ll also want to make time to explore the visitor center, the Schuler House and Victory Woods. If you’re up for it, you can also climb to the top of the Saratoga Monument! Private tours with Official Saratoga Battlefield Guides are also available.
- Grab a delicious lunch at Revolution Café. Saratoga NHP superintendent Amy Bracewell’s sandwich of choice is "the Philip Schuyler" – roast turkey and bacon with Cajun mayo.
- Get to know Old Kinderhook with a visit to Martin Van Buren National Historic Site or visit the cottage where Ulysses Grant spent his last days finishing his iconic memoirs.
- If you’re still feeling martial, the New York State Military Museum – based at the historic armory building in Saratoga Springs – has more than 10,000 artifacts, including the uniform of Union martyr Colonel Elmer Ellsworth. Items cover famous New York units from the Civil War’s 69th New York of the Irish Brigade to the 369th Infantry, the Harlem Hellfighters of WWI.
- If you have more than a day and are still hungry for museums, consider:
- New York State Museum, with exhibits covering everything from the Erie Canal to 9/11. There’s even a working carousel for the kids!
- The Adirondack Experience at the Museum on Blue Mountain Lake is a groundbreaking interactive way of telling the story of life in this region full of mountains and lakes across time.
- Enjoy dinner at Olde Bryan Inn, established in 1773 and still serving great food in its historic building!