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Saratoga Springs, NY is a small upstate city of around 28,000 known for its mineral springs, its summer racing season, and a downtown that earns its reputation. Skidmore College sits just north of the center on a wooded campus, and its liberal-arts crowd gives the city a creative streak that pairs oddly well with the Gilded Age architecture along Broadway. Congress Park, designed in part by Frederick Law Olmsted, anchors downtown with its springs and shaded paths, and the Saratoga Performing Arts Center brings concerts through the warmer months. The Saratoga Race Course swells the city each summer, but in the school year it's a walkable place where students mix with locals. Add state parkland and easy Adirondack access, and it punches above its size.
Centered on Broadway, the prize for students who want to walk everywhere, with the springs, Congress Park, and the social scene right outside the door.
Near campus, exactly what it sounds like, a student-leaning pocket within easy reach of class.
This area and the streets near the race course offer more residential variety and a settled feel while staying close to the action.
Here's what you need to know about getting around Saratoga Springs.
For wider trips, the Capital District Transportation Authority, or CDTA, runs regional buses linking Saratoga Springs to the broader Albany area, handy for internships or the airport. There's also an Amtrak station for trips toward New York City or Montreal. Skidmore runs a shuttle connecting campus to downtown, which covers the short trip into the center.
Saratoga Springs is compact and famously walkable, so your feet handle most of downtown, including Broadway, Congress Park, and the blocks where students cluster. Skidmore's campus sits just north of the center, close enough that walking or biking works in good weather. A bike is a good call given the flat downtown grid and trails toward state parkland.
Plenty of students keep a car for grocery runs and Adirondack trips. A vehicle helps for reaching state parkland and destinations beyond the walkable center. Near campus and downtown, though, you can skip it and rely on walking.
Common questions from students searching for housing.
Saratoga isn't a budget town, partly because the summer racing season props up demand. A studio often runs around $2,200 and a one-bedroom near downtown around $2,700, while sharing a multi-bedroom unit can bring each person's share down to roughly $1,550-$2,350. Splitting a house with roommates is the usual play for Skidmore students.
Browse student housing near each Saratoga Springs-area university.