Congress Park, Saratoga Springs

Chances are you’ll end up in Congress Park, whether planned or not. It’s downtown, located across the street from the Visitor Center, and is on so many lists of things to do in Saratoga Springs that you can’t help but wander in. It also encompasses so much of the history of modern-day Saratoga. Congress Park is home to mineral spring water fountains, a historic carousel, pleasant walking paths, and much more. The Saratoga Springs History Museum, aka Canfield Casino, is also in the park. Don’t miss the Italian Garden in the Northeast corner of the park. The garden and marble statues within it were the result of Richard Canfield’s investment in his new casino and surrounding grounds when he purchased it in 1884. I highly recommend a Congress Park walking tour for anyone who wants to dig into the history of Saratoga Springs. Our tour guide Marcia went deep into Saratoga’s past, telling us stories about its reputation as a playground for the wealthy. She also took us around to the mineral water fountains and gave us cups to sample the water. It was an entertaining and educational 90 minutes of storytelling and a good way connect the dots of Saratoga’s historical timeline.

If we lived in Saratoga Springs, we would be at Congress Park all the time. It’s one of the reasons the city is one of our favorite getaways in the US. Centrally located right off Broadway, this beautiful green space has a little bit for everyone. At Congress Park, you can watch the fountains, picnic on the lawns, or lose yourself in watching wildlife in the ponds. Bring a cup to try one of the city’s springs straight from the source or just spend time strolling the paths that curve through the park. One of the park’s key sites is Canfield Casino, an historic casino that dates from the 1870s. Although it’s no longer open for gambling, it’s full of architectural detail and is an important part of city history. Our favorite–and most unexpected–stop in the park is the enchanting 120-year-old carved carousel that you can ride for just $1.

At the heart of Saratoga Springs is its beautiful and historic Congress Park. Bordered by Broadway, Circular, and Spring Streets, Congress Park is a beloved part of daily life in Saratoga. The park is open year-round, but it is often best enjoyed in the winter months, when you'll find the lawns speckled with picnic blankets, or the vintage carousel spinning with happy faces. Even in the winter, though, you'll find visitors and residents snowshoeing through it. Congress Park even has a few of its own mineral springs.

THE FOCAL POINT OF SARATOGA Springs’ Congress Park is the fountain featuring two mermen using marble conch shells as water guns. The fountain was commissioned for the Canfield Casino in 1903, when Saratoga Springs was branded as the “American Monte Carlo,” a city for gambling and relaxation. An Italian sculptor built the romantic fountain, which was brought to Saratoga two years later. The sculptures depict two Tritons, or mermen, shooting streams of water from puffed cheeks. This led townspeople to nickname them “Spit and Spat,” a moniker which sticks to this very day. They were the focus of the Italian sculpture garden, which featured satyrs, bacchantes, and other figures of classical myth. The casino folded when gambling was outlawed in 1911, but the sculpture garden was too beautiful to be torn down. The city purchased it, and after much refurbishment, opened it to the city as part of Congress Park. The sculptures are beloved enough that when the city closed the park in 2005 for restorations, not a day went by without someone wondering aloud about how Spit and Spat were doing.

Health, history, and horses come together at Congress Park in Saratoga Springs. Located along Broadway, Circular, and Spring Streets, this beautiful public park offers fun, relaxation, and a fountain or two. ***PH***