forgive my lateness to this thread but i found it at a good time.
my wife and i were talking about going to the travers. it would be our first visit to the area in general. any suggestion on lodging? she thinks saratoga is to expensive, so the idea was put on hold.
thanks in advance fo any help.

This close to the Travers you will be lucky to find ANY available rooms at ANY price. I booked my hotel room in Feb. also every area hotel/motel/BB tends to drastically inflate their prices during the meet so it is expensive. As I stated earlier inthis thread the best time IMO to visit is during the first/second week in August when the yearling sale is in full swing, but again hard to find a room with all the buyers and consignors in the hotels. Best of luck...

Don't waste your money on Travers weekend. Highway robbery. You could go to next years derby for the same price. You couldn't get anything now anyway and you lose all the feel for Saratoga on Travers weekend. Too many people for that little space.

thanks for the input.

Depends on whether or not you can get a seat of some sort. If you cant find a seat to sit in all day, I would agree with Exceller. Its a very long, usually very hot day if you stand. You dont necessarily have to get a reserved seat in the clubhouse, you could get a picnic table or a seat at Steve's barbecue. That would make the day very doable.

Just my experience...
I love Toga on the big weekends. I park myself on a folding chair near the paddock and watch the races on the big screen.
My preference is to go during the week.
Much less stress, very good cards. So much more "laid back".
Take a walk over to the OK training track early, walk through the barns, no rush, no fuss....
Such a nice racing venue, all the charm, history.
Take the time to immerse yourself into the old fashioned style of "horse racing". The best horses will show up, just because it's Toga.
Go during a weekday.
DTS

A Saratoga pic...thanks to Barbara Livingston. It says what it's about...

http://www.barbaralivingston.com/gal...atoga_Daybreak

The Spa
 

Will be making another trip to the SHRINE again this August. Last year staying in Vermont, we made the short trip to the Spa... Happen to be the First Wednesday of August... First two races.. Steeplechase... and as Steve say.(.Just walked in five minutes before the first race.) I took a two dollar box of the (two longshots )...4 +5.. which returned a $300.00+ exacta..What a way to start in my FIRST trip to the spa !!!!... Got to love when the favs. fall over the fences...LOL

Nice pic DTS. This is what I see most mornings during the meet, I am very lucky for that.

Tim,
Thank Barbara Livingston for the pic...I just put it up because it says so much about what Toga is to me.
I hope to meet up with you this summer.
btw, just got back from the farm. They're putting up hay (smells so nice).
The yearling fillies are looking good. The colt was stretching his legs in the pasture, he'll be good (grand dad is Dayjur).
And now...the "fly season" begins....ugggghhh. I hate it as much as the horses.
DTS

You will meet me, count on it! 5 weeks from tomorrow is opening day.
I have that whole week off and live 1/2 mile away, it will be hard to miss me. :o

STop it.

I just soiled myself. Man I want to make it up there. So bad...