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Saratoga Springs: Its Lively History, Culture and Arts Plus Two Performances

Program Number: 20334RJ
Start and End Dates:
7/14/2013 - 7/19/2013;
Duration: 5 nights
Location: Saratoga, New York
Price starting at: $1,011.00 - Price may vary based on date, departure city
Program Type: Music Appreciation; History & Culture
Meals: 13; 5 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches, 4 Dinners    
Meal Options: Low Fat; Vegetarian; Low Salt    

Explore the history of Saratoga Springs and the art and architecture of its Gilded Age as you discuss what has drawn people throughout the years to its famous mineral springs. Meet performers and staff at Saratoga Performing Arts Center to learn the history of the venue, pay a visit to the National Museum of Dance and enjoy performances by the Saratoga Opera or the New York City Ballet.




Highlights

• Visit the National Museum of Dance, the only museum in the country dedicated to the study of American professional dance and its history.
• Revel in the arts with either the Saratoga Opera or the New York City Ballet during matinee and evening performances complete with pre- and post-show lectures.
• Conclude your week with a visit to the National Horse Racing Museum Hall of Fame, where you learn the rich history of horse racing in Saratoga.



Activity Particulars

Walking up to two miles per day; some moderate hills




Date Specific Information

7-14-2013

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE Visit to the National Museum of Dance, evening & matinee performance with the National Ballet of Canada. Evening performance: Mixed Rep perform: THE FOUR SEASONS & EMERGENCE Matinnee performance: GISELLE
Enjoy the latest in hearing technology — listening devices — on this date.




Saratoga (New York)

This beloved Victorian city hosted the decisive battle of the American Revolution, followed by the flamboyant gentry of the Gilded Age. Saratoga National Historic Park commemorates this history, while the impeccably preserved Victorian homes recall the era of the Carnegies and Rockefellers, who came seeking respite in the area’s mineral springs.
Accommodations
Historic, 49-room inn in the heart of Saratoga Springs, the oldest operating hotel in Saratoga.

Road Scholar Instructors
These instructors are participating on at least one date of this program. Please note that changes may occur.
Hollis Palmer
A natural storyteller, Dr. Hollis Palmer has defined his career as an educator and historian with his love of local lore and culture. Hollis is the author of five books that document true crimes from Saratoga and the surrounding area, including “To Spend Eternity Alone,” and “Maggie’s Revenge.” He is also the author of “Everything Matters,” a guide for managers and supervisors on working with their employees. His most recent publication, “See and Be Seen: Saratoga in the Victorian Era,” depicts the people, politics, economics and society in Saratoga from 1856 to 1906. This book won the prestigious 2011 Ruth Emery Award for the best regional history book awarded by the Victorian Society of America. Through his research and writing, Hollis has developed a keen understanding and vast knowledge of the people who lived in and built Saratoga. From these experiences, he has developed an entertaining, yet informative, style for leading educational excursions and telling his stories.
 
Meals and Lodgings
   Inn at Saratoga
  Saratoga, NY 5 nights
 Inn at Saratoga
Type: Inn
  Description: Historic Country inn located in the heart of Saratoga Springs, NY
  Contact info: 231 Broadway
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 USA
phone: 800-274-3573
web: www.theinnatsaratoga.com
  Room amenities: Complimentary use of the YMCA located 1/2 block from The Inn Complimentary wired and wireless high speed internet access Hair dryer Full size iron and board Use of the Victoria Swimming Pool, located in Saratoga Spa State Park.
  Facility amenities: Complimentary use of the Victoria Swimming Pool, located in Saratoga Spa Park. (Memorial Day - Labor Day) Complimentary use of our classic Roadmaster bicycles for up to two hours per day. Complimentary use of our lobby computer for internet and email access.
  Smoking allowed: No
  Elevators available: Yes
  Additional nights prior:  Rooms available but you must contact the inn directly for rates.
  Additional nights after:  Rooms available but you must contact the inn directly for rates.


Travel Details
  Start of Program:
3:00 - 5:00 PM Inn at Saratoga Lobby You will be staying at Inn at Saratoga that night.
  End of Program:
11:00 AM following morning presentation You will be staying at Inn at Saratoga the night before.
  Required documents:
The Road Scholar Health & Safety Form is required.
  Parking availability:
Parking is available at the inn at no charge
Transportation
To Start of Program
  Location:  Saratoga, NY
  Nearest city or town:  Saratoga Springs
  Nearest highway: Interstate 87
  Nearest airport:  Albany
  From End of Program
  Location: Saratoga, NY
    (Additional transportation information same as above)
Travel Details
 

Saratoga/Airport

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Commercial Van/Shuttle
Saratoga Express
phone: 518-669-4073
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$50 per cab,
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

1 Hour 
 

Distance:

 

35 miles
   

Will do a fare of $50 each way if doing a return trip.
 

Saratoga/Saratoga

 

From Train Station

 
 

Service:

 

Commercial Van/Shuttle
Saratoga Express
phone: 518-669-4073

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$10 - $12
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

10 minutes 
 

Distance:

 

1 mile
   

call taxi upon arrival
 

Saratoga/Albany

 

From Airport

 
 

Service:

 

Public Transportation
Greyhound
phone: 800-231-2222
Advanced Reservations Required

 

Per Person/One Way:

 

$11 - $13
Prices are subject to change.
 

Travel Time:

 

1 Hour 
   

Call for schedule and fares.
 
Driving Directions
  All Directions From the South: New York State Thruway to Exit 24 onto I-87 North to Exit 13N (Route 9). Drive north on Route 9 approximately 4 miles. Route 9 is Broadway in Saratoga Springs. The Inn at Saratoga is on the left, corner of Broadway and Circular Streets. From the North: I-87 South to Exit 15. Make right turn off ramp and travel 3 miles to intersection making a left turn onto Broadway (at The Prime Hotel) then travel one mile south. The Inn at Saratoga is on the right, corner of Broadway and Circular Streets. From the West: New York State Thruway to Exit 27 - Amsterdam. After Toll Booth take your first right turn. Follow Route 67 East signs through the City of Amsterdam. Head East approximately 20 miles into Ballston Spa, at the light you take a left turn onto Route 50 North. Route 50 North will bring you right into Saratoga Springs. Route 50 will intersect with Broadway (Route 9). At the light, make a left turn and the Inn at Saratoga is on the left. From the East: Take Route 90 (Mass Turnpike to the NYS Thruway), then exit the Thruway onto Exit 787 North. Take 787 North to Exit for Route 7 West. Take Route 7 West until you get to 87 North Exit (Adirondack Northway). Follow the Northway to the Saratoga Springs Exit 13 North. You may then follow the directions From the South.
Elevation Note: None

Equipment Requirements: None
The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.


Daily Schedule

Day 1: Check In - Welcome Dinner - Orientation
(Sunday, July 14)
   
 Arrive To: Individual arrivals and program registration at our Saratoga Springs hotel.
 Dinner: A get acquainted dinner is served at the inn this evening.
 Evening: This evening we discuss the program and area. We will also discuss our schedules and enjoy a formal introduction time.
   
Accommodations: Inn at Saratoga
Meals Included: Dinner

Day 2: Saratoga History/Walking Exploration of Saratoga
(Monday, July 15)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast is served at the inn.
 Morning: LECTURE: A noted Saratoga historian will speak on the history of Saratoga, from the springs, to the race track, the mansions, the people and what Saratoga is today.
 Lunch: Lunch is served at the inn.
 Afternoon: LECTURE/WALKING EXPLORATION This walk includes the mansions on Union Avenue and lower Circular Street along with the houses of the successful merchants on Nelson Avenue and Philadelphia Street. This one tour provides the participant with a truer sense of how Saratogians lived in the Gilded Age. We will also have time to visit Congress Park which is home to many of the mineral springs located across the street from the inn.
 Dinner: Another delicious dinner is served at the inn.
 Evening: LECTURE: This evening's lecture will feature information on the people who made Saratoga famous.
   
Accommodations: Inn at Saratoga
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 3: Saratoga Performing Arts Lectures/Behind the Scenes at SPAC
(Tuesday, July 16)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast is included at the inn.
 Morning: LECTURE: This morning enjoy presentations by staff and performers from the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Depending on our date presentations could be opera or dance related and sometimes both. Learn how and why so many artistic enterprises thrive here.
 Lunch: Lunch is served at the inn.
 Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: This afternoon we travel to the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. Get a behind-the-scenes look at the center's venues and learn about the complex operations required to balance the season's performances and activities.
 Dinner: Dinner will be served at the Inn
 Evening: FIELD TRIP/LECTURE: This evening we travel to the Saratoga Performing Arts venue where we will enjoy a pre performance lecture with the National Ballet of Canada staff and performers followed by an evening performance: Mixed Rep perform: The Four Seasons & Emergence
   
Accommodations: Inn at Saratoga
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 4: National Museum of Dance/National Ballet of Canada
(Wednesday, July 17)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast is included at the inn.
 Morning: FIELD TRIP: Travel to the National Museum of Dance & Hall of Fame. The National Museum of Dance & Hall of Fame was established in 1986 and is the only museum in the nation dedicated entirely to dance. Located in the former Washington Bath House—a spacious, airy 1918 Arts and Crafts-style building—in the Saratoga Spa State Park, the museum houses a growing collection of photographs, videos, artifacts, costumes, biographies and archives comprising a contemporary and retrospective examination of seminal contributions to dance available to the general public. One of the museum's permanent exhibitions is the C.V. Whitney Hall of Fame. In 1987, the Museum recognized Fred Astaire, George Balanchine, Katherine Dunham, Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Lincoln Kirstein and Bill 'Bojangles' Robinson, among others, as founders and innovators of American professional dance. To date more than thirty dancers, choreographers, teachers, designers, critics and patrons have been recognized for their influence on our dance heritage.
 Lunch: Lunch is included today.
 Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: This afternoon we will explore the Saratoga Spa State Park. Here we will discuss the springs and bath houses, architecture, and the park.
 Dinner: Enjoy dinner on your own. There are many local restaurant options to choose from just a short walk from the hotel.
 Evening: FREE TIME:Following our afternoon you will be on your own to explore and enjoy your preferred activities. There are many local restaurant options to choose from just a short walk from the hotel. .
   
Accommodations: Inn at Saratoga
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 5: Yaddo Artist Retreat/National Ballet of Canada
(Thursday, July 18)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast is included at the inn.
 Morning: FIELD TRIP: Today we travel to Yaddo. Founded in 1900 by the financier Spencer Trask and his wife Katrina, herself a poet, Yaddo is an artists' community located on a 400-acre estate in Saratoga Springs, New York. Its mission is to nurture the creative process by providing an opportunity for artists to work without interruption in a supportive environment. Yaddo offers residencies to professional creative artists from all nations and backgrounds working in one or more of the following media: choreography, film, literature, musical composition, painting, performance art, photography, printmaking, sculpture, and video. Artists may apply individually or as members of collaborative teams of two or three persons. They are selected by panels of other professional artists without regard to financial means. Residencies last from two weeks to two months and include room, board, and studio. We meet with staff and possibly an artist in residence who will tell us about Yaddo and their work.
 Lunch: A delicious lunch is served at the Hall of Springs at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center.
 Afternoon: FIELD TRIP/LECTURE: Pre performance talk by the National Ballet of Canada PERFORMANCE:Giselle by the National Ballet of Canada at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center. LECTURE: A post performance talk by the cast.
 Dinner: A farewell dinner is included at the inn.
   
Accommodations: Inn at Saratoga
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Day 6: Racing Museum Hall of Fame
(Friday, July 19)
   
 Breakfast: Breakfast is served at the inn.
 Morning: FIELD TRIP: What would a trip to Saratoga be without a visit to the Racing Museum Hall of Fame? Enjoy a guided exploration of the Oklahoma Track prior to returning to the hotel. Depart for home.
   
Meals Included: Breakfast
Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.

Suggested Reading List


Saratoga Springs: A Historical Portrait (NY) (Images of America)


Author: by Timothy A. Holmes and Martha Stonequist


Description: Brilliant afternoons awash in sunshine . . . health, history, and horses . . . this is the experience Saratoga Springs spreads out for visitors, year after golden year. From the long distant past, the powerful waters from deep in the earth made this place a wellspring of the healing arts. The allure of meeting in the healthy country environment brought society first from the eastern cities and then from all points of the globe. Society itself became an object for summer entertainment, and connecting with living history came to be a recreational pursuit. Nestled in the foothills of the Adirondacks, Saratoga Springs, across two centuries, has been the midsummer mecca. There is more to Saratoga Springs. While the Spa City opens its arms to all travelers, along with the charms there stands a robust, cheerful, and stalwart core of residents who have over the years transformed a northern wilderness into an oasis of leisure and elegance. Behind the grand hotels of Broadway and America's Monte Carlo are the mansions of Union Avenue and Circular Street, the winter play, and the personalities shaping a place of character, comfort, and culture. Saratoga Springs: A Historical Portrait is their story--the small town at the heart of the City in the Country.





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