Belmont at Saratoga
It's the last leg of the Triple Crown — and for the third and final time, it's not in NYC. It's upstate.
The 158th Belmont Stakes takes place on Saturday, June 6th at Saratoga Race Course — the third and final year Saratoga hosts while Belmont Park undergoes a full rebuild on Long Island. Come 2027, the race returns home. Which means this weekend is genuinely the last chance to say you watched the final leg of the Triple Crown at one of the most storied tracks in American horse racing. For horse racing fans, Saratoga is a must visit destination, stepping back in time to where racing takes center stage in this picturesque town.
The five-day Belmont Stakes Racing Festival runs June 3 through June 7, kicking off with a free concert on Broadway Wednesday night (Fitz & The Tantrums, with Chelsea Handler hosting a VIP pre-show) and building to post time for the big race at 7:04pm ET on Saturday. Twenty-five stakes races. Five days. One city that does this better than almost anywhere else in the world.
Where to stay
NO. 1 PICK
The Adelphi Hotel
365 Broadway — Downtown Saratoga Springs
If you want the full Saratoga experience, start and end your days here. The Adelphi is a Neoclassical landmark right on Broadway — the main drag — which means you're walking distance from everything and living inside the energy of race week. The hotel pairs historic bones (think: a proper library, a garden terrace) with genuinely luxurious rooms: heated bathroom floors, electronic shades, soaking tubs. Morrissey's Lounge and the on-site Salt & Char steakhouse mean you never have to leave to eat or drink well.
The staff earns consistent, almost emphatic praise — the kind of attentive-without-hovering service that makes a difference when you're wrangling race day logistics and a fascinator at the same time. The Adelphi is also on Amex's Hotel Collection if that means anything to your points strategy. Note that summer rates reflect the demand: rooms during race season can run $3,000 a night. Book early.
VIBE: Refined luxury, historically grounded
LOCATION: Downtown, walkable to everything
BEST FOR: The full occasion experience
ON-SITE DINING: Salt & Char, Morrissey's Lounge
NO. 2
Saratoga Arms
497 Broadway — Downtown Saratoga Springs
Don't let the bed-and-breakfast label mislead you — Saratoga Arms is a proper boutique hotel, and one that regularly earns near-perfect guest scores (9.8 out of 10 across 146 reviews at U.S. News). The 1870 Second Empire brick building is a downtown landmark, and the 31 individually decorated rooms are spacious, immaculately clean, and in many cases include fireplaces, balconies, or sitting rooms.
What makes it particularly good for a race week stay: a cooked-to-order breakfast is included (eaten on the wrap-around front porch), a 24/7 guest pantry with complimentary snacks and drinks, and a genuinely personal concierge who people mention by name in reviews. It's family-owned and run, which gives it a warmth that larger properties can't manufacture. Parking is easy, the location couldn't be more central, and it's a short drive to the track.
VIBE: Elegant B&B, personal service
LOCATION: Downtown Broadway, walkable
BEST FOR: Couples, value-conscious guests
BREAKFAST: Included, cooked to order
NO. 3
Hotel Brookmere & Arbor Spa
500 Union Avenue — Near the Track
Brookmere is the newest option of the three — a reimagining of the former Longfellows property on Union Avenue, just minutes from Saratoga Race Course and next door to Yaddo Gardens. The 88-room property sits on nearly ten acres of wetlands and lush grounds, giving it a resort quality the downtown hotels can't offer. The Arbor Spa has a proper sauna, a pool, a fitness area, and full treatment menu; the on-site Regent restaurant serves French-influenced fine dining that guests tend to rave about (particularly the duck consommé French onion soup).
The tradeoff is location — you're not walking to Broadway, and the vibe skews more retreat than race week. If you're coming for the full five-day festival and want a place to decompress between big days at the track, Brookmere delivers beautifully. But if you want to be embedded in the downtown energy, it's a drive away. It lands third here not for any flaw, but because the Adelphi and the Arms win on atmosphere and downtown access for a race-week context specifically.
VIBE: Spa resort, tranquil grounds
LOCATION: Union Ave, minutes to the track
BEST FOR: Spa-seekers, multi-day stays
ON-SITE DINING: Regent Restaurant & Bar
HONORARY MENTION
Hampton Inn & Suites Saratoga Springs Downtown — Not boutique, but worth flagging for the practical traveler. It's centrally located, consistently well-reviewed (9.2/10 on Hotels.com), and the free breakfast and reliable parking take the guesswork out of race week mornings. If the boutique options are sold out or outside the budget, this is the clean, no-drama choice.
Where to Eat
Saratoga's dining scene punches well above its size. Salt & Char, Solevo and 15 Church are the obvious front runners for dinner where you will find the “who’s who” of racing. Here's some other curated options to check out across the three meals of race week.
DINNER
Hamlet & Ghost
New American seasonal menu in a converted 1870s storefront on Caroline Street. The cocktail program is the draw — inventive, house-made, genuinely good. Reserve ahead.
Seneca
CIA-trained chef, wood-fired grill, local ingredients. The menu rotates seasonally and the open kitchen is half the show. One of the most consistent dinner rooms in the city.
Familiar Creature
French- and Québécois-inspired wine bar from the Hamlet & Ghost team. Small plates, a curated bottle list, and a bistro atmosphere that earns a nightcap after dinner elsewhere.
LUNCH
Max London's
Farm-to-table seasonal menu on Broadway, with wood-fired pizzas, house-made bread, and a relaxed-but-polished atmosphere. Desserts are made by Wendy London — Mrs. London herself — keeping it very much a family affair.
Morrissey's Lounge
The Adelphi Hotel's in-house bistro. Ideal if you're already downtown and don't want to venture far — solid food, great room, and a proper bar for a mid-afternoon drink between races.
Hattie's
Southern and Louisiana cuisine since 1938. The fried chicken is the thing people come back for, year after year. Hattie's also has a seasonal presence at the track itself.
BREAKFAST
Mrs. London's
A Broadway institution since 1977 — a French bakery and café that started as a love story and never stopped delivering. Croissants, artisan breads, macarons, and a pastry case that genuinely earns the Paris comparison.
Sweet Mimi's
Voted best breakfast in the city annually since 2013. Mediterranean-influenced, farm-fresh eggs, Italian-trained kitchen. Arrive early — the line forms before opening.
A Few Things to Know Before You Go
The Belmont Stakes Racing Festival runs June 3–7. The race itself — the 158th running — goes off at 7:04pm ET on Saturday, June 6.
This is the final year Saratoga hosts the Belmont. Belmont Park is slated to reopen in the fall, and the race returns to Long Island in 2027.
The race is contested at 1¼ miles (10 furlongs) rather than the traditional 1½, due to Saratoga's main track configuration.
Parking at the track is not included with tickets and sells out — purchase a pass online in advance. Shuttles run from outer lots to the track gates.
General admission on Belmont Stakes Day is standing room only. Reserved seating and hospitality areas are the move if you want a guaranteed spot.
The Belmont Ball (Friday, June 5) is a ticketed cocktail dinner benefiting equine charities — a quieter, more formal evening for those who want something off-track.
What to Wear
The Belmont at Saratoga has a different energy than a typical summer meet — and last year, people dressed accordingly. That spirit is back this year for the final edition.
The short version: dress for where you're sitting. The actual dress codes break down by ticket type.
Grandstand (General Admission): Informal attire. Shirts and shoes required — beyond that, you have full latitude. You'll see everything from shorts and sundresses to full race-day looks.
Clubhouse/Box Seats: No jeans, shorts, rompers, or abbreviated wear. Gentlemen are required to wear a suit or sports jacket — ties are not required. Ladies will be dressed to impress.
Premium Hospitality (e.g. Turf Terrace): Gentlemen must wear a collared shirt. Ladies must wear a skirt, dress, or slack outfit. No shorts, t-shirts, jeans, sneakers, or flip-flops.
A few things that are always true at Saratoga in June: it will be warm, it may rain briefly, and you will do more walking than you expect. Stilettos in the backyard or paddock are a gamble — not the good kind. Wedges, block heels, dressy flats, and clean sneakers all work.
On the style side: this is a Belmont, not a Tuesday. Bright colors, bold patterns, and lightweight fabrics are the move. A hat or fascinator earns its place here — this is exactly the occasion for it. For men, a linen blazer in a summer color does more work than a dark suit, and a pocket square or interesting tie goes a long way.
Where to Shop
Broadway is walkable and genuinely worth an afternoon. Two stores in particular are worth making time for before or after the races.
BEST MEN'S STORE
Union Hall Supply Co.
437 Broadway. Locally owned since 2019, Union Hall is the kind of men's shop that actually makes shopping enjoyable — a curated edit of brands like Faherty, Marine Layer, and 34 Heritage, a denim bar, and cold local beer on tap while you browse. The philosophy is simple: clothes for a guy who wants to look good without overthinking it. There's a style guide on hand if you need one, and the store's own words sum it up well — it's not the place to buy a suit, and not the place to buy a golf shirt. It's somewhere in between, and it's exactly right.
BEST WOMEN'S BOUTIQUE
Encounter
482 Broadway. A designer boutique that carries labels you won't find at the mall — Ulla Johnson, DVF, Alice + Olivia, Vince — with the kind of personalized service that makes it feel like shopping with a friend who has excellent taste. Notably, Encounter also stocks hats and headpieces by milliners Christine A. Moore and Nancy Matt, which makes it a genuinely useful stop before race day.
BEST FOR KIDS
G. Willikers
461 Broadway. A Saratoga Springs institution since 1985 — a specialty toy shop stocked with distinctive games, puzzles, and gifts for children of all ages. The kind of independent toy store that's increasingly hard to find. Look for the signature purple bag on the way out. Perfect for picking up something for the kids you left at home.
BEST BOOKSTORE
Northshire Bookstore
424 Broadway. A two-story independent bookstore that's been a Broadway anchor since 2013 — family-owned, beautifully stocked, and the kind of place that earns its own reason to visit. An entire floor is devoted to children's books with a large toy train display. For race week specifically, it's worth noting that Northshire is currently featuring Tom Durkin's memoir on the art of race-calling — a fitting read to pick up before post time.
Off the Track
Five days straight days at the track might not be for everyone, so if you need a break highly recommend the Saratoga Spa State Park — less than a mile from the track — is the best answer to a slow morning or a non-racing afternoon.
The park is a National Historic Landmark, and it looks the part: classical brick architecture, shaded paths, mineral springs, and enough room to decompress between big days. For tennis, there are eight clay courts set in a peaceful, scenic setting — and play is free and open to all. For swimming, the park has two distinct options: the Peerless Pool Complex, with a zero-depth entry main pool, a waterslide pool, and a children's wading pool; and the Historic Victoria Pool, a smaller pool surrounded by arched promenades. Both pool areas have food and beverage service on site, which takes care of lunch without having to leave the grounds. It's also worth noting that the park is home to the Gideon Putnam Resort and the Roosevelt Baths and Spa — a useful address if a mineral bath sounds like the right way to end race day.
Saratoga Springs is not incidentally connected to horse racing — it is horse racing, in a way that very few places in the world can claim. Broadway fills up with people who actually know what they're watching. The hat game is real. The stakes races draw real horses. And for one more weekend, it's hosting the final leg of the Triple Crown.
Wherever you stay, go early, dress for it, and get to the rail for the big race.
