Roosevelt Baths & Spa (Saratoga Springs) - New York

Did you know that there are mineral springs in New York?

It is a cold natural spring with powerful carbonated water.

I took a soak in a historic bath house established in 1935.

Drinking at Saratoga Springs

A three-hour drive north from Manhattan.

I arrived in Saratoga Springs, the turning point of the American Revolutionary War and a city full of key words: horse racing, luxury resorts, and the birthplace of potato chips.

Around High Rock Park

The reason I came to this town was, of course, the mineral springs.

There are 21 drinking fountains within walking distance.

Why are there so many?

In the early 1900s, when modern medicine was still in its infancy, people in the U.S. believed that drinking from mineral springs contributed to better health.

I started off in the High Rock Park area on the northern edge of the downtown.

Congress Park

Located in the busiest part of the downtown is the Congress Park.

This park is the site of a former mineral water bottling plant, which was a symbol of prosperity with a huge casino and a luxurious hotel on the premises.

I thought the interesting thing about the fountains in Saratoga Springs was that even though they were densely populated, the taste obviously varied from place to place.

It was strong in iron, salty, carbonated, or easy to drink.

Saratoga Spa State Park

A prime example of an easy drinking source is State Seal Spring.

It tasted like mild mineral water.

Locals visited this place incessantly, filling the plastic containers they brought with them.

Hathorne Spring No. 3 can be a representative of a hard-to-drink water.

The vicious gore was addictive.

Saratoga Spa State Park, on the southern edge of the downtown, was a very pleasant place to take a walk.

In addition to the numerous drinking fountains, there were also geysers.

At the Island Spouter, the natural springs were always spouting several feet high in the middle of the river.

Heated water with bubbles

If you brought your own glass and tasted waters as if you were a sommelier, you could enjoy a whole day.

But don't forget that you can also soak at Saratoga Springs.

Founded in 1935, Roosevelt Bath & Spa takes its name from Franklin Roosevelt, the 32nd President of the United States.

This magnificent bathhouse was built as part of the New Deal economic policy to overcome the Great Depression.

It is operated as part of the Gideon Putnam Resort & Spa in Saratoga Spa State Park.

Stepping into the lobby, I was surprised by the fancy ambience.

Advance reservation is required to use this service.

This can be done online at the Official website, so don't forget to do so before your trip.

There are various plans for massage and beauty treatments, but for just soaking, it was $35.00 for 20 minutes and $45.00 for 40 minutes per person (as of this writing).

I felt it was a bit expensive, but considering the historical value, I got satisfied.

There was a drinking fountain on the right side of the photo, so don't forget to taste it here as well.

Capybara

I'm so full.

Oh, you look happy.

Alpaca

The bathrooms were all private and there were 42 of them.

Once I was quickly escorted by a staff to the designated private room, I was left alone for the rest of the time.

A massage bed was set up in the center of the room, and fluffy towels were provided.

A large tub was located at the end of the room, and amber-colored water was fed from the beginning.

The temperature at the point of gush was about 50 degrees F, and like the other sources at Saratoga Springs, it was a cold spring.

This water was heated by the boiler, and the cold spring water could be mixed in the tub.

The cold water hadn't lost its carbon dioxide content and was very sizzling.

The water outlet was at the bottom of the tub and bubbles came out like a jacuzzi.

In 2007, the New York Post reported that the spa had been running tap water under false pretenses for 20 years, and thanks to this, the service has improved.

Now, I was able to enjoy the heated but powerful spring water.

Summary

Official website