Recreation

• The Saratoga Race Course (nyra.com/index_saratoga.html) is perhaps the Mechanicville area's most well-known attraction. It's among the most famous racetracks in the nation, as well as the oldest, dating back to 1863. The Albany-Saratoga Speedway (albany-rsaratogaspeedway.com) is a NASCAR-approved raceway hosting races every Friday night. Six Flags Great Escape and Spashwater Kingdom (sixflags.com/greatEscape/index.aspx), the largest aquatic and theme park in the area, is open between May and October.
  
  

Parks

• Saratoga Spa State Park (saratogaspastatepark.org) is a National Historic Landmark known for its mineral springs and nature, walking and hiking trails. It also has a golf course, restaurant, and automobile museum onsite, among other amenities. The Adirondack Forest Preserve (dny.gov/lands/5263.html), a 2.9 million-acre protected forest area within the 6.1 million-acre Adirondack Park, is home to dozens of hiking and nature trails, as well as fishing, hunting, birdwatching, wildlife watching and camping opportunities. Outdoor enthusiasts with an interest in history can check out the Saratoga National Historic Park (nps.gov/sara/index.htm), which commemorates the 1777 Patriot victory over the English. The park includes a battlefield, General Philip Schuyler's house, and a climb to the top of the Saratoga Monument.
  
  

Winter Activities

• Given its location, the Mechanicville area receives quite a bit of snowfall in winter, so it attracts tourists interested in downhill and cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and other winter sports. For cross-country skiing, head to Adirondack Park's many ski trails, or hit the cross-country ski trails at Saratoga Spa State Park. Downhill ski aficionados can head to Gore Mountain Ski Resort (goremountain.com) or Oak Mountain Ski Resort (oakmountainski.com/oak), two of the dozens of area ski resorts, most of which also permit snowboarding and sledding.
  
  

Museums

• The National Museum of Racing (racingmuseum.org) is dedicated to the history of thoroughbred racing in the U.S. and also functions as the official National Thoroughbred Hall of Fame. The Children's Museum at Saratoga (childrensmuseumatsaratoga.org/index.php) features exhibits for the seven and under crowd, as well as activities for both younger and older kids. The Saratoga Springs History Museum (saratogahistory.org) is located in the old Canfield Casino in Congress Park and features Saratoga County history and rotating exhibits.