Pokemon Go! is rocking and rolling in Saratoga Springs! We have learned some things about the game that we want to share with other Trainers in the area.
Power Drains Quickly, Plan Ahead
Pokemon Go is an awesome App and great fun to play. And because of that, it drains your battery very quickly. Carrying a fully charged power brick with you as you play is a great way to keep your phone on while you’re walking around. You can buy extra batteries for some devices and switch them out as they get low. Get a good car charger and charge while you are driving to favorite Pokestop or while sitting in the car.
Up Your Trainer Level
As you gain XP you will level up your Trainer level. You can get XP in different ways:
Each Pokestop gives you 50xp, even if your backpack is full
Each Pokemon you catch gives you 100 XP
You can get extra XP for skillful throws (nice, great, curve ball)
If the Pokemon you catch is new to your Pokedex you get more XP
Each Pokemon you Evolve gives you 500 XP
Getting Stardust
Each time you catch a Pokemon you gain 100 Stardust
Different Pokemon require different amounts of Stardust to level up
Gain Stardust from Evolving Pokemon and Hatching Eggs
Gain Stardust from Battling Gyms
Stardust is universal and is used on any Pokemon
Poke Gyms will be 1 of 4 colors
Blue – the Gym is owned by Trainers in Team Mystic
Yellow – the Gym is owned by Trainers in Team Instinct
Red – the Gym is owned by Trainers in Team Valor
Gray – the Gym is unowned or just been beaten
you can try to get one of your Pokemon in the Gym quickly and take it over
Training your Pokemon
If you are on the team of the Gym color you can go into your gym and train. This means you get to battle against the Pokemon placed in the gym. Battling the Pokemon in your gym will not hurt them or reduce their HP. It will, however, reduce yours. Be sure to use a potion after training in a gym to keep your Pokemon at full health. Training in a gym of your color will help the gym become stronger.
If there is space in your gym, place one of your favorite or powerful Pokemon in there. You will get 10 coins for placing a Pokemon, pick those up by clicking the Shop and clicking the shield in the top right corner. You can only collect coins every 21 hours.
Battling your Pokemon
If you find a Gym that is NOT your color, you can hop in and battle. When you begin the battle the game will automatically choose your 6 highest level Pokemon. You can change them if you want. Then press GO and start your battle. You will battle each Pokemon in the Gym. If one of your Pokemon faints, the next in the list will automatically jump in.
If you defeat all the Pokemon in the Gym you can claim the Gym as your own. You need to place a Pokemon with FULL HEALTH in the Gym. If your most powerful Pokemon just did the battling, go to your items, choose a potion and click the Pokemon with low health until it is full again. Then you can place it in the Gym.
Pink Confetti Means the Pokestop is Lured
Lures can only be placed on a Pokestop. The idea is that for 30 minutes Pokemon will be drawn to that Pokestop. Hang out by a Lured Pokestop and wait to see who appears. The Pokemon being Lured will not show in the Nearby Window but just appear. You can place one of your Lures or enjoy the benefits of someone else’s Lure.
Walk Around to get the most from an Incense
You can enable an Incense which will draw Pokemon to you and you alone. The best way to utilize an Incense is to walk around. If you just stand still it doesn’t seem to bring the Pokemon to you as well as when you walk. We have not found any benefit to hanging out near a Lured Pokestop while Incensed.
Broadway and Congress Park area Poke-Heaven for Trainers in Saratoga Springs! There seems to always be Lured Pokestops in downtown Saratoga as well as multiple Gyms to try your skills or train your Pokemon. Check out our other posts about the Best Places to Find Pokemon and what Pokemon Go is like in downtown Saratoga Springs.
Everything you need to know for successful visit to the Saratoga Springs Race Course
This is our 2nd summer living in Saratoga. Last summer we were here for “Track Season”, but I was never brave enough to check it out. I didn’t know where to park, where to buy tickets, where to walk in. I was afraid I would wear the wrong clothes or not fit in.
So this summer, I will learn everything I need to know about how to go to the Race Course and share it with you! I will be able to give you all the information you need to know to have a successful trip to the Saratoga Race Course.
The Track Season for 2016 runs from July 22nd to September 5, with Tuesdays being closed. The first race each day, also called post time, is at 1:00pm. Then the races run about every half hour after that. Some days have 11 races and some have 9.
Entrance to the Park
It costs $5 or $8 for entrance into the Park. This allows you to walk all around the grounds including throughout the Grandstand building. You can enjoy the shops, boutiques, art vendors, food vendors and the races. There are jumbotron type TVs and smaller TVs under red and white striped umbrellas out in the backyard. If you pay $8 entrance to the park, you also have access to the clubhouse.
Welcome sign at the Saratoga Race Course
Buy Tickets
Entrance to the Park does not include a reserved (assigned) seat in the Grandstand or Clubhouse. If you want to buy a reserved seat in the Grandstand or a Clubhouse seat there is an additional cost. The prices for the different days on the NYRA website.
You can purchase admission ($5 or $8) right at the gate, cash or credit. Just walk to a turnstile, there will be a admissions clerk waiting to help you.
At the ticket windows/box office at Gates A and B you can purchase:
Reserved seats in the Grandstand
Reserved seats in the Clubhouse
Reserve a table at Fourstardave Restaurant
All of these can also be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com. Just print your ticket and bring it with you. You can also call NYRA directly to buy tickets over the phone at 1-844-NYRA-TIX.
Picnic Tables
Another thing that I learned is that almost all of the wooden picnic tables in the backyard area are available to the public, but they are on a first come first serve basis. The Park opens at 7am so people can claim a table. They put down table cloths or chairs or coolers to show that the table is claimed. Then at a certain time before gates open for the day, the Race Course announces that it’s time to leave and everyone who came in early leaves to come back in once the gates open.
There are many, many wooden picnic tables in the backyard area. It’s better to use a patterned tablecloth instead of a solid color because it will be easier to see your saved table. Great tip: Tie balloons of a character, symbol or specific color to help you see your table from afar and help others in your party find you easier.
Bring your Cooler
Coolers are allowed at the Saratoga Race Course. You can bring your own drinks, including alcohol, but no glass is allowed. You can bring your own food but you can NOT bring any sort of cooking or heating equipment. The Race Course asks that you do not bring coolers inside the Grandstand or Clubhouse buildings,the entire Backyard area is a great place for coolers.
Smoking Allowed
I assumed that there would be a no smoking policy anywhere at the track, but that is not the case. The rule at the Race Course is that if you look up and see the sky, you can smoke. The track does not allow anyone to smoke if they are under any type of awning, covering or roof.
Free WiFi
To access the free WiFi at the Saratoga Race Course, look for “NYRA” in your WiFi list, it’s the only option I have on my list.
Parking is a tricky topic. There is free parking across Union Street, but it is a crazy long walk! You can park in closer lots, but for a fee. NYRA has a page with information about the different places to park and the fees. There are places to park all around the track. People who live near the track charge people to park in their yards. It might be a good idea to drive around a bit before you decide where to park.
I hope you enjoy your day at the Historic Saratoga Race Course! If you have questions while you are visiting, the staff is very friendly and helpful.
Pokemon Go at Saratoga Race Course, is really Pokemon No
Saratoga Track Season: the busy 6 weeks in July and August where the environment of Saratoga Springs changes into a hugely busy tourist town welcoming visitors from all over.
Track season is upon us. How does track season play into the Pokemon Go fun? The answer is, it really doesn’t. It is hard to find Pokemon inside the gates of the Saratoga Springs Race Course. You would think that Pokemon and Horses would go well together, but here they just don’t.
There are 3 Pokestops at the Saratoga Race Track:
Saratoga Springs Race Course Entrance Sign
This Pokestop can be reached from Union Street while walking or driving by. The large Saratoga Springs Race Track sign in the front of the track is a Pokestop. Since there are often kids in front of the gates selling waters during track season, this Pokestop is often Lured.
Stepping Stone Flower Pot
There are 2 stepping stones with flowers in the Saratoga Race Course Park. The one you want is near Gate A. If you walk through Gate A and continue towards the Grandstands there is a large vase of flowers on the right. The vase and the rock platform it sits on is a Pokestop. If you are coming from somewhere else in the park, the Pokestop is in front of the Grandstand, near the Time Warner Pavilion and near Gate A.
The Big Red Spring
Another Pokestop at the Saratoga Springs Rack Course is the Big Red Spring. This spring is in the far corner of the backyard of the track behind the Paddock area. It is believed that taking a sip from the Big Red Spring will bring you good luck. I have found some tasty springs in Saratoga, this is NOT one of them.
Catching Pokemon at Saratoga Race Course
As for catching Pokemon, you can’t. When walking through the Race Course area, there are no moving leaves, no Pokemon popping up and the nearby list is nearly always completely blank.
The only time Pokemon appear (for me) at the Saratoga Race Course is when someone puts a Lure on one of the Pokestops. The Pokestops are Lured often and I have caught Poliwags and a Goldeen.
Let us know what Pokemon you have seen or caught in the Saratoga Race Course? Is your nearby blank? Can you only find Pokemon when there is a Lure set? Help all your fellow trainers by leaving us info in the comments!
Saratoga Springs is a hot spot for playing Pokemon Go! There are many awesome Pokemon sites in the Saratoga Area. There is an overwhelming amount of Poke Stops all down Broadway and in the State Parks. (more…)
