 Recommended by the New York Times, August 2007!!! |
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Saratoga Springs is arguably the most beautiful small city in the country. Regardless of the season, Derby Tours’ goal is to enhance the experience of those who visit. To accomplish our purpose we offer different services. The most common are:
There are hundreds of Victorian Era homes in Saratoga all of which are privately owned. A passenger on one of our bus tours remarked, “There are more mansions that you can actually see here (in Saratoga) than anyplace I have ever been.” He was right. Our fine homes are not hidden behind hedges or walls, they are visible to those who walk or drive by. There is a reason. Saratoga has always been about See and be Seen - seeing who else was in town and being seen yourself. That is probably why people still smile as they pass on Broadway. Anyone who visits Saratoga Springs needs to experience North Broadway, Union Avenue and Circular Street. You can walk or drive these streets alone; however, if your group of at least 15 seeks a guided Walking Tour look no further than Derby Tours. Besides the fact that our guides wear Victorian Era clothes, what makes our tours different is that we focus on the families that made these houses their homes. Since our research was mainly from old newspapers, many of the stories are scandals, which we have found most people secretly enjoy. Our Step on Bus Tours, in which we step on to your bus, lasts from 90 minutes to 2 hours. These can be catered to the interest of your group. The Batcheller Mansion Inn is without a doubt what the New York Times called “Saratoga’s Crowning Glory.” We offer groups a Tour and a Book which includes a tour of the mansion and a copy of one of Hollis’ books (he has written twelve). Our newest tour is a Victorian Day in Saratoga. The day consists of tours of two mansions, a tour of the city and a tour of the Saratoga Springs Historical Museum. Groups, especially those staying just out of the city at places such as Longfellow’s or the Gideon Putnam, have asked for slide presentations that could best be described as overviews of the city. We can either provide a step on tour or narrate an Armchair Tour. This is a slide presentation providing a brief history of Saratoga and explaining what they want to see during their down time. It is best to call us at 518-495-7012, to find out more about our presentations. Our principle guide is Hollis Palmer, a local historian and character. What other tour guide made the front page of the local section of four of the five regional newspapers in one year (he was relegated to page 2 of the fifth newspaper). The reason for Hollis’ success is that he has learned that when you take people back in time it makes history enjoyable (of course his humor helps). Call us at 518-495-7012 Or Click here for scheduling and rates. |
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