relocating to albany area - any advice on downtown saratoga springs? (Schenectady: neighborhoods, to live)

[gehnknee]

My husband and I are considering relocating to the Albany area for work. We are only slightly familiar with the area. We both love downtown Saratoga Springs. Two question:

1) Are there any other cute, upscale downtown areas in/around Albany that we should be looking at? Anything that compares to Saratoga Springs?

2) I've heard downtown Saratoga Springs gets very congested during the peak tourist season. How inconvenient is this really? Bad enough to not want to live there?

[ckhthankgod]

I don't know if anyone would say it is upscale, but Delmar is a nice, walkable community. Schenectady's Upper Union area is alright and there are older neighborhoods of Niskayuna that are close by. Niskayuna is arguably the most upscale community in the area.

Ballston Spa is a nice, walkable village near Saratoga Springs that might work.

[Ellwood]

During racing season downtown Saratoga can be crowded, but you are still able to get around. There are many ways to "go around" downtown during those times. The outlying areas of Saratoga i.e. Town of Saratoga are nearby yet quiet areas with downtown very accessible (Moreau, Northunderland, Schuylerville, Gansevoort, Wilton, etc.).