Tips & Tricks to Get Through Saratoga Chowderfest [LIST]

I love local events where I can try a bunch of things but don't have to go very far, that's why I never miss Saratoga Chowderfest. The restaurants that participate are always fantastic but if you've never been, take it from a Chowderfest veteran and follow these tips.

Yes, there are a ton of places to eat chowder and it's always delicious but you don't have to have every single one. You have from 11:00 AM until 4:00 PM to eat as much chowder as you can, but pace yourself.

The best thing to do is find a friend who doesn't mind and split them. That way you each get a taste and you can afford more soup between the two of you and maybe you could get through them all.

Parking isn't going to be fun. Saratoga Chowderfest is in its 20th year and people have caught on to how great and delicious it is. It may seem like a pain at first but you'll thank me later, take a shuttle. You can take a shuttle from Wilton Mall (near Dick's entrance), the CDTA parking area at Saratoga Casino Hotel and if you ride with Lyft, new users get $20 in ride credit with the code CHOWDER18, according to Discover Saratoga.

Take a picture of the map and save it on your phone. You're going to be juggling a lot of things and believe me, that map is the first that's gonna go. Plus, you're most likely going to spill chowder on it or someone else will so just be prepared, save your data, and put the picture on your phone ahead of time.

The later you come to Chowderfest, the more lines you're going to have to wait in. The closer to 11:00 AM you get there, you'll be able to eat more chowder.

Make a game plan ahead of time. You may not want to try them all or there are some you really want to taste more than others. Figure it out in advance and save yourself the struggle while you're walking and trying to carry soup.

Don't forget, each cup is $1. Go to the ATM before you get there, no one likes ATM fees so why bother?