I'm going to Gulfstream or Tampa in march

[srdnaty]

I'm staying in Orlando for a week and a half and I’ve decided that I'm going go gulfstream park or head back to Tampa Bay Downs. A couple of years ago I went to Tampa Bay Downs, so I’m wondering if it’s worth an extra 2 hour drive to head down to Gulfstream Park. I'm more than willing to if the experience will be worth it. It looks like a much nicer track.

Also will traffic be horrible heading back to Orlando on a Friday night?



Any other advice would be great.

[boomman]

I'm staying in Orlando for a week and a half and I’ve decided that I'm going go gulfstream park or head back to Tampa Bay Downs. A couple of years ago I went to Tampa Bay Downs, so I’m wondering if it’s worth an extra 2 hour drive to head down to Gulfstream Park. I'm more than willing to if the experience will be worth it. It looks like a much nicer track.

Also will traffic be horrible heading back to Orlando on a Friday night?



Any other advice would be great.






naty: I live about 100 miles south of Tampa, so I can't say for certain what the Miami traffic would be like on a Friday night, but all I can tell you is ANYTIME I have gone there the traffic has been extremely heavy, so I don't recommend that. PM me if you decide to go to TBD (which makes the most sense given the close proximity to Orlando) and I'll see about setting you up with a box for the day............

Boomer

[1st time lasix]

Gulfstream is a long way from Orlando....most Florida tourists don't realize how big the state truly is. I go to GP once a year from 50 miles South of Tampa and I stay overnight in the moderately priced chain hotel accross the street. Really too far to go back and forth one day from Orlando for most people. They say this year the seating availablity is better {it was non-existent when it re-opened with slots}....but i haven't been there yet. Tampa Bay Downs is not GP but it is more open air ....cheaper and less crowded. Go to Tampa....straight across on I-4....maybe check out a restaurant....harborside or Ybor city as well. The Lightning play hockey downtown, the PGA tour hits Innisbrook and usually there is a round of the NCAA hoop tourny in March.

[Bubba X]

I'm staying in Orlando for a week and a half and I’ve decided that I'm going go gulfstream park or head back to Tampa Bay Downs. A couple of years ago I went to Tampa Bay Downs, so I’m wondering if it’s worth an extra 2 hour drive to head down to Gulfstream Park. I'm more than willing to if the experience will be worth it. It looks like a much nicer track.

Also will traffic be horrible heading back to Orlando on a Friday night?



Any other advice would be great.



I've done FT LAuderdale to ORlando by car at least 50 times. Orlo to GP is about 215 miles. You will make great time on the trip down if you travel in the morning. Going back, you can catch traffic getting out of town but really not too much. And getting back to Orando, it all depends. If you get back after 8:00, it's not bad at all. I'd figure 3:15 coming down and another 1/2 hour going back.

[speed]

Make sure you stay on the turnpike all the way down to Gulfstream. Not only is it a much easier drive but it is also about 10-15 miles shorter. Some jump on i-95 around Fort pierce to save a few bucks in tolls.

[pktruckdriver]

Let me ask those who may know.

If I was to stay for a few weeks or maximum a month, where would you stay and what do you think it would run for a week or month??


Places like Extended Stay, or another chain , or maybe go nightly rate, but that seems expensive, if one is trying to budget it''... of course?


What is available at GP or close by, as going ther will allow me sometime to go fishing out in the Gulfstream, as I love deep sea fishing, and the Gulfstream off Florida coast is the best place to do it, in my opinion, and the Gulfstream is closest off Miami area, as in the Keys one must go about 20 miles or so, and off Miami it is as close as a 1/2 mile in some spots, up to 2-3 miles max, leading to quicker trips and more fishing time.

Any suggestions would be nice, looking at maybe late March or early April, if not this year then next year for sure I hope...


Thanks
Patrick

[Zenyatta To Crush]

I'm staying in Orlando for a week and a half and I’ve decided that I'm going go gulfstream park or head back to Tampa Bay Downs. A couple of years ago I went to Tampa Bay Downs, so I’m wondering if it’s worth an extra 2 hour drive to head down to Gulfstream Park. I'm more than willing to if the experience will be worth it. It looks like a much nicer track.

Also will traffic be horrible heading back to Orlando on a Friday night?



Any other advice would be great.





I think that a 2 hour drive to Gulfstream is well worth your time if you pick the right day to go. If you went on March 28, you'd get to the see the Florida Derby and possibly next Kentucky Derby winner considering 2 out of the last 3 winners have won the Florida Derby.

I live in Minnesota but head down to the Miami area each year and try to get to Gulfstream once or twice. They have been doing a lot of construction at Gulfstream and it has been somewhat annoying over the past couple years, but its not too bad this year. The paddock area is probably one of the best in the nation. The general admission area does not have much standing room, so if you go there over the weekend, or on Florida Derby Day, I'd definitely try to buy a seat in the grandstand to avoid the crowds.

[Tribettor]

For someone going down to Gulfstream and looking for a place nearby for a weekly or monthly rental, I'd suggest one of the hotels by the Hollywood Beach boardwalk. The Hollywood Beach boardwalk area is about ten minutes from Gulfstream, down Collins Avenue to Hallandale Beach Blvd, to the track. And there's a dozen or so hotels that rent apartments by the day,week or month. Weekly rentals would be about $900 to $1200.

You're on the beach, the boardwalk is lively during the day, quiet at night, lots of restaurants, bars, and downtown Hollywood is about five minutes away and has a good nightlife.

Go to Google maps and focus in on the Hollywood Beach area between Hollywood blvd and Sheridan Ave. Put "hotels" in the search engine and start checking out websites.

[point given]

I stayed in a Panther Motel north of Ft.Lauderdale for a week or two years ago. It was walking distance to the beach,had its own kitchen/fridge etc. pool and easy access to I95. Not as close to gulfstream maybe 20 minutes but alot cheaper I think and was a safe area.

[rrbauer]

Gulfstream is a long way from Orlando....most Florida tourists don't realize how big the state truly is. I go to GP once a year from 50 miles South of Tampa and I stay overnight in the moderately priced chain hotel accross the street. Really too far to go back and forth one day from Orlando for most people. They say this year the seating availablity is better {it was non-existent when it re-opened with slots}....but i haven't been there yet. Tampa Bay Downs is not GP but it is more open air ....cheaper and less crowded. Go to Tampa....straight across on I-4....maybe check out a restaurant ....harborside or Ybor city as well. The Lightning play hockey downtown, the PGA tour hits Innisbrook and usually there is a round of the NCAA hoop tourny in March.

Alfredo's on Tampa Rd about a mile from the track. :ThmbUp:

[offtrack]

When I travel to Gulfstream, which I've done half a dozen times, I use the biddingfortravel web site to check prices. The Hampton Inn across the road from the track has been known to go for under 40/day on Priceline.

Between the two Florida track visit sites, the least expensive seems to be Tampa Bay.

[pktruckdriver]

Offtrack


A Hampton Inn for 40 a day is a awesome bargain, would they go for 40 a day for 14 days, maybe, or even 30 days?


You state this is priceline.com, don't they withhlod the hotel name from you till you pay, or something like that?

Or do you bid for it at Hotwire.com, isn't that the connected website to Priceline.com?

Again
Thanks

Patrick

[offtrack]

Go to the web site I mentioned when you get a chance. It reviews how to bid on priceline to the best effect.
Yes Priceline withholds the name of the hotel until you are accepted, But-
Lets say that the Hampton Inn is a level 2 hotel in Hollywood FL. On Priceline you bid for zones and price and dates. There may be only two level 2 hotels in Hollywood FL.
And only one that is accepting bids lower than $40.
When your bid is accepted you learn what hotel accepted your bid.

If you are not accepted, try again later.

Hotwire does not seem to have the best prices, although it is good.

I've traveled across country bidding on hotels a day way and getting great prices this way. I stayed for two weeks in Fort Lauderdale at a Marriott a few years ago at a great price. I commuted to Gulfstream every day, and some days the traffic was tremendous. I would definately try to stay closer to the track if I went again.

Shatner is right-

[ebcorde]

It's a great Place. I was there last month. They give you $25 dollars worth of chips to gamble free. Beers are $1. Live music and super super Hot chicks everywhere.

[CryingForTheHorses]

There are a ton of for rent signs on the little hotels 5 mins from GP..I pass them everyday and always comment to my wife on how I can believe there are so many For rent signs

[judd]

how far is tampa from sarasota? im going there in march

[rrbauer]

how far is tampa from sarasota? im going there in march

About 1 hr 45 min to the track from sota

[rrbauer]

Alfredo's on Tampa Rd about a mile from the track. :ThmbUp:

Glad I read my post....it's ALBERTO'S! DUH!!

[DrugS]

A couple of years ago I went to Tampa Bay Downs, so I’m wondering if it’s worth an extra 2 hour drive to head down to Gulfstream Park. Any other advice would be great.


Probably not.

I like Tampa's trifecta of degeneracy with the live horse racing in Oldsmar - from there I'd say catch the free admission at OZ's before getting over to Derby Lane for a 14 race dog card.

There are also many Sonny's BBQ's around ... which has a $7.99 all you can eat bbq chicken special that comes with two delicious sides and a big ole piece of corn bred with cinnamon spread that is insanely good. Without question ... the best place to eat in the US.

If you're going to eat in the clubhouse at Tampa ... be warned ... they've started charging extra for refills and for bread rolls.