About going to The Preakness

[Tex9Down]

My wife and I are thinking about going to The Preakness. We've been to Pimlico once before and had a great time. (won a little on Icabad Crane in the Tesio Stakes) Who has been to the Preakness and any advice? We are prepared for the crowd. We want seats, not the in-field. We could stay in a hotel the night before or the night of or we can drive home. Our concerns are traffic, parking, getting to the betting windows and crowds leaving. We know on site parking is limited and there's some "Park Here in my Yard" places to park? Does anyone know of any off-site parking and shuttles to and from the track? Hotel package with shuttle to the track? Anything else we need to know?

Any happy experiences? Any bad experiences? Thanks for any input from anyone who has been or is planning on going..........

[cj's dad]

Secure seats first, then get back to me and I can help you with the

"where to stay and how to get to and from" part.

[miesque]

I have attended the Preakness several times and will be there again this year. Each time I have gone we have had the exact same seats, Grandstand Upper Reserved (which is the green area http://www.preakness.com/ticket which has a decent view and the beautiful thing is its inside so there is air conditioning and you are out of the sun and its a pretty good experience overall for the price when you are at the track. Its nothing all that fancy where the seats are located on the stretch is great and that is the most important factor for me. In addition, when you are in that section, you don't feel crowded, I have never had issues waiting for the bathroom (that may be because the Ladies room is kinda hidden) and the wager/alcohol lines are reasonable upstairs (downstairs is well wall to wall people). As far as parking we have done the Clubhouse Valet and Clubhouse Parking, either work fine. Both take longer than you would think to leave. I personally would never park in the neighborhood surrounding Pimlico and would never advise people to do so as I consider it the biggest negative when I think of Pimlico. I know there are a lot of Police around on Preakness Day but I would never go to the Preakness (or Pimlico for that matter) if it required me wandering through the neighborhood.

[Spalding No!]

I personally would never park in the neighborhood surrounding Pimlico and would never advise people to do so as I consider it the biggest negative when I think of Pimlico. I know there are a lot of Police around on Preakness Day but I would never go to the Preakness (or Pimlico for that matter) if it required me wandering through the neighborhood.

Worse than Aqueduct?

[Cardus]

At this point, obtaining a downtown hotel reservation will be difficult, but if you can find one, it will be a huge benefit, for you should be able to take a shuttle or cab to the track easily if you leave early enough on Saturday morning. It's much easier than using mass transit, though using mass transit is not a terrible way to go.

Otherwise, friends of mine have stayed in Hunt (or Hunts?) Valley, north of Baltimore. (I stayed there only once, my other trips have been downtown.)

Also, if you obtained tickets inside, that would be great, but don't count on it. The apron seats are now way overpriced, but you will probably land there if seating is still available.

And yes, the area around Pimlico might be worse than the neighborhood surrounding Aqueduct. Keep in mind, though, that the neighborhood surrounding Pimlico is much closer to the track than is Aqueduct's neighborhood due to the roads and subway line, which means that you see much more of the dilapidated homes as you enter Pimlico.

Don't let the neighborhood bother you on Preakness Day, though.

[miesque]

I have gone the Hunt Valley (Embassy Suites Hunt Valley) and Timonium (Crowne Plaza) route for the Preakness and the Inner Harbour (InterContinental) for a non-Preakness visit Pimlico. It is quite nice to stay downtown, but the prices are nosebleed Preakness weekend (not to mention well booked in advance). If you want to stay somewhere decent on a budget Hunt Valley/Timonium is the way to go and you can still head down to the Inner Harbour to have dinner one of the nights you are in town.

Regarding the Pimlico surrounding neighborhood, Cardus was on the mark with his comments. At Pimlico you can watch the row of crack houses behind the backstretch slowly collapsing from your grandstand seat. (I know some don't like that comment, but that is the I vibe looking out over it from my seat). Also you get to spend a lot of time in your car sitting in traffic while absorbing the "ambience" of the surrounding neighborhood and leaving you also get to see a lot of drunk kids staggering around (which there should be no shortage of this year with the All You Can Drink Beer for $20). Its totally fine once you are inside Pimlico and actually I think Pimlico does a decent job considering its an old facility that needs a lot of money sunk into it and its surrounding environment.

[OTM Al]

Worse than Aqueduct?

Not sure what part of the homes around Aqueduct you talk of, but I've walked around Aqueduct and at least on the side I was on, they are nice middle-class homes.

[ronsmac]

I live in a suburb of Baltimore and haven't been to Pimlico in 5 yrs. Everything about Pimlico is sub par. The neighborhood, the facilites and the management.

[bisket]

My wife and I are thinking about going to The Preakness. We've been to Pimlico once before and had a great time. (won a little on Icabad Crane in the Tesio Stakes) Who has been to the Preakness and any advice? We are prepared for the crowd. We want seats, not the in-field. We could stay in a hotel the night before or the night of or we can drive home. Our concerns are traffic, parking, getting to the betting windows and crowds leaving. We know on site parking is limited and there's some "Park Here in my Yard" places to park? Does anyone know of any off-site parking and shuttles to and from the track? Hotel package with shuttle to the track? Anything else we need to know?

Any happy experiences? Any bad experiences? Thanks for any input from anyone who has been or is planning on going..........
definately have dinner at phillips seafood restaurant, and ask for the crab imperial. you won't regret it. walking around pimlico on preakness day isn't really dangerous, although i could see how some would be intimidated. i wouldn't attend the race if you don't have reserved seats. some vocabulary words in case you get lost, and ask for directions ;)
up ere is north
down ere is south
over dere could be east or west
have fun

[PhantomOnTour]

You can park in a residential neighborhood around Pimlico on Preakness day. I've been doing it for 10yrs without paying a dime, but you gotta get there by about 9am. The place to go is across Northern Pkwy which is off the far turn. Cross into that neighborhood on Pimlico Road and go about 2 blocks & start looking for a place. DO NOT park in the neighborhood near the grandstand or anywhere off the clubhouse turn parking lot.

Great place to stay and a beauty drive to Pimlico is in Reisterstown or Glyndon. You're about 30mins from the track. Find Greenspring Valley Road and it will take you smack into Northern Pkwy...in fact, Greenspring turns into Pimlico Road, which intersects Northern Pkwy right at the track.
Once on Greenspring in Resterstown it's a straight shot to the track...you make a grand total of zero turns...oh yeah, it takes you right by Sagamore Farms, and ya might wanna swang on through & have a look. Nothing gets me ready for the races like a drive past some old horse farms.

As for seating; well I've never been anywhere but the old grandstand (which they could renovate with a match, if ya know what I mean) and I love it. It's a spot where I never watch races from. I sit btw the 1/8 pole and 3/16 pole and it's neat...they are really driving at that point...good action.

Good luck and PM me if you have any specific questions.

[hencicleva]

I went last year, and due to the alcohol restrictions I think, there were zero traffic issues going in and out. Going again this year with the whole familly, I hope the relaxed rules don't make it too much of a zoo.

[tanner12oz]

ive been every year since afleet alex won....

up until last year your concerns of crowds, parking and mayhem were valid....they banned bringing booze last year and you would have thought they banned people cuz it was like a ghost town. supposedly there are all you can drink tickets this year so i expect a better turnout this year but nothing like in the earlier in the decade....i stay with a relative so i cant help you on hotels BUT there is a shuttle that you can take...we catch the park and catch the shuttle in Timonium....i think it might be 5 bucks round trip free parking in the lot. so if i were you i would do the same and just find a hotel remotely close to Timonium...i imagine alot of the hotels are filling up so the longer you wait the further away your going to be. the shuttle leaving the track usually sucks but thats it doesnt matter what mode of transportation you take its going to suck. pimlico is dump so don't expect to be floored by the beauty of the track. lemme know if you have more questions...as much as pimlico sucks i look forward to the preakness every year

[hazzardm]

I went last year, and due to the alcohol restrictions I think, there were zero traffic issues going in and out. Going again this year with the whole familly, I hope the relaxed rules don't make it too much of a zoo.

Unlimited beer not a zoo???? I would not bring my family within 10 miles of the place. I myself would would be ahead of the price by 11:30 a.m.

[Tex9Down]

Thanks for all the responses. We bought tickets in the Grandstand Concourse. Not the best seats I suppose but they fit our budget. We're going to see some great horses we hope. We bought a parking pass so that's out of the way. We booked a room in Hunt Valley, thanks again for the advice.


I wanted to post a question about binoculars in the forum but didn't see an appropriate area? We have a couple of compact 8x small field of view binoculars for sports and bird watching out the back window. What's the best type for horse racing? Not too heavy, something to carry around the neck all day, but something to see the horses on the back stretch and the post parade. Any thoughts? Love this site. Thanks for any advice!

[tanner12oz]

enjoy yourself....focus on the horses not the facilities and you'll have a good time...ill be on the rail around 200 yards from the finish line

[miesque]

Thanks for all the responses. We bought tickets in the Grandstand Concourse. Not the best seats I suppose but they fit our budget. We're going to see some great horses we hope. We bought a parking pass so that's out of the way. We booked a room in Hunt Valley, thanks again for the advice.


I wanted to post a question about binoculars in the forum but didn't see an appropriate area? We have a couple of compact 8x small field of view binoculars for sports and bird watching out the back window. What's the best type for horse racing? Not too heavy, something to carry around the neck all day, but something to see the horses on the back stretch and the post parade. Any thoughts? Love this site. Thanks for any advice!

Thanks for the binocular reminder, the last few racing trips I have not needed one so your question prompted me to find mine and put them in my suitcase for Preakness/Fasig Tipton now so I don't forget in my last minute packing whirlwind. I use a compact Bushnell with settings of 27X/18X/9X which is not optimal but it does a good enough job and does not take up too much room. The really good racing binoculars are just too big for me to want haul around, but several of the bigger tracks do have those types of binoculars available for rental (I have never done it) and they may have that option at Pimlico (if so you would obviously have to show up early since there are a limited number compared to the size of the crowd).

On a side note I ask which hotel Hunt Valley hotel you booked? I am at the Hunt Valley Embassy Suites this year.

[Grits]

Tex9Down, the small 8xs are nice, as you say, for home, and closer outdoor viewing. Love my backyard birds in all their seasons! I have a pair of Nikon 8xs as well.

They've gone with me many times to the races, watching the post parade and the stretch runs. They aren't strong enough, though, for the view you're looking for down the track's backstretch run.

You may want to consider another pair that's much better for the track. Canon 10 x 30 ISs. I bought a pair of these a few years ago. They allow far more light in, which makes a big difference in your better binocs. They're magnification is stronger, of course, and they have an image stabilizer. This is a great feature in an excited crowd!! They're lightweight enough not to be burdensome and will be fine around your neck throughout the day. About six inches in length, they come with a well padded case. They're pricey, in the $450 to $500 range, still, far less than the comparable Zeiss. And, they'll last a lifetime. Love 'em, they're worth every penny paid.

Here's an online link, or if you have a Ritz Camera nearby, its where I purchased. Good luck, and check out prices if you like them.

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=128&modelid=7375