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Booking a Kentucky Derby trip - FBG expertise needed! (1 Viewer)

Judge Smails

Judge Smails

Footballguy
Looking to go to the Kentucky Derby next year.  Looking for FBG guidance.

1) Itin - We were thinking flying from CA on Wed.  Do something like a bourbon trail/horse farm type day on Thursday including maybe out towards Lexington.  Kentucky Oaks on Fri, Derby on Sat, fly home on Sunday.  Ideal or should we shift that thinking?

2) Lodging - I know rooms are tough to come by.  2 years ago I was able to use Marriott points to book the downtown Marriott (unfortunately I had to cancel).  Is that a good spot? Anywhere downtown? Marriott hasn't opened up May 2022 dates yet. I know there are hotels closer to Churchill Downs but I'd like to be walking distance of the action (bars, restaurants, etc).  Some friends of mine have done VRBO etc to get a bigger house.  Good option? If so what are ideal areas?

3) Activities - any recommendations on a bourbon trail/horse farm type of day?

4) Restaurants

5) Parties - we'd like to go to some of the charity events with music/food. Any you recommend and how do we get tickets?

6) Oaks/Derby tickets.  Any recommendations? Want relatively good tickets.  No sure if the VIP experiences are the way to go or worth it. I know there are sites like this for packages.  Anybody have better connections?

https://derbyexperiences.com/kentucky-derby-2022

Any recommendations appreciated! 

 
You’re correct not to stay near the track.  Downtown is fine and relatively convenient, though the best restaurants and fun neighborhoods tend to be in areas to the east of there.  If you rent a house instead, look in Clifton/Frankfort Avenue or Highlands/Bardstown Road areas.  

I haven’t been there, but my cousin’s restaurant seems to win all kinds of awards:  La Chasse.  Known for their cocktails, too.

Speaking of cocktails, don’t miss Hell or High Water, one of the coolest speakeasies I’ve ever been to.  You have to make a reservation even though, yes, it’s a bar.  You also do a quiz before you go in.  Altogether unique experience.

ETA:  lots of other great restaurants.  I’ll post more suggestions when you’re getting closer to the date.

 
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I lived in Lexington for years.  My two cents:

For lodging, one of the best experiences you will find is to stay downtown in the Gratz park inn area.  Hotels are hotels all over the world and the Mariott is the Mariott and nice but if you want a unique experience that is very cool and screams Kentucky Derby vibes, try the Gratz Park area and nearby.  They are small, quaint, have character. Can't be beAt and that puts you in walking distance of the campuses which means fun, bars, food, etc.  Book EARLY.

For things to do, the bourbon trail tours are cool if you're really into bourbon but you're going to invest a lot of your day into it.  But if you do, I'd try one of the ones near Frankfort.

If it were me, my activity of choice would easily be to go to Keeneland horse race track in Lexington.  It is THE thing to do on Derby weekend in Lexington.

Also consider the horse farms.  They are nice to tour.  Paris Pike road and Taylor farms are nice. 

Food-Tony's steak house or Chris Ruth.  There are lots of good places to eat in Lexington that you won't find everywhere but those two are the crem de la crem or however you say it.  If you go to Tony's you MUST try the bourbon whipped sweet potatoes.  It will change your life.  You must also reserve EARLY.  Can't emphasize enough.  It's a tough gig to get.  

You will hear people say Malone's, Azurs, Dudley's, etc, but they are a clear tier down.  If you go to The Summit complex there is a group of nice restaurants and J. Alexander's tends to be great if you're a steak guy that likes good wine pairings.  

Also, at Keeneland, you can actually do a very nice meal there in either the Phoenix or Lexington room.  Both are reservation/coat and tie affairs but give good food and great atmosphere (you can watch the races from inside the rooms because they oversight the track).  

At the event itself avoid the inner pit.  If you're a college kid it's cool but if you're more "mature", it's a pain and if it rains it's nasty.  

Hope that helps.  

 
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Shutout said:
I lived in Lexington for years.  My two cents:

For lodging, one of the best experiences you will find is to stay downtown in the Gratz park inn area.  Hotels are hotels all over the world and the Mariott is the Mariott and nice but if you want a unique experience that is very cool and screams Kentucky Derby vibes, try the Gratz Park area and nearby.  They are small, quaint, have character. Can't be beAt and that puts you in walking distance of the campuses which means fun, bars, food, etc.  Book EARLY.

For things to do, the bourbon trail tours are cool if you're really into bourbon but you're going to invest a lot of your day into it.  But if you do, I'd try one of the ones near Frankfort.

If it were me, my activity of choice would easily be to go to Keeneland horse race track in Lexington.  It is THE thing to do on Derby weekend in Lexington.

Also consider the horse farms.  They are nice to tour.  Paris Pike road and Taylor farms are nice. 

Food-Tony's steak house or Chris Ruth.  There are lots of good places to eat in Lexington that you won't find everywhere but those two are the crem de la crem or however you say it.  If you go to Tony's you MUST try the bourbon whipped sweet potatoes.  It will change your life.  You must also reserve EARLY.  Can't emphasize enough.  It's a tough gig to get.  

You will hear people say Malone's, Azurs, Dudley's, etc, but they are a clear tier down.  If you go to The Summit complex there is a group of nice restaurants and J. Alexander's tends to be great if you're a steak guy that likes good wine pairings.  

Also, at Keeneland, you can actually do a very nice meal there in either the Phoenix or Lexington room.  Both are reservation/coat and tie affairs but give good food and great atmosphere (you can watch the races from inside the rooms because they oversight the track).  

At the event itself avoid the inner pit.  If you're a college kid it's cool but if you're more "mature", it's a pain and if it rains it's nasty.  

Hope that helps.  
Click to expand...
Awesome.  Is Keeneland even open then? I thought they shut down the week before the Derby

 
Shutout said:
I lived in Lexington for years.  My two cents:

For lodging, one of the best experiences you will find is to stay downtown in the Gratz park inn area.  Hotels are hotels all over the world and the Mariott is the Mariott and nice but if you want a unique experience that is very cool and screams Kentucky Derby vibes, try the Gratz Park area and nearby.  They are small, quaint, have character. Can't be beAt and that puts you in walking distance of the campuses which means fun, bars, food, etc.  Book EARLY.

For things to do, the bourbon trail tours are cool if you're really into bourbon but you're going to invest a lot of your day into it.  But if you do, I'd try one of the ones near Frankfort.

If it were me, my activity of choice would easily be to go to Keeneland horse race track in Lexington.  It is THE thing to do on Derby weekend in Lexington.

Also consider the horse farms.  They are nice to tour.  Paris Pike road and Taylor farms are nice. 

Food-Tony's steak house or Chris Ruth.  There are lots of good places to eat in Lexington that you won't find everywhere but those two are the crem de la crem or however you say it.  If you go to Tony's you MUST try the bourbon whipped sweet potatoes.  It will change your life.  You must also reserve EARLY.  Can't emphasize enough.  It's a tough gig to get.  

You will hear people say Malone's, Azurs, Dudley's, etc, but they are a clear tier down.  If you go to The Summit complex there is a group of nice restaurants and J. Alexander's tends to be great if you're a steak guy that likes good wine pairings.  

Also, at Keeneland, you can actually do a very nice meal there in either the Phoenix or Lexington room.  Both are reservation/coat and tie affairs but give good food and great atmosphere (you can watch the races from inside the rooms because they oversight the track).  

At the event itself avoid the inner pit.  If you're a college kid it's cool but if you're more "mature", it's a pain and if it rains it's nasty.  

Hope that helps.  
Click to expand...
I'm really confused. Gratz Park is in Lexington, not Louisville.  Are you recommending we stay there for a Kentucky Derby trip? Isn't that a haul to Churchill Downs?

 
Judge Smails said:
I'm really confused. Gratz Park is in Lexington, not Louisville.  Are you recommending we stay there for a Kentucky Derby trip? Isn't that a haul to Churchill Downs?
Click to expand...
It's a short drive and, imo, Lexington is a lot more convenient for a couple days around the Derby.  There's so much going on in Louisville at Derby time that Lexington is just a less hassle.  But if you are in Louisville, 4th Street is the activity center to be at, of course.  

 
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Ahhhh, 4th Street is pretty much the last place I'd want to go in Louisville, so maybe this isn't the thread for me.  Judge, if you end up renting and want advice on a particular locale, or anything else, feel free to PM me.

 
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Thanks Krista. We’re wide open for suggestions as to how to do this trip right. Don’t want to make rookie mistakes

 
I’ve been twice (super saver and I’ll have another). one was for a bachelor party and the other time was basically just a drunken guy’s weekend (was actually supposed to be a couples trip but several of the wives came down with a bout of pregnancy and it was down to just my wife and my buddys wife who barely knew each other so we convinced them to stay home)

anyway start looking at hotels now, they may not be up yet but should be soon.  I’d say anything within the loops is fine (I think that’s the nickname for the freeways that run around the city)

I used to go on business a lot too but that was like 15+ years ago, so hard to recommend specific restaurants and my derby trips were usually like chicken wings for dinner and then hit the strip club

we did do one nice dinner at one of the casinos in Indiana

I think Churchill downs website has a link to sign up for tickets, not sure how it has been last few years with the COVID

Not sure budget but I’d say try for 300 level of you can swing it

so unfortunately I’ve probably done different style trips than what you’re looking for, but :white star: for the thread in case I can contribute 

 
Oh i know you like to bet, my recommendation is if you are driving and parking or taking a cab/Uber is to stay and play the 2 races after.  All the derby day crowd will clear out and only the true degens will be around so traffic will be much lighter by the time you leave

 
Dan Lambskin said:
Oh i know you like to bet, my recommendation is if you are driving and parking or taking a cab/Uber is to stay and play the 2 races after.  All the derby day crowd will clear out and only the true degens will be around so traffic will be much lighter by the time you leave
Click to expand...
Oh I'll be there for the full monty. 

 
krista4 said:
It is not.

:bulldolls:
Click to expand...
i stayed at a motel 6 one of the years, so take my opinion with a grain of salt, but our main goal was affordable lodging 

if he’s getting there prior to post of race 1 and staying through the end he really shouldn’t have an issue with transportation / parking, so probably opens him up to a bigger radius of hotel options

Indiana side is definitely in play too

 
It’s on! Have been checking hotels every day for 3 months. Everything was sold out, likely reserved for packages. I started booking outside of downtown just to get something. Kept looking to get closer. Nabbed 2 rooms at one of the Marriott properties right in the thick of it downtown using points. Leaving Tuesday, flying back Sunday. Flights booked too. Plan is 2 days of bourbon trail, horse farm, Ali museum etc then Oaks on Fri and Derby on Saturday. 
Since I got the rooms for free and flights were reasonable we are going to spend money to get great seats (covered, hospitality with food and drink etc). Then just fill out the week with dinners and parties. Bucket list trip! 

 
Flying home. What an epic bucket list trip! Highly recommend. In my opinion it is the best run mega event on earth - if you do it right. They just have it down to a science. Getting in and out was a breeze. Hospitality rooms were awesome.  Premium food, open bar, great great bands and meet and greet with jockeys (I have pictures with Gary Stevens and Chris McCarron). Never had to wait for more than 30 seconds to bet on both Oaks and Derby days. The food/drink situation is genius. Everything included. Buffets but also all of their normal stands. Want a beer? Grab one out of an open fridge. The lines all moved quickly because the workers just hand you your order. No financial transaction. 150,000 people and you don’t have to wait for a thing. 

SO much fun getting dressed up. We did it to the nines on both days. Pink suit on Oaks Day. Took tons of pictures and the girls absolutely loved it.  Me and Mrs Smails even made TV - when Mike Tirico closed out an opening segment he said everyone is getting ready for the Derby. Then it showed me and Mrs getting our picture taken in front of the roses display. Slowly zoomed in on us. Our phones blew up as everyone sent pictures and videos. So cool.

Going with 3 couples or 6 people is the ticket  as you want to get a whole box for your group.

We booked everything except hotels through Derby Experiences. Including the Fillies and Lilies party. Used points to get the Louisville Marriott.  Key - as downtown rooms go for $700-$1200 Derby week. My advice to anyone even thinking about going next year is to get rooms reservations like now.  As soon as they open it up.  I checked every day and originally booked rooms 10 miles outside town and then kept moving closer as inventory opened up a little.  But get downtown if you can.  Walked everywhere except to the Highlands/Bardstown Road (great area). 

Restaurants were great. Booked far in advance. Jeff Ruby’s and Seviche were sensational. Repeal was very good. The Eagle was great for after Derby southern cooking (great fried chicken). Also had lunches at Merle’s Whiskey Kitchen and Doc Crowes. Had a Hot Brown at the Brown Hotel. All good. 

We did a best of Kentucky tour. 1/2 day horse farm outside of Lexington, lunch, then 1/2 day bourbon distillery tour. Loved all of it. Seeing where Derby champions I’ve bet on like Street Sense were foaled was awesome. And we saw champion mares with babies who were as young as 5 days old. Got to feed them carrots. The sheer beauty of horse country is astounding. Also did a day of Louisville Slugger and Muhammad Ali museum tours  

Tasted a LOT of Bourbon. Some really good stuff. Old Forrester release day was yesterday and people camped out for 2 days to buy $200 bottles that they could sell for $1400 to other people in line. College kids mostly - enterprising way to make a buck. 

Just a huge party. So much buzz on Oaks and Derby days. And the people were very cool. Won’t be my last time!

 
My wife and I have been discussing a trip like this for a few years now.  Neither of us are horse racing aficionados but we always watch the Derby. We both love bourbon and Kentucky is the only state she has never been to----so it's a must.

I just read your trip summary to her and she is now completely in.  We're going to start planning it---probably not for next year but definitely within 5.  Thanks for the vicarious Derby trip!  It sounds fantastic.

 
Judge Smails said:
Flying home. What an epic bucket list trip! Highly recommend. In my opinion it is the best run mega event on earth - if you do it right. They just have it down to a science. Getting in and out was a breeze. Hospitality rooms were awesome.  Premium food, open bar, great great bands and meet and greet with jockeys (I have pictures with Gary Stevens and Chris McCarron). Never had to wait for more than 30 seconds to bet on both Oaks and Derby days. The food/drink situation is genius. Everything included. Buffets but also all of their normal stands. Want a beer? Grab one out of an open fridge. The lines all moved quickly because the workers just hand you your order. No financial transaction. 150,000 people and you don’t have to wait for a thing. 

SO much fun getting dressed up. We did it to the nines on both days. Pink suit on Oaks Day. Took tons of pictures and the girls absolutely loved it.  Me and Mrs Smails even made TV - when Mike Tirico closed out an opening segment he said everyone is getting ready for the Derby. Then it showed me and Mrs getting our picture taken in front of the roses display. Slowly zoomed in on us. Our phones blew up as everyone sent pictures and videos. So cool.

Going with 3 couples or 6 people is the ticket  as you want to get a whole box for your group.

We booked everything except hotels through Derby Experiences. Including the Fillies and Lilies party. Used points to get the Louisville Marriott.  Key - as downtown rooms go for $700-$1200 Derby week. My advice to anyone even thinking about going next year is to get rooms reservations like now.  As soon as they open it up.  I checked every day and originally booked rooms 10 miles outside town and then kept moving closer as inventory opened up a little.  But get downtown if you can.  Walked everywhere except to the Highlands/Bardstown Road (great area). 

Restaurants were great. Booked far in advance. Jeff Ruby’s and Seviche were sensational. Repeal was very good. The Eagle was great for after Derby southern cooking (great fried chicken). Also had lunches at Merle’s Whiskey Kitchen and Doc Crowes. Had a Hot Brown at the Brown Hotel. All good. 

We did a best of Kentucky tour. 1/2 day horse farm outside of Lexington, lunch, then 1/2 day bourbon distillery tour. Loved all of it. Seeing where Derby champions I’ve bet on like Street Sense were foaled was awesome. And we saw champion mares with babies who were as young as 5 days old. Got to feed them carrots. The sheer beauty of horse country is astounding. Also did a day of Louisville Slugger and Muhammad Ali museum tours  

Tasted a LOT of Bourbon. Some really good stuff. Old Forrester release day was yesterday and people camped out for 2 days to buy $200 bottles that they could sell for $1400 to other people in line. College kids mostly - enterprising way to make a buck. 

Just a huge party. So much buzz on Oaks and Derby days. And the people were very cool. Won’t be my last time!
Click to expand...


you oughtta forward this to the Low-ville CoC 😁

love it, glad it was so awesome for you - maybe see ya there some year 👍

 
I am sorry I missed this thread.  Sounds like you had a great time.

We always used points to stay at hotels--as you no doubt discovered, they jack the prices way up for Derby weekend. 

 
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