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Last Updated: 11/19/23
Your Guide and Tips for Going to the Kentucky Derby
When I decided to attend the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky, I was in for a learning experience.
I found being a Kentucky Derby spectator far more complicated than anticipated. Plenty of online Kentucky Derby guides were keen to tell me what to wear to Churchill Downs, but even the Derby’s official website was vague about how to actually get tickets.
While I struggled to get a real sense of what to except at the United States’ best known horse race, it doesn’t have to be like that for you. Through trial and error, I’ve assembled the ultimate Kentucky Derby guide for first-time attendees. The Kentucky Derby tips I’m sharing are all based on my first-hand experience at the 144th Kentucky Derby in May 2018.
In this Kentucky derby guide we’ll cover when to start planning, how to pick your seat, what to wear, and the one emergency item you definitely want in your purse! Read on so you can sit back and truly enjoy “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports.”
My Top Kentucky Derby Tips
Just need a quick list of the best Kentucky Derby tips? Here’s the most important information you need to know about going to the Kentucky Derby:
1) Sign up for pre-sale tickets and plan to purchase your tickets in late October or early November when you receive the pre-sale notification emails. Most Derby tickets (approximately 95%) are sold in pre-sale.
2) Don’t wait to book plane tickets – they will not get cheaper.
3) Book a package through Derby Experiences that includes your ticket, hotel, and transportation to Churchill Downs.
4) Don’t worry too much about your outfit, but do worry about your hat!
5) Immerse yourself in the experience at Churchill Downs. Drink the mint juleps. Research and bet on races.
If you follow these five tips, you’re all set for an amazing Kentucky Derby experience. But, if you’re looking for more a little more context, I’ve got you covered with a lot more in-depth information about attending the Kentucky Derby in this post.
What To Know Before Going To The Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is an experience, not a single race
Before attending the Kentucky Derby in 2018, I didn’t even realize that the Derby race is just a teeny part of a multi-race, multi-day event!
The official Kentucky Derby lineup includes three full days of racing: Thurby, an all-day event on Thursday tailored to the local crowd; Oaks Day on Friday for fillies races, and Derby Day itself on Saturday. Each racing day features 11 – 14 different races of varying lengths on the Churchills Downs track.
A festival vibe sweeps through Louisville in the days leading up to the Derby. With parties, a parade, and even a fashion contest, the Kentucky Derby is about a lot more than a single 1.25 mile race.
Book your Kentucky Derby tickets in autumn
95% of Kentucky Derby tickets are sold in the pre-sale event in October and early November. While you can nab tickets up until the day of for the actual Kentucky Derby, you’ll have the best ticket and lodging options when you book as early as possible. Sign up for a pre-sale email notification and be prepared to purchase as soon as you get that email in the fall.
If you don’t want to book a package that includes Derby tickets, hotel, and transportation, you will probably struggle with your ala carte arrangements. Combine a small city – Louisville, population 600,000 – with the largest sporting event in the United States – Kentucky Derby averages 160,000 attendees on Derby Day – and lodging gets picked over very quickly!
Many (most?) of Louisville’s hotel rooms are blocked off over Derby Weekend for packages through Derby Experiences. When we started looking into attending the Kentucky Derby in September, we found few available hotels and extremely inflated vacation rental prices.
When we booked our tickets through Derby Experiences in October, our lower price point landed us in a Country Inn and Suites way out in Jeffersontown, about 15 miles away from downtown Louisville!
Book your plane tickets asap
You might want to book your flights to Louisville before actually securing your Kentucky Derby tickets. Flights into Louisville get jacked way, way up over Derby weekend.
If I could do my Kentucky Derby experience all over again, I’d book my plane tickets in September when I spotted $600 flights to Louisville. By the time I was ready to book in midwinter, flights had crept up to $1300.
One of the best work-around Louisville’s high flight prices over Derby Weekend is to fly into a neighboring city like Cincinnati or Indianapolis and renting a car.
I recommend flying into Cincinnati on Wednesday so you can spend some time exploring the city and enjoy their famous chili. Then make the 1 hour 40 minute drive to Louisville on Thursday afternoon.
Just keep in mind that flight prices will also rise to any city within a two-hour drive of Louisville as Derby weekend nears. Ask me why we flew into Dayton . . . .
Make sure you book through the official website
Sadly, you’ll find plenty of shady outfits looking to profit off hapless would-be Derby goers.
Don’t be the person who books tickets that never materialize or who realizes they have fraudulent tickets at the Churchill Downs gates. In my experience, there’s no cheap way to attend the Derby. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Use the official Kentucky Derby website to book tickets. If you’re booking a package deal that includes Derby tickets, accommodations, food, and transportation, Derby Experiences is the only travel package provider connected with the Derby.
You Probably Don’t Want Infield General Admission
The cheapest way to attend the Kentucky Derby is an infield general admission ticket. For just $95, you can jockey with 80,000 other Kentucky Derby goers for a view of the track while your heels slowly sink into the muddy grass and an all-day tailgate party rages around you. Doesn’t that sound fun?!
If you’re more than 30 years old, the Churchill Downs infield is probably not where you want to be. Chances are, going to the Kentucky Derby will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I highly recommend springing for a seat in the stands. To sweeten the deal, these tickets now include all-inclusive concessions.
Just remember that at its heart, the Kentucky Derby is just a glorified day drinking event. No matter where you land in Churchill Downs, you’re in for a boozy experience.
Don’t spend too much time selecting seats
When we started planning to attend the Kentucky Derby, we knew we didn’t want infield general admission and that was all we knew. We’d never been to Churchill Downs, let alone a horse race, before.
It was absolutely dizzying to try to choose our Kentucky Derby seat. With endless pros and cons to each seat section – price, location, type of seat, etc. etc. – it was enough to make me snap my laptop shut and reach for the aspirin.
But you know what? There’s a Jumbotron. You’ll “see” the finish from any seat. Set your price point, buy your tickets, and stop gnashing your teeth.
We ended up in section 328, the Wicker Garden area. These open-aired seats on the far left of the grandstand provided a spectacular view of race starts and basically no view of finishes. But when I think back to my time at the Kentucky Derby, I don’t long for different seats. At the end of the day, your seats will have little impact on your overall Kentucky Derby experience.
While I can’t speak from personal experience, one seating area I would be wary of is the new paddock seating. For me, not being at the actual track for the races would be a definite let-down.
Other Kentucky Derby Planning Tips
- Make restaurant reservations well in advance. Want to try one of Louisville’s famous Hot Brown sandwiches at the Brown Hotel after your day at Churchill Downs? So does everyone else. Believe it or not, it’s not too early to book your table at Brown Hotel’s Lobby Bar & Grill. It would certainly beat eating at a Waffle House and pizzeria in suburban Louisville like we did!
- Book your sightseeing activities. If you’re hoping to see more of Louisville than Churchill Downs, you’ll also want to make those arrangements in advance. If you want do a longer excursion like touring a horse farm or exploring the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, you may need to add an extra day to your Derby itinerary.
- Research the racehorses ahead of time. You’ll take in, and likely bet on, more than two dozen races over the course of Oaks and Derby Days. Take a minute to read an article or two about the contenders. Even a passing familiarity with the horses will make your time at the track so much more interesting and enjoyable.
What To Wear To the Kentucky Derby and Oaks
This isn’t a fashion blog and never will be. If you want specific outfit ideas for the Kentucky Derby, there are plenty of other bloggers who’d love to help you with that. But I do need to share a couple important tips about what to wear to the Kentucky Derby.
Wear what you want!
Yes, the Derby’s as much about fashion as it is about horses. But don’t assume you need to don a major fashion house design. I wore a 7-year-old H&M dress and an 11-year-old dress I bought off the clearance rack at JCPenney . . . and got compliments.
Basic rule of thumb – just wear what you’d wear to a formal summer wedding. After all, it’s all about the hat, so don’t worry too much about what you’re wearing below your ears!
Flat shoes are absolutely a-okay!
Every “What to Wear to the Kentucky Derby” guide I read told me to wear heels. But my feet ached by lunchtime on Oaks Days in my 4” heels. I spent the rest of the weekend in ballet flats.
After I spied a lady wearing Crocs, I realized there’s really no shoe dress code at the Kentucky Derby. If you don’t normally wear heels, don’t feel obligated. You will be stuck in your shoes for 8+ hours, so opt for comfort over fashion.
Have a pink outfit for Oaks Day
Forget Wednesday . . . on Fridays we wear pink at Churchill Downs. Oaks Day on Friday is devoted to fillies (female horses) races. As a nod to these ladies, everyone . . and everyone, I mean, everyone wears pink.
Make sure your handbag complies with size restrictions
For security reasons, Churchill Downs prohibits backpacks and limits purse sizes to 12”x6”x12”. I recommend using the largest crossbody purse you own. This will allow you to be hands-free when placing bets, getting food, etc.
You’ll actually end up needing to carry quite a few things at the Kentucky Derby. Before leaving the hotel, make sure you’re stocked up with Derby Day essentials like bottled water, hand sanitizer, and toilet paper. (More on that later . . . ) Just be sure to leave space commemorative glasses and your program.
What Weather To Expect At The Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby feels like the unofficial kickoff to summer in Louisville. The average high on Derby Day is 78 degrees F, with average lows in the upper 50s. Even if it’s sunny, be prepared for some humidity.
In fact, it’s not uncommon for that humidity to turn to rain. It’s rained on 47% of Derby Days!
I should note that the rain we experienced in 2018 is not common. We were lucky enough to attend the rainiest Kentucky Derby in history. More than 3 inches of rain fell on Louisville during the 144th Kentucky Derby!
Here are my best tips for dealing with whatever weather Derby Day has in store for you.
Absolutely pack rain gear
With 1:1 odds that it will rain on Derby Day, you definitely want to have a couple ponchos in your purse. While I’d usually tell you to bring a rain jacket, a clear poncho allows you to still display your pretty Derby dress.
Be able to adapt your outfit for varying temperatures
While I’ll always remember the rain that fell on my Derby Day at Churchill Downs, it’s easy to forget that the day before we sweltered in a sunny 80 degrees and 99% humidity. Make sure you can modify your outfits for comfort in anywhere from 50 – 80 degree weather. Pack a shawl or bolero in case temps turns chilly.
Have a plan for your hat if it rains
I learned this one the hard way.
All those fancy hats you see at the Derby are carefully constructed . . . out of water soluble glue. A little water will warp them and well, let’s not even talk about what 3” of rain does. Sadly, your beautiful Derby hat can’t be repaired after suffering water damage.
If there’s rain in the forecast during your time at Churchill Downs you have two options: wear a hat you’re okay with ruining or wrap your hat in plastic. Yes, we saw more than one trash bag wrapped hat on Derby Day 2018! I should have “ponchoed” up my hat at the very first raindrop.
Don’t forget sunscreen!
When the sun does shine down on the Kentucky Derby, your big hat will certainly help with sunburn mitigation, but don’t solely rely on them for sun protection. If you’re a Minnesotan like me, your legs, backs, and shoulders are getting their first Vitamin D in nine months! After my trip to Hawaii, I’m a big fan of this facial sunscreen and this spray.
What To Do at Churchill Downs During The Oaks and Derby
Here’s a dirty little secret about the Kentucky Derby. If you’ve never been to a horse race before, you might find Derby Weekend a little, dare I say it, boring?
There are often hour+ gaps between races and apart from drinking, betting, and eating, there’s basically no entertainment. This is no Grand Rapids Griffins game where a mascot skates out with a t-shirt cannon whenever they sense a lull in action.
It definitely took us the better half of Oaks Day to figure out “how to Derby.” I’m sharing my best tips to make your time at Churchill Downs during Derby Weekend as rewarding as possible.
This is a day drinking event
Just like in Key West, it’s always 5 o’clock at Churchill Downs on Derby Weekend. Plan to sip on the event’s signature cocktails throughout the day.
The Lily – a vibrant pink vodka concoction that’s awfully close to Cosmopolitan – is the official drink of the Kentucky Oaks. A Mint Julep is the official drink of the Kentucky Derby. Both drinks come in commemorative glasses.
While I prefer the Lily, it’s basically sacrilege to attend the Derby and not drink a Julep. You better have one of each!
Go the Kentucky Derby Museum on Oaks Day
This recommendation is somewhat dependent on inclement weather, but when we went into the Kentucky Derby Museum midday on Derby Day, we found it packed shoulder to shoulder with soggy race goers. In hindsight, we should have ducked inside on Oaks Day when everyone was enjoying the sunshine. Plan to use the long (sometimes hour+) gaps between races to hit up the museum earlier than later during your visit.
Bet on races
For the first half of Oaks Day, we stayed away from the wagering windows at Churchill Downs. A quick read of the “How to Wager” guide in the official program boosted our confidence. Off I went to bid on Midnight Bisou.
We stuck pretty close to the minimum bid of $2 for our wagers and the small amounts made it feel like a game. My only regret is that we didn’t start bidding earlier in the day. Not only do the bids help you become emotionally invested in each race, they also force you to learn about the race’s fields.
Buy a program
An official program from both the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby isn’t just a fun, colorful souvenir. If you plan to bid at all during the races, these are important documents filled with stats you’ll refer to throughout the day. They also provide other helpful info including maps of Churchill Downs and crash course tutorials on how to bid and decipher horse stats.
Have a little toilet paper in your purse
Kind of gross, but 165,000 people go through a lot of toilet paper. Churchill Downs staff and volunteers can’t always keep up with demand. Stash a small amount of TP in your purse to avoid a Derby Day bathroom crisis!
Best Kentucky Derby Resources
WDRB – We tuned into this local Louisville news channel each morning as we got ready to head to Churchill Downs. We really appreciated its insider info about Derby, accurate weather forecast, and discussions of Derby traditions.
Churchill Downs app – We were skeptical if we needed both a program and this app, but it proved very handy to have the up-to-the-minute track info from the app.
Let’s Go Louisville – Lia is a Louisville local and her blog can help you with all sorts of Derby day questions like where to eat in Louisville, what to do in the city in your free time and even how to bet on horses!
Kentucky Derby FAQS
How much does it cost to attend the Kentucky Derby?
There’s really no cheap way to go to the Kentucky Derby, so start saving! In 2018, it cost me about $3000 total (tickets, flights, car rental, hotels, clothes, drinks, and bets) to attend the Derby. With inflation, I’d budget at least $4000 now if you’re planning to sit in the stands. There’s a reason most people treat the Kentucky Derby like a bucket list item!
Is Kentucky Derby general admission worth it?
In my opinion, no. You won’t have a seat, the field can get really muddy, and you’ll spend most of the time jostling other (inebriated) Derby-goers for a less than great view of the track. However, if you just want to go to the Derby and don’t want to spend much money, this is the way to do it. An infield ticket will just put you back just $95.
What do I need to know before going to the Kentucky Derby?
Make sure you understand all aspects of the Churchill Downs bag policy, have enough cash to cover your bets and other purchases, take a little time to read up on the racehorses, and make sure you’ll be comfortable in your outfit and shoes for 8+ hours.
Is there a dress code for the Kentucky Derby?
There’s no official dress code at the Kentucky Derby. It’s absolutely okay for women to wear flat shoes and pants. However, almost everyone dresses up the Derby. The fashion is half the fun!
What if it rains on Derby Day?
I can tell you from personal experience, this is a rain or shine event!
Conclusion: What You Need to Know About Going to the Kentucky Derby
Planning to attend the Kentucky Derby can feel intimidating and confusing. But as this post shows, a successful Derby experience is really just a matter of forward thinking and make plans well in advance.
I definitely recommend having the vast majority of Kentucky Derby details – Derby tickets, flights, and hotels – figured out by late fall the year before you plan to go to the Derby. Then you can spend the rest of the winter doing the fun part of preparing for the Kentucky Derby! Shop around for the perfect Derby Hats. (I recommend Hats in the Belfry if you don’t have a local millinery or haberdasher to hit up.) Decide on your outfits. Read analyses of this year’s racehorses.
But most importantly, get excited! Going to the Kentucky Derby is truly a travel bucket list experience you’ll never forget.
If you still have a question about going to the Kentucky Derby, just shoot me an email and I’ll do my very best to help. Now, get ready to have the time of your life at the Kentucky Derby. I promise you, the most exciting two minutes of sports does not disappoint.
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