Preakness Stakes
The stakes are high, so don’t delay in preparing your RV for a road trip to Baltimore, Maryland this May for Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course.
Event information
If you need an excuse to wear a fancy hat and drink a posh cocktail, then here it is. The annual Preakness Stakes thoroughbred horse race is nearly here, and there’s no better excuse for a trip in your motorhome.
Preakness Stakes is a three-day springtime event that brings tens of thousands of visitors to Baltimore in Maryland on the third Saturday of May each year. The coveted race forms the second jewel of the Triple Crown, sandwiched between the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes.
Pimlico Race Course, a standout facility at 5201 Park Heights Avenue in Baltimore, is the venue for the event, and it’s more than up to the challenge. This thoroughbred horse racetrack can comfortably cater to upwards of 300,000 people and is outstanding in its amenities and facilities.
Enjoy the multi-entertainment festival, live music, trackside views, and packages that can ultimately enhance your experience. Place a bet or two, party with your friends, or be a part of the action at the InfieldFest.
Visiting Baltimore, Maryland, at any time of the year is going to be a memorable experience, but even more so when Preakness Stakes is in town. Buy your tickets, choose your favorite road trip music, and get your spring adventure underway.
Tickets
You may want to save your pennies for the Preakness Stakes, for the more you spend, the better your experience might be. You can buy general admission tickets for the grandstands, or upgrade to dining, hospitality, clubhouse, and concourse tickets which vary from $40 to $500. Parking and access to the InfieldFest may be extra.
If you have friends attending Preakness Stakes, make sure they are in the same area as you. Guests may not enter another section without a valid ticket for that area. Fans can buy Preakness Stakes tickets online beforehand or on the day.
Explore Preakness Stakes RV Rentals
Transportation
Driving
Pimlico Race Course is nestled between Roland Park and Mt. Washington in Baltimore, Maryland. It rests in a park-like setting and is easily accessible in an RV, with access to various parking areas you may have booked in advance.
While not quite in the center of Baltimore, this venue is still located in a rather busy area. Therefore, you will need full concentration on the road. Whether you’re heading to Preakness Stakes from the direction of Towson, Ellicott City, or Dundalk, live traffic information can prove helpful.
Tune into CHART for Maryland roads information and to be aware of any delays. You may also see the value in checking into your RV accommodation nearby first, then arranging public transportation to get you to Preakness Stakes.
Parking areas
Parking is available in many paved and grassy areas surrounding Pimlico Race Course. However, you must purchase it in advance with your ticket and make your way to the area printed on your ticket once you arrive at the facility. RV-goers may prefer to make use of public transportation, as day parking with or without a valet can vary from $90 to $400. There is also restricted access for large vehicles in a northern lot.
Public Transportation
For RV travelers who prefer not to pay for parking or navigate the city streets in their big rig, public transportation options can prove useful. Fortunately, there are plenty of them. Bus, subway, and light rail services are all in operation at the same time as the Preakness Stakes. You can also prepay for bus transportation before the race begins. Alternatively, the Pimlico Race Course has two rideshare lots for pick-ups and drop-offs.
Where to stay
Onsite
Pimlico Race Course does not allow overnight camping, which means you will need to look elsewhere to find somewhere to stay with an RV. The race track’s central location to Baltimore and Washington DC implies that as long as you book in advance, you should have no problems finding somewhere accessible with a large RV near Pimlico Race Course.
Nearby
Whether you’re looking for primitive RV camping areas or somewhere luxurious with water, sewer, and electricity hookups, you’re in the right place. The Baltimore area has a handful of RV camping areas to suit horse racing enthusiasts from far and wide, including Patapsco Valley State Park to the east and Orems Mobile Home & RV Park near Back River.
Within 30 miles of the horse racing is Washington DC / Capitol KOA Holiday. For RV travelers seeking amenities, this is an ideal option. If you are traveling from the direction of Ohio, then the Hagerstown / Antietam Battlefield KOA 80 miles from Baltimore may also tick all the boxes.
Getting around
The best, safest, and the only way to get around the Pimlico Race Course is on foot. There are no shuttles to and from the parking lots, which can mean a bit of a hike for some people. If you are dressed to impress with beautiful high-heeled shoes, then you may like to bring more comfortable footwear for the walk from the parking lot to the race track.
What to pack
Clothing
One of the many reasons why people look forward to the Preakness Stakes is because it allows them to dress up. Track down your best hairpiece and high-heeled shoes, and don’t forget to dry-clean your much-loved cocktail dress. This event is a rare opportunity to dress to impress.
However, don’t forget to pack a few more comfortable pieces for exploring in Baltimore. Remember, the area is blessed with many must-visit natural attractions, such as Patapsco Valley State Park.
Gear
With tens of thousands of people descending upon the Pimlico Race Course for Preakness Stakes, you are going to want to pack light. Bring your camping and cooking equipment with you, but leave them in your RV for use after the races. Don’t forget your ticket, wristband, and wallet with cash and payment cards.
What else you bring with you can depend on your ticket and the area in which you’re booked to stay for the duration of the event. Oversized items, backpacks, duffel bags, metal furniture, glass, umbrellas, and outside food and beverages are prohibited throughout the racecourse. Coolers are also not allowed in the grandstands.
Health & Safety
There are designated smoking areas for smokers and vapers at Pimlico Race Course, so pay attention to where these are before you light up. You may also bring an empty water bottle to refill once there, and any prescription medication you need during the day.
Once you enter Pimlico Race Course, you can’t leave to pick up anything from your RV. Sunscreen, a sunhat, and bug spray may also prove convenient to carry on you for both this event and exploring attractions in Baltimore, such as Leakin Park.
Where to eat
Cooking
Food brings people together, and it’s likely to do so while on an RV trip as well. When you get to Baltimore, you can pick up supplies from the grocery store within a half-mile drive of the racecourse.
Then, once you find the best place for Baltimore RV camping, you can treat your family to delicious spring dishes, such as chicken pot pie, fish pie, and pasta. Remember to find out your chosen accommodation’s RV camping rules before you start a campfire or use a charcoal grill.
Restaurants
Not only does this independent city offer a range of upscale eateries with Maryland’s famed blue crabs and crab cakes, but plenty within a short distance of the Pimlico Race Course. You don’t have to walk or drive all too far to access beautiful seafood restaurants, bars and lounges, and takeout joints.
After a day at Preakness Stakes, followed with a day trip of walking at Susquehanna State Park, you are bound to have worked up a hunger and thirst. Let Baltimore’s finest establishments take care of it.
Vendors
If you haven’t purchased a ticket package with catering at Preakness Stakes, then make sure you bring cash and your payment cards. There are concession stands on various floors and on the outskirts of Pimlico Race Course to ensure you don’t go hungry. Remember, you can’t bring in homemade food and beverages, so treat yourself to something delicious on site.
Safety
Security
In past years, over 100,000 people have attended this single event at Pimlico Race Course. As a result, security levels are high. Security officials are located throughout the racecourse, and screening takes place at the door. Metal detection wands may be used to make sure patrons enter with only the items they need.
There is an information site set up for any queries or concerns, but you can also visit the Baltimore Police Department with any other matters on your travels within eight miles of the racecourse.
Weather
Preakness Stakes is a rain or shine event, which means that no refunds will be given in the event of inclement weather. Fortunately, Baltimore’s humid subtropical climate makes spring conditions quite warm and comfortable.
Rainfall is frequent in May, as are thunderstorms, but you are unlikely to need warm winter layers. Average temperatures remain consistent in the upper 50-degree-Fahrenheit range through to 80 degrees.
Medical
While you hopefully won’t need it, you are in good hands if you require medical assistance. Those who attend Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course will find a dedicated first aid area on the first floor for quick and easy access. Approach a racecourse official at any time for assistance or dial 911 in an emergency. The nearest hospital to Pimlico Race Course is under nine miles away, while you can also stock up your first-aid kit at a pharmacy within the same distance.
