Taking my 10 year old to the Belmont

athornton5 · #1 05-03-2015, 09:43 PM

I've never been to Belmont and just bought tickets for my son (who is 10) and I to attend the Belmont. We are in section R2 row K. I'm kinda nervous about him being able to see the horses as they come down the track because of his height, he's like 4' 2". Also wondering if these seats are any good? Any info will be a great help. Thanks

DonGuido · #2 05-03-2015, 10:25 PM

You will be overwhelmed with the enormity of it. Unlike any track you have ever been to. The place is humongous. Suggestion. For the race if at all possible, take him down early to the rail, squeeze in a spot and watch it from there. If that's relatively impossible, hold on to him as he stands on the seat or the arm rests.

OK rethink, here's the deal . . . If you really want to give him an experience to remember go to the rail the race or two before and forget your seats. Camp there and wait for the Belmont . . . you and your son may be lucky enough to see history . . . and he's probably old enough to remember it forever with his mom near by.

BTW - curious as to where you will be driving or coming from?

athornton5 · #3 05-03-2015, 10:58 PM

Being on the rail would be awesome for sure! I'm actually his dad not his mom, the account got messed up when it was made...lol. We're driving from Michigan, plan on leaving early Friday morning. Should we plan on getting a parking pass or park in a lot somewhere close? Not really sure what the parking situation is like. Also, do you know if our seats are in a shaded area, like under the grandstand?

DonGuido · #4 05-03-2015, 11:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by athornton5

Being on the rail would be awesome for sure! I'm actually his dad not his mom, the account got messed up when it was made...lol. We're driving from Michigan, plan on leaving early Friday morning. Should we plan on getting a parking pass or park in a lot somewhere close? Not really sure what the parking situation is like. Also, do you know if our seats are in a shaded area, like under the grandstand?

Not from the NYC/Queens/Elmont area but go on line and find the Belmont website and you should find a diagram of where your seats are. You can always call their customer service # also. My suggestion is not to drive all the way into the track but find a reasonable place to pick up the Long Island Railroad and take that to the track. It stops right at the track, well with a little walk to get to the track.

Last time we went, we took a cab to Union Station from our remote hotel and took the train in. I'm sure there's parking at or around Union station. Do some research on that also. You have time. Wish I could be more help and sorry about the mom reference.

Plan you trip well with a few of my suggestions, fill in the details and it will be an experience you will never forget and want to have again. Just think of the added plus to see a TC winner also!!!

Maybe others who are more intimately familiar with this area will chime in.

tanner12oz · #5 05-04-2015, 06:24 AM

If driving be prepared for about $100 in tolls

santana · #6 05-04-2015, 06:41 AM

You can easily park at the track.....just know that it will take an hr getting out of the lot, if you leave right after the Belmont.....get there early and as long as you have seats, you should be fine.;...going down to the rail is not the best of ideas for the big race....just see how it looks during the early races..

blackthroatedwind · #7 05-04-2015, 11:22 AM

They are doing a ton of work on the LIRR platforms at Belmont, I took it home for the first time yesterday, and my guess is things will be a lot smoother this year. No doubt it is the best way to travel if possible. If driving, I would recommend buying parking in advance.

Alabama Stakes · #8 05-04-2015, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackthroatedwind

They are doing a ton of work on the LIRR platforms at Belmont, I took it home for the first time yesterday, and my guess is things will be a lot smoother this year. No doubt it is the best way to travel if possible. If driving, I would recommend buying parking in advance.

surely you can share a couple of spots from where you and the jockeys watch without standing on tippy toes

parsixfarms · #9 05-04-2015, 11:59 AM

Your seats are very good.

If you are driving, I would avoid Hempstead Turnpike. In terms of getting in and out of the track, my best experience has been parking in the green lot (on backstretch side of the track - for only $10). They have shuttle buses running you directly to the grandstand entrances at the top of the stretch. Last year, they did not do a great job having shuttles taking people back out to the parking lots, but it's not that bad a walk if you have to make it. The police do a VERY good job getting people out of the lots onto the Cross Island Parkway. That is why I have parked there for years on Belmont Stakes Day.

GenuineRisk · #10 05-04-2015, 12:28 PM

If the LIRR platforms really have been fixed, great, but as someone who only takes the LIRR to Belmont (I don't own a car), I was going to recommend driving, because last year taking the LIRR home was a f*cking nightmare. Night. Mare.

But if they took last year seriously and are really putting in the work to make it better, then yeah, the LIRR is a good option. They run plenty of trains on Belmont Day before the race, so you don't have to arrive early if you're worried about a long day for a ten-year-old.

athornton5 · #11 05-04-2015, 12:33 PM

Thanks alot for the responses, very helpful. It sounds like the seats are good, so thats a plus. Luckily my son actually has real good patients and kinda just goes with the flow, thats mainly the reason im taking him, because i think he can handle it. Hopefully AP wins the preakness and makes our day that much sweeter. Thanks again, and any other tips you have are always appreciated.

alysheba4 · #12 05-04-2015, 07:37 PM

Don't take the train, getting out of there in 2004 was crazy.

tanner12oz · #13 05-04-2015, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by athornton5

Thanks alot for the responses, very helpful. It sounds like the seats are good, so thats a plus. Luckily my son actually has real good patients and kinda just goes with the flow, thats mainly the reason im taking him, because i think he can handle it. Hopefully AP wins the preakness and makes our day that much sweeter. Thanks again, and any other tips you have are always appreciated.

yes the TC bid will be memorable but it also leads to a total structural breakdown. With a 10 year old I would actually be hoping for a non tc bid. I'm 31 and it was a nightmare there last year....

tanner12oz · #14 05-04-2015, 08:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by parsixfarms

Your seats are very good.

If you are driving, I would avoid Hempstead Turnpike. In terms of getting in and out of the track, my best experience has been parking in the green lot (on backstretch side of the track - for only $10). They have shuttle buses running you directly to the grandstand entrances at the top of the stretch. Last year, they did not do a great job having shuttles taking people back out to the parking lots, but it's not that bad a walk if you have to make it. The police do a VERY good job getting people out of the lots onto the Cross Island Parkway. That is why I have parked there for years on Belmont Stakes Day.

getting out on Hempstead going towards massapeaqua was a breeze last year..it appeared going back towards the city was a total mess..no drinking in the parking lots pre race..we got yelled at

athornton5 · #15 05-17-2015, 08:39 AM

Are parking passes sold out? I can't seem to find them online. I've heard good and bad things about driving and taking the train. My thinking is, it's going to be a long day for my boy so if we're going to be sitting in traffic in the car, at least he can fall asleep. Waiting for the train might just take the fun out of the day for him.