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..

GenuineRisk · #7 05-04-2015, 07:46 AM

By the time of the race it's pretty shady, but bring plenty of sunscreen beforehand.

If you want to be down near the rail you really need to be ready to stand for two hours before the race, which is fine if your kid is cool with that, but if it's a hot or rainy day it can get really tedious.

If it's about just being on the rail, and seeing the end of the race live is not that important to your kid, you can go up closer to the turn to find a spot. I stood there for Charismatic's Belmont and it was pretty cool being far enough away from the stands to actually hear their hoofbeats. The noise from the crowd will let you know what happens at the end.

But hey, he's a kid, someone may likely let him sneak up to the front of your section- most attendees are really accommodating about letting smaller kids get up to where they can see. And the screen is huge; you'll be able to see that from almost anywhere.

Danzig · #8 05-04-2015, 08:53 AM

don't stress the details too much. wherever you are, he'll remember it forever. my kids still talk about the trips to Churchill and Arlington; they had a blast.

bare it all · #9 05-04-2015, 08:57 AM

Dad of the year! Can't wait til my 2yo is race-ready. He went to Churchill back in the fall and loved the paddock and watching the "neighs" but no interest in the races....yet.

DonGuido · #10 05-04-2015, 09:25 AM

Find a way to take the Long Island Railroad somehow there and back. You'll thank me for it later.

dellinger63 · #11 05-04-2015, 10:57 AM

Your seats are excellent, yellow r section 11 rows back. Looks to be 100 yards short of the finish line. Should be shaded all day.

https://www.eseats.com/sports_ticket...nt_stakes.html

We attended the Big Brown Belmont and I'd also strongly suggest the LIRR as opposed to driving in but your departure station will depend on where you're staying. We stayed near JFK airport and took a train out of Jamaica.

http://web.mta.info/lirr/getaways/belmontpark/index.htm

Personally I'd stay in the seats and just pick him up to your eyelevel. Follow the crowd in front of you and if they stand on their seats than you do.
Should AP win the Preakness the crowds will be huge but the place is so big the crowd is manageable especially if you don't have to visit the women's rest room.

Some of the local New Yorkers can help further with the LIRR if you post where you'll be staying.

You and your kid will have a blast regardless, but if AP wins the triple crown it'll be something you and he will talk about and remember forever.

blackthroatedwind · #12 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.

MaTH716 · #13 05-04-2015, 11:23 AM

Alot depends if there's a TC at stake. If there is, strap in, it's going to be a long tough day for a 10 year old.

I would suggest driving. This way you're not at the mercy of the train schedule and the crazy lines that come with it. I remember taking my son when he was 8 to the Wood at Aqueduct, unfortunately we never made it that far. The times between races is going to be long and unfortunately your son might hit the wall. So having your car there gives you an immediate exit strategy. If you get there early parking won't be an issue, just park near an exit. There will be shuttle buses taking people to the track.

Shade shouldn't be an issue. Anything that you want your son to experience such as watching a race from the rail, going to the paddock any kind of autographs/pictures get done very early in the card. Once the stakes start and the crowd comes in you're probably going to want to stay in your seats.

Not sure what the cooler policy is, but the lines can get long at times for food, drink, bathroom and ATM's. If you can bring food and drink in for him, that's probably the suggested route. Also, bring stuff for him to do in between races, especially if you're confined to your seats. 30-45 minutes is a long time in between races for a 40 year old, let alone a 10 year old.

Buy him a pair of cheap binoculars, Belmont is just gigantic and he's gonna have a tough time seeing horses on the backstretch.

If I think of anything else, I'll post it.

Best of luck, hope you guys have a great time.

Alabama Stakes · #14 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 · #15 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 · #16 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 · #17 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 · #18 05-04-2015, 07:37 PM

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

tanner12oz · #19 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 · #20 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