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Churchill Downs

700 Central Avenue, Louisville, KY 40208-1200 (South Side)
502 636 4400
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Ranked #9 of 65 attractions in Louisville
Type: Horse Tracks, Historic Sites
Description: This beautiful racetrack has been the home of the Kentucky Derby since 1875.
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451 reviews from our community

Visitor rating
    281
    115
    32
    11
    12
Date Rating
El Paso, Illinois
Reviewer
5 reviews 5 reviews
3 attraction reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 18 June 2013 NEW

Always good to check out the local hotspots, this was a great chance for us to see Lousiville for what it's known for!

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See 3 more reviews by Lindsey H for Louisville
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Contributor
20 reviews 20 reviews
5 attraction reviews
Reviews in 13 cities Reviews in 13 cities
41 helpful votes 41 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 18 June 2013 NEW

Well organized event of 11 races. General admission is only $10, but food is a bit expensive. Downs at Dusk draws a large 20 year old segment primed for mating season and drinking, so a fun side-show people watching between races. Expect crowds to maneuver through when "after-racing" partying starts. General admission seating doesn't allow good view of race on... More

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See 2 more reviews by spatts for Louisville
PA
Top Contributor
99 reviews 99 reviews
9 attraction reviews
Reviews in 25 cities Reviews in 25 cities
29 helpful votes 29 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 17 June 2013 NEW

On our way out of Louisville we decided to visit Churchill Downs, happy we did! We got to see the horses training on the track, visit with Mine that Bird and try on great Derby hats in the gift shop!

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See 3 more reviews by italian4560 for Louisville
Rimersburg, PA
Senior Contributor
37 reviews 37 reviews
26 attraction reviews
Reviews in 20 cities Reviews in 20 cities
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 16 June 2013 NEW

I am a big horse racing fan, my wife is (was) not. After our trip to the Kentucky Derby Museum with the track tour and backside tour, along with our trip to the races at Churchill downs, she said she will be watching the derby with me next year. One of the most enjoyable experiences ever. Be sure to try... More

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See 5 more reviews by NandBcoradi for Louisville
Gallatin, Tennessee
Senior Reviewer
8 reviews 8 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 14 June 2013 NEW

What a PLACE!!! We were born and raised in Kentucky and this was our first time at Churchill Downs. We loved it.

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See 3 more reviews by sandra c for Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Senior Contributor
38 reviews 38 reviews
7 attraction reviews
Reviews in 16 cities Reviews in 16 cities
6 helpful votes 6 helpful votes
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 13 June 2013 NEW

FORGET THIS PLACE...unless you want to have a fun-filled afternoon in a beautiful historical venue and see lots of crazy people. People from all walks of life visit the Downs and all are catered to in some way. Admission can be as little as $1 for Seniors and $3 for others. Asking for a free tour from a volunteer can... More

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See 18 more reviews by ForgetThisPlace for Louisville
Hermitage, Tennessee
Senior Contributor
33 reviews 33 reviews
Reviews in 16 cities Reviews in 16 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 8 June 2013

My husband and I had a great time watching live races!! We paid $10 for box seats but it was very easy to walk around, get close to the track etc. There was free parking off of Longfield Avenue..use Gate 10. I tried a Mint Julep for the first time..it was okay..a little sweet for my taste, but I did... More

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See 5 more reviews by ChaCha1123 for Louisville
Temperance MI
Senior Contributor
22 reviews 22 reviews
4 attraction reviews
Reviews in 11 cities Reviews in 11 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 7 June 2013

A good experience, glad we went even tho we aren't gamblers. Lovely views of the horses and track. Clean, well kept seating area. Went with a group of 10 people and that made it more fun.

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See 3 more reviews by Asmom for Louisville
Chicago, IL
Senior Contributor
23 reviews 23 reviews
11 attraction reviews
Reviews in 7 cities Reviews in 7 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 7 June 2013

This track was much larger than I ever expected as far as buildings and seating was concerned. I assume it is built so large to accommodate the Derby crowd but it looks a little abandoned with more typical crowds. We had fun placing our bets and despite losing every single one I'm glad we stopped in for the experience.

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See 8 more reviews by dee0307 for Louisville
Bloomington, Indiana
Top Contributor
68 reviews 68 reviews
18 attraction reviews
Reviews in 37 cities Reviews in 37 cities
33 helpful votes 33 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 7 June 2013

I've been to the Derby before and it's fun, but it's crowded, there's lots of drunk people and it feels somewhat overwhelming. We went on a Saturday in May to just watch the races and it was so much FUN. It was about $3 to get into the track and you can basically sit wherever you want. Races run about... More

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See 2 more reviews by pmulvihi for Louisville

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