But if you're not careful, it's easy to turn your trip to Churchill Downs into a nightmare. With more than 150,000 fans packing into Louisville, Kentucky, finding a place to stay and traveling around town can be a hassle. If you're planning a trip to the Kentucky Derby - held during the first weekend of May each year - consider a Cruise America RV rental for your vacation.
At Cruise America, you'll find plenty of hot rental deals to help you plan your horse racing travel package. With an RV rental, you can stay in any of Louisville's beautiful RV parks or campgrounds, and enjoy a laid-back Southern vacation.
Choose from compact, standard, or large RVs with some having room to sleep up to seven people. You can pick up your RV at one Cruise America's nationwide rental locations near your home, and make your horse racing trip a road trip, too!If you've never been to the Kentucky Derby, consult this short glossary before your first horse racing trip.
Taking Your First Horse Racing Trip? Check Out Our Kentucky Derby Guide:
If you've never been to the Kentucky Derby, consult this short glossary before your first horse racing trip.
- Churchill Downs - The site of the Kentucky Derby, and one of racing's most famous landmarks.
- Derby Festival - A two-week celebration in Louisville leading up to the Kentucky Derby.
- Hats - One of the derby's best-known traditions, ladies usually attend the races wearing colorful, decorative hats.
- Millionaire's Row - Reserved seating sections where you're likely to rub elbows with the rich and famous.
- Mint Julep - The official drink of the Kentucky Derby, a mint julep is a traditional Southern concoction. Made from simple syrup, fresh mint and bourbon, it's a sweet and refreshing cocktail for the races.
- "My Old Kentucky Home" - A Stephen Foster ballad traditionally played by the University of Louisville Marching Band as the horses make their way to the starting gate.
- Silks - The different colors worn by jockeys to distinguish each horse during a race.
- Run for the Roses - A nickname for the Kentucky Derby, the name is a reference to the garland of 554 roses the winner receives.
- Triple Crown - The collective name of the three major American horse racing events, the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes.
Need more information on choosing your vacation? Visit Cruise America online today, and start planning your horse racing trip to the Kentucky Derby.