It’s that time of the year in New York when the weather is changeable, the flowers are in bloom and the thoroughbreds are racing. So, if the sun is shining then Belmont Park is the perfect Frugal Friday escape outside of the Big Apple.
This is one of the best known racecourses in the country because this is where they race the last leg of thoroughbred’s Triple Crown, the Belmont Stakes, come the first Saturday in June.
The track is lovely and you can saunter up to the horses for an eyeball view in the paddock area before each race.
- At Belmont you can eyeball a winner in the paddock area
Travel to the track with a picnic or there are several dining options from the typical hotdog and pizza stands to a cafeteria style food court. Or, if you prefer a more elegant dining option, there is the Garden Terrace Dining Room on the fourth floor of the Clubhouse. Here you can watch the races either from your table-top TV, or through the giant windows. The best thing about the Garden Terrace is that in the sweltering heat of a July day, the dining room is air conditioned and for the truly lazy, you don’t even have to go to a window to bet – you can bet directly at your table with a debit card.
Traveling to the track is easy by car, bus or subway. If escaping from the city you can take the F train to 169th street or 179th street then take the N6 or the Q2 bus to Belmont or take the E train to Jamaica Center (Parsons Blvd.) and then take the Q110 bus to Belmont. Sadly, budget cutbacks have forced the MTA to eliminate daily train service on the LIRR but you can still take a train from Penn Station to the Queens Village Station and then catch the free Belmont Shuttle bus to the track.
By the way, no one says you have to bet if you spend the day at the track but there’s just something in the air when a novice visits the track for the first-time – it’s called beginner’s luck!
