North American Thoroughbred racing has some pretty iconic tracks, and if you’re like me you’d like to visit them all. But how do you prioritize? Each of the tracks below is not only recognizable but comes with its own unique charm and energy. From Churchill Downs to Saratoga Race Course; get the scoop, learn the necessary details and start making your racetrack bucket list!

Arlington Park

Location: Arlington Heights, Ill.
Racing season: May through September
Major races: Arlington Million, Beverly D. Stakes, Secretariat Stakes
Why you should visit: Arlington Park is a great place to spend a summer afternoon just outside of Chicago. Known for top-class turf racing, including the Arlington Million festival in mid-August, the track also has a synthetic main track that offers graded stakes such as the Chicago Handicap and the Washington Park Handicap. The grandstand was rebuilt after a 1985 fire and the gleaming modern facility offers a grassy picnic area and lots of special events all season long.

Belmont Park

Location: Elmont, N.Y.
Racing seasons: May through mid-July; September through October
Major races: Belmont Stakes, Metropolitan Handicap, Ogden Phipps Stakes, Jockey Club Gold Cup, Beldame Stakes, Champagne Stakes, Frizette Stakes
Why you should visit: Home of the final leg of the Triple Crown, horses first raced at Belmont Park in 1905. The cavernous grandstand and 1 1/2-mile track dwarf other American tracks and inspire awe among new visitors to the Long Island oval. Belmont’s “backyard” area offers shaded picnic and hangout space perfect for spending a weekend afternoon away from the city.

Churchill Downs

Location: Louisville, Ky.
Racing seasons: May through June; September; November
Major races: Kentucky Derby, Kentucky Oaks, Stephen Foster Handicap, La Troienne Stakes, Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, Golden Rod Stakes, Clark Handicap
Why you should visit: Home of America’s most famous horse race, the Kentucky Derby, Churchill Downs is a historic track in the heart of Louisville that races in the summer and fall as well as the first Saturday in May. The iconic Twin Spires overlook the home stretch of the track and provide great photo opportunities. This track is a must on any sports fan’s bucket list.

Del Mar

Location: Del Mar, Calif.
Racing seasons: Mid-July through Labor Day; November
Major races: Pacific Classic, Clement L. Hirsch Stakes, Del Mar Futurity, Del Mar Debutante
Why you should visit: Ask any “racing insider” what the top three tracks in the country are and you’ll probably get a very similar result every time. Del Mar will be one of them. This seaside oval just north of San Diego boasts great weather, gorgeous views and, oh yeah, top-class racing. It’s no wonder the track is a favorite for many Hollywood celebrities and So Cal partygoers alike. Spanish mission-style architecture, tall palm trees, salt air, sunshine … have you started planning your trip yet?

Fair Grounds

Location: New Orleans
Racing season: Late November through March
Major races: Louisiana Derby, Fair Grounds Oaks
Why you should visit: Not only is the city of New Orleans historic and enduring, so is its race track, Fair Grounds. The Union Course race track first opened on the site of present-day Fair Grounds in 1852, and the Louisiana Jockey Club at Fair Grounds began racing 20 years later. Today the track is owned by Churchill Downs Inc. and the winter race meet is home to many of the same horses and horsemen that race at Churchill Downs in the fall.

Gulfstream Park

Location: Hallandale Beach, Fla.
Racing season: Year-round; “championship meet” runs from December through April
Major races: Florida Derby, Donn Handicap, Gulfstream Park Oaks, Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap
Why you should visit: Gulfstream Park’s winter meet is a great way to escape the cold and catch some fantastic racing while having plenty of South Florida entertainment options when you’re not at the races. The sunny track outside Miami has year-round racing with a focus on winter and early spring races, when it hosts key Kentucky Derby preps as well as top-tier turf contests and dirt races such as the historic Donn Handicap. Plus, the track is an entertainment destination in itself. Not only can you watch and wager on racing, there’s a mall, great restaurant options and even a bowling alley. What’s not to love?

Keeneland Race Course

Location: Lexington, Ky.
Racing seasons: April and October
Major races: Blue Grass Stakes, Ashland Stakes, Breeders’ Futurity, Alcibiades Stakes, Spinster Stakes, Shadwell Turf Mile
Why you should visit: Located in the heart of horse country, Keeneland’s mantra is “racing as it was meant to be,” and that theme is evident in everything the track does. One of the most picturesque race tracks in the country, Keeneland’s history and charisma make it one of the most popular, too. The short race meets are packed with top-class racing and southern charm during two of Lexington’s most beautiful months – the springtime blooms of April and the fall foliage of October. Need more reason to plan a visit? The track offers tailgating, public morning training hours with breakfast available, “Betologists” to help you learn to bet and famously delicious bread pudding and burgoo.

Monmouth Park

Racing season: May through September
Major races: Haskell Invitational Stakes, United Nations Stakes
Why you should visit: Known as "the shore's greatest stretch," Monmouth Park is a jewel on the New Jersey shore that's been around since 1870. The historic track hosts the Haskell for top-tier 3-year-olds every summer, recently won by the likes of American Pharoah (2015) and Rachel Alexandra (2009), and is also home to great turf racing. Plus, with the beach just a few miles away, there's plenty of fun to be had when you're not at the races. 

Oaklawn Park

Location: Hot Springs, Ark.
Racing season: January through mid-April
Major races: Arkansas Derby, Apple Blossom Handicap, Oaklawn Handicap
Why you should visit: The sleepy town of Hot Springs comes alive for a few weeks each spring during the Oaklawn Park racing season as it has nearly every year since 1905. The historic track produced the most recent Triple Crown winner when American Pharoah swept a pair of Kentucky Derby prep races there in 2015, and recent champions such as Curlin, Rachel Alexandra and Zenyatta also raced at Oaklawn. Be sure to check out Hot Springs National Park, boutique shopping and restaurants with local flavor when you’re in town.

Pimlico Race Course

Location: Baltimore
Racing season: May through June
Major races: Preakness Stakes, Black-Eyed Susan Stakes, Pimlico Special
Why you should visit: Pimlico is one of the oldest tracks in the country, and as host of the middle jewel of the Triple Crown it is also one of the most famous. The track is known for its Preakness party atmosphere and the excitement that goes along with it. Located in Baltimore, you’ll find plenty to do and eat (crab cakes, anyone?) when you’re not at the track.

Santa Anita Park

Location: Arcadia, Calif.
Racing seasons: Dec. 26 through June; mid-September through October
Major races: Santa Anita Derby, Santa Anita Oaks, Santa Anita Handicap, Gold Cup at Santa Anita, FrontRunner Stakes, Chandelier Stakes, Awesome Again Stakes
Why you should visit: Scenic Santa Anita Park has hosted the Breeders’ Cup eight times and three out of the last four years. It’s easy to see why once you glimpse the San Gabriel Mountains rising behind the backstretch and the art deco styling of the historic grandstand. Add flawless year-round weather and some of the best racing anywhere, and you have a recipe for a racetrack that is reinventing itself as the place to see and be seen, just outside of Los Angeles.

Saratoga Race Course

Location: Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Racing season: Late July through Labor Day
Major races: Travers Stakes, Jim Dandy Stakes, Whitney Stakes, Woodward Stakes, Personal Ensign Stakes, Spinaway Stakes, Hopeful Stakes
Why you should visit: Saratoga is as timeless as the quaint town that surrounds it. Vacationers and racing fans flock to the track every summer not just to escape the doldrums of city life but to revel in racing’s finest pastimes. As the oldest sporting facility in the country, Saratoga has hosted many of the nation’s top races since 1863 in an environment where racing not only thrives but reigns, with large crowds for racing six days a week and community events that revolve around the racing schedule. After more than a century and a half, they must be doing something right.

Woodbine

Location: Toronto
Racing season: April through November
Major races: Woodbine Mile, Canadian International Stakes, Queen’s Plate Stakes
Why you should visit: Woodbine is Canada’s premier Thoroughbred track, featuring a turf main course as well as a synthetic inner track. The track hosts many international stars for its best turf racing on marquee days that can’t be beat, plus they also host harness racing in the winter. When you’re not at the track, Toronto has plenty of things to see and do, making a great summer getaway.