Sports Travel Zone

2027 Travel

Kentucky Derby

Saturday, May 1, 2027. Oaks Friday, April 30.

Event
Kentucky Derby
When
Saturday, May 1, 2027. Oaks Friday, April 30.
Venue
Churchill Downs
City
Louisville, Kentucky

What does a Kentucky Derby travel package include?

A Kentucky Derby package covers the Derby on Saturday, May 1, 2027 at Churchill Downs, and the three-night downtown packages add the Kentucky Oaks on Friday. It includes reserved seats, a Louisville or Lexington hotel, and race-day transport. Packages run from $2,455 to $4,395 per person, based on four to a room. Airfare is not included.

The Run for the Roses

Two days at Churchill Downs, done right

The 153rd Kentucky Derby is May 1, 2027. The trip is easy to overpay for and easy to get wrong, and the single most expensive mistake is buying the wrong seat.

The Derby is really two race days. The Kentucky Oaks runs Friday and the Derby runs Saturday, and our three-night downtown packages cover both. Around the racing sits a whole weekend of Louisville and the Bluegrass: bourbon, horse farms, and a city that turns the first weekend in May into its Super Bowl. What follows is how the packages actually break down, what each seating tier really gets you, and the planning that keeps the weekend from running you instead of the other way around.

At a glance

  • The 153rd running of the Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs
  • Oaks and Derby both covered on the Downtown Oaks and Derby and Derby Luxury packages
  • Seating matched to what you actually want, from the grandstand to Millionaires Row
  • Round-trip race-day transportation to and from Churchill Downs
  • Downtown Louisville hotels or a Bluegrass-country base near Lexington
  • Optional bourbon-trail and horse-farm add-ons through the weekend
  • Food, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages included with your race ticket
  • An advisor who tells you, before you book, which ticket actually sees the finish line

How it works

An advisor, not a checkout

01

You inquire

Tell us the event, your group, and what you want out of the trip. No checkout, no pressure.

02

We plan it

We match you to the right package and seating, hold the rooms, and tell you honestly what it takes.

03

You go

Tickets, hotel, and transfers are handled. You show up and enjoy the event.

Packages

Four ways to do Derby weekend

From a Lexington base to four-star downtown luxury. Every package includes Derby day, and the three-night downtown packages add the Oaks on Friday.

Value

Lexington Value

Embassy Suites Lexington · Lexington, about an hour from Churchill Downs

From $2,455 per person, based on four guests sharing a room

  • Two nights, Friday, April 30 to Sunday, May 2
  • Reserved 1st Floor Starting Gate Courtyard chair seats (uncovered) for the Kentucky Derby on Saturday
  • Food, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages included with your race ticket
  • Roundtrip transportation to Churchill Downs on Derby day
  • Cooked-to-order breakfast daily and a Friday evening reception at the hotel
  • Shuttle from Lexington's Blue Grass Airport, parking, and all taxes

The value play: a Lexington base and Derby day only. Two to a room is $2,655 per person. Deposit is $400 per person. Balance schedule: 50% due November 4, 2026, final payment due February 11, 2027.

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Downtown

Downtown Louisville

Hampton Inn Downtown Louisville · Downtown Louisville, walking distance to 4th Street Live

From $3,195 per person, based on four guests sharing a room

  • Two nights, Friday, April 30 to Sunday, May 2
  • Reserved 1st Floor Starting Gate Courtyard chair seats for the Kentucky Derby on Saturday
  • Food, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages included with your race ticket
  • Roundtrip transportation to Churchill Downs on Derby day
  • Airport meet and greet with private car transfers in Louisville
  • Daily breakfast, parking, and all taxes

The simplest option: stay downtown and keep the trip on Derby day. Two to a room is $4,395 per person. Deposit is $500 per person. Balance schedule: 50% due November 4, 2026, final payment due February 11, 2027.

Ask about this package
Downtown

Downtown Oaks and Derby

Hampton Inn Downtown Louisville · Downtown Louisville, walking distance to 4th Street Live

From $3,325 per person, based on four guests sharing a room

  • Three nights, Thursday, April 29 to Sunday, May 2
  • Reserved 1st Floor Starting Gate Courtyard chair seats for the Kentucky Oaks on Friday and the Derby on Saturday
  • Food, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages included with your race ticket both days
  • Roundtrip transportation to Churchill Downs on Friday and Saturday
  • Airport meet and greet with private car transfers in Louisville
  • Mint juleps and light snacks at the hotel Thursday evening, daily breakfast, parking, and all taxes

Both race days from a downtown base. Two to a room is $4,565 per person. Deposit is $500 per person. Balance schedule: 50% due November 4, 2026, final payment due February 11, 2027.

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Signature

Bourbon Lovers

Origin Hotel Lexington · Lexington, in the Fritz Farm District

From $3,695 per person, based on four guests sharing a room

  • Three nights, Thursday, April 29 to Sunday, May 2, at a four-star hotel
  • Reserved 1st Floor Starting Gate Courtyard chair seats (uncovered) for the Kentucky Derby on Saturday
  • Food, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages included with your race ticket
  • A private bourbon tasting at the hotel Thursday evening
  • Friday tour: a private visit to a thoroughbred horse farm, a three-course lunch, and a private blending session at Town Branch Distillery where you make your own bottle to take home
  • Roundtrip transportation to Churchill Downs on Derby day, private Lexington airport transfers, daily breakfast, and all taxes

For the bourbon enthusiast, limited to 25 guests. Derby day only. Two to a room is $3,995 per person. Deposit is $600 per person. Balance schedule: 50% due November 4, 2026, final payment due February 11, 2027.

Ask about this package
Luxury

Derby Luxury

Moxy by Marriott Downtown Louisville · Downtown Louisville, walking distance to Main Street and 4th Street Live

From $4,395 per person, based on four guests sharing a room

  • Three nights, Thursday, April 29 to Sunday, May 2, at a four-star hotel
  • Reserved 1st Floor Starting Gate Courtyard chair seats for the Kentucky Oaks on Friday and the Derby on Saturday
  • Food, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages included with your race ticket both days
  • Roundtrip transportation to Churchill Downs on Friday and Saturday
  • A Thursday welcome reception with live music and a bourbon cocktail experience, plus late-night cocktails and appetizers after both races
  • Airport meet and greet with private car transfers in Louisville, daily breakfast, and all taxes

The top tier: both race days and the hotel's own events around them. Covered seats and hospitality areas are available as paid upgrades. Two to a room is $6,495 per person. Deposit is $950 per person. Balance schedule: 50% due November 4, 2026, final payment due February 11, 2027.

Ask about this package

Prices are per person from the current published rate and are confirmed on your call. Airfare is not included. Final pricing depends on occupancy, hotel, and seating tier.

The fine print, up front

What's included, what's not

What's included

  • Reserved seats for the Kentucky Derby, plus the Kentucky Oaks on the three-night downtown packages
  • Hotel accommodations for Derby weekend
  • Round-trip race-day transportation to Churchill Downs
  • Food, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages included with your race ticket
  • On-site guidance so you always know where to go

What's not included

  • Airfare to Louisville or Lexington
  • Meals outside the itinerary
  • Gratuities
  • Personal expenses and incidentals
  • Travel insurance
  • Optional add-on tours unless stated in your package

The weekend

Day by day

Before the races Arrive and settle in

Arrive in Louisville or Lexington, check into your hotel, and get your bearings. If you are on a Bluegrass package, this is when the horse-farm and bourbon touring begins, well before the crowds arrive.

Friday, April 30 Kentucky Oaks day

The Kentucky Oaks, known as Lilies for the Fillies, is the Derby's Friday warm-up and a full day of racing in its own right. Gates open around 11am and first post is 12:30pm, with the Oaks going off near 8:40pm ET. The crowd is lighter than Saturday, which makes it the smarter day to learn the layout of Churchill Downs.

Included: Food and drinks included with your Oaks ticket

Saturday, May 1 The Kentucky Derby

The Run for the Roses. Gates open at 9am, first post is 11am, and the Derby itself runs at 6:57pm ET. Between them is a full day of undercard races, mint juleps, and the pageantry the event is famous for. Your race-day transport takes the guesswork out of getting there and back.

Included: Food and drinks included with your race ticket

After the Derby Depart at your pace

A relaxed morning, and then home. If you extended the trip, this is the window for one more distillery or a slower look at Louisville.

Where you sit changes everything

The Churchill Downs seating tiers

This is the decision that makes or breaks a Derby trip. The tiers differ in sightline, in cover from weather, in dress code, and in price. Here is what each one actually gets you.

First Floor Grandstand

Lower level

Clear views of the front stretch, though you will not see the entire track. The entry point to reserved seating.

Second Floor Grandstand

Elevated

A great view of the front stretch and a better look at the whole track than the first floor.

Third Floor Clubhouse

Upper

An excellent view of the entire track. Some of the higher rows are covered by an overhang, which matters if the weather turns.

Millionaires Row

Floors 4 to 6

The most exclusive reserved-table seating, with balcony access for viewing and the full pageantry of the day. Premium buffet and waiter service.

Turf Club

Third floor clubhouse

One of the most exclusive areas: private tables, waiter service, and the outdoor Turf Terrace.

Gold Room

Sixth floor

Private betting windows and a tiered balcony with views of the entire race track.

Infield

General admission

Open lawn seating on the infield grass; bring a chair or a blanket. It is the party, but be warned: from most of the infield you cannot see the finish line, and many people watch the race itself on the video board.

A schematic of the Churchill Downs track: the infield in the center does not see the finish line, while the grandstand and clubhouse along the front stretch do. THE INFIELD the party, but no view of the finish line FINISH LINE GRANDSTAND & CLUBHOUSE CLEAR VIEW OF THE RACE
The infield sits in the middle of the track, away from and blocked from the finish, which is why most of it watches the race on the video board. Reserved grandstand and clubhouse seating along the front stretch is where you actually see the horses cross the wire.

The mistake to avoid

The infield is the cheapest way in and the biggest party, but from most of it you cannot see the finish line. People pay for a Derby experience expecting to watch the horses cross the wire, then spend the day at the video board. If seeing the race matters, you want reserved grandstand or clubhouse seating.

Make a weekend of it

Add-ons

  • A guided tour of the Bluegrass horse farms, including retired champions at Old Friends Farm
  • A bourbon distillery tour with tastings along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail
  • Blend your own bottle in a private bourbon-making session (at select hotels)
  • A visit to historic Keeneland Race Course
  • Extra nights in Louisville or Lexington to slow the weekend down

Planning

What to know before you go

The resale trap

Churchill Downs designates Ticketmaster Ticket Exchange as its only authorized resale channel, and tickets bought elsewhere can be refused at the gate. StubHub lists Derby tickets anyway. If you are buying resale rather than a package, that distinction is the whole ballgame, and it is not advertised to you at the point of sale.

Per the Churchill Downs ticketing policy, confirmed July 2026.

Getting there on race day

Traffic and parking around Churchill Downs on Derby Day are notoriously bad. This is the least glamorous and most valuable part of a package: round-trip race-day transportation, so the day starts and ends without a two-hour logistics problem on either side.

Where to stay

Two honest choices. Downtown Louisville puts you minutes from the track and steps from the nightlife on 4th Street Live, and it is the simplest trip. A Bluegrass base near Lexington, about an hour out, trades the downtown convenience for horse country and bourbon, with a full day of touring before the race on the Bourbon Lovers package.

What to wear

Churchill Downs is a dress-up event, and the dress code follows your seating tier. Reserved and clubhouse areas expect country-club style: dresses and famous hats, jackets and sport coats. The infield is far more relaxed. It is one more reason the tier you pick shapes the whole day.

When to book

Earlier than feels necessary. The best hotels and the good seating tiers for Derby weekend sell out well ahead of the first Saturday in May, and the options only get thinner and pricier as the date approaches. For 2027, the time to lock a tier is now.

Race and venue details confirmed as of July 2026.

FAQ

Questions people actually ask

Does the infield see the finish line?

Mostly no. The infield is general-admission lawn seating and a famous party, but from most of it you cannot see the finish line, and many people end up watching the race on the video board. If seeing the horses cross the wire matters to you, you want reserved grandstand or clubhouse seating, not the infield.

What is the difference between the Oaks and the Derby?

The Kentucky Oaks runs on Friday and is a race for three-year-old fillies, nicknamed Lilies for the Fillies. The Kentucky Derby runs on Saturday and is the marquee race for three-year-old colts and geldings, the Run for the Roses. Many packages include both days.

What should I wear?

Churchill Downs is a dress-up event. Reserved and clubhouse areas expect country-club style: dresses and hats for women, jackets or sport coats for men. The infield is far more casual. Your seating tier drives the dress code, which is one more reason the tier decision matters.

How do I get to Churchill Downs on race day?

Traffic and parking around the track on Derby Day are notoriously difficult. Every package includes round-trip race-day transportation, which is a bigger convenience than it sounds once you see the crowds.

Can I just buy Derby tickets myself?

You can, through Churchill Downs directly, but reserved seating sells fast and the seating map is genuinely complicated. The value of a package is getting the right tier, the hotel, and the race-day logistics handled together, and having someone tell you honestly which ticket is worth it.

Is it safe to buy Derby tickets on the resale market?

Be careful. Churchill Downs designates Ticketmaster Ticket Exchange as its only authorized resale channel, and tickets bought elsewhere can be refused at the gate. StubHub lists Derby tickets anyway. If you are buying resale, that distinction is the whole ballgame.

When should I book for the 2027 Derby?

Sooner than you think. The best hotels and seating tiers for Derby weekend sell out early, and the closer you get to the first Saturday in May, the thinner and pricier the options become.

Booking and logistics

How does payment and the deposit work?

You reserve your package with a per-person deposit and pay the balance on a set schedule, with final payment typically due 60 days before departure. Deposits and payments are non-refundable and non-transferable, so we recommend travel insurance to protect what you pay. Your booking is transacted by a licensed tour operator whose full written terms govern your trip, and no payment is taken through this website. The full terms are on our legal and disclosures page.

Can you plan a trip for one person or a couple?

Yes. Package prices are quoted per person and depend on how many people share a room, so solo travelers and couples are quoted accordingly. Tell us your group and we will price it honestly.

Can you handle a large group?

Yes. We handle private groups, typically parties of eight or more, with dedicated coordination for the tickets, hotel, and logistics so everyone travels together smoothly.

Is Sports Travel Zone a legitimate, licensed agency?

Yes. We are a registered seller of travel, California CST 2155818-70 and Florida ST43282, a service of Early and Away Travel, LLC. Your booking is fulfilled by a licensed tour operator, and we earn a commission when you book.

What is your cancellation and refund policy?

Deposits and payments are non-refundable and non-transferable, and event tickets and hotel-only reservations are final once booked. If you cancel, any amount already paid cannot be refunded, which is why we strongly recommend travel insurance. If an event is postponed or cancelled, you receive updated tickets or a credit only to the extent the ticket or hotel vendor refunds the operator. The full terms are on our legal and disclosures page and are provided to you in writing before you book.

Go deeper

Read next

Kentucky Derby seating, explained, what to wear to the Kentucky Derby, and how much a Kentucky Derby trip costs. Chasing the crown? Read the Triple Crown explained. Or see all guides.

Why book with us

Registered seller of travel

California CST 2155818-70 and Florida ST43282. A licensed agency, not a marketplace.

A real advisor

You talk to a person who has done this, not a call center or a checkout form.

Fulfilled by a licensed operator

Your booking is handled by a licensed tour operator, with clear deposit and payment terms on your call.

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Go deeper

Read next

Advisory, not a checkout

Talk it through before you book

These trips are easy to get wrong and expensive to get wrong. Start with a conversation.

Ask about Kentucky Derby

Kentucky Derby® and Kentucky Oaks® are registered trademarks of Churchill Downs Incorporated. Sports Travel Zone is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected in any way with Churchill Downs Incorporated, its venues, or its official sponsors. Trademarked terms are used solely for descriptive purposes.