What a time it is at the Del Mar Racetrack! The best memories come from betting and drinking with your friends rooting for your favorite horse. Del Mar Racetrack is a must when visiting San Diego and is such a fun experience. My friends and I usually take the Amtrak train from Orange County to Del Mar station, they have shuttles to take you from the train to the venue for free which is nice. Dress to impress as well, they have a dress code but not too many people follow it. Some people go all out with suits, dresses and fancy dress wear. Tickets are affordable and they have a variety of ticket packages to choose from, we usually sit in GA area. As for the venue itself, its beautiful from the outside and the track is well maintained. If you look from the balcony, you can see the ocean! It's pretty confusing in my opinion to navigate each floor and where to find food concessions. They need to upgrade the building and rennovate the interior. The food here isn't too good but Tanner's Prime Burgers is a must. Betting is also confusing so I would recommend looking up a Youtube vid or ask some people around the stadium on how to do it. When in doubt, hammer Fresu, Rispoli, Berrios or Hernandez! read more

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Del Mar is always a delightful venue for races, food, and wine events. It's beautifully surrounded by greenery as well as fabulous people. Never a dull moment! One of the great things as well is that you're minutes away from Downtown Del Mar which is a must for dining, cocktails, and entertainment! Highly recommend! read more

Del Mar Racetrack - Hats, outfits and fabulous people! - Race Tracks Near Me - Del Mar, California

DEL MAR RACETRACK @ DEL MAR First time here at the Del Mar Racing! It is $10 for general parking and $30 for valet parking. There is A LOT of space, so you'll definitely get a spot. There is also a tram that takes you closer to the racing and or back to your parking lot section. I booked my tickets in advance for my friend and I, it was about $80 for both tickets. What's the worst part is that we found out College Day was FREE admissions for students!! I wish Del Mar racing had this more advertised. The place itself was huge, there were hundreds of people, and they had all sorts of bars and clubs that you could go to. The ambiance overall was clean, but did heavily smell like Horse. However, if you also know how to gamble, it is definitely an activity that would recommend! The horse names are extremely funny! read more

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Always fun! I have two friends who is a member of the turf club and always sends an invite every opening day or any other day of the races... it's always fun! I love their truffle fries, it's the best finger food to nibble while enjoying your drinks watching the race... we also ordered their cheeseboard and burgers, etc. Foods and drinks are expensive. One margarita drink is $30, for a glass of beer is $22 plus tip...pricey! But the race is fun! My favorite time to come is the opening day because everyone is on their best fit and lots of beautiful hats! read more

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Pleasantly surprised on how easy it was to get a box online $23 a person per seat. You can bring a cooler with foods no alcohol . Sit back and enjoy and watch the races. The food at the concessions are still not up to my liking ... I feel they really should do individual charcuterie boards. People would love that. We did find a kettle corn vendor right before you go into the races and that was very nice . Drinks are $$$ I recommend spending your time in the shade if you can. GA is standing, 100% Sun All the folks that work at the Delmar racetrack are incredibly friendly .... Go! bet! Have fun! read more

Del Mar Racetrack - Race Tracks Near Me - Del Mar, California

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Opening weekend to the summer races we reserved 3 tables in the stretch run. We had a close up view of the track, table service, and plenty of shade. If you like the Turf Club but don't want to have to wear a suit the stretch run is the place to be. In the summer try to get a table in the shade. A hat is recommended if you are not in the shade. In the fall bring a jacket. It gets cold and windy. Colder than some might expect. Layers are your friend. read more

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Delightful Saturday afternoon with friends in the Turf Club for drinks, lunch, and 11 races ... OK we missed the first two. Our table was directly over the Finish Line ... high enough to see the entire tracks, both dirt and turf. This was the last Saturday of the Bing Crosby Season (aka Fall Meet). Food was unremarkable; drinks were very good; service was good; betting windows very convenient with excellent/friendly cashiers. The overall experience was outstanding. read more

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Came here this past weekend to watch the horse races! Although my betting skills can use some work, I still had a blast! We had a couple tables at the stretch run. The sun was intense, but being able to order at the table with a server was great. Our server Susie was on it! She checked in with us regularly and recommended some apps. The shrimp cocktail was delicious, but the pretzel bites were the star. read more

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I don't visit too many race tracks, but Del Mar does it's best to make it a good experience. The facility is well maintained, but well overdue for a renovation. The seating areas are comfortable and plentiful. The in-seat service is very good, friendly and available for box seat areas. I do think the food offerings do need to be upgraded, as they seem a bit dated. Overall, still a great value for an afternoon out in the always great weather of Del Mar. read more

Del Mar is where the turf meets the surf -- beautiful seaside vibes and the energy of the races make it an unforgettable outing. We placed a few bets...and happily, we won! A great day of racing, cheering, and pure excitement. Highly recommend for a fun, spirited experience with friends. read more

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Free and Easy Thursday is a great day to visit the track. Free admission if you have the Diamond Card (you can sign up at the racetrack)and then can use the card for 1/2 off Michelob ultra and discount on hotdogs. Friend got great reserved seats in the shade and steps to do your betting and not busy at all. Had a great 4th race which the winnings paid for my day at the track. Also great day to hangout with my buddy. read more

Del Mar Racetrack - Winning picks - Race Tracks Near Me - Del Mar, California

Vacationing in Del Mar, you have to go at least once even if horse racing is not your cup of tea. My friend and I and not gamblers. We went to the track for a "Taco and Tequila" event last August. We liked the track, inside was clean, we even placed a couple bets on a horse race which was fun to see. The actual Taco and Tequila festival was horrible $76.00 for 2 tickets, 1 stars at best. The tequila sampling were all pre-made out of the machines, way too sweet concoctions. They did have one tequila company there serving real samples with the longest line because they were the only company doing it. The taco truck "Big Boyz Tacos" was a joke, we waited in line to finally get up to the front place our order and paid for (2) 3 taco Combo (your choice of meats or potato) to be told when they were putting our orders together all they had left was the dried up pork which I didn't want. Mind you, this was midway through the event. We are glad we went to the race track to see once, disappointed on the event, would never go back. read more

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Coming to the track is so nostalgic for me because I grew up going here even as a kid with my parents going to kids club and always attended opening day with my friends once I was old enough to bet on horses. We went recently for the Uncorked festival and had a great time getting to try all of the different wines and loved seeing a few different food truck options for food. We were surprised that parking there was only $10 which is honestly a really good price considering how expensive parking is everywhere in San Diego. We ended up betting on a few different races and I won some money which is always exciting and makes rooting for certain horses more fun. I love getting to walk around here and explore there really is so much to see and a classic San Diego summer time activity. Can't wait to do this again! read more

What a great venue! I've come here twice now as a vendor for an event they host a couple times a year called Uncorked Wine Festival. It's a big space, obviously, but not just for the horses. The atmosphere is always upbeat with the guests and the workers are always so friendly/helpful. Come here to enjoy a fun day under the sun and put some money on the horses! I recommend coming here for a fun day with a group of friends to do something different than your usual Saturday activities. read more

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Another great experience at Del Mar Racetrack, and my opinion is because the ALL the staff there are GREAT! The staff are all friendly and are ready to help answer questions, give directions, or anything you need. Lots of seniors, so I'm guessing that's the reason why they know how to provide top-notch customer service... They all seem to be having fun! Valet parking is $30.00 (a little pricey), but it's worth it if you don't want to take a 5 minute walk to the gates. Del Mar Racetrack is a perfect way to spend the day with the family enjoying good racing. read more

Del Mar Racetrack - Race Tracks Near Me - Del Mar, California

Opening Day 2024 at the Del Mar race track in Del Mar was the event not to miss. Tickets were sold out but I was among the lucky ones to get an invite entry into the Turf Club, where the dress code is enforced, jackets required for men! And if you're like me and don't want to put more miles on your Louboutins, Valet parking was available for a fee of course. It was my third time at Del Mar race track but my first time at Opening Day, which is the first race on the season. Del Mar race track is beautiful, with the beach nearby, the weather was cooler with marine layer clouds, perfect for the horses. The racing guide and other reading programs with expert's daily picks can help you decide on which horses to place your bet on. Betting combinations always fascinated me: Exactas, Boxed, Trifectas, Win, Place, Show, Quinella and Superfecta are just examples, but there are more exotic wagering combinations lol Make sure you walk down to the area known as the paddock, where the horses, trainers and staffers prep the horses before the jockeys mount the horse. You can admire the horses closer and notice any unique qualities that can sway you into wagering a bet on that horse. When I see a horse make eye contact with Me and actually wink at Me, I will place a bet on that horse to win, lol...sometimes I actually win! Other times, I take into consideration many factors: the horse's winning track record, who the trainer is, whether it will have a winning jockey, and whether I like the colors the horse and jockey are sporting. The point is, there is No exact formula to chose a winner, anything is possible, even Long shots with unfavorable odds can take the win. It's fun to see the spectacular Hat Contest. Hats are creatively designed and decorated flamboyantly with colors and materials to match the wearer's personality. There are many areas that serve food and drinks. The Turf Club and The Club House are both restaurant style with servers. There are other areas that are food stands that offer casual food and drinks. On big events like Opening Day, it was so crowded everywhere and service was a tad slow even at the turf club :( Once we got our food and drinks, Laissez les Bons Temps Rouler!! Whether is Opening Day or not, a day at the Del Mar Racetrack is worth a visit. Recommend! read more

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Fun filled day with clients at the racetrack. We bought a special club area for a group of 40. We also bought about $2200 in food vouchers, which was not quite enough for the fair food they offer and they come in increments of $5, NOTHING is $5, so it's time consuming for vendors amd client to count out $95-100 for each visit to booth for hot dogs, nachos, pretzels, beer or candy. Sadly the only restaurants with better food were closed due to private parties. Cocktail drinks were about $30. The food vouchers were not available for pick up until 2 days of the opening & on day of opening they notified us the misprinted tickets and they would be moving our party to different seating area. Surprised it's not more well-organized. I got to the opening at 11 am, via Uber and the ticket agents were confused on where to send "club ticket holders" . Leaving Del mar on Uber is a nightmare, pretty chaotic with staff yelling at people trying to get to Uber drivers if they deem they are not ready to have people crossing. It's my first time to the opening, so perhaps I expected more... read more

Del Mar Racetrack - Race Tracks Near Me - Del Mar, California

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Came here for the Del Mar Horse Races (my first time) for a company event and it was super cool! I'm not into gambling at all but it is a fun time to bet on the races. I definitely did not win any money though (,: A huge problem for me was the event staff. The event area is split into different parts for different events, but the people from other events kept coming to our event and stealing our food!!! The food was good though. Also minus an additional star because I feel so bad for the horsies (,: read more

Del Mar Racetrack - Race Tracks Near Me - Del Mar, California

The diamond club Friday happy hour event wasn't honored yesterday. First, I tried to get a drink from the celebrity suite bar at 4:30 and was told they don't honor the discount at the bar. The bar that had a menu featuring "Del Mar signature cocktails" and was told to go downstairs to the grandstands. 20 minutes later, I make it to the front of the line at the Kona bar and order a beer. The bartender says "they ****** us" and tells me the system ended the promotion... at 4:51. That had a room full of people pissed off; not just me. Either both bartenders were lying or y'all need to fix your system asap. read more

Breeders Cup 2024 was held at Delmar Racetrack in Southern California. Two long days of top tier racing. A beautiful track, it sits on the Pacific. I had visited some years ago, but there was no racing at the time. This was an entirely different experience. We took the Coaster from Santa Fe Depot in San Diego minutes from our hotel, to the Solana Beach Station where a shuttle took us to the track. A very easy option to consider. We sat on the 4th level of the grandstand which offered an expansive view of the entire racetrack. Pricey tickets, but worth the experience. 108 read more

I have been a few times in my life but this time I was there with an annual company party. We had a box which offered a great amount of privacy with great views. The bartender was kind, efficient and made some mean drinks. I loved being able to bet without leaving the box. I even got invited down to the track, meet one of the horse's who won! Parking: Don't go where everyone else does! There are great, close options that are even faster to get to than valet (which sometimes you have to wait up to 1 hour to get your car and then get out). Park in Parking Lot C. Do not park in Parking Lot A. read more

Del Mar Racetrack - Race Tracks Near Me - Del Mar, California

Such a fun place to watch some horse races, do some betting or just people watch. Everyone dressed so nicely with some fancy hats. Overall it was a cool experience! read more

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Worst managed race track in the circuit. All the Del Mar ambience and professionalism predicated by the previous management is gone . The race track management is composed of a personnel with no equine experience or exposure to horse racing​ culture in California or nationwide. Put the mailroom clerk into higher management and so on, and this is what you get , clearly demonstrated upon engagement with race track management STUPIDITY. A ship of fools. . read more

This review is for Pacifico Porch... the bartender has been, apparently, been there a long time. Service was slow even though we were 2 of 3 people at the bar. She spent much of her time talking to the wait staff and the other guy at the bar...a regular customer. She also saved at least 3 seats for regular patrons who were running late. There were bottles of Aquafina at 5 seats when we got there. Then, she added some race forms later. Not impressed. read more

Del Mar Racetrack - Race Tracks Near Me - Del Mar, California

My favorite summer activity is heading to the races with my family and friends to have a great time. Most recently, I went with my entire company, and we had a fantastic time betting, eating, and drinking there. The staff is outstanding, and the crowd is even better - everyone is incredibly friendly. That's what makes Del Mar race tracks such a special place. read more

This is a great place. I jumped at the opportunity to go here on a summer Saturday. Getting there on the Amtrak was part of the fun experience. Del Mar had busses which shuttle riders from the station directly to the track. Once at the track, it's easy access to the entrance. I recommend joining the Diamond club online for discounts before you get there. Once inside you see this is an all age, family friendly atmosphere. There are plenty of food and drink options for all to enjoy. It's a fun almost carnival like atmosphere. You soon find yourself watching the horses parade around prior to the upcoming races. And they're off...the excitement builds when the races begin. Just watching these beautiful animals run is amazing. Winning also helps with the enjoyment. I look forward to returning. read more

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First time experiencing Opening Day at Del Mar Racetrack! Every year I would see opening day on the local news and admire the hats and outfits, so I finally made the effort and bought tickets a few months in advance. The woman on the phone was patient and helpful as I had no idea where to sit or how it all worked. WE ARRIVED EARLY We arrived at 11:30am -- about 2.5 hours in advance of the first race. Traffic and parking was a breeze at this time. (Parking was $15 in 2024). This gave us time to park, walk to the entrance, check out the hats and outfits, walk around, take photos, visit the gift shop and decide on food options before we took our seats in the stands. There were a few protesters on the parking lot perimeter, which made things slightly uncomfortable. FOOD AND DRINK If you're budget or health conscious, I would advise bringing your own pack lunch, which I wish we'd done. The sit-down restaurant was full. It was a little tough finding the different walk-up counters that served food as they're sporadically spread out throughout the buildings. Pizza was $14 for a SLICE. We paid $17 for a turkey sandwich and $15 for a beer. We ate our sandwiches out of the plastic container in the stands. We later went to buy a soft serve ice-cream, but unfortunately the machine was broken. :( THE RACES The actual races are kind of boring. It's a bit like a ride at an amusement park -- you wait a long time in between for a quick burst of excitement. The time between races can be spent people-watching, eating, drinking, placing bets or retrieving your winnings. We placed small ($2-$5) bets at the windows with the real tellers, which could be very time consuming, waiting, as lines were long. I believe you could also make bets at self-serve machines or on the phone app, but we felt intimidated by that. When I bet money on races, the horses would lose, but when I did it 'for fun', not betting money, the horses won. Figures! DO YOUR RESEARCH I would advise you do a bit of research into horse betting before you go, so you know the difference between 'Place' and 'Show', etc. and how to tell the teller your bet. (i.e., Horse number, race number, etc.) It would be nice if they explained this in the booklet. HOW LONG TO STAY? We stayed for 9 races, which was over the span of approximately 4.5 hours. You can leave after one race or stay all the way til the end. (Eleven races when we were there). Exiting the racetrack parking lot and getting to the freeway was easy at around 6:30pm. A ONE-TIME BUCKET LIST EVENT FOR ME It was quite the spectacle seeing everyone dressed up and an experience to say we've been, but I don't feel the need to go to opening day again. It was also quite pricey at around $80 a ticket, $15 for parking and expensive food and drink. (Not to mention the betting, where sky's the limit!) It's honestly one big booze fest with a bunch of pretty people. I can't imagine the drunks on the road afterwards. If you've never been, it's definitely a San Diego bucket list item. read more

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Wow, so fun, so elegant. Reminds me of the scene in Pretty Woman where they are at the Polo track and women are dressed up and wearing really fund and whacky hats. Everything from the food to the ease of betting was so easy and so much fun. Cant wait to go again! read more

Del Mar Racetrack - Race Tracks Near Me - Del Mar, California

Fun activity to check out. Forewarning, always traffic and crowded to plan your time accordingly. Nice grounds. read more

Del Mar Racetrack - Race Tracks Near Me - Del Mar, California

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Opening day: what a disappointment. My group and I previously booked through group sales, but this year decided to downsize. We wanted trackside dining and chose a table at the First Turn restaurant Clubhouse side. We were so displeased with our service that we left after the 5th race or so, whereas years past we would have stayed all 10 races. As we arrived to our section, we were greeted by two of the most unprofessional individuals I have met at the racetrack. An older woman in a black dress with black hair, and a young girl with her entire midriff exposed, wearing dirty jeans and shoes. The younger girl was quite quiet where as the older woman was very rude to guests and staff. I was appalled. Our server, while very nice, had clearly had some mental health or drug issues, and was generally not presentable. Food was overpriced and unsavory. Drinks were overpriced but good. I am very disappointed in the Del Mar racetrack and how down hill things have gone. It may have been where we were sat or the staff they hire for opening day? Not sure. I do not think I will be going back. It is sad to watch something so glorious fade into low brow standards. read more

.... Last day of the races for the season....my sister loves to gamble..... it's her birthday so we thought why not the horse track .... we celebrated where the "surf meets the turf at Del Mar".....it was a fun day... not too hot... not too crowded... & we all won a little bit.... Fun times! See you next year! Parking is $15.00 gates open at 11am... Trams will get you to the gate.... read more

Del Mar Racetrack - Race Tracks Near Me - Del Mar, California

She's beaut, she really is. "Where the surf meets the turf" is forever accurate and consistently blasted both when advertising the track and also while you're there. They really drill it into your head and it also serves as a battle cry to the lesser racetracks across the country. I'm throwing down four stars (remember everyone, four stars is still a good rating on Yelp) mostly because some parts of this this track are severely outdated. To best describe it, there are places that you see that are designed to be old and then there are places that are, well, just old. Unfortunately that latter of the two is the case here. I will acknowledge that while old, everything from the furniture to the decor has aged well and is not falling apart or visibly damaged. As for the horses and the races. I'm not a big gambler when it comes to horses as I've never taken the time to learn the ins and outs of it all. Maybe if I were more educated I would jump in? I don't know, but at this stage I'm happy spending a weekend in another beautiful corner of San Diego. read more

It was a cool experience, but I won't participate in such events in the future because I feel that those poor animals sacrifice a lot. They endure intense training, physical strain, and sometimes even injury or death, all for the sake of entertainment and competition. read more

Del Mar Racetrack - Race Tracks Near Me - Del Mar, California

Overall had a great time, it was a business function all the food that was prepared by Del Mar was very tasty nice sandwiches the service was impeccable! And that even goes towards the people who help you bet not being a horse race better was very helpful to have some guidance. My only complaint if any reason for the four stars they need to figure something out with parking in the cost of parking. read more

Well First Parking is 10 Dollars for Cars and It does fill up quickly . Now as we arrived I am always a big Horse Racing Fam and I always enjoy seeing the pony's here !! The coolest part about the track is the area where they saddle up the race horses . It gets really crowded around that area and seeing the jockeys hop on to the horses !! Well it's a lot of fun for the whole family !! Kids get really excited when the horses come out !! To place a bet on the horses you want to win there are a couple of scenarios first there is exacta or Trifecta or and a couple more other ways depending on how you want it and the minimum bet is 50 Cents not bad at all !! There nachos are dam delicious and always taste so good at the track !! Lots of good food and plenty of areas for you to sit and root on your horse to win , place or show !! Overall an amazing Experience and I definitely think you and your family or friends will enjoy !! I surely can see myself coming back and enjoying it some more !!! read more

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LOVEEEE going to the racetrack! It was so fun going when I a kid with my grandma and other family members! That makes taking my own kids even more special. It was fun taking them down to see the horses walk through the paddock before a race and hear who they thought would win. Betting was made much easier by the betting agents/cashiers(?) who really helped us! I didn't come out winning much but my husband did great! They no longer have the infield family days which was a bummer. We were told they ended it when COVID started and haven't done it since. I don't know that ahead of time but the kids still had a great time. 100% recommend going and enjoying! read more

Excellent racetrack along the beach, where the surf meets the turf as the saying goes...this place has been around for decades and was initiated by Bing Crosby and Pat O'Brien...still a beautiful place today with beautiful people partaking in the sport of kings...cheap admission and some of the grandstand seating is free, check the daily schedule for sections...as is the case with most places today beer and other concessions are on the higher side of the scale...during the summer meet, July to early September, this place gets very crowded unlike other horse racing tracks today so be prepared for some lines at the betting windows...the location, the horses and the people watching all make this a fun way to spend the day win or lose....RECOMMEND read more

Such a fun easy getaway from Orange County. We trained down and a shuttle meets you at the station. So convenient. Whether you gamble, just love horses, or want a fun way to spend the day, you can't go wrong with Del Mar Racetrack. read more

My friends, family, and I all have at least an annual tradition of attending the horse races. Some years we get to go more often too. I've been attending the races for over 15 years and love the Del Mar Racetrack. Staff is always friendly and the grounds are constantly kept. Easy and convenient to bet, get food or drinks, and find seating or standing areas. Never many long lines as each floor has multiple stations for everything previously mentioned. No matter where you sit or stand you can definitely see the races. Great to attend the races in large groups too! read more

Such an amazing and fun day at the races. Delmar is nicest venues in the horse racing business. Best known as where the surf meets the turf. read more

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