The Kentucky Derby Museum is located next to Churchill Downs, the racecourse that has hosted the Derby since 1875. The museum offers interactive exhibits as well as the film, The Greatest Race, which details the history and highlights of this epic horserace. There is also a guided walking tour of Churchill Downs. If you plan to visit, please note the museum is closed Thursday through Sunday of Derby weekend (May 5-8, 2022). For more details, visit derbymuseum.org.
(Nearest campground is Diamond Caverns in Park City.)
All kinds of racing memorabilia can be found at the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, New York. Visitors can learn all about thoroughbred racing in America through interactive exhibits, see winner’s trophies, photographs and other items related to this thrilling sport. For information, visit racingmuseum.org.
(Nearest campgrounds include Alpine Lake, Lake George Escape, and Lake George Schroon Valley)
Ponyhenge, or the Rocking Horse Graveyard, is definitely worth a look-see if you’re camping with us in Massachusetts this summer. What is Ponyhenge? It is a collection of roughly 30 discarded rocking horses put out to pasture, so to speak. How they got there remains a mystery, sort of, as many stories float around as to how this “herd of horses” first appeared here. Slightly rusted, still colorful and guaranteed to evoke a smile and possibly some childhood memories, Ponyhenge can be found at 39 Old Sudbury Road, in Lincoln, Massachusetts.
(Nearest campgrounds include Gateway to Cape Cod, Old Chatham Road, and Sturbridge)
The wild ponies of Chincoteague have been roaming here for hundreds of years. Legend has it they are the descendants of surviving horses from Spanish shipwrecks from the 16th and 17th century or were brought there by early settlers and abandoned as they moved on. Whatever the origin, these ponies still run wild here. The best ways to see them is by one of the boat tours offered, or via car or hike. Visit chincoteague.com to see driving routes and tours offered. If you’re planning ahead, note that the annual Pony Swim, where “saltwater cowboys” swim the ponies from Assateague Island to Chincoteague Island, is set for July 27.
(Nearest campground is Virginia Landing in Quinby)
If all this horse talk has got you wanting to ride a real, live one, consider camping at Rancho Oso RV & Camping Resort and enjoy all the horses at this western-style campground located in Santa Barbara, California. This historic guest ranch and stables, bordered by the Los Padres National Forest and the Santa Ynez Rivers, offers guided horseback rides through this scenic location.
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- Find more campgrounds at ThousandTrails.com.