This is so exciting - you're going to have the best time! I am so excited to meet you!!! The museums are great if you're hot/overwhelmed - that's where I always go if I need a little bit of peace and quiet and away from the crowds!
I'm SO HAPPY FOR YOU that you're going! Incoming stranger in a strange land info dump: I suggest getting necessary or outdoor things done in the morning before the real humidity hits. I haven't been to Breyerfest, but I attended the 2010 World Equestrian Games there (and I've been to KY a few times for racing related things... Saw Big Brown sold at auction as a 2 year old for one)... Being a Canadian, despite being from the very humid Great Lakes region, the humidity was some fierce. A good rule for you (and your family later on when in Florida) is to drink the equivalent of a 500mL bottle of water PER HOUR. My sister in law fainted at Disney World when we went one April years ago. That was the advice the First Aid staff gave her, and it served us all well since. Save Clarion shopping and indoor activities with AC for the mid-late afternoon. The museum is usually more quiet if you need some time for regulating sensory overload. And there are plenty of trees in the park to sit under near the pastures. Not sure if they do it around Breyerfest, but there is a nose to tail trailride around the park you can take. If you get the right guide, they'll take you through the small river that cuts through the park. The horses are very used to it, though the last time I took it, the water was high, so my toes got a bit wet! Everything is pretty spaced out in the States, so a rental car is the best way to get around most likely. Abide the signs for No U-Turns... They're serious about that. The Americans are particular about this. Also, no right turns on a red light either (which is something that is perfectly legal where I'm from so I always have to keep it in mind down there) Another quick tip, many of the lovely French names in the Lexington area have been Americanized for pronunciation. True story: First time in Lexington, a friend and I were trying to get back to the ring road that runs around the city (this was in the Before Times when all we had were print outs from MapQuest and a 1976 Road Atlas, which, because of name changes ended up being the most accurate map we had). We pulled up to a stop light, and my friend lowered the window, and asked a fellow: "How do we get to Versailles Road?" The local looked at us as if we weren't speaking English... So I thought a moment, sighed, and then called out: "How do we get to Ver-Sales Road?" Got an instant answer. lol. Fair warning, if you and your BF like to have a pint every so often, you WILL encounter Dry Counties while down there. So be aware of that. If you're outside of Lexington proper, you may not be able to legally buy alcohol depending on location. However, just look for the county lines, and you'll probably be able to find a liquor store... If you're beer folks at all, I recommend trying the Kentucky Bourbon Barrel beer if they're still making it. Much closer to a Canadian or European beer in strength, and tastes delicious. Another lost in translation funny moment... Friend who hadn't been to Kentucky before says to a server in a chain restaurant: "Oh, could I see the wine list?" Server: "Wine list?" Friend: "Yes, the wine list." Server: "We're a dry county." ... And it was another moment like they weren't even speaking the same language. We all got a good chuckle out of it. That being said, avoid the chain restaurants... Especially the Applebee's near the park. One of the most disappointing meals I've ever had, and I used to eat standing over a garbage can when I worked in kitchens when I was young... The smaller places are usually fantastic. Fried chicken from anywhere that ISN'T KFC is nigh unto a religious experience... There are two hole in the wall breakfast joints I liked there (if they still exist), one was right across the highway from Keeneland Racetrack, and another was in nearby Paris, KY I think... Just solid, standard breakfast fare with good coffee... Speaking of Keeneland, and if you like racing, make the effort to get up early and go down to the track to watch the morning workouts. Keeneland is a stunningly beautiful track. Way prettier than Churchill Downs, and everyone from the trainers to the exercise riders, to the regular Rail Birds were really friendly and welcoming. Several horse racing related movies have been filmed there because the grandstand is so pretty. And if you REALLY want a getaway from the park, maybe see if you can book a tour of one of the studs in the area. They usually show you the stallion barn, and bring out a few of the better behaved boys for you to look at and take pictures with. Claiborne where Secretariat stood at stud was a favourite of mine. But we had one of the regular grooms take us around instead of a guide, and he was awesome. But the absolute nicest one I toured once was the Pin Oak Stud... We actually got to see something other than the stallion barn, and they showed us some of the two year olds they had in training, and we got to see a few of the broodmares out in their pasture too. Another great place to see is Old Friends, a place for retired race horses to live out their days in peace and be saved from the slaughter pipeline. A worthy cause, and a nice place to walk around. Okay, sorry for the info dump, but I'm so thrilled to hear that you're finally getting to go! I wish this could have been my year, but hilariously, I have a trip to Ireland, Wales, with a quick jaunt over to Liverpool later this year. Oh the irony. lol.
This is SO helpful thank you so much!! You are very kind to offer this advice I really appreciate it!!! I will definitely consider all of this as I continue planning my trip☺️ There are so many differences between the UK and the US. Luckily I've been to the US a few times before so I know a few things, but I've never been anywhere on the East side so it'll be a learning experience for sure! One of the things I'm worried about is tipping... I have no idea who to tip and who not to tip! Tipping really is not a thing in the UK and it is not expected.
@@mrbobbysmodels5338 ah yes, tipping. Tipping is appreciated most in restaurants and bars with table service. You can tip at food stand or food truck, they'll usually have a jar near the register labelled for the purpose. When eating out, 10-20% of the final bill is customary. You can tip more if you got great service though. Debit/Credit machines usually have a tip option where you can select a percentage to add on in these cases. Other places it may be customary to tip are ride services and taxis (with the exception of public buses). If you use a rideshare app, there's usually an option to tip on those. If you have a porter or bellhop helping you with luggage, it's always nice to give them a little something too. A few bucks in cash is usually enough... And that's about it. If you get a haircut or other service such as nails, a massage, etc, it's nice to leave a tip there too. One place you don't need to really worry about tipping are chain fast food restaurants where you walk up to the counter to order, such as McDonald's. You can tip there if you want, but it's not expected... And that's about it, really. Another place it was kind of hard to tip was in fact, Disney World. We ended up getting the meal plan(which was totally worth it!), And since we had a larger party, often a gratuity is included in the total of the meal. And having worked in restaurants for a long time, let me say that the best waiter I ever had worked in Cinderella's castle. He literally predicted a blood sugar low before I had one. Needless to say, I shoved money into his hand as I left. Also, if you're able to afford it, and a reservation is available try to get to the Hoop Dee Doo Musical Review in Frontierland. It's an Old West themed Vaudeville style show, and it's a blast... They also keep bringing you beer and fried chicken until you pretty much beg them to stop. Lol... It books up months in advance though, but it's worth looking into.
I'd love to meet you! If you need any help I can help you out ;) I get heat sick and heat headaches so the AC museum is awesome! One yr I was with my friend and her mom and I laid down on the cold brick floor... It felt awesome LOL
This is amazing! I hope you have a great time!!😊
WOOT!! Hope to see ya there 🎉
How exciting! 🎉 Hope you have the best time! Would love to make that journey to Kentucky again someday! 😊
Thank you so much🥰 It’s a super special opportunity!
This is so exciting - you're going to have the best time! I am so excited to meet you!!! The museums are great if you're hot/overwhelmed - that's where I always go if I need a little bit of peace and quiet and away from the crowds!
Thank you so so much! And thanks for the tip, I’m definitely going to check out the museums!😁
I'm SO HAPPY FOR YOU that you're going! Incoming stranger in a strange land info dump:
I suggest getting necessary or outdoor things done in the morning before the real humidity hits. I haven't been to Breyerfest, but I attended the 2010 World Equestrian Games there (and I've been to KY a few times for racing related things... Saw Big Brown sold at auction as a 2 year old for one)... Being a Canadian, despite being from the very humid Great Lakes region, the humidity was some fierce. A good rule for you (and your family later on when in Florida) is to drink the equivalent of a 500mL bottle of water PER HOUR. My sister in law fainted at Disney World when we went one April years ago. That was the advice the First Aid staff gave her, and it served us all well since. Save Clarion shopping and indoor activities with AC for the mid-late afternoon.
The museum is usually more quiet if you need some time for regulating sensory overload. And there are plenty of trees in the park to sit under near the pastures. Not sure if they do it around Breyerfest, but there is a nose to tail trailride around the park you can take. If you get the right guide, they'll take you through the small river that cuts through the park. The horses are very used to it, though the last time I took it, the water was high, so my toes got a bit wet!
Everything is pretty spaced out in the States, so a rental car is the best way to get around most likely. Abide the signs for No U-Turns... They're serious about that. The Americans are particular about this. Also, no right turns on a red light either (which is something that is perfectly legal where I'm from so I always have to keep it in mind down there) Another quick tip, many of the lovely French names in the Lexington area have been Americanized for pronunciation. True story: First time in Lexington, a friend and I were trying to get back to the ring road that runs around the city (this was in the Before Times when all we had were print outs from MapQuest and a 1976 Road Atlas, which, because of name changes ended up being the most accurate map we had). We pulled up to a stop light, and my friend lowered the window, and asked a fellow: "How do we get to Versailles Road?" The local looked at us as if we weren't speaking English... So I thought a moment, sighed, and then called out: "How do we get to Ver-Sales Road?" Got an instant answer. lol.
Fair warning, if you and your BF like to have a pint every so often, you WILL encounter Dry Counties while down there. So be aware of that. If you're outside of Lexington proper, you may not be able to legally buy alcohol depending on location. However, just look for the county lines, and you'll probably be able to find a liquor store... If you're beer folks at all, I recommend trying the Kentucky Bourbon Barrel beer if they're still making it. Much closer to a Canadian or European beer in strength, and tastes delicious. Another lost in translation funny moment... Friend who hadn't been to Kentucky before says to a server in a chain restaurant: "Oh, could I see the wine list?" Server: "Wine list?" Friend: "Yes, the wine list." Server: "We're a dry county." ... And it was another moment like they weren't even speaking the same language. We all got a good chuckle out of it.
That being said, avoid the chain restaurants... Especially the Applebee's near the park. One of the most disappointing meals I've ever had, and I used to eat standing over a garbage can when I worked in kitchens when I was young... The smaller places are usually fantastic. Fried chicken from anywhere that ISN'T KFC is nigh unto a religious experience... There are two hole in the wall breakfast joints I liked there (if they still exist), one was right across the highway from Keeneland Racetrack, and another was in nearby Paris, KY I think... Just solid, standard breakfast fare with good coffee... Speaking of Keeneland, and if you like racing, make the effort to get up early and go down to the track to watch the morning workouts. Keeneland is a stunningly beautiful track. Way prettier than Churchill Downs, and everyone from the trainers to the exercise riders, to the regular Rail Birds were really friendly and welcoming. Several horse racing related movies have been filmed there because the grandstand is so pretty.
And if you REALLY want a getaway from the park, maybe see if you can book a tour of one of the studs in the area. They usually show you the stallion barn, and bring out a few of the better behaved boys for you to look at and take pictures with. Claiborne where Secretariat stood at stud was a favourite of mine. But we had one of the regular grooms take us around instead of a guide, and he was awesome. But the absolute nicest one I toured once was the Pin Oak Stud... We actually got to see something other than the stallion barn, and they showed us some of the two year olds they had in training, and we got to see a few of the broodmares out in their pasture too. Another great place to see is Old Friends, a place for retired race horses to live out their days in peace and be saved from the slaughter pipeline. A worthy cause, and a nice place to walk around.
Okay, sorry for the info dump, but I'm so thrilled to hear that you're finally getting to go! I wish this could have been my year, but hilariously, I have a trip to Ireland, Wales, with a quick jaunt over to Liverpool later this year. Oh the irony. lol.
This is SO helpful thank you so much!! You are very kind to offer this advice I really appreciate it!!! I will definitely consider all of this as I continue planning my trip☺️
There are so many differences between the UK and the US. Luckily I've been to the US a few times before so I know a few things, but I've never been anywhere on the East side so it'll be a learning experience for sure!
One of the things I'm worried about is tipping... I have no idea who to tip and who not to tip! Tipping really is not a thing in the UK and it is not expected.
@@mrbobbysmodels5338 ah yes, tipping. Tipping is appreciated most in restaurants and bars with table service. You can tip at food stand or food truck, they'll usually have a jar near the register labelled for the purpose. When eating out, 10-20% of the final bill is customary. You can tip more if you got great service though. Debit/Credit machines usually have a tip option where you can select a percentage to add on in these cases. Other places it may be customary to tip are ride services and taxis (with the exception of public buses). If you use a rideshare app, there's usually an option to tip on those. If you have a porter or bellhop helping you with luggage, it's always nice to give them a little something too. A few bucks in cash is usually enough... And that's about it. If you get a haircut or other service such as nails, a massage, etc, it's nice to leave a tip there too.
One place you don't need to really worry about tipping are chain fast food restaurants where you walk up to the counter to order, such as McDonald's. You can tip there if you want, but it's not expected... And that's about it, really.
Another place it was kind of hard to tip was in fact, Disney World. We ended up getting the meal plan(which was totally worth it!), And since we had a larger party, often a gratuity is included in the total of the meal. And having worked in restaurants for a long time, let me say that the best waiter I ever had worked in Cinderella's castle. He literally predicted a blood sugar low before I had one. Needless to say, I shoved money into his hand as I left.
Also, if you're able to afford it, and a reservation is available try to get to the Hoop Dee Doo Musical Review in Frontierland. It's an Old West themed Vaudeville style show, and it's a blast... They also keep bringing you beer and fried chicken until you pretty much beg them to stop. Lol... It books up months in advance though, but it's worth looking into.
oh how exciting! I would love to meet! I know they have a social media meetup that you can attend. You'll have great fun in Florida as well!
I’d love to meet you!! And I’m hoping to go to the social media meet🥰 Yes I love going to Florida it’ll be a great trip!
Good Luck for your 1st BreyeFest in person... and stay safe!!🍀🍀
Thank you!!💚
Great video, I hope you have the best BreyerFest!💛
Thanks so much 🥰🤍
Oh very cool!!! We will HAVE to meet up!!
Hoping for the first of many!! Hopefully we can meet at some point!!
Yes I would LOVE to meet you that would be so great!!
so happy for you!!! ☺
Thank you so much!!!!
woooooo can’t wait to meet you!!!
Yessssss!!! Can’t wait to meet you too 🥰
I hope I get to meet you!!!!❤
I'd love to meet you! If you need any help I can help you out ;) I get heat sick and heat headaches so the AC museum is awesome! One yr I was with my friend and her mom and I laid down on the cold brick floor... It felt awesome LOL