Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach: Race Day, Pegasus Weekend and the Beach Next Door
Here is the short answer. Gulfstream Park is the thoroughbred racetrack at 901 South Federal Highway in Hallandale Beach, and this winter is its big season. The 2026-2027 Championship Meet opens on Thanksgiving Day, November 26, and runs into late March. The headline day is the 11th Pegasus World Cup Invitational on Saturday, January 30, 2027. On most race days, general admission and self-parking are both free. The public beach is a short drive east, so a race afternoon and a beach morning fit in the same day. Every date, rule and rate below came from the track's own website or the City of Hallandale Beach, checked this week.
We are Brad and Justina, founders of Yours Truly Hospitality. We manage vacation homes across Southeast Florida, and winter guests in south Broward often ask us for one plan that is not another restaurant. A day at the races is a good answer, even if you have never placed a bet.
What Gulfstream Park Is
Gulfstream calls its winter season the Championship Meet, and the track describes it as the winter home of the sport's best horses, trainers and jockeys. Live racing runs all year, but the number of race days each week changes with the season.
Right now, before the winter meet starts, the track's calendar shows the fall Sunshine Meet racing Friday through Sunday. In November that means the weekends of November 6 to 8, 13 to 15 and 20 to 22, before the Championship Meet takes over on Thanksgiving. Always check the events calendar on the track's site for the exact days before you drive over.
The Winter Dates Worth Planning Around
The track published the full stakes schedule for the 2026-2027 meet in October. It lists 66 stakes, 27 of them graded. These are the days with the biggest crowds and the best fields:
Thursday, November 26 (Opening Day, Thanksgiving): two turf stakes for 2-year-olds, the Wait a While and the Pulpit.
Saturday, November 28: the Aventura and the Hallandale Beach stakes, both for 2-year-olds at a mile on dirt.
Saturday, December 26 (Pegasus Preview Day): prep races for Pegasus, led by the Fort Lauderdale and the Harlan's Holiday.
Saturday, January 23 (Holy Bull Day): the Holy Bull and the Forward Gal, the first big steps on the road to the Kentucky Derby and the Kentucky Oaks.
Saturday, January 30 (Pegasus World Cup Day): the Pegasus World Cup Invitational and the Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational.
Saturday, February 27 (Fountain of Youth Day): nine stakes, eight of them graded.
Saturday, March 27 (Florida Derby Day): the 76th Florida Derby. The track notes that the race has produced four of the last 11 Kentucky Derby winners.
Pegasus is the spectacle. A regular Saturday in January is the easier, calmer version of the same place.
Pegasus Is a Ticketed Day
On most race days you just walk in. Pegasus is the exception. The track's FAQ says premium events and special race days may require tickets, and it names the Pegasus World Cup as one of them.
As of this week, the purses for the Pegasus races were still listed as to be announced, so we are not quoting them here. Watch the track's site for tickets and final details, and book early if you want a particular seat or a dining table. If you are coming for Thanksgiving, the track's events page also lists a Thanksgiving at Ten Palms RSVP for November 26.
Practical Details From the Track
Here is what the track says about a normal visit:
Admission: free on most race days.
Parking: self-parking is free on the north and south sides of the clubhouse and in the parking garage. Paid valet is on the north and south sides of the walking ring.
Dining: reservations at Ten Palms are strongly encouraged on big race days and holiday weekends. There are concessions and deli options for grab-and-go. Clubhouse dining is only open on live race days.
Families: guests of all ages are welcome in designated areas. The casino and bar areas are 21 and over.
Dress code: casual. The track suggests race day chic on the bigger days. Ten Palms does not allow tank tops or sleeveless shirts.
Bags: there is no luggage check. You can bring one small carry-on or personal item and keep it with you, but no large bags. If you are stopping on the way to or from the airport, leave the suitcases locked out of sight in the car.
Accessibility: wheelchair seating in the Grandstand and Walking Ring areas, ADA parking in the main lots, and shuttles from parking during larger events.
Never Bet Before? Start Here
You do not need to bet to enjoy the day. Watching the horses parade in the walking ring and then thunder past the rail is the show.
If you do want to try, the track says you can bet at self-service kiosks, at live teller windows, or on the 1/ST BET app. It offers quick reference wagering guides, and the team in the Silks Simulcast Room helps new guests learn the basics. Set a small budget before you arrive and treat it as the price of the entertainment. One detail worth knowing: the track says winning tickets are valid for one year, so do not toss a winner in the hotel trash.
Pair It With the Beach
The races usually fill the afternoon, which leaves the morning for the sand. Hallandale Beach has two oceanfront city parks and four public beach accesses.
South City Beach Park, at 1870 South Ocean Drive, is the easy starting point. The city lists restrooms, outdoor showers, a playground, a sand volleyball court, two bocce courts, a pavilion and a beachfront concession stand. The park is open dawn to dusk, and the parking lot opens at 7:30 a.m. The beach is open every day of the year, and winter protected hours, when lifeguards are on duty, run 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. from September to April. For beach conditions, the city's line is 954-457-1456. Beach wheelchairs are available, and the beach is KultureCity sensory inclusive.
North City Beach Park is a short walk north. It is home to the Beach Ball Water Tower, designed by local artist Jim Weinberg, which is the photo everyone takes. The city also lists a sand volleyball court, restrooms, outdoor showers and ETARU, an oceanfront restaurant on site.
Parking at the beach is not free, and it is enforced. You pay through the PayByPhone app, and the city uses license plate recognition. An unpaid space carries a minimum fine of $50. The city offers a discounted visitor rate at the South City Beach Park lot if you enter before 11 a.m. or after 5 p.m., which suits an early beach morning before a race afternoon.
If you want a longer walk on the sand, the Hollywood Broadwalk starts just to the north. We cover it in our Hollywood Broadwalk guide.
A Simple Race Day Plan
Here is the version we would hand a guest:
Check the calendar the night before. Confirm it is a live race day, not just simulcast.
Beach first. Get to South City Beach Park early for the discounted rate and the calm water.
Track after lunch. Free self-parking, free entry on a regular day.
Book Ten Palms ahead if you want a sit-down meal on a weekend or a stakes day.
Bring one small bag, and dress up a little if it is a big day.
Who This Is For
This is a good fit for groups of friends, couples who want a dressed-up afternoon, sports fans, and families who want something new to watch together. It is less of a fit if your crew wants a quiet day, or if you plan to go on Pegasus Day without tickets.
Where to Base Yourself
The best winter days in south Broward stack two easy things back to back, the beach and something worth dressing for. That is how we think about every stay we manage: we take care of the small details so the good days do not get lost to logistics. If you are planning a winter trip along this coast, have a look at our South Florida vacation homes.
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