The food, the beer, the horses, the betting and (unfortunately) the traffic.
The 2016 Preakness may be Baltimore's most festive day of every year, and it's hard to imagine not having a good time (unless, of course, you bet heavily and your horse finishes out of the money), but take it from those who have been there — even the best time can be made better with a little planning.
Here are a handful of Preakness vets, offering their suggestions on enjoying your visit to Old Hilltop.
"Get your bets in early, so you can spend the rest of the day enjoying the race."
— Dan Tordjman, 33, writer for Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred magazine, Brooklyn, N.Y.
"Especially with the last few years, it's definitely a key consideration to bring a poncho that you can pack in your pocket. You definitely want to bring shoes you do not care about wearing ever again. Even if it's not raining, the field itself often gets so muddy even when it's sunny out, just from spilled beer and all sorts of disgusting stuff."
— Nick Moran, 28, Internet marketer, Wyman Park
"The only thing that makes sense to me, unless you have onsite parking, is Uber. Get dropped off, have fun, Uber home."
— Dana Moore, 58, attorney, Charles Village
"Hydrate. It was very hot when I went. Just a bunch of people; especially with the heat, it can get to you."
— Michael Dayao, 20, Loyola University Maryland, Class of '17
"We like to buy the actual seats in the stands. We go for the cheaper ones, but that way we know we have a place that we can see the race when it's actually going [on], and when the Infield gets too rowdy we have a place that we can retreat to."
— Erin Markel, 30, environmental scientist, Abingdon
"I love being able to watch the race on the rail when possible, even if that means finding a sliver of a spot. … Afterward, all the racing people seem to go to the Mount Washington Tavern."
— Acacia Courtney, 23, on-air personality for Horse Racing Radio Network, Hollywood, Fla.
"It's worth it to take the Light Rail. Even if you go alone, everybody on the Light Rail is doing the same thing and you just follow them." (Editor's note: Get off at the Cold Spring Lane stop and then take the shuttle bus service, which runs from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. The shuttle bus will travel back to the Cold Spring Lane stop until 7:30 p.m. $4 day pass required.)
— Ryan Clancy, 23, engineer, Federal Hill
"Put your money on every single horse because then, no matter what, you're a winner! Also, I recommend having a water after every cocktail. Make sure if you see Tom Brady, you tell him that Ravens rule and Patriots drool. And don't forget to check out my band, All Time Low, because word on the street is it's going to be the best performance all weekend."
— Jack Barakat, 27, All Time Low guitarist, Canton
"For Preakness, you can never go wrong with yellow and black, or gold and black. I would also say Preakness is really more of a medium brim. It's definitely a hat affair, as opposed to a fascinator. It's just as dressy as the Kentucky Derby, it's just a little more tailored and subdued. But just as fancy."
— Christine A. Moore, milliner, New York City, featured designer at Preakness Village
To those doing the Mug Club, pace yourself. It can be sunny and hot, and there's not a lot of shade. You do yourself no favors by getting every beer you can in the first hour or two. It's a long day.
— Ethan Rothstein, 26, editor for Bisnow, Washington