I just wanted to share a write up about my experience with COTA as someone that has attended the Canadian GP and Miami GP.

First a rundown of my COTA experience and then a compare/contrast with the other North American GP's I've been to.

Seats
After lots of research on this and other subreddits (the r/CircuitOfTheAmericas subreddit was very beneficial) I decided on Turn 15 Grandstand seats. I bought 2 for $2700. We had row 31, section 9 (about 5 rows from the top) and I can't say enough about how great these seats were. Absolutely terrific views of turns 12-15 where many of the overtakes happen. You can also see all the way down to Turn 11 (the start of the back straight) and bits of the esses to your right. As with all grandstands at COTA (except the start/finish straight) there is no cover, but in the afternoon the sun is at least at your back in T15 Grandstand. Fold down seats with seat-backs. The main food hall is right behind this grandstand, there are bathrooms (real and portapotty) very close, hydration station & bars very close. The main Fan Zone is a short walk away. The amphitheater where the team interviews and some mid-day entertainment happen are right behind the grandstand so that was very convenient.

Weather
The weather this weekend was great, highs in the low-mid 80s with low/no humidity so no problem with the sun for us. I believe that might be a bit unseasonably cool for this time of year in Austin, but not overly so. In any case we were warm but never uncomfortable, and with bringing in an empty bottle and filling up at hydration stations, we never had any issues.

Stay
I wanted to stay in downtown Austin so that we could walk to all the pop-ups, F1 type events, 6th street, restaurants, etc. Hotels were expensive (as expected) but I did find a place called Placemakr by Hilton downtown that was reasonable. For four nights (Thurs-Sun) the total price of our room was $1350 (plus $100 for parking those 4 nights.) The room was a studio apartment with laundry, kitchen, balcony, King Bed. From this spot we could easily walk (or rent a scooter) to all the pop-ups, congress, sixth street, etc. We booked this hotel in December of 2025 which likely helped with the reasonable cost.

Flights
This will vary wildly for everyone depending on where you're coming from but for us the price of flights round trip through San Antonio were far more reasonable than Austin. We flew in on Thursday morning and out Monday late morning. Had no issues at all with TSA, crowds or anything like that and the price was actually less than half of what similar flights into Austin were. Definitely worth the 90 min drive from San Antonio if you were planning on renting a car anyway.

Parking
After research it seemed the consensus (if you're willing to pay a hefty price) was Parc Ferme parking (a private lot) by the circuit. I pre-purchased this online for $400 for three days of parking. Getting to this parking spot, frankly, was a massive pain in the ass all three days. The police shut down lots of roads that lead to this convenient parking spot and with it being right next to the track you spend a long time trying to just GET to the parking lot. The police had the road where Parc Ferme is located shutdown to normal traffic so I actually had to drive through the Exxon to get onto the road to get to the parking lot. On race-day the Exxon itself was a parking lot and I almost couldn't even get to my lot. With that being said, once parked in that lot by friendly folks it's a short walk to the main entrance (but still a long walk through COTALand to get to my T15 grandstand, but that's ok, we don't mind the walk.) Now, where this parking lot gets tons of kudos is in leaving the track. All three days I was out of the main COTA traffic nearly instantly. The lot is by paddock parking and police escorts essentially clear the way for traffic coming from that direction (even though I was far from a part of the VIP traffic). Sunday I left after podium celebrations, from getting to my car to getting to my hotel in downtown Austin was 35 mins. My friend who was in a COTA lot didn't even get out of his parking lot for over two hours.

To/From Track Logistics (from downtown Austin driving own car)
I had a rental car and private lot pre-purchased (see "Parking") so this was my experience driving myself to/from the track all three days. Getting 100k+ people to/from one location is always going to be tricky and I don't expect it to be flawless. This went about as well as can be expected. I went between 8-10am on Friday and Saturday and closer to noon on Sunday. Friday the traffic was the lightest (as you'd expect) and I was able to get within a mile of the track in about 30 mins from downtown Austin. Saturday was a bit heavier, maybe 40 mins and Sunday was by far the worst, about an hour to 90 mins. Seems like each day there were different closed roads and routes so just follow the cops directions and pray your Google Maps/Waze/etc knows the best route. Leaving was insanely easy each day for me (again, see "parking") but could be a nightmare depending on your lot. Each day it took between 30-40 mins for me to get back downtown.

At-Track Logistics
Getting around COTA was simple enough. Only at the most busy of times on Sunday did we have any difficulty at all. Friday and Saturday we could always walk right into a bathroom, up to a bar, into a shop, up to a food counter. The COTA app for your phone was useful for finding things you needed and for finding your way around. Going through COTALand seemed a bit like walking through a mirror maze and could've had better signage for figuring out where to go but it was fine. Crowds moved easily, no bottlenecks/pinch points that I came across unless you were trying to do the track invasion after the race (we didn't.) Lines were long for the popular attractions (Lego, Pit crew, sim racing, etc) but very reasonable for everything else, including the Ford off-roadeo where they took you around a dirt track at speed.

Merch/Food/Drink
Large selection of Merch available. If it was F1/Team branded it was stupid expensive. In most cases you could find the same thing online for less than half the cost. The reasonable merch was COTA merch. T-shirts and hats with COTA branding were only in the $30s or so. Food was expensive but not ungodly. Alcoholic drinks were very high. $16ish for a beer before tip, $21ish for mixed drinks. Plenty of hydration stations for free water bottle filling.

City/Pop-ups/etc
Austin was a ton of fun. Sixth street is famous for its bars and entertainment and we had a great time when we went out. The crowds were a mix of F1 fans from afar and locals. We had a great time with everyone we met. The pop-ups we went to were good, some great. Enchante x Ford (danny ric's clothing company) knocked it out of the park. Very cool setup with open bar, sims, free tattoos, free food, good vibes. It was the best of the ones we went to. Red Bull had a nice setup and we saw Yuki and Callum. Esses Magazine was ok. Never made it to Lando's pop-up but heard good things. Mercedes had one on Congress but we never made it to that one either (Enchante's open bar was hard to be pulled away from lol.) Tons of good food in Austin, of course, special shout out to Moonshine Grill right down the road from where we were staying as they had a good dinner menu but an unbelievably good Sunday brunch.

Total Costs (For 2 people)
Seats $2700
Hotel + downtown parking $1450
Track Parking $400
Rental car $300
Rental car gas $40
Flights $2000
Total (before food and drink): $6890

Comparison to my experiences in Montreal and Miami
These three races and experiences all felt very unique. Montreal is a very cool city with lots to see, Miami has the beach. Two were street tracks and one purpose built. The logistics at all three had their pluses and minuses, Canadian GP by far had the worst logistics but it's on an island and it rained all weekend causing more chaos than usual. Miami was super hot but had more shade. I spent a similar amount of money at all three races and probably feel like I got the most bang-for-my-buck at COTA but if you asked my wife she'd probably say Miami because she was also able to enjoy the beach & ocean when we weren't trackside. We had a blast at all three. Planning Vegas next year (as it's the next obvious choice for someone living in the US.)

I was honestly nervous going in after reading some of the feedback here. Shuttles, traffic, heat, bathrooms, following the race in person... I was preparing for the worst, and thankfully, most of those worries never materialized. Figured I’d share what worked for us in case it helps another first-timer.

Downtown shuttle

We got to the downtown shuttle around 9 a.m. each day and never waited more than five minutes to board. The ride to COTA took about 30–40 minutes each morning. Very easy.

We stayed in East Austin and Ubered to the shuttle Friday through Sunday. Our morning rides were about $8 and took around 10 minutes.

Turn 12 was an excellent choice

We sat in Turn 12, Section 7, and I cannot recommend it enough. We could see Turns 12, 13, 14, and 15, so we could follow the action through multiple corners. We also had a view of both screens in that area, which helped a lot.

The other HUGE benefit was being close to the Grand Plaza entrance and shuttle pickup. If I were booking grandstands again, I’d probably stick with 12, 14, or 15 for that convenience alone. The ability to jet to the shuttle at the end of the day and beat the crowds is worth the price alone.

The bleachers themselves were uncomfortable, though. I bought a $15 seat cushion at the COTALAND store, and that helped.

Getting out: Saturday and Sunday were shockingly easy

This was probably my biggest worry going in.

On Saturday, we left Turn 12 just after Max came through on his final Q3 lap. We walked about 10 minutes to the shuttle, boarded, and I shit you not, were back in Austin about 25 minutes later.

On Sunday, we left with four laps remaining, after Charles passed Max for 2nd. Got on the bus and were back in Austin about 25 minutes later. On RACE DAY. Absolutely wild.

Obviously, leaving before the finish helped. I can’t speak to the shuttle experience after the checkered flag, but that tradeoff worked really well for us.

Coming from the Esses or somewhere else across the track would have meant a much longer walk or leaving earlier to reach the shuttle at the same time. If you're taking the shuttle and want to exit quickly I recommend one of the sections close to the grand plaza.

Friday taught us that the map can be deceiving

Friday was our day to explore. We checked out Turn 1, the Esses, and other parts of the circuit.

Looking at the map, I thought we could exit near Turn 1 (at the end of FP2) before COTALAND and cut across the parking lot toward the shuttles. The parking staff wouldn’t let us take that route, so we had to walk through COTALAND instead.

Getting to the shuttle took the better part of an hour. By then, more people were leaving in their cars, and the ride back to Austin took about an hour and 15 minutes.

So yes, we did have one slower exit. My biggest takeaway: Turn 1 to the downtown shuttle feels MUCH farther than it looks on the map. Don’t plan around a parking-lot shortcut being available.

Weather, water, and staying comfortable

We got incredibly lucky with the weather. Mid-80s and plenty of cloud cover made it much more manageable than I’d feared.

Even so, around 2 p.m. each day, I started feeling a little lightheaded despite drinking water and using electrolytes. Eating helped me feel better, so I clearly needed to stay on top of food, too.

I used the refill stations, but the water wasn’t particularly cold. Each day I ended up buying a Gatorade just to have a cold drink.

Three things I was very glad I brought:

• A cooling towel. Cannot recommend this enough.
• A good sun hat.
• A portable fan.

Even with relatively manageable weather, all three got plenty of use.

Bathrooms

Most of the bathrooms we encountered were porta-potties, but we found indoor bathrooms near the COTALAND entrance and behind Turn 14. Those were very nice to have, and I never waited more than five minutes.

One frustrating thing: the handwashing stations at the porta-potties we used had no water on Saturday or Sunday. Definitely bring hand sanitizer.

Following the race was easier than I expected

The Amex radios were great. Having the F1 TV commentary made a huge difference.

I’d read so much about how difficult it can be to follow a race in person, but between the radio and the two screens we could see from Turn 12, I didn’t find that to be an issue.

The support paddock is seriously underrated

If you’ve been to IMSA races or other series, you know how much paddock access can add to the experience. I loved having a bit of that here.

When I visited the Porsche paddock, hardly anyone was around. It was a great break from the crowds, and I got to see the Porsche race cars and historic cars up close.

I also lucked into seeing the MotoGP bikes getting ready to head onto the track. Watching them fire up the bikes, do the final checks, and head out from the paddock was amazing.

Bonus: the support paddock had the cleanest and least busy porta-potties I found all weekend.

I’d also recommend checking out the tunnels past Turn 12 as an alternative to the bridge across the track. When we used them, they were much less crowded, and the route took us right past the support paddock.

The tower: go early

On Friday, I lined up at 11:30, about an hour before the tower opened figuring that might be the shortest wait all weekend. I knew I wanted to go up and figured waiting before opening might be my best shot at avoiding a longer line later.

For me, this worked out perfectly. I was first up, right as the F1 cars were hitting the track. We were told we’d get 15 minutes, but we lucked out and got about 35. I also met Juan Pablo Montoya up there. Seeing F1 cars on track from the tower was just so fucking epic. One of the highlights of the entire weekend.

Staying in East Austin

Cannot recommend East Austin enough. Our neighborhood was SO quiet, but we were still close to downtown, with coffee shops and restaurants a block away. There was also a great stretch of breweries, restaurants, and shops about a 10 minute walk away.

We rented a car for Thursday and again for our last day, Monday, which was nice for exploring Austin. Friday through Sunday, we were at the track all day, so Ubering to the downtown shuttle worked really well.

Food and crowds

I brought snacks, which helped keep my track food spending to around $50 total for the weekend. Yes, the food was expensive, but the quesadilla I had was honestly pretty good.The Grand Plaza did get packed between sessions, so keep that in mind when moving around. Cotaland was a great place to go sit to eat and it seemed to kind of not be well known.

Would I go back? Absolutely.

I know other people had frustrating experiences, and I’m not trying to dismiss those. We got lucky with the weather, our seats worked really well for the shuttles, and leaving early a few laps early on sunday clearly helped. Reading everyone’s cautionary tales also meant I arrived pretty prepared and knew what to expect.

But for anyone nervously planning their first trip: it absolutely can be an easy, incredibly fun weekend. Ours was.

I haven’t broken down the full cost here, but for what we got, it felt worth the money. We had such a good time, and I’m already thinking about going back.

Happy to answer questions or chat if anyone’s planning their first COTA trip!

What tracks have interesting museums or other experiences, like perhaps the chance to drive the track, which would make them worth visiting even when no races are taking place? So far, I've been to Montreal and COTA for F1 race weekends, but I don't think I'd travel to either track (unless I was in the area) if there was not a race taking place. I know Silverstone has a museum on site, but what other tracks (current or historic) are worth visiting year-round?

Hello. This is the first time the wife and I are going for the Vegas GP. We're staying at the Bellagio for convenience. Still have not purchased F1 tickets. What are in your opinions the best views? Thanks in advance.

Which one has a better view from the room if both have a circuit facing view?

Which one is a better hotel?

Which one would you choose for the same price?

Hello everyone. First time attending the event. I’m going with my 11 year old son. We are staying at the Mandalay Bay. I’m trying to minimize a tiring walk for him. AI is telling me to go to the MGM Grand and take the monorail, exit horseshoe; another AI says to go to the Park MGM and then walk from there.. does anyone know exactly how I should get there? — thank you guys in advance.

Hey guys planning to book for Suzuka in April. Looking for hospitality and so far I’m only seeing paddock or Champions club. I’ve only been to 1 GP (Abu Dhabi) which was amazing and it’s my only experience. It had sofas, high top tables, endless food and dj’s-just over the top amazing. Looking for a similar experience and I haven’t come across it yet. Anyone have experience on this and what they booked/who they booked through? TIA. 🏎️

Hey guys planning to book for Suzuka in April. Looking for hospitality and so far I’m only seeing paddock or Champions club. I’ve only been to 1 GP (Abu Dhabi) which was amazing and it’s my only experience. It had sofas, high top tables, endless food and dj’s-just over the top amazing. Looking for a similar experience and I haven’t come across it yet. Anyone have experience on this and what they booked/who they booked through? TIA. 🏎️

Trying to decide if Grandstand would be worth it for Friday's practice/qualifying, or if there will be reasonable seats for GA during practice?

We went 2 years ago so pretty sure I want the TMobile zone (staying at Wynn), but not sure about GA vs an actual seat.

As a side, was also considering Ellis Island, but don't think they will have as good of a view.

If it makes a difference, I'm only looking for one seat. There appears to only be one Grandstand seat available on Friday, but I'm sure I can easily get a single GA ticket (unless they sell out?)

Welcome your thoughts!