The Supercar Enthusiast’s Weekend Guide to the U.S. Grand Prix in Austin

Every October, Austin becomes the center of American motorsport for a weekend. Formula 1 returns to the Circuit of The Americas October 23–25, 2026, and the whole city joins in with parties, concerts, packed restaurants and a steady flow of exotic cars on the streets.

This guide covers how to plan a relaxed, well-paced weekend around the race.

At the Track

COTA’s best-known feature is the steep uphill run into Turn 1. Seats on that climb show the start, the braking zone, and usually a fair amount of first-lap action. The stadium section near Turn 12 through Turn 15 is also good, because the cars run close together there and overtaking is common.

For the full VIP experience, F1’s Paddock Club is the top tier of hospitality. It includes premium food and drink, pit lane access, and views directly over the garages. It costs a lot, so book early.

Practical tip: COTA is southeast of downtown, and race-weekend traffic is heavy. Even if you’ve brought something special to drive, use the official shuttles or a car service to get to the track, and save the good car for the rest of the trip.

Where to Stay

Hotels in Austin fill up months before race weekend, and prices go up sharply, so book as early as possible.

• The Driskill is Austin’s historic grand hotel, dating to 1886. It’s full of Texas character and puts you downtown near the action.
• Four Seasons Austin sits on Lady Bird Lake. It’s quiet, polished, and a good place to recover after a long day at the track.
• Hotel Saint Cecilia is a small boutique hideaway just off South Congress. It’s intimate and stylish, and it’s the kind of place collectors tend to like.

Where to Eat

Austin is one of the best food cities in the country, and race weekend is a good excuse to try a lot of it.

• Franklin Barbecue is famous, and the line is part of the experience. Get there early and pack your patience; the brisket makes it worthwhile.
• Uchi serves inventive Japanese food and is one of the city’s most celebrated restaurants.
• Jeffrey’s is a classic of Austin fine dining, in the Clarksville neighborhood. It’s a good choice for a proper steak dinner after the race.
• Suerte, on the east side, is a modern Mexican restaurant with great energy and a very good cocktail list.

Book reservations weeks in advance. Every good table in town is taken on race weekend.

Add a Day: The Hill Country Loop

After the race is the best time to enjoy a car in Texas. On Monday, drive west into the Hill Country, where the roads open up and the traffic disappears.

Take US-290 west out of Austin through Dripping Springs and Johnson City to Fredericksburg, about 80 miles away. The drive passes vineyards along the way (the stretch is known as Texas’s wine road). Fredericksburg’s German heritage shows along a Main Street full of shops and restaurants that is easy to walk.

From Fredericksburg, head north on Ranch Road 965 to Enchanted Rock. The pink granite dome looks otherworldly, and the road to it is quiet and curvy. Loop back toward Austin through Marble Falls to finish a full day of great driving.

If you have extra time and want more of a challenge, the famous Twisted Sisters, Ranch Roads 335, 336 and 337, are farther west near Leakey. They’re some of the best driving roads in Texas, but plan a full day for them.

One More Race?

If one Grand Prix isn’t enough, the Mexico City Grand Prix follows on November 1. It’s a short flight, and the atmosphere at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez stadium section is famously loud. Some fans turn the two races into a double-header vacation.

Whether you’re in a grandstand or the Paddock Club, Austin rewards the visitor who plans ahead, eats well, and saves some time for the open road.