Circuit of the Americas

I thought this place was big, it's not. It's absolutely Huge! Some 1,500 acres. It's a beautiful venue. I went there to watch the MOTOGP races. Had a fantastic time. The races were exactly what I expected, except when Marc crashed. But even that was good because he did so right in front of me as I photographed the entire sequence. I does take some time to get from one location to another but, you may think that all the golf carts are busy heading somewhere on a mission, but they're not, they are there to move you from one place to another. So that's your tip of the day, when you want to move, look for a golf cart and flag them down. the food was good but you may want to skip the pizza, it will cost you about $15.00 and is about 6" across. the size of a slice. Hillside vantage points are very good, and plentiful. You don't have too go with your buddies, you can take your whole family, just bring ear protection for all.

It was an amazing experience. There was a lot of food. We weren't able to try half of the food because there were just so many foods. Amazing. Definitely worth the money and trying some wonderful foods. The people were super nice. When you go make sure to dress appropriately because there's a lot of walking that you will be doing.

Really helpful staff. We added on the Zipline with our go karting and it was a good experience, but I wouldn't do it again because it was kinda under whelming. As for the go karts they go really fast as expected but it will take you a little off guard how fast they are especially on those turns. We did 1 race and it was about 10 minutes which was enough for us. Double carts are available upon request when you check in as there are limited double carts. Highly recommend this place if you're looking for something fun to do with friends and/or kids.

They are expanding and have lots of bridges now to cross to different stands since there is a lot of walking that you need to do if you come here. We also got to see the new roller coaster rides they are building, so that was cool and look forward to checking them out once it’s open! MotoGP was great but I really wish they had bigger or more TVs to see the scores and rankings better. They also need to upgrade their audio since it was hard to hear in between the races where we were.

Lost an item on Saturday and member services were very helpful and was able to retrieve the item the next day Attended Moto GP 2025 - parked in lot F, about a 10 minute walk and short wait to get in <10 minutes. Good views and coverage from GA locations like turn 11, turn 1, turns 3/4/5 and even in across from the pit lane. Merchandise is found in many areas and can be different based on the vendor. Leaving right as the race ends leads to little to no wait time to leave. Had a great time and thanks to all the COTA workers!

Wow... we've been to Karting tracks all over the world including the Nurburgring in Germany, British tracks in London, and tracks in numerous American States, but we walked away feeling like the Circuit of the Americas Karting track might be the best in the world. Cars were fast, around 50mph, and in great shape... track was long with a nice layout... each lap takes about 60 to 70 seconds, and there's usually around 20 drivers on the track... really fun experience for driving enthusiasts. In June of 2025, Cost to drive was $40 per person for one session, $75 for two. Each session lasts around 10 minutes... If you're in Austin and like Karting or are just looking for a good time with family or friends, don't overlook the Circuit of the Americas Karting track.

It was great experience doing COTA kart racing and miniature golf. Karts that use internal combustion engines versus electric power is such a big difference. Reasonably priced for a 10 minute race I was in the top ten for my first time running on this track. Ranking is based on fastest lap time. It is on the outskirts of southeast Austin. I would definitely be coming back hopefully for an actual formula 1 race event

Perhaps one day COTA will figure out how to do the traffic thing for the fans... until then, this track, sadly, will simply not be at the top of my list for races to attend. Now, with that part out of the way... The track itself allows for some great racing. The variety of seating is good, however, I enjoy getting a GA ticket and moving around from spot to spot. I'll stand/sit in an area for a few laps and then move to another vantage point. This allows me to see so many great views and angles of the cars as well as the various passing zones and other strategic areas (others may prefer not to have to walk and simply have one seat... and there is nothing wrong with that). I also enjoy other ways to enjoy the race and festivities as well - that's one of the great things about attending a race in person - there simply is not a wrong way to go about it. The variety of pre-race activities will, of course, differ depending upon which series you are attending, and the same can be said for food and souvenir vendors as well. The staff that work the numerous race (as well as concert) events I have attended have always been friendly and professional. Other than the traffic getting in and out of the area (on race weekends... not real concerned when it is a small festival or concert), COTA is a great place. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in the future with the amusement park and if NASCAR returns. F1 weekend is, and likely always will be, it's own "Beast", and simply can not be compared to many other things you will attend.

I have never been here, but it was a solid place. Plenty of restrooms, drink stations, and food places. We saw the Pixies and Modest Mouse and our seats were amazing, but I think sitting anywhere in the venue, would have been great because of the way the seats were laid out. We will be back for Marilyn Manson and are looking forward to it.

I came to COTA for the 2023 F1 US Grand Prix and was incredibly disappointed with my experience at the venue. First of all, security at the front gates did not do their jobs properly. Not a single person checked our bags/purses during all three days of the event. That's a huge safety concern that needs to be addressed immediately. Throughout or weekend, we would ask COTA staff questions and none of them seemed to know any info. Simple questions, such as, which direction is the starting line or where the observation tower is located could not be answered. This was frustrating as it also took us hours to find a map (finally got one at one of the clubs). Food at the venue could definitely be improved. The food differs in variety based on where you are seated. On Friday, the only food available to us was basic American BBQ and Mediterranean. When we walked to the other side of the track on Sunday, there was way more variety (ex. Hibachi, Mexican, Italian, etc). There absolutely needs to be more shaded areas/seating for guests. Everyone was fighting to get into a shaded area due to how hot it was. On another note, the cell reception is very poor and there is no WiFi access for guests. Lastly, we waited in line to go to the observation tower for over four hours. When we got up to the top of tower, someone let us know that we could have skipped the entire line by just taking the stairs. No one let us know of this as we were waiting. It's a tall tower, but certainly would not have taken me 4 hours to climb. Overall, the Grand Prix was an incredible experience, but COTA could make many changes to improve guest satisfaction.

Bucket list item checked off my list. Here for the whole weekend of racing and shenanigans. Track of gorgeous, so many events and music going on, food galore. If you ever do come here for an F1 event, bring comfy shoes and be prepared to walk, cuz man o man, my feet are hating me right now.

My experiences at this venue have consistently been fantastic. The amiable staff and the impeccably maintained facility contribute to an always enjoyable time. From attending F1 races to enjoying Peppermint Parkway and other favorites, the range of events is diverse and entertaining. Although I haven't tried the COTA karting yet, it seems like a fun activity. For those interested, upcoming events are regularly posted on their website, ensuring you stay informed and don't miss out on any exciting happenings!

First time I went here was for F1 and what a first experience, taking it all in. From an event perspective, it's amazing how smooth the bus transfers were, then once you got in, it was a massive event to take all in and when trying to get to the concert and get out, it was the absolute biggest cluster F I've ever been in. I don't know how we managed to wait in line for hours with tens of thousands of people and end up getting front row to see Greenday, but it happened. The weekend was truly all over the place. Let me just say as a Californian who moved to Texas and now living in 105 degree weather, COTA can definitely use muuuuuch more shade. I can see older people having heat stroke out here, it's terrible! And you have to walk very very very very far! That's my biggest gripe as an Asian who cares about skincare and staying out of the sun, I was miserable about that aspect. There was just no escaping it! Even the great bleacher seats we got - great view, but getting fried under the sun. The track and event itself it pretty cool otherwise. Not sure I'm looking forward to going again this year, I might just skip out based on my experience last year. But try it at least once I supposed.

I've come here for two different occasions and had two very different experiences. My first time was for a Jack Johnson concert. We were directed to park a ways down and it was a bit of a walk getting to where the stage was. We only purchased lawn seating, but we managed to still get a good view of the show. They have water stations around, but it's not cold water so it will keep you alive but not refreshed if you're hanging out there on a hot day. They had other activities going on around the venue, almost like going into a mini fair. They even had volleyball nets set up in the grass area, which was cool. The show was amazing! Second time was during Super Lab Battle. My brother was visiting and he had some friends who were racing. We were able to drive through the tunnel and down to the garages where the cars get set up for the race and where they do their practice runs. This was such a cool experience!!

It is disgusting how little infrastructure there is, and how poorly maintained it is, for outrageous prices. I am a big fan of having F1 in Austin, as well as other special events, but the people responsible for COTA should be ashamed. This review is for their SIGNATURE EVENT: the US Grand Prix, for which we bought outrageously expensive tickets months in advance. Including outrageously expensive parking. We attended many events, including the race and concerts, over the three day period. For the amount of money that must come in for this event, it is despicable how few restrooms there are, how disgusting they are kept, how few food venues there are, and how long it takes to get the garbage food they serve. Like a 30 minute walk from our high priced parking, after an hour and a half (day one) to get through the traffic. Wait to get in the gates. Very little shade (hot days), and very few places to sit and relax. Exorbitantly priced terrible food (at one venue like $15 a slice for what could have been frozen pizza). Terribly designed stands, with long lines for everything. Then, please don't have to go to the bathroom. If you are lucky enough to get to use a real restroom (vs portables) it is just about as bad. Overflowing toilets, standing water everywhere. Disgusting. Not worth it. Nothing would make me want to do that again.

WHAT AN AMAZINGLY FUN AND WHIMSICAL PLACE! No matter the age, this is such a fun holiday family outing for all ages! Don't want to give too much away, but our entire family enjoyed it! The Parkway, itself, a must-see, or rather 'must-ride'! Take the top down and dress warm, and enjoy the light show, music, and holiday movie clips that will most certainly take you back to your childhood! ADD TO THAT: A great variety of carnival favorites to munch on during your adventure. Snacks and drinks can be a bit pricey, but what you might expect for these types of events. You'll want to taste everything! Certainly, there're the carnival rides, which are reasonable enough ($), games, just the cutest little assortment of fun things at this great place! We loved so much about this adventure, and our icing on the cake was warming up and 'living it up' at the 'PEPPERMINT PUB', where we ate, drank, and were quite merry! Yes, alcoholic beverages are served on the premises- and your coffee, hot cocoa, and even apple cider can be spiked to your liking. The 'Pepper' and 'Mint' characters were inside to greet guests, young and old! LOTS of festive holiday lights, a bar, several bistro tables and stools, music, and heat! Nicely insulated see-through tent with so many great things going on-almost like a cocktail party! We visited the pub TWICE in one night! WE MOST CERTAINLY RECOMMEND THIS PLACE AND WILL BE BACK!!! Don't forget to stop by the 'Peppermint Pub'!

Austin's World Famous Race Track! This race track is something special. We travel all over the world enjoying moto sports. We have never experienced such a well designed track. The track has something for everyone. Have fun on the gocarts or experience the small carnival style theme park. If that still isn't enough, go watch a soccer game on the center field or sit an have a picnic. Time it right and you can even catch a concert at the venue or a car show. Only issue we have is not finding enough shade from the Texas heat. Of course, the best part of the track is the cars and the racing. There is so much to do here when events are going on. It's such a fun experience. Enjoy

Come here for Karting and I always love it! Great staff and overall experience! Definitely something I love doing whenever I get the opportunity!

The Circuit of the Americas radiated with the splendor of a day etched into memory. From the pulse-pounding practice trials that set hearts racing, to the exhilarating karting adventure that left us breathless, each moment stood as a testament to the extraordinary journey we embarked upon. And as we eagerly await the arrival of FIA and F1 later this year, the anticipation swells within us, knowing that even greater thrills and triumphs await on this hallowed track.

What a great place to come and watch a race. Very spontaneous decision to see the Ferrari race today. The race was free. The parking was free. Had a great time. Watched for about an hour. Had a great time.

COTA is like the Spirit airlines of venues (although I'd say I like Spirit more, because at least they are up-front about the experience you will receive). No frills. But instead of paying money for basic services, you are paying with your patience, frustration and inconvenience. You will need to park about half mile or likely more away from the entrance unless you want to spring for the $25 "premium parking". It is a long hike, unshaded, from the parking lot to the entrance. If you are handicap or experiencing mobility issues, expect to be discriminated against. You will need to pay $25 for the aforementioned "premium parking" to be able to access the handicap spots. COTA seems to hire people on power trips. I encountered two very rude parking attendants. The same attendant as we were trying to leave accosted me for a second time. The security check person was also very rude. The rules are not enforced in some lines, but enforced in others. Remember that hike to the parking lot I mentioned? Be prepared to make it a second time to return anything to your car that isn't allowed in: a water bottle, a purse, etc. Water bottles are not allowed in. We went during an excessive heat warning - doesn't matter, you will either buy their $5 water inside or expect to possibly faint. And if you want to fill up your $5 water bottle, you may use the very slow drinking fountain stations. Don't expect hydration stations. Have a question prior to the event? Don't expect them to pickup the phone when you call. Sent an email? Don't expect a reply. There is no customer service.

Went for F1. So a couple of things. It's massive. Like thousands and thousands of people. Walking in, there were merch and game stations everywhere. But the signage sucks! Maps are paper only and the employees are unfamiliar with the layout. It's a shitshow with security. People push through every sad barrier. And no one cares. And it is EXPENSIVE! Do not pay for mixed drinks. The super stage had a LOT of sound issues and bleeding. And the crowd was stupid big... esp after the gates were knocked over. Parking is a nightmare but ride share is worse. But it's the only place to see F1. And that's cool! And it's a good time! Great people watching. And race watching.

Iconic race track hosting F1 and NASCAR. I won tickets to the 1st Formula 1 Grand Prix race in the US in 2012 and have been coming back since. Awesome experience!!!

It was quite the experience! Loved the venue and it was easy to navigate...from the inside lol. We came for the odesza concert, and was not happy with the announcements due to thunderstorms in the area. Their fb page and customer service number isn't that great. But once you get inside the venue, it's vast. Love the layout. Food, and bathrooms were ok as well. The octopus is crazy! It spits out flames and I felt the heat!

*This review is solely for the go-karting experience* Came here with 9 guys for my brother's bachelor party. This was my second time here and it was just as thrilling as the first time. We got 2 races and were able to sit by the main track before each race. The experience itself is incredible; you go quite fast yet you feel safe in the carts. It is a wonderful way to get an adrenaline rush! I also appreciate how they quickly email you the results of each race. For an extra $5, a few of us did the zipline. Although you initially feel a bit uncomfortable given there is just a lap belt, it is quite secure. The view at the top was pretty cool as you can see the whole Formula 1 track. I wouldn't pay more than $5 for it though but I'll do it again next time I'm there.

Great weather, the circuit is packed! Estimated 200k fans! Attended every race since inception in 2012 (2020 race was canceled due to COVID), annual dose of F1 plus BBQ at The Salt Lick and Terry Blacks. Texas happiness :)

Attended NASCAR and concerts here over the weekend. Facility was clean, offered lots of transportation options from parking lots,m so walk was shirt many concessions to choose from (not great tasting but did the job), drinks were good, lines were reasonable and bands were outstanding. Looking forward to this again next year!

I became an avid Formula One racing fan after being tasked with working an event here. By the way, Circuit of the Americas is deeply understaffed so please be patient with those you encounter. All I can say is Woe To Those with General Admission who will be sitting on the grass in the extreme cold or hot sun, about 3 miles away from the start of the race track.

Came here for Formula 1 and a lot of space. The entry and exit for the Uber and Lyft site, could have been better. There's only one way into the area for the people to be able to get on and off, so very congested during prime time. A lot of walking and besides the car racing, there was a music concert at night and food shops in between! Great way to keep the event and party going I suppose! A ticket to this, can go a long way surely!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!! Visited here for Peppermint Parkway and we had a blast. I really liked the fact that they had snips of some of my favorite childhood Christmas movies playing while we were waiting for the line to move to get on. Once we got in it was amazing. The traffic flow was just the right speed for us to capture all the different themes light sections and grab photos/videos. My youngest was so impressed by meeting Elsa who actually walked up to the car and gave her a high five. After we made it through we were able to park and enter the rest. There are plenty of rides for younger children. I would encourage you to purchase the wrist band for $25 vs paying $4 a ticket (although most rides are only one ticket). We did try the funnel cakes and were surprised to receive two because the first one didn't come out all the way full (we enjoyed them both). The bathroom were also very clean which is always a major plus when attending outside events. I look forward to attending this again next year and including it in our holiday traditions.

This review is for the COTA and its Super Stage, which is different than the Germania Amphitheater. I saw The Rolling Stones at the Super Stage tonight. The Stones were excellent but they never should've played here. This is the worst concert venue I've ever attended. 1. Traffic - few ways to get there and toll road is only easy option. It took me just over a hour to drive 6 miles to venue. 2. Parking - buyer beware. They charge $30-150 to park. Luckily I didn't buy in advance because I parked for free in Lot F. I passed several traffic controllers but no one asked for money or permit. 3. Distance to Venue - once parked, expect to walk a minimum of 30 minutes to your seats. If you're handicap or have difficulty walking far, avoid this place. The walk has steep inclines and I saw several older concert goers really struggling. 4. Security - extremely lax security. It's scary how aloof security was at the entry gates. Also, parking lots are dark and security is not existent in the lots. I will never return to this venue. Glad I saw the Stones but I can't imagine a show that would get me back out here.

Overall a good event today for the F1 race. Never been here before. Came in just for race. A ton of people. Good gen. Admissions area will be pretty full by 9am. People did come late a squeezed in but the early people gave them hateful looks. Bathrooms were fine - porta potties, biggest issue was just getting to them. I couldn't tell you how many people and had to crawl over and under to get to an aisle. The. Aisle near turn 1 track fence was just 1 lane if lucky to go to the turn 1 bathroom area. Crazy. For such a huge event went pretty smooth. Waited almost 3 hours after event to get out and traffic was still bumper to bumper. Edited review to include the leaving part (I wrote initial review in the afterglow of the race : ). ) Yep, has been bad since 2012 and still really dang bad to get out of here. We left our turn 1 sitting area about 2.5hr after the race finished, walked from turn 1 to Grand entry (maybe 15min). Asked around to find shuttle to Ride share/high school, 10 min, walk to the pre-shuttle shuttle, 10 min. Queue'd for pre-shuttle, 10min. Took pre-shuttle, 10min. Sat in a line to get a big bus to go for the high school, 25 min. Bus trip to high school, 30 min. Waiting at high school for a Lyft, 20 min. Lyft ride to hotel near airport, 30-40 min. Holy crap, horrible! Police were at a few intersections but IMHO not giving race traffic priority to get out. Sat a good while (15-20 min standstill) at one set of traffic lights near the high school. I'm not too keen to do that exit routine again. Either we'll get camping tickets (stay at track) or get a higher priced tour with transport included.

Wish I could give zero stars to COTA. A buddy and I bought GA tickets to the race. Tens of thousands of people fighting for a patch of ground to sit or stand and watch the race. We barely were able to see the cars running around the track. They owe it to the GA ticket holders to place closed circuit tv monitors or at least speakers throughout. Never had any idea what was happening during the race. We joked that we felt like we were blind men trying to find out what was happening. Parking was expensive for what you got, outrageous water/beer/food prices. Not only that, but you had to wait in long lines for food. The last day, I bought my buddy a beer and it was $16 for a 16-18 oz can of Heineken silver. F1 baseball caps were $90!!!! Save your money and watch this on the tv or buy a seat in the grandstands and roast all weekend because there's hardly and shade built into the bleachers. It's obvious they run the track as a big money grab and bank on new, unsuspecting suckers to fill the venue every year. Consider yourself warned. One last thing, other than one Yamaha dealership that brought out a boat and a couple of skidoos, there was nothing and I mean nothing in the way of car company displays. You would've thought Porsche, Mercedes, Aston Martin etc would've had displays out there. Nothing but shirt and hat vendors. As a result, there was nothing to do but drink overpriced beer during the couple of hours of downtime between races.

Ahh the sad truth is coming So I got some tickets and wanted to check out what all the rage is about I love the series about this sport but maybe the venue matters some observations: This Austin location at this time of year is dry, place is super dusty and walking paths are terrible (you will walk a loooooot) vendors were expensive and gear did look hi quality not saying there knock offs but definitely marked up a lot The parking! OMG 100$ minimum there is a park and ride option that will save you just marginally but have to wait etc Everything is far I feel like there weee missed opportunities for the beer vendors visited a couple of bars (not impressed) drinks are you guessed it expensive and sub par This was a qualifier event so it was not as exciting almost stayed for the concert event but line to cross bridge was ridiculous very crowded if you are not familiar most of this event is bring your own chairs (I don't want to be carrying all around the venue (you will walk the track for 3.5 miles once around) bring comfortable shoes and be prepared Would have liked to have some positive notes but I wouldn't plant to come here for the price and would seriously debate coming to a race day event (that typically sell out) even with free tickets just to put up with the hassle and waiting in line to drive to event, waiting to get in to event and waiting to move around the event forget about when you are leaving after it's over this is a whole day affair......definitely for hard core fans.

You wanna get taken for a real ride? The adjective "Ghastly" doesn't even crack the surface of this brutal rip-off. The transportation & crowd control situation at this venue is unacceptable & in my opinion dangerous. Very arduous and rugged hike in intense heat to get to the gate and refreshments that you are forced to purchase are at beyond rapacious prices. There isn't nearly enough shade, and it's difficult to get to restrooms or any sort of relief from the heat and exposure. If you suffer any sort of claustrophobia: stay away. Bottlenecks everywhere especially on bridges. Thankfully the individuals in the crowds were reasonable because if there were an emergency, it would be incredibly difficult to get assistance in the pandemonium... To top it off we were extorted by illegal ride services and carts operating inside the venue when we were trying to leave. A complete disgrace on so many levels. It's not my first rodeo at COTA & things I hoped would improve have gotten worse as the crowds have exponentially swollen. We were gouged at every turn yesterday: no pun intended. The greed and feeling of being taken advantage of won't be soon forgotten.

First time at COTA for Formula one. To be clear, my experience is a bit different since we were part of the Champions Club through F1 Experience. Biggest question: Was it worth it? Short answer: YES. If you'd like an open bar, food all day, air conditioned bathrooms, a comfortable space to enjoy the race close to the entrance, shuttles to and from the venue to your hotel, shuttles to the concert stage, paddock walks, and seats on the starting line? Then one of these packages are for you. The price is steep, but I feel is reasonable for all the perks. It is actually the best priced package compared to Miami, and soon to be, Las Vegas. There are also different clubs depending on where you'd like to be on the track and what type of amenities you want. COTA itself is amazing. It's massive. Expect blisters and an average of 5 miles of walking per day, but it has something for everyone. Different sections that offer a variety of bands, foods, and drinks. Carnival rides. Vendors. Zip line. Observation deck. And, of course, the Super stage. What impressed me: How clean this place was with the amount of people that were there. Hardly any trash on the floor. And no random smells The variety of food and entertainment Free water stations How friendly and helpful the staff were Weak points: No telephone reception. Weak wifi Everything is overpriced, especially the merchandise Not handicap friendly Tips: Plan ahead. Buy your Merch online. Shirts go for $130-180 on site, same shirt is $60-75 online. No one takes cash Bring a camelback or a water bottle. They have filling stations Make sure you download your tickets. No wifi You can bring a backpack.. take advantage Wear comfortable shoes!!!!! Or bring bandaids Take advantage of the shuttles. Parking was $60 there

Ok, so I've been lucky enough to have experienced this venue from multiple experiences and in every case it has far surpassed my expectations. First, I had the opportunity to drive on the track in April for 2 days. This is an extremely technical course that requires an enormous amount of concentration. My favorite (and most exciting) part of the track is the turns 9, 10 & 11 segment where you are going off a blind cliff ( ) with little or no view of the apex and your foot flat on the floor. Turn 1 is SO amazing for the shear unusualness of the section. From the front straight you go up 13 stories in height only to make a 150° left turn (my guess) and back down hill into a series of reducing radius Esses. Absolutely amazing. Other than going flat out down the back straight, there isn't a boring part of the track. Next, I attended the 2021 Formula 1 race at COTA from the view of the SI club in turn 12. Between, the racing events (several), the wide array of amusements, live bands, varying food options and other great experiences, this has got to be one of the best events in the country. Lastly but certainly not least, I got to see both 21 Pilots and the next night, Billy Joel. Both concerts were fantastic. The stage was huge and by using the hill there were lots of great viewing options. The sound system, lighting and overall setup made for an incredible experience. I have been to several tracks and venues around the country and I have to say, This is my Favorite ! Can't wait to come back again. Also, just the fact that it's located in the Austin TX area makes it outstanding right from the get go. I'll be Back !

The Formula One event was great but the venue staff misinformation, access to COTA and exit are terrible. We live in North Carolina and have been to many events locally and also to the F1 in Barcelona. We all know that internet signal at this events are sketchy and although the COTA website had a day by day schedule it was ineffective due to the lack of internet. In Barcelona they had posters so people could take pictures or simply see what was happening. Now, this is HUGE, the employees didn't seem to know anything! Were they ever briefed on anything at all? It was our first time at COTA, we arrived on Friday and asked for directions to turn 9. We were directed to turn 19 and when we showed the tickets to the staff they let us in and directed us to "our seats", Turn 9/Sec 8, Row 1 Seats 3-4 (instead of turn 19). On Saturday the staff looked at our tickets, let us in again and when we got to the seats there was people on them. That's when we realized that they had led us to the wrong seats/turn. We then asked how to get to turn 19 and they didn't know! We asked several employees at the Main Plaza until someone pulled a map and we ended up walking around 2 miles because it was at the other end of the venue. On Sunday we discovered that there was a shuttle from the Main Plaza that would take people around the track to those far away places, nowhere in the venue or the website was that information available or worse, the employees from the previous day didn't mention it. So on Sunday we stop at the shuttle station, to begin it was a huge mess. There was a huge group waiting and nobody was organizing or making a line. We attempted to get on several times but it always partially or completely full and people were almost fighting to get on it. We finally were able to take the shuttle and when we asked which was the closest stop to turn 9 they said turn 6, we had seen turn 6 on our Saturday affair and knew it was far away from turn 9. As the shuttle was making stops we made a stop at turn 11, we decided to get off because turn 9 was close enough but then noticed that the entry line was like a 1/4 mile long. We walked a little to gate 10 (labeled as such) and it was closed, there was another gate after that one opened only for employees, REALLY? So we ended up walking to gate 6 (a mile later) because there isn't enough shuttles and the two that went by were full. To make it worse the employee at gate 6 took away our sunscreen which was allowed Friday and Saturday. On Saturday we decided to stay for the concert which was taken place at the Germania Amphitheater, just across the track from us. At the end of the Sprint we went to cross the bridge on to find out that it had been closed shut and we were told that a section of the fence was going to be opened so we could cross across the track. That never happened and what was going to be a quick walk across the bridge became about a mile and a half going around to find the entrance. There was no information on concert start time just a TBD on the website. Needless to say the venue was a logistical disaster and whoever is in charge of logistics should be fired ASAP. Now the roads and access are terrible. It's hard to believe that COTA doesn't spend a dime to have proper access roads. The buses had a hard time sharing the road because it is narrow, not flat and almost broken, almost like a made up road. Also, at the main entrance there are two signs for the downtown shuttle, only one is correct. If you go in the wrong direction you'll end up walking about 2 miles because you have to walk back to the other entrance (the right one). Suggestions for the owners of COTA: 1. Remember, everything in Texas is big. So should be the access to COTA. 2. It seemed that there were only three or four shuttles to move over 400,000 people around the track. Increase the number of shuttles as they were always full and nobody could get on them. 3. Provide sufficient transportation from the buses parking lots to the main plaza. There was only 1 shuttle and about 4 golf carts for over 400,000, they were not labeled so it was uncertain how to go from A to B. Do the math! 4. Have dedicated (and labeled) roads for these shuttles as private vehicles, motorcycles, and golf carts were crowding this road. 5. Open all the gates for these events, weekend attendance was almost 500,000 people. 6. Post plenty of signs with information, they can be used in all and any event. 7. Train your team in advance, they are the face of COTA and you didn't look good this time. They made you look jacked up.

Not sure why Yelp keeps asking me to review this place - I have absolutely zero faith that COTA will change anything. They cannot handle crowds, parking is abysmal, the buses are useless, and way overpriced. I've been there for four events, all of them were not fun experiences. There is not enough shade, especially on hot days. The gate guards hassle you for bringing umbrellas or any shade. We took the bus for one event from Taylor HS to the track. Well, that was pointless, since the bus was mixed in either the same traffic as the people who drove. No express lane for buses, nothing. So, we got to sit on the bus for over two hours and the drive an hour home from Taylor HS. Oh did I mention the buses didn't have a toilet? Completely overpriced for the experience. I'm sure someone will say, "well, you should expect to pay a lot for those events." And that is true, I know racing events are expensive - but I should also get something for that money. I missed over an hour of the race waiting for food. This is because the food stands are too close to the back of the stands. There is the line for food, the line for people going into the stands, and the line for people passing through - all converging within about ten yards. We also went for the Christmas event. It has a drive-through Christmas light show, rides/games, and a chance to drive on the track. Sounds great, right? You can drive on the track! Yeah, well, not really. You get placed in a "stick" of about two dozen cars and your lap goes at MAYBE 20 mph. At most. Gee, thanks. I could go faster on I-35 in Round Rock at rush hour. Not that I was looking to go 100 mph or anything. But 20? And how much did that cost me? Terrible venue. I will really think twice before going to an event here, again. Maybe, MAYBE, for a small event. But a big event? No way.

Going to an F1 Racing Event is always exciting. The whole Circuit of the Americas is HUGE and you can easily get lost. We took the shuttles from Barton Mall to get there. They were constantly coming so there was no wait to get on the air conditioned buses. The ride was overall smooth and we were dropped off on Mcangus road where we took a short tram ride to the grand plaza entrance. There were lots of concessions and merchandise. While the merchandise was a little pricey, they made for great souvenirs. Food was also overpriced. Finding our way around the track to the general admission areas was a little difficult as there were few signs to guide but watching the races was a pleasant experience. We were also there for the Ed Sheeran concert which was great but getting back to the shuttles afterwards was very difficult as it was getting very dark and there were few signs to guide back to the shuttle area. We almost thought we were lost! Alongside this, the workers did not even know where the shuttles were or where anything was at and were not helpful at all. Overall though, this was a fun experience but the whole Circuit of Americas venue needs to really work on their logistics with better signage and training their workers to be more helpful.

I've been to Austin, Tx many times but never have I done a Private Charter here. This is definitely where the people at today. Since I had the bed bug incident last night my group found other transportation to the race track. Since I didn't bring them, no ticket for me. And since I arrived late parking was terrible and there was no way for me to leave the bus for longe since I had other cars, vans and buses blocked in. I was able to snap these photos and just be here to see, meet and talk to the beautiful people.

Set aside the fact that it's a great, purpose-built F1 road course from the reality we customers endure, and COTA is an embarrassment. A fantastic city, Austin is barely able to support a Formula 1 race. The shuttle buses from downtown are plentiful and well managed, but the city doesn't do as much as it could regarding traffic, and the COTA venue itself dropped the ball in countless ways during the 2023 U.S. Grand Prix. Death watch #1: weapons. Security is lax and tempers run high due to poor management throughout (and this _is_ Texas). The "trams" are a joke: too few and always full, including at Turn 1, the top of the hill and end of the line where the damn things should start out empty because no one gets off a tram there at the end of the day. This stuff isn't difficult if you think about it for 10 seconds. Unfortunately, no one does. The place is full of blue-shirted COTA employees, most of whom know little and seem to do even less. Signage is lacking and misleading. And the COTA app is worthless when you can't get a cellular signal or Wi-Fi, as is the case with crowds this big (or perhaps all the time?). The problem with reviewers and other apologists who say racegoers should expect to walk at a track is that COTA advertises the presence of the trams, which plays into customer decisions to pay outrageous ticket prices here as opposed to elsewhere. I walked 18,000 steps (and up the heralded 133 feet of elevation) on one blistering day, including the slog to the concert area, all of which had to be on foot because "the [number of] shuttles are cut in half due to the concert." (Another bewildered guest says it could be worse; after rain, most of the places people are forced to walk turn to mud.) Wait, why does the concert cut the shuttles in half, and why was the concert a surprise to COTA itself? For that matter, why was the 97-degree weather a surprise? Death watch #2: heat. It's Texas. This place needs more shade. I saw many people who were struggling, even desperate. In the more crowded sections, people reported waiting 45 minutes for free water. The person minding a less swamped dispenser by Turn 1 said "Usually we have 12 of these. Today we have only six." Why? Don't you have a weather forecast? I noticed no shortage of bottled water at $4.89 per. Note that I attended all three days of this Grand Prix weekend and it was just as bad on Friday. Many guests shared similar disappointments and tales of better experiences at tracks elsewhere on this continent and beyond. Even Texans acknowledged the perpetual problems here. There were no surprises this weekend for COTA to hide behind. The weather was known far in advance, as was the expected attendance and where guests were expected to be and when. COTA has been at this for 11 years. I can't speak to lesser events hosted here, but unless Las Vegas completely blows it next month, there will be two better stateside options for F1 fans.

This place has exceeded any of my expectations for a day at the race track. I suppose i didn't quite read enough into the name of the place itself when it's stated as, "Circuit of the Americas." The name itself put enough emphasis on just how big a deal this place truly is! Not only is there a race track for care and bikes, but there is also a go kart race track. The track for the bikes and cars is a lil over 3 miles and quite a fun set of twists and turns at that! Makes for a very thrilling ride, especially for those on race bikes. On this weekend, we went for the racing event hosted by Ride Smart Motorcycle School. Naturally they ensured safety for both COVID and for the riders on the course. This particular day had rain with lightning and thunder, so the track was considered hot for riding. The event was supposed to start at 8:30 am but they did not allow them to start until it cleared up more around 1030 am or so. They had a couple of awesome vendors selling their merch and only had one taco truck selling food for the day. Luckily they were able to feed plenty of people but it was a bit of a let down. Ultimately though, great facility and event! I had lots of fun watching the different levels of racers go through their sessions. It was also great for those who registered as Level 1 since they were able to have riding lessons. I applaud all of RideSmart and COTA for putting together a successful event!

So, this comment is directed specifically to the food/drink portion. So 11 bucks for a slice of pizza, is criminal however par for the course when you go out to sporting / entertainment venues, however for the love of Super Mario why would you server such trash and call it food!??? Raccoons find better pizza in trash cans The pizza was not edible, then top it off with the 12.99 beer to wash it down, I spent, no joke three times my ticket price for trash food and good beer however more expensive than holy water blessed by Jesus himself! To head some do you off, I know entertainment venues cost more but COTA is pushing it on price, and quality is utter garbage!

COTA was an amazing experience for my first F1 race. Went for the race in 2022 had a lot of fun, only drawbacks are the lack of food and entertainment during race weekend. Not sure if COTA or F1 decides but wished it was better. Track is big so definitely explore and be sure to utilize the FREE track shuttle to make your way around

Just got back home from spending the weekend here and wow what a clusterfuck'. I've read an estimate of about 400k people for the 10th anniversary were packing the city for this weekend. Let me assure you that COTA is NOT ready to accommodate this many people....period. Not only did i have to take a Lyft to a satellite bus loading station. I still needed to walk 15-20mins down a dirt road to the front of the venue. When you're ready to leave don't worry about getting a lyft or Uber as there's no reception so you're kinda stuck in this backwoods area. I'm guessing that once Las Vegas hosts in 2023 well be seeing a decline in Austin's popularity as Formula 1 destination. Seriously Austin, you've had 10 years to figure this out try harder.

I am a little scarred from the experience of getting into and out of COTA parking lots (2hrs on average) but I am also impressed with their handling of 400,000+ people in one weekend for F1. As a track, it's a good one for GA viewing with some good turns available to setup your chairs. I know the actual track is contentious with the league for it's quality - I'm not commenting on that. The staff are practical and not overly enforcing to slow things down, neither overly carefree to allow a mess. The restrooms were clean - I don't know how they managed it - but that was a relief (all pun intended). The concessions were a mess and I wouldn't trek here for a concert in the future (Billy Joel was a great performer but the acoustics didn't support it).

The best experience of my life! Where else in America can you see incredible cars, the most famous drivers in the world, great concerts and movie stars all in one place? Ed Sheeran and Green Day all in one weekend? Are you kidding me? We had so much fun! The food and drinks were great, but expensive. You have to plan on spending a lot of money, but it's well worth it. Circuit of the Americas is a beautiful track. The Tower was a hard ticket to find, but we finally managed to make it up and boy, what a view! F1 at COTA will be our yearly vacation spot from now on. Great food, excitement and music is all anyone could ask for.

I flew in from Pittsburgh PA and my sons did from Seattle and Richmond VA to attend the F1 race here in Austin . The track today IMO was dangerously over crowded for driver qualification . The F1 race is scheduled for tomorrow and I cannot imagine how many more will attend making what we experienced today many times worse !! We waited 30 minutes in line for a drink 1 hour to walk through the crowd to reach a seat and It was an hour by the " preferred " track shuttle ( a kids school bus !! ) to reach the entrance of the track! The signage was poor and we had difficulty figuring out we're we were and where we could sit . I had to laugh every map I have ever seen for a venue even at a shopping mall has a big STAR marked " You Are HERE !!! " not at this place !! Today reminded me of Octoberfest in Germany a few years ago ( our friends from Germany told us to attend on a weekday which we did and loved it ) . My son though wanted to go one last night on a Friday - it was so crowded we could hardly move so we turned around and returned to the hotel after 10 minutes. We are all extremely disappointed and even though we have tickets for the race tomorrow we are NOT attending . We will go to a local bar / restaurant broadcasting the race and watch it there . The track IMO has been oversold and ALL of today's attendees that I spoke with agreed ! The promoters of this event should be ASHAMED! I have attended many races over the years ( Mid Ohio Charlotte Watkins Glen Daytona Etc ) and this was hands down my WORST experience! We spent thousands of dollars to attend the F1 race and will end up watching it on tv which we could of done at home . I will NEVER attend another event at this track even if I were offered a FREE ticket !

This is for Peppermint Park 2021. My recommendation-- save your money. It's a 15 minute light show, plus extra for a 15 minute drive on the F1 track... in the dark. Would be more fun in the daylight. Carnival is ~6 kiddie rides, ~6 big kid rides, typical funnel cakes and fast food. There was a cute food truck for cocktails, but $$$! If you have a ton of kids to entertain and like taking selfies, might be worth the light show and a few rides. No issues with lines or parking. We arrived late--7:30ish. This curmudgeon was not impressed.

Our experience on Oct 21 was pretty awful. Here was our experience 1. getting into the parking was fine -surprisingly quick. 2. We boarded a tram/shuttle to go to the gate, but when we asked where to exit the tram given that our tickets were at Turn 6, we were badly misinformed and were no where near Turn 6. 3. the first three staff we asked for directions said they didn't know or told us to reference the map, but we we're still unable to get there because there are no on the ground signs. 4. we finally get to turn 6 to then be told our grandstand was actually on the other side of the track, but there was no way to get there from the giant Turn 6 flag which is what you would walk toward. 5. getting to the parking lots after the show was worse. we followed a big sign for our parking lot then ended at a dead end. we ended up with a big group of people all scratching our heads. it was dark and no lighted signs to tell you where you were. a map is not helpful if you can't tell where you are. finally got there. 6. this is the weirdest part - our lot was Z and we were told, after we passed Lot T that we should have gotten off at T. i asked how I was supposed to know that and she said "didn't you notice most everyone else got off?" The tram's route went back to Lot T and we got off and asked her how to walk to Lot L and she said "you can't get there from here". you need to exit at Turn 11. I'm not making this up.

Such an amazing event! It was definitely a struggle To get to Austin from BWI BUTTTTTT we would totally do this experience again. We bought tickets for the MotoGP VIP lounge. Communication could have been a lot better. However, the lounge opens around 8am or so. There is a shuttle from the A lot (closest to the lounges). The shuttle will take you around the entire racetrack as long as you have your badge/bracelet. Every employee we encountered was cheery and accommodating. With Our passes, we toured the paddock, did a pit lane walk where hubby met a rider from team America, took pictures of the motorcycles, etc. The Lounges are a great experience because they have food all day, air conditioning, a very nice view of turn one, coffee/tea, beer wine and spirits (open bar). We also made quite a few friends and it was just an amazing experience overall.

What a great venue to watch the F1 Aramco US Grand Prix! The facilities are great and have made the event really enjoyable. Everything is well thought-out (including the extra entertainment, food and drink choices and the musical part of the event)!

Thank you COA for working with city and county officials to employ your space for drive thru Covid-19 vaccines. 10,000 people in one weekend (a few weekends in a row and it continues). That's how you work with a community in need! Look forward to viewing a race next time I'm at your facility. :)

CVAR Formula Vee racing wknd Jan 2023. Yeeehaw! Great time! Great facility! Great weather!

Absolutely the worst venue for a concert I have ever been to! The super stage sucks! It was so freaking over packed we couldn't see a thing, It was freezing cold, and the sound was mediocre at best! Plus we stood in line at a fries burger nachos stand for over 50 mins just to be told as we were 3 people away that they were out on fries, out of nachos,and out ofcheese for the burgers!! Seriously?!? Meat and a bun... that's it! The traffic in and out of this place just flat out sucks! Who designed the flow here??? Whoever it was should be found, flogged,tarred and feathered and made to apologize to every person who has ever come through here! The walk to the actual area was super dark and there were huge ruts in the ground... seriously a dangerous walk! The walk from the front gate to the area is a hall! I mean come on... there has to be a better way! I will never be back for a concert here again. NEVER! What a huge waste of money!!

This is in relation to the F1 Races at COTA in 2021. Absolute madness, in a mostly good way. The crowd for Formula 1 was electric. A few pieces of advice, 1. Leave before the races are over or stay late. The traffic to get out of the area is monstrous. Decide beforehand what your plan is. 2. Bring sunscreen and an umbrella, there's not much shade. 3. If you plan on drinking, prepare for a long wait on race day, probably 45-60 minutes. The practice days were less long. 4. Lots of amazing local food choices and no reason to choose just one! Graze if you're staying for a while, no need to fill up all at once. If I were to do it again, I'd likely just go on race day and splurge for seating. The yard seating was okay but definitely could've been higher to see more of the action. Overall, I will definitely be back!

The place is so far away from the city. And almost every ticket to almost anything seemed expensive.