I been skimming over some of the pages and I applogize if its been posted before. I am interested in COTA this year with my 13yr old son. 1. Are there kid friendly activities to do during the day with my son in Austin? 2. Is down town Austin the place to be for the vendors and events? Montreal closes down 3 blocks and there are vendors and exhibits. 3. I need a hotel reccomendation if anything is even available in down town Austin. I realize prices will be high for race weekend. 4. Seems like alot of posts on here like turn 12. Any other suggections Thanks!
Others can chime in, here's my 2 cents... On Saturday and Sunday COTA sponsors FanFest. They close off the downtown streets and race-oriented vendors set up. Definitely stuff for kids. Driving simulators of all types, food, t-shirts, exhibits, live music. That kind of thing - very similar it sounds - to Montreal Turns 12-15 are very good. I like the seats at 15. Hotels: The pricer hotels are generally right downtown (Hilton, Hyatt, Omni, W, etc.). Hotels around the airport or SE Austin will be closer to the track by a few minutes. Book early or you will be traveling an hour to get there, since the closer hotels fill up. Downtown to the track is probably 25 minutes because of lights. 10 minutes from the airport. Im pretty sure the local FCA chapter will have some events planned for Saturday. bob
Bob do you know what streets Fan Fest is on? I found a hotel in Austin and hoping its near the action Thanks
Close. Pretty sure it was around 3-5th west of congress for 2 blocks. Near silly a bar/Sullivan's restaurant
Everything down town is sold out and the hotels and motels on the outskirts arent much better. I called in a favor with a friend that works for The Omni Hotel group. I dont have much faith he can get me a room but he is checking for me. Tickets for COTA arent even on sale yet and the rooms are all booked
Try looking south toward San Marcos, New Braunfels, or even San Antonio. You could also go north toward Temple or try west toward Marble Falls. I've taken my 8/9 year old son the last 2 years for 2 days. He loves it.
In addition to the above, try the hotels in Bastrop (I live in Bastrop). Bastrop is just east of COTA with a series of back roads leading right to the track. 15 minutes away. 25-30 minutes to downtown Austin.
Bastrop is indeed the "closest" lodging to the Track, then you can go into Austin in the evenings for the social stuff Lots of things will be posed closer to the event. I seated some guest in the Turn 1 Grandstands, and the view from there is pretty amazing.
Since you mentioned the Omni I would caution you against staying at the Omni Southpark (located south of Downtown and closer to the track). I paid about $650/night for 4 nights during the 2013 USGP. I booked in late March of 2013. I could have booked reservations at several different "lower tier" but decent hotels for about $350/night but I wanted to get the best room available and that was it at the time. Or at least I assumed that was the best! For that nightly fee I would expect a doorman to collect and deliver the luggage to our room. Valet parking that was at least covered and not in the back open lot that was unsecured. I would expect to walk through a lobby that did not have buckets set out on the floor to collect water from numerous drips in the ceiling. Have carpet in the halls that look like that have not been cleaned in over a month. Have sheets on the bed that did not have stains that were likely composed of some bodily secretion. Have paint and wallpaper of the walls that was not pealing off in sheets. I could go on but I think you get a visual. I am easy to please but expect to get what I pay for when dropping $600+ on a room. My wife did speak to the manager who basically said F**k off (to the wrong woman!!!). His superior apologized for his behavior and knocked $500 off of the bill and promised to have a talk with the manager. I would not advise staying there unless you can get the room for less than $300/night...which is still a rip-off but I expect that around an F-1 event. The location is convenient in relation to the track but puts a lot of traffic between you and finer dining in the evening if that is your gig.
I would avoid Austin unless you want to be in the heart of Downtown and willing to spend $800+ per night. IIRC - The W was running a $1299/night special. There are MANY nice towns(Bastrop, New Braunfels, San Antonio) that are an hour's drive and will have decent hotels. I would look into that.
Thanks for all the advice. Since I am flying in I like to stay downtown in all the action. I do this when in Montreal for F1 and its a blast. I have not heard back yet from my contact at teh Omni so I have a feeling its not going to be good news. I might have to skip Texas this year but how far in advance to you have to book to get a room down town?? Tickets arent even on sale yet.
Don't compare Montreal to Austin, you aren't comparing apples and apples. Montreal is a very cosmopolitan city. Austin is just a city.
I didn't say I didn't love Austin, I do. Houston is a different story. Have you BEEN to Montreal? For an F1 race? There's no comparison.
It's dropped way down in the F1 Section.. Stands were revised between 2012 and 2013, no idea what they may have for 2014.
Thanks. I tried searching from my phone and couldn't find it. Are you going big tex? I'll be coming from VA with a group of friends
