US GP Austin 2013 Advise

My wife and I plan to attend the US GP - Austin this year and wanted to start a thread for Do's / Don'ts and advise on where to stay, where to park, best place to purchase tickets, any special parking packages that worked well, etc. etc.

Just trying to collect "if I did it all over again, I would have...".

 

Hotels are pretty booked already, and prices have been jacked up. I found a cheap one about a month ago and I think between me and friends we booked about 10 rooms. There's also a UT football game that weekend so Austin is going to be a zoo.

I'd suggest that you stay to the North, but it doesn't really matter. I got onsite parking at COTA and would do it again, it made things VERY easy and we parked close. I bought my tickets through the Ferrari Club arrangements, worked out very well.

 

There's another thread in which this topic has been discussed, but here are some of my suggestions and observations...

Inexpensive hotels will be difficult to find. I ended up booking a room in Bastrop at a Super 8 (or something like that) for $200 a night. The hotel's location was very convenient to the track, though, so I may use them again this year.

I recommend dinner at The Road House in Bastrop. Very casual atmosphere and excellent food.

I bought my ticket through FCA. My seat was at turn 12 and I loved it. I'll probably stick with turn 12 this year, but may try out turn 15.

Load your pockets and backpack/purse with food. (Granola bars, etc.) The food lines were insane. Lines for drinks were not so bad. It's also a good idea to carry a package of hand wipes.

Parking onsite is awesome and worth the money.

Arrive at the track early. It's very cool in the morning, though, so wear a light-weight jacket that can be removed as the day warms up.

Don't speed on the way to or from the track. Lots and lots of police.

If camping is your thing, check out the campsites everyday. I wanted to camp, but all area sites were booked. After I booked my hotel, though, some campsites opened up. (I'm assuming due to cancellations.)

 

Our friend barnyard in Bastrop had the most underutilized 200 acres in the area!

I think 4 motorhomes, not many campers...

The Parking Ticket IN ADDITION to your seat ticket I think was the most common problem I heard from guests, they did not realize "how that worked"....

Not a lot of the people I sent to new Bransfels B&Bs commented after the event.
I know they were NOT gouged on pricing, and also that the places were nice.

For Austin, I think a LOT of the venues SOUTH of the river have room for you!
Business there was actually "down'' from a normal weekend as the Festival took folks downtown.

Helicopter shuttles may well be cut back, from local complaints on the traffic.
But if the COTA gets some more Parking poured, they may not be needed.

Ferrari and Mercedes teams stayed at Lost Pines Resort, Bastrop.
They should know.

 

+1 to all Jim said.

Last year we bought our parking pass through the Ferrari Club as well and saved $15 I think, and they were the closest lot to our turn 12 stands. Never slowed down coming or going all 3 days, as they bring you in from the north, and that tollroad exit is 2 miles north of the main exit that gets congested.

 

In December, there was news that COTA was seeking a date change to avoid having the F1 race in town on the same weekend as a UT football game. I haven't seen anything - yes or no - since those stories. Is that date change still a possibility?

 

The date has been set. It won't change anymore.

 

Some pretty good advice here already.

I think turn 12 is by far the best place. Plus, it's where the FClub all sit, so you are surrounded by a bunch of fans.

We took the shuttle all three days and it really goes fast so if you are CLOSE to a shuttle location, take the shuttle. We live up by the lake so it was kinda out of the way, so we will probably get a parking pass this time around.

BRING A HAT AND SUNSCREEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dress appropriately so that you are warm in the morning but can take off some clothes when it gets hot afternoon

BRING CASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and A LOT of it. Do not rely on the ATMs

 

Agreed...I doubt either side thinks the other is "important"...LOL!

 

LOL

While that local game is really of no importance on a global scale, it does suck up all the resources of the city.

 

I don't think so, while it packs the 41 acres of Campus with activity...Austin is a BIG place, area wise....

I have been to a few games with my daughter...
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If driving in Austin, know where your going at all times. The street signage is extremely bad for a city it’s size. Also the freeway system is blended in with toll roads. Again, know where you are going and how to get there. My rental car company sent me a bill for close to $70 in tolls I racked up in just four days. Rental car return at the airport is no big deal and only took a few minutes. Also get your picture taken with Mario.
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I'm happy to see that there are now indeed a few hotels available. They seem to be doing the same learning curve as Indy: Nothing available the first couple of years then one by one they gave up on their block reservations and rooms could be booked.

 

So Big Tex, all-knowing, king of volunteers, ambassador of Texas,

2012 F1 GA tickets included shuttle and free parking off-site. 2013 MotoGP does not, and attendees must buy a parking pass. What is the story with 2013 F1? Same shuttle plan as last year?

I ask, because it seems COTA has not put any info up like last year regarding the shuttle plan (if it exists), makes no mention of it under ticket sales, and has no F1 FAQ yet.

 

I answered in the MotoGP thread, you flatterer!!!

No shuttles..

It looks like they are planning to put ALL spectators in the on (and there is some "off") site parking paved and unpaved, special areas for motorcycles, Honda cycles,....and Ducati.

I wish I had plates on my Ducati...

Parking is an adder, another ticket besides your entry...looks like, from your last post you got thru on the phone to COTA.

 

I'll post the rare Parking Lot map for reference for F1 2013......obviously the special bike lots will be gone and maybe some 'unpaved' will be 'paved' by then!!
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BigTex:

What are my chances of buying tix on Saturday for Saturday at the box office?

I don't want to buy a 3 day pass ahead and they don't sell tix just for individual days.

 

Mule, I'm sorry I didn't read closely enough, my answers are for MotoGP, I'm sure the shuttle plan for F1 will be similar to last year....

Andreas,
I don't think COTA will break up a three day ticket sale at all....."it's JUST not done!"...."sniff"....but as the weekend unfolds I think they'll show up on Austin Craigslist as people come and go.....I know I broke some up that appeared from a vendor at the last minute.

But I wouldn't hold out hope at the "Official" Box Office.

Stub Hub is another internet site that handles such things...

 

Bummer
Last year in Monza I bought extra tix for different stands at Monza on Saturday so I could shoot the cars from different angles

How about scalpers? At any GP they hang out in front of the entrance.

 

I got my tickets for last years race off Craigslist a day before the race. I don't think I paid much over face value either. Craigslist was pretty much flooded with tickets so I would assume you may find some one day tickets on there if you're lucky.

 

Good to know, and appreciate you sharing this. I had many a friend calling last minute for tickets, this would have been a better route than the "scalpers". Though prices did drop in the last few days before the race.

 

All nice and good but how do you physically get the tix in your possession on time?

 

Thanks - seems they aren't pumping out the info like last year.

 

I almost didn't get my ticket in time for the race last year thanks to Ticket City. Not sure about going this year, the event was great but all that walking wore me out. I stayed with family on South Congress & just used cabs & buses (that don't always run on time) to get around.

 

You meet them somewhere and the cash changes hands....I guess if you had a "comfort level" on the transaction you could do it via mail if you had time.

I have folks in Austin, if that helps, you they could have seller drop them there, and you could pick them up when you arrived.