Austin over Grand Prix weekend
Oct 3, 2014, 10:17 am
#1
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Join Date: May 2001
Location: MSY; 2-time FT Fantasy Football Champ, now in recovery.
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Austin over Grand Prix weekend
I've been wanting to take my GF to Austin for a wekeend, and with our schedules, the best dates this year look like Nov 1-2. It also looks like that's the weekend of the F1 Grand Prix auto races.
Hotels are crazy expensive, but that's what points are for, and Marriott has several hotels with award space available. We'd drive down, so no worries on airfare either.
We have no interest on the races. We just want to do typical Austin stuff - see some bands, go bar hopping on 6th and on Rainey, ride bikes by Town Lake, hit some food trucks, eat some BBQ, and soak in the Austin vibe.
My question is, what will the town be like that weekend? Will everything be crazy crowded? Will traffic be nuts? Or will the crowds be mostly confined to the race track, and the rest of Austin its normal (weird) self?
Hotels are crazy expensive, but that's what points are for, and Marriott has several hotels with award space available. We'd drive down, so no worries on airfare either.
We have no interest on the races. We just want to do typical Austin stuff - see some bands, go bar hopping on 6th and on Rainey, ride bikes by Town Lake, hit some food trucks, eat some BBQ, and soak in the Austin vibe.
My question is, what will the town be like that weekend? Will everything be crazy crowded? Will traffic be nuts? Or will the crowds be mostly confined to the race track, and the rest of Austin its normal (weird) self?
Oct 3, 2014, 10:46 pm
#2
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: DFW
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Posts: 1,091
I can only speak for the first race in 2012, and it was pretty crowded everywhere. They had events all over the city, in addition to the race. I think you'll notice increased crowds everywhere at night. I had a few friends brave it last year as there was a UT home game in addition to the F1 race.
As for hotels, people are staying all over the place, but the nightlife and everything else outside of racing will be downtown. They also have Fan Fest which takes up 4th street, can't remember the cross streets, but I think it starts at Congress and goes west.
I would just be extra patient getting around downtown and trying to find parking (if not staying downtown).
As for hotels, people are staying all over the place, but the nightlife and everything else outside of racing will be downtown. They also have Fan Fest which takes up 4th street, can't remember the cross streets, but I think it starts at Congress and goes west.
I would just be extra patient getting around downtown and trying to find parking (if not staying downtown).
Oct 7, 2014, 10:34 pm
#3
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: It's hot here
Posts: 4,285
I go every year and have been to Austin countless times when there were no events and yes, it will be crowded. I can't say it's packed like SXSW but it's certainly busy in the popular areas. Lots of parties downtown, bars will be full and Fan Fest downtown as mentioned. Things will be quiet during the day while we are all at the track but it's on as soon as the races end each day.
Oct 10, 2014, 10:04 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 86
I live here and avoid downtown at all costs during the F1 weekend. Not only will there be a ton of people but there will be traffic problems due to the number of closed streets. Off of my memory the closed streets were 2nd, 3rd, and 4th streets between Congress and Lavaca.
Expect all the popular restaurants within a 5 mile radius of downtown to be even more slammed then they usually are. Expect wait times to double.
If you are staying downtown it might be fun but just plan for the crowds and you should be ok. Also if you wanted to try the food truck scene I would expect for a lot of them to not be in their normal locations so if there are any specific ones you wanted to try then make sure they are there and often the only way to do that is check their facebook page.
Oh and I still think it is crowded even when people are at the track. I know several people who take their kids downtown to look at the cars etc... but don't go to the track so expect increased traffic even when the race is in progress.
Expect all the popular restaurants within a 5 mile radius of downtown to be even more slammed then they usually are. Expect wait times to double.
If you are staying downtown it might be fun but just plan for the crowds and you should be ok. Also if you wanted to try the food truck scene I would expect for a lot of them to not be in their normal locations so if there are any specific ones you wanted to try then make sure they are there and often the only way to do that is check their facebook page.
Oh and I still think it is crowded even when people are at the track. I know several people who take their kids downtown to look at the cars etc... but don't go to the track so expect increased traffic even when the race is in progress.