NOTE: This Blog is a compact version of my original article published in Hilton Grand Vacation Gateway Guide. Visit the full article here for details including other HGV articles and resources.
Introduction & Planning The Trip
Miami, Florida, USA is known for its lovely branches, cruising origin to nearby Caribbean locations and bayside attractions of celebrity properties. My wife, Glenda and I have been fans of Formula 1 Motorsports for a few years now thanks to the Netflix series ‘Drive to Survive’. Since 2024, 3 US cities have hosted annual F1 events – Miami, FL, Austix, TX and Las Vegas, NV. Miami was a natural first choice for us due to its close proximity to our home in metro Atlanta, GA. We frequently visit the sunshine state to see 3 of our kids who live and work in Orlando, about 3 hours north of Miami.
Formula 1 Grand Prix is considered the pinnacle of motorsports. An F1 car costs millions of dollars and clocks the fastest lap time on most tracks.F1events last 3 days consisting of various events and activities as follows. Practice sessions allow teams to set optimal car configuration. The qualifying session decides grid positions based on fastest lap times. Lower Tier races like F1 Academy, F2 races and a shorter length Sprint race take place on days before the final event. The final day features the Drivers Parade and then the Grand Prix Race. F1 Miami GP takes place Friday through Sunday afternoon. Ticket prices are based on day and area of admission with race-day seats in paddock clubs and clubhouses being most expensive.
The Miami F1 grand prix takes place around the Hard Rock Stadium in central Miami. There are a variety of staying options nearby from HGV locations in scenic South Beach to locations in nearby Fort Lauderdale or even as far as Orlando. F1 is one of the annual marquee events, so booking both F1 tickets and accommodations at least a few weeks or months ahead is highly recommended.
Planning for F1 and Arriving in Miami
Driving into Miami is easy via the Florida Turnpike southbound but be aware of traffic congestion once you reach West Palm Beach all the way through Fort Lauderdale, Miami and South Beach. If flying into Miami both Fort Lauderdale and Miami airport are good options.
Our first experience with the Miami GP was in 2024 and we returned again in 2025. We found the Hilton MacAlpine Ocean Plaza is an ideal HGV location in the scenic South Beach area to stay during the event. Located in a quiet area away from the busy Miami city center, it allows us to drive to the nearby free shuttle service during the event weekend, take the shuttle bus and then walk to the entrance.
While it is tempting to opt for a Hilton hotel a little farther north like near Fort Lauderdale Airport, the congested drive to nearby shuttle service and then a bus ride to Miami for the race could be time consuming.
It is also possible to attend just a single day like Saturday or Sunday. In such a case, an early morning 3-hour train ride (or drive) can bring you from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale station which offers a free shuttle to the race from the station. Given Orlando’s abundance of HGV resorts like HGV Seaworld, Parc Soleil, Mystic Dunes and many more, this option may be attractive to those planning a quick F1 experience and still plan to visit many Orlando Theme Parks and other entertainment options.
Attending F1 Miami GP
There are multiple ways to attend the Miami F1 GP based on your budget, staying preference and mobility options. For our first year in F1, we went for the full 3-day package at the Marina Grandstand. This section allows a great view of the cars racing through a curved section of the track with overtake opportunities both at entrance and exit of these turns clearly visible from our section. It is also conveniently located near the food court and hydration stations.
Saturday events feature Sprint Race, Qualifying and Academy Races and costs less than half of race day tickets. A one-day Saturday ticket could be a cheaper option for a first time Formula 1 Experience and allow for other weekend activities around the Miami area.
When attending F1 Miami events it is highly recommended to avoid driving all the way to Hard Rock stadium in Miami due to traffic congestion that results in more than an hour drive time just to cover the final few miles. A better option is to park at one of the designated areas and take the free shuttle. The event typically offers 3 shuttle pickup points around metro Miami including Fort Lauderdale Brightlane Train station that also connects Orlando and Tampa via fast train. Download the F1 Miami App on your smartphone to get up-to-date information on schedule, parking locations, map of the venue and alerts.
Keep in mind that selfie sticks and other larger items are typically prohibited to the event. There are lockers provided outside the entrance that can keep your oversize items during the event. Miami in early May can get hot with occasional showers, so dress appropriately.
Conclusion of F1 Events
British F1 driver Lando Norris of McLaren Racing won the 2024 Miami F1 GP marking his first ever F1 race victory! It was a turnaround for McLaren as they started to secure more victories than the dominant Red Bull team in subsequent races that season. It was a key moment in Lando’s career as he followed it up with several F1 wins that season finishing 2nd in Drivers’ Championship. He secured even more victories the following season including the 2025 F1 Miami GP that we attended as well. Lando Norris will eventually go on to win the 2025 F1 World Championship and we were glad to witness his first F1 win in Miami!
Final Thoughts
Following are some key points based on our experience at the F1 Miami Grand Prix.
Use the F1 Miami app on your smartphone for up-to-date event information and use a digital ticket storage like Google Wallet for easy access to the event.
Hilton MacAlpine Ocean Plaza offers a quiet and peaceful staying experience during a busy Miami F1 week. To attend F1 events from here, you should drive or take Uber to a designated pickup spot and take the free shuttle bus to the proper event entrance.
HGV Resorts outside of Miami such as HGV Seaworld or Mystic Dunes in Orlando can also be a base to attend the event if your vacation plan involves Orlando Attractions. Just plan for the 3-hour train or drive time. It is possible to attend F1 Miami on a specific day like Saturday for a cheaper price and use one of the nearby Hilton Hotels in Miami or Fort Lauderdale for an overnight stay to combine with your HGV resort stay in Orlando.