How to combine the Las Vegas Grand Prix with a trip to Hawaii
Sunday December 6 2026
Last updated June 2026
The Las Vegas Grand Prix is one of the loudest weekends on the Formula 1 calendar. Hawaii is the opposite. Put the two together and you get a single trip with two contrasting halves.
What to expect in this guide
• When is the Las Vegas Grand Prix and what time does the race start? • What is the Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend schedule? • Which Las Vegas Grand Prix grandstand has the best view? • What should you wear to the Las Vegas Grand Prix? • Why add Hawaii after the Las Vegas Grand Prix? • What is worth seeing on Oahu beyond Honolulu? • How long should you spend in Hawaii? • What is the weather like in Hawaii in November?
Estimated Reading Time: 6-7 minutes
The first is a few days of racing through the heart of the city. The second is a slower stretch of beaches and ocean on the other side of the Pacific. If you are flying a long way for the race anyway, it is worth thinking about what comes next. And the two pair well as one trip.
The short version: • The Las Vegas Grand Prix is a Saturday night race, held under floodlights in November. • The circuit runs right through the city, along the Strip. • Direct flights connect Las Vegas to Honolulu in under six hours. • Oahu is the easiest Hawaiian island to reach and a good base for a first visit. • Five to ten days in Hawaii gives you enough time to properly unwind after the race.
Where is the Las Vegas circuit?
The Las Vegas Grand Prix is run on the Las Vegas Strip Circuit, a temporary street track. A street circuit is a track laid out on public roads rather than a permanent racing venue, so the route is closed off for the event and opens again afterwards. This one loops around South Las Vegas Boulevard, better known as the Strip, and the roads nearby.
That location is the appeal. The circuit runs through the centre of the city. You can step out of a hotel lobby and be trackside within minutes.
What makes the track stand out is the mix of long straights and tight, precise corners. The straights invite comparison with Monza, the Italian Grand Prix circuit known for high top speeds. The corners ask for the kind of accuracy a street circuit demands, with walls close to the racing line. It is a combination you do not see often.
When is the Las Vegas Grand Prix and what time does the race start?
The Las Vegas Grand Prix is a Saturday night race, run under lights, in November. This surprises a lot of people. Most Grands Prix are held on Sunday afternoons, so the Saturday evening slot catches first-time visitors off guard. The Grand Prix itself starts at 8:00 pm.
Racing under floodlights changes the whole feel of the weekend. The city is lit up, the cars run into the night, and the atmosphere is different to a daytime race.
What is the Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend schedule?
Thursday • F1 Academy free practice and qualifying. F1 Academy is an all-female single-seater championship that races on some Grand Prix weekends. • Formula 1 practice 1 and practice 2. Practice sessions are when teams test their cars and find the right setup for the track.
Friday • F1 Academy race 1. • Formula 1 practice 3, followed by qualifying. Qualifying is the session that decides the starting order for the race.
Saturday • F1 Academy race 2. • The drivers’ parade, where the drivers are introduced to the crowd. • The Grand Prix, starting at 8:00 pm.
Between the on-track sessions, there is plenty to fill the gaps. Fan zones, pop-up events, concerts, and afterparties run throughout the weekend.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri on the drivers parade
Which Las Vegas Grand Prix grandstand has the best view?
The best grandstand depends on what you want to see. Here is the quick comparison:
• Main Grandstand. Best for the start and pit stops. It sits at the start and finish line, beside the Turn 1 braking zone, where a lot of the overtaking happens.
• Grandstands at Sphere. Best for atmosphere and a longer look at the cars. They wrap around the slower Turns 5 to 9, with sweeping sightlines, big screens, concerts, and the Sphere behind you.
Grandstands at Sphere
What should you wear to the Las Vegas Grand Prix?
Bring warm layers. This catches people out. Las Vegas has a daytime reputation for heat, but the race runs at night in November, and the desert gets cold once the sun goes down. Dress for a chilly evening, not for the daytime temperatures you might be picturing.
What else is there to do in Las Vegas?
Car enthusiasts should make time for the Shelby Heritage Center. It holds more than 30 vintage Shelby cars, including Mustangs and Cobras, and tells the story of Carroll Shelby, the American designer behind some well-known performance cars. You can also join a VIP tour with behind-the-scenes access to the modification shop.
Why add Hawaii after the Las Vegas Grand Prix?
Hawaii works as an add-on because it is close and easy to reach. Direct flights from Las Vegas to Honolulu take under six hours, so you can go from a night race in the desert to a morning on the beach without a complicated connection.
It also makes sense as a change of pace. After the noise and speed of race weekend, Hawaii is the opposite. If you do not want to head straight home, this is the time to swap the grandstands for beaches and the Strip for the Pacific coast.
Hanauma Bay Oahu Island Hawaii
Which Hawaiian island should you visit?
Oahu is the most accessible Hawaiian island and the easiest to reach on a direct flight from Las Vegas, which makes it the natural choice for a first trip. Start there.
Honolulu is the main city and where most Hawaii holidays begin. Its best-known landmark is Waikiki Beach, a long crescent of golden sand lined with hotels, restaurants, and shops. Nearby is Diamond Head, a volcanic crater that rises above the coast and shapes the skyline.
Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona Memorial are also on Oahu. They are among the most visited sites in the Pacific.
What is worth seeing on Oahu beyond Honolulu?
The North Shore is worth the drive. It sits at the opposite end of the island to Honolulu and has a different feel. Expect quieter beaches, dramatic scenery, and a strong surf culture. The North Shore is famous for its surf beaches, which draw big waves in winter.
The Polynesian Cultural Centre is nearby. It gives a good introduction to the history and traditions of the Pacific islands, and it pairs well with a day on the North Shore.
North shore of Oahu Hawaii
How long should you spend in Hawaii?
Five to ten days lets you explore Oahu properly. That is enough time to split your trip between the city and the North Shore without rushing.
If you have time at the upper end of that range, you can add a second island. Maui is a short flight away and offers a quieter, more rural experience than Oahu. It is a good option if you want to see more than one side of Hawaii.
What is the weather like in Hawaii in November?
November falls in Hawaii’s shoulder season, which runs from September to mid-December. This is one of the better windows to visit. The crowds are thinner, the pace is calmer, and temperatures sit in the low 80s Fahrenheit.
There is one thing to plan around. November is the start of the winter wet season, so you can expect a higher chance of scattered showers than in summer. The showers are usually short and pass quickly.
Where you stay makes a difference. The south and west coast, known as the leeward shore, is the sheltered side of the island. It includes popular areas like Waikiki and Ko Olina. The mountains block much of the weather here, which makes this coast the driest, sunniest, and warmest part of Oahu. If you want the best chance of dry days in November, base yourself on the leeward shore.
Best booking resources for F1 trips
Planning the trip is the fun part for some and a chore for others.
If you would rather not handle all the details yourself, we can do that for you.
Prefer to do it all yourself? You’re welcome to take everything you’ve learned here and book your own trip. These are good places to start. They’re reliable, easy to use, and usually the best value.
Tickets Grand Prix Tickets is the agency I’ve trusted for years. They’ve always been reliable, easy to deal with, and quick to help if something comes up.
Hotels ZenHotels is one of my go-to sites for hotel bookings. It pulls prices from many smaller sites you might not know about, which makes it good for finding deals. I also check Expedia and Booking.com when I want more options.
Excursions Viator is full of walking tours, attraction tickets, and local experiences. It’s especially handy if you’re heading to a new Grand Prix city. It’s a good place to find extras to add to your trip.
Rob is an experienced independent travel consultant and travel content creator.
His love for Formula One started in the 1990s, watching the greats like Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, and Mika Hakkinen. He traveled to his first Grand Prix in 1999. It was the Spanish Grand Prix in Barcelona. Since then, Rob has traveled to over 2/3 of Grand Prix’ on the current Formula One calendar.
Fast forward to today, and Rob has turned his passion into a career, dedicating his time to helping others plan their dream Formula One trips.
His favourite Grand Prix destinations are Austria and Austin, and when he’s not attending a Formula One Grand Prix, you’ll find him closer to home, walking or cycling in the Peak District National Park.
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