Austin, the state capital of Texas, is filled with fun and thrilling activities for you to try. Whether you want to have a look around Zilker Park or get involved with some cultural activities at the Continental Club, there is something for everyone in Austin.
This city even has lots of places for you to try go karting. This is an exciting activity for you to try with your friends and family. Go karting is even an outstanding option for a date night.
Picking the perfect place for go karting can be hard, as there are lots of factors that you should consider. For example, you will need to look into what types of tracks there are and if a venue provides food and drink.
To help you find the ideal go karting venue in Austin, we have picked our favorite places and given you all the information you need.
By following our guide, you can find the best place for a fun-filled go karting experience.
COTA Karting
If you’re looking for one of the biggest tracks in America, then you’ve come to the right place. COTA Karting has an immense 3.41-mile track.
Because of this, COTA Karting has developed a strong reputation for its amazing services. If you want to experience an adrenaline boost, then COTA Karting is an excellent choice.
State: Texas
City: Austin
Type: Outdoor
Track: 1
Karts: Multiple: bring your own or rent
Karts Top Speed: 55 mph
Requirements: 58” for Fun or Competitive Race, 48” for Junior
Onsite Food & Beverages: Yes
Entertainment: Yes
Party & Group Booking: Yes
Merch Shop: Yes
Price Range: $35 per person for Fun Drive and $112 per person for a Small Group Private Event
Location: 9201 Circuit of the Americas Blvd, Austin, TX 78617
Opening Hours:
- Monday – Sunday: 11am – 11pm
Track: COTA offers a thrilling track with 15 action-packed turns. What makes this track unique is the large number of turns and the exciting layout. Plus, it is right next door to a Formula 1 track, adding to the excitement.
Karts: This track allows you to either rent a kart or bring your own. We recommend using the karts provided, as few other tracks allow drivers to reach speeds of 55 mph.
Speed: The rental karts have a maximum speed of 55 miles per hour. This is an impressive speed that is faster than most other tracks.
Food And Beverages: As the home of NASCAR and Formula 1 events, COTA provides a variety of foods. This includes Tex-Mex, pizza, Thai cuisine, and BBQ.
They also offer alcoholic beverages, though you must have a valid ID. However, you should bear in mind that the food offered varied depending on the event. Larger events will have broader selections of food and beverages.
Regardless, you will be able to find a refreshing beverage and some form of snack when at COTA Karting.
Entertainment: Aside from Karting, you can also get involved with a zip line and bike nights. COTA also has an outstanding observation deck which can be hired for events, such as birthday parties.
Merch Shop: COTA has an online store where merchandise can be purchased. Among the items for sale are hats, tops, jackets, scarves, and keychains. Most of these products have been customized with COTA branding.
Booking: You can easily book online via the COTA website, where you can buy tickets for adults and children. You can buy multiple tickets, though there are no discounts for groups.
Restrictions: If you wish to participate in the fun race, you must be at least 14 years old. The minimum age for the Competitive Race is 16 and you must possess a driver’s license.
Fortunately, younger children can take part in the Junior Kart race, with an age limit of 12 years old. Parents can also take their children in a double kart so long as they are taller than 48 inches.
Pinballz Lake Creek
If you are looking for a venue for a night of fun, we recommend Pinballz. They offer an assortment of amazing entertainment, such as go karting, bumper cars, and mini bowling.
As a result, you can spend hours at Pinballz trying out all of these entertaining activities.
State: Texas
City: Austin
Type: Indoor
Track: 1
Karts: electric
Karts Top Speed: 25mph for adults and 15mph for junior
Requirements: 58” for adults and 48” for junior
Onsite Food & Beverages: Yes
Entertainment: Yes
Party & Group Booking: Yes
Merch Shop: Yes
Price Range: $12 for one race and $36 for four races
Location: 13729 Research Blvd, Austin, TX 78750
Opening Hours:
- Sunday – Thursday: 10am – 12am
- Saturday – Friday: 10am – 2am
Track: The riveting track is decorated with LED lights, giving it a unique aesthetic. It also has tons of twists, making it a fun space to practice your go karting skills.
Karts: The karts at COTA are fast and durable. They have a power-up system that gives you the chance to win the race. Powered by electricity, the Pinballz karts are more beneficial to the environment than other types of karts.
Speed: With a top speed of 25mph for adults and 15mph for juniors, Pinballz may not offer the fastest speeds.
Nonetheless, you can still have a very enjoyable ride on these karts. The slower speeds mean that they are suitable for younger and less experienced users.
Food And Beverages: Pinballz has not one but two venues for food and drink.
The first is Mikki’s Tavern. This terrific tavern offers a broad array of drinks, such as beers and cocktails. However, if you are looking for something to fill yourself up, Mikki’s Tavern will also deliver.
They provide meals and snacks, including a kid’s menu. Whether you want something sweet, a pizza, or something healthier, this menu has it all.
The second venue is the Whiskey Bar, the perfect hideout for those that fancy alcoholic beverages. This bar has a classy vibe and an impressive selection of drinks.
Entertainment: As stated, Pinballz is a hub of entertaining activities. If you want to try something else out after karting, you can try miniature bowling.
Just like regular bowling, this activity features shorter lanes. You can also embark on an adventure via the Holgate VR system.
They also have a laser maze, where you can make your way through a bright green maze of lasers. Few other karting attractions offer such a spectrum of entertainment.
Merch Shop: You can buy game merchandise and game cards from this online shop.
Booking: The Pinballz website conveniently allows you to plan your events, meaning that you can easily pick what events you wish to participate in.
Restrictions: To use an adult kart, you must be 14 years old and be at least 58” tall. Thankfully, if you are outside of this range, you can use a junior kart.
These karts can be used by anyone who is over the age of 6 and is over 48” in height. Alongside the height restrictions, you must wear closed-toe shoes to use these karts.
K1 Speed
K1 Is an expansive brand that has locations throughout the United States, with an amazing location in Austin. This track is a brilliant venue for events, such as birthday parties.
It has a restaurant attached called the Paddock Lounge, allowing you to grab a delicious beverage and some food after your karting experience. These tracks are ideal for all ages, so you should consider visiting K1 Speed for your next big event.
State: Texas
City: Austin
Type: Indoor
Track: Multiple
Karts: Electric karts
Karts Top Speed: 45 mph
Requirements: 58” for adults and 48” for junior
Onsite Food & Beverages: Yes
Entertainment: Yes
Party & Group Booking: Yes
Merch Shop: Yes
Price Range: $27.95 per person for one range and $64.95 per person for 3 races
Location: 2500 Mc Hale Ct, Austin, TX 78758
Opening Hours:
- Monday – Thursday: 12pm – 10pm
- Friday: 12pm – 12am
- Saturday: 10am – 12am
- Sunday: 10am – 10pm
Track: This facility has two different tracks, allowing you to find the one that works best for you.
Both tracks have twists and turns that will make your driving experience incredibly exhilarating. These tracks are indoors, so you won’t need to worry about bad weather.
Karts: K1 prides itself on its completely electric karts, making them more powerful than their rivals.
These karts are European-styled, allowing them to have increased horsepower. Furthermore, K1’s karts are better than the environment and are quieter than the average kart.
Speed: The karts at K1 have a maximum speed of 45 mph, enabling you to feel a rush of speed.
Food And Beverages: The aforementioned Paddock Lounge. This venue has a diverse menu. For instance, there are lots of different beverages on offer, including both alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks.
Among them are different types of teas, energy drinks, and sodas. The food options include pizzas, burgers, nachos, and chicken wings. Consequently, there is sure to be something on the menu that you enjoy.
Entertainment: For go karting enthusiasts, K1 hosts different themed nights. This includes drift night and grid night.
If you are looking for something a little different from the typical go karting experience, you should consider attending one of these events.
Merch Shop: K1’s online store has a large selection of merchandise, including t-shirts, hoodies, keychains, hats, and even helmets. If you are a go karting fan, you’ll adore this range of merchandise.
Booking: Booking online is super convenient thanks to the wide range of options.
K1 Speed has packages for kid’s parties, adult parties, and corporate events. This makes it super straightforward to plan your next event.
Restrictions: For safety reasons, K1 has different events for adults and children. If you are an adult, you must be at least 58” to participate in go karting. Meanwhile, there is a restriction of 48” inches for juniors.
Austin’s
Ironically, our last pick is called Austin’s. This establishment is located in Pflugerville, which is right next to Austin.
There is tons to do at Austin’s, such as go karting, mini-golf, kid rides, and rock climbing. You could easily spend an entire day at this venue thanks to this multitude of activities.
State: Texas
City: Pflugerville
Type: Outdoor
Track: Multiple
Karts: Various
Karts Top Speed: 45mph for adults, 25mph for junior
Requirements: Various
Onsite Food & Beverages: Yes
Entertainment: Yes
Party & Group Booking: Yes
Merch Shop: No
Price Range: $29.95 to $57.95
Location: 16231 N Interstate Hwy 35, Pflugerville, TX 78660
Opening Hours:
- Monday – Thursday: 10am – 11pm
- Friday – Saturday: 10am – 12am
- Sunday: 11am – 11pm
Track: There are 3 different tracks, namely slick, speedway, and great safari. Each track has different features and requirements, so be sure to do your research before selecting a track.
Karts: There are lots of different types of karts depending on the track. All of them are quite powerful, though the junior ones are slower.
Speed: The speeds of these karts are decent, allowing you to reach the highs of 45moh for an adult and 25mph for juniors.
Food And Beverages: Austin’s has a good range of foods, with menu and buffet options available.
The buffet is an impressive Texas-sized offering, with pasta, a salad bar, desserts, and pizza being regular fixtures. The menu also has a broad array of foods, such as burgers, salads, and sandwiches.
Entertainment: We are impressed with the variety of entertainment at Austin’s. With activities such as roller coasters, a batting cage, a carousel, bowling, laser tag, and an XD theatre, there is something for everyone at this venue.
Booking: You can book the various activities at Austin’s by visiting their website. They have tons of packages.
Restrictions: All three of the tracks have different height requirements. For the slick track it is 60”. The Speedway track has a height range of between 48” and 58”.
To use the family speedway karts, the driver must be at least 58” and the passenger must be over 40”. For the Great Safari, the restriction is 36” and 44”.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, there are loads of different go karting venues in Austin, Texas. They offer different services, whether that be their style of kart, menu options, or type of track.
Therefore, this guide can help you to find the best go karting venue in Austin based on your needs and wants, giving you a fun-filled experience!
If you enjoyed this article, you might enjoy our post on ‘The 4 Best Places For Go Karting In Sarasota‘.
