How to "do Goodwood?"
Discussion
First of all, I'm not talking about this year...more likely 2023 or 2024.
Second, I'm an American, living in the Indianapolis area.
I was actually born in Bedford, lived in Flitwick until age 17, went to Bedford Modern School, and then moved to the United States with my family. That was back in late 1969, so yes, I'll be 70 this year.
But I've wanted to attend the Goodwood Festival of Speed for years, and now I'm retired I want to make it happen. I'd likely go with my wife and three or four other similarly-aged couples.
I last visited England in 2018 and made stops in both Gaydon and Newport Pagnell (I own an Aston Martin DB9). My mum was born in Rugby and her brother and sisters settled in Northamptonshire, so I have family in those areas.
But...where should I stay? How long should I plan to spend at the Festival? How should we manage transportation? What other tips can you offer?
We're not exactly jet-setters, but we're also not looking for a no-frills, bare-bones holiday. In other words, we want it to be special and we don't want the pain of the logistics to overwhelm the joy of the experience.
Suggestions?
Thanks!
Second, I'm an American, living in the Indianapolis area.
I was actually born in Bedford, lived in Flitwick until age 17, went to Bedford Modern School, and then moved to the United States with my family. That was back in late 1969, so yes, I'll be 70 this year.
But I've wanted to attend the Goodwood Festival of Speed for years, and now I'm retired I want to make it happen. I'd likely go with my wife and three or four other similarly-aged couples.
I last visited England in 2018 and made stops in both Gaydon and Newport Pagnell (I own an Aston Martin DB9). My mum was born in Rugby and her brother and sisters settled in Northamptonshire, so I have family in those areas.
But...where should I stay? How long should I plan to spend at the Festival? How should we manage transportation? What other tips can you offer?
We're not exactly jet-setters, but we're also not looking for a no-frills, bare-bones holiday. In other words, we want it to be special and we don't want the pain of the logistics to overwhelm the joy of the experience.
Suggestions?
Thanks!
Edited by Zuman on Tuesday 21st June 21:08
Some comments on the above,
With Goodwood events there are plenty of hospitality options, so you can pick one that fits your budget, or just use one of the multiple food vendors on site, or bring your own (though that means taking it with you)
With the general admission tickets you can choose to have (at extra cost) access to the various grandstands on site, handy if you want some to sit and you don’t have a hospitality package.
All the venues around the area will increase their room prices, the further out you are the cheaper it will be, or you stay on site, Goodwood offer several ‘glamping’ options, that would solve any accommodation and transport issues for the time you are there.
As to how long to visit for, that will depend on how much you (and those with you) want to see, I’d say, if you can, do the whole 4 days, that will give you the time to explore every area in detail, there’s lots of walking as it’s a big site ( there are tractor shuttles up to the rally stage), give yourself as much time as you can to not have to rush.
With Goodwood events there are plenty of hospitality options, so you can pick one that fits your budget, or just use one of the multiple food vendors on site, or bring your own (though that means taking it with you)
With the general admission tickets you can choose to have (at extra cost) access to the various grandstands on site, handy if you want some to sit and you don’t have a hospitality package.
All the venues around the area will increase their room prices, the further out you are the cheaper it will be, or you stay on site, Goodwood offer several ‘glamping’ options, that would solve any accommodation and transport issues for the time you are there.
As to how long to visit for, that will depend on how much you (and those with you) want to see, I’d say, if you can, do the whole 4 days, that will give you the time to explore every area in detail, there’s lots of walking as it’s a big site ( there are tractor shuttles up to the rally stage), give yourself as much time as you can to not have to rush.
Unreal said:
OP - are you set on the Festival or have you considered the Revival? They are very different and many people have quite a firm preference. Partners too. Mine has no interest in the Festival but enjoys the Revival.
Thanks. I think that the FoS is something I "have" to do, so that'll be first. But we might return the following year for the Revival!Staying at goodwood will be expensive. I live in Bognor and drive in. No queues whe you get there really early. A MUST!
Food and drink is expensive onsite but carrying your own is a pain.
Bring a small folding tripod chair or a blanket and chill out on the grass. Failing that, grand stand tickets are expensive again but you will be really jealous when you see people chilling on them….. especially if it’s raining.
Don’t bother cleaning your car to show it off. It will be caked in dust on exit.
Food and drink is expensive onsite but carrying your own is a pain.
Bring a small folding tripod chair or a blanket and chill out on the grass. Failing that, grand stand tickets are expensive again but you will be really jealous when you see people chilling on them….. especially if it’s raining.
Don’t bother cleaning your car to show it off. It will be caked in dust on exit.
Djtemeka said:
Staying at goodwood will be expensive. I live in Bognor and drive in. No queues whe you get there really early. A MUST!
Food and drink is expensive onsite but carrying your own is a pain.
Bring a small folding tripod chair or a blanket and chill out on the grass. Failing that, grand stand tickets are expensive again but you will be really jealous when you see people chilling on them….. especially if it’s raining.
Don’t bother cleaning your car to show it off. It will be caked in dust on exit.
Yes it will be expensive, (though that's relative) some people will pay for the convenience, to others it may not be expensive at all, the OP has said they don't want 'bare bones', if they have a year or potentially two to look at the options I'm sure they will come up with a plan to suit them.Food and drink is expensive onsite but carrying your own is a pain.
Bring a small folding tripod chair or a blanket and chill out on the grass. Failing that, grand stand tickets are expensive again but you will be really jealous when you see people chilling on them….. especially if it’s raining.
Don’t bother cleaning your car to show it off. It will be caked in dust on exit.
I'm personally looking forward to going tomorrow
For the Revival, If there is a gang of you, the best option might be to stay at a distance and hire a minibus and driver for the day. I would always book a grandstand seat, to get a good view, shade if it's hot, and a roof if it's wet.- not much fun trying to observe through the fence when the crowd can be several deep. This may also apply to the FoS, but as you know FoS is not circuit racing and more walking about is necessary. A good hospitality option may include local transport.
What about a tour to take away the stress of organising it yourself
https://www.selectmotorracing.com/Historic/H_GW_fo...
https://www.selectmotorracing.com/Historic/H_GW_fo...
Djtemeka said:
....
Don’t bother cleaning your car to show it off. It will be caked in dust on exit.
I strongly suspect that OP, traveling from the US for the FoS, will not be bringing their pride and joy with them. Don’t bother cleaning your car to show it off. It will be caked in dust on exit.
My advice, for what it is worth, is that as you are travelling a long way for a 'bucket list' event, do it properly.
By grandstand tickets - these are not fixed seats, but a tag which allows you to roam and take any vacant seat - this is great at the best of times and invaluable if it rains.
Get there early (US / UK time difference will not help you in this regard....perhaps try to arrive in UK a few days before to shake off the worst of the jet-lag) - I (and many others) are at the gates as they open at 7am - this gives you a 'golden' couple of hours to wander the paddocks before the hoards arrive. After this time, grab a bite of breakfast and head to a grandstand to watch the action on the hill.
PS the Indy 500 is on my bucket list - any tips?!
ecsrobin said:
Although many local hotels are known to cancel bookings made prior to the announcement.
I always take an educated punt on the date once the provisional F1 calendar is out, I've never been wrong and I've never had my hotel cancelled, thankfully.Worth noting OP, is that announced FoS date is sometimes provisional until the WMC ratify the F1 calendar, so when a date is announced just carefully check the details/T&Cs before booking flights etc. I know a lot of people got burned one year when the F1 calendar changed between the provisional and confirmed versions, so Goodwood changed too.
On a general note, if it's the main reason for coming I'd look to do 3 days (Fri/Sat/Sun) with a decent grandstand seat, there is no need to go fancier than that in my opinion, the hospitality options would contribute to a nicer hotel instead! Arrive nice and early each day (transport allowing) and you'll get so much more out of it.
I'm not 100% sure on transport/accommodation as I always drive from nearby-ish, but a hotel in Chichester is a safe bet as that's by far the easiest place to get to Goodwood from without a car. You could research hotels generally now so you have a few in mind.
Edited by ch37 on Wednesday 22 June 19:35
If your saving up for a ‘one off’ I’d strongly recommend going the hospitality route. I was lucky enough to be taken one year by Autotrader and it was fantastic. Food and drink on tap, great viewing area and a well located ‘base’ to wander off and see the rest of the show.
Yes they can pricey if you’re paying out of your own pocket but if your travelling from Indy I guess you’re prepared for a bit of expense?
Yes they can pricey if you’re paying out of your own pocket but if your travelling from Indy I guess you’re prepared for a bit of expense?
WhyOne said:
PS the Indy 500 is on my bucket list - any tips?!
I've been to the 500 many times. The way to approach it is to clearly have an idea of what you value the most before you make your plans.As you might imagine, getting to and from the track is a bit more like going to a football game than anything else. It's a very, uh, "democratic" experience, with all kinds of people in all states of sobriety. 300,000 is a lot of humanity descending on one focused destination!
From where I live, it would normally take me about thirty minutes to drive to the track. On race day it would be three to four hours. Getting out again is similar. You can park in the "infield," which may still be a 20-minute walk to your seats, and things get interesting when there's a pop-up thunderstorm, which is not uncommon at that time of year. The coolest thing was one year when I was invited to join a police-escorted convoy to the track. I was driving my Aston Martin DB9 with the top down, and it was fun both zipping through the traffic lights in the suburbs and crawling through the crowds as we approached the track.
There are "glamping" options and people are always coming up with new ideas, but no matter what you choose you are likely always find yourself in the middle of a party (whether you're invited or not). Hotel rates, of course, soar through the roof for the race.
You should get a pass to get into the garage areas and down to the pits before the race.
I had the privilege of knowing Tony and Laura George, who used to be owners of the track before selling it to Roger Penske, so I watched from the Pagoda. Assuming you're not in a suite, you'll want to be prepared for high temperatures, lots of sun, and lots of noise.
My mother, a widow in her 80s, used to love the experience, however, and really fed off the energy. Think of the whole thing as an "event" rather than a race and you'll be fine...
I suggest you give Kevin May a call to discuss your initial requirements. He is very helpful and knowledgeable- a true enthusiast. He's probably at the Festival of Speed this weekend.
We haven't been to Goodwood with him as we have camped nearby but have done several European GP tours and the Mille Miglia. All have been superbly organised and full of like minded enthusiasts. There have usually been guests who have travelled from the States, Canada, Australia and South Africa. You may be able to tag on a GP if you want.
I hope you can sort something out.
We haven't been to Goodwood with him as we have camped nearby but have done several European GP tours and the Mille Miglia. All have been superbly organised and full of like minded enthusiasts. There have usually been guests who have travelled from the States, Canada, Australia and South Africa. You may be able to tag on a GP if you want.
I hope you can sort something out.
Gassing Station | Goodwood Events | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff