The Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 runs 23 to 25 October 2026 on the Surfers Paradise street circuit, and St Tropez Holiday Apartments on Orchid Avenue sits inside the circuit precinct. This guide covers five things the event site will not: gate access on foot, the road-closure reality, the sessions worth watching, where to eat, and when to book.
When is the Gold Coast 500 and how do I get tickets?
The 2026 Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 runs Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October 2026. It is Round 12 of the Repco Supercars Championship and the opening round of the Finals, with 10 drivers still in title contention on Friday and only seven left standing by Sunday night. Tickets come as General Admission, reserved Grandstand seats and behind-the-scenes Paddock Passes, all through the official Supercars site. Children aged 12 and under enter free with a paying adult on General Admission, which makes it one of the better-value big events for families. Book grandstands early if you want a numbered seat at a specific corner, as the best chicane views sell first.
How do we actually get to the circuit from St Tropez?
This is the part the event site can’t tell you: from our front door on Orchid Avenue, you are already inside the fence. The 2.96 kilometre circuit wraps the blocks between the Esplanade and Ferny Avenue, and the main spectator gates are a few minutes’ walk down Cavill Avenue towards the beach. In the week before the race, streets across the precinct close for the concrete-barrier build, so your car is best left in our undercover park for the weekend. Do not plan to drive to a gate; there is nowhere to go. The G:link tram still runs through Surfers for anyone heading to Broadbeach or Main Beach, and on foot you can come and go from the apartment between sessions, which no trackside carpark allows.
Which sessions are worth watching?
The weekend builds. Friday is practice and qualifying, plus the support categories that share the bill, so it is the quietest day to walk the fences and pick your corner. The support bill typically runs alongside the main game across the weekend, with categories such as the Porsche Carrera Cup, S5000 open-wheelers and the V8 SuperUtes filling the track between Supercars sessions, so there is barely a dull moment on the timetable. Saturday and Sunday each carry a 250 kilometre championship race, and those are the sessions the 200,000-strong crowd comes for, engines echoing off the high-rises in a way television never captures. Between the racing, the ticket includes trackside concerts each afternoon, a long-running Gold Coast 500 tradition that has drawn major Australian acts to the stages. If you only pick one day, make it Sunday for the feature race, but Friday is the value day and far easier with young kids or a pram.
Where do we eat over the race weekend?
Inside the circuit there are food and drink vendors at every gate, though queues build around the feature races. The advantage of a central base is that Orchid Avenue and Cavill Avenue restaurants sit on your doorstep the moment you step back out of the gates, and our full apartment kitchen means you can cook a quick breakfast and pack lunch to skip the vendor lines entirely. For a proper sit-down between sessions, our guide to the best Surfers Paradise restaurants covers the spots within a short walk. Book a table for Saturday night well ahead; the whole town fills up, and walk-in tables get scarce once racing finishes for the day.
Should we book early, and what is it like staying in the middle of it?
Gold Coast 500 weekend is one of the busiest of the Surfers Paradise year, and central apartments book out months ahead, so lock in your dates as soon as they are announced and book direct for the best rate. Staying inside the precinct means the soundtrack comes with the room: expect engine noise through the day, which most fans love and light sleepers manage with earplugs. In return you get something no shuttle-bus package offers, the ability to walk home for a nap, a swim in our heated pool, or a quiet dinner, then stroll back for the next session in minutes.
FAQs about the Gold Coast 500 from St Tropez
When is the Gold Coast 500 in 2026?
The Boost Mobile Gold Coast 500 runs from Friday 23 to Sunday 25 October 2026 on the Surfers Paradise street circuit. It is Round 12 of the Repco Supercars Championship and the opening round of the Finals, so the racing carries real title stakes across the weekend.
Can you hear the cars from Surfers Paradise accommodation?
Yes, clearly, and from a base inside the circuit precinct like ours you hear every gear change. Most guests treat it as part of the experience, but light sleepers and young children should pack earplugs. Racing runs during the day, so evenings settle down once the track goes quiet.
Do you need a car for the Gold Coast 500?
No, and driving is the hard way to do it. Streets across Surfers close for the circuit build, so your car is better left parked. From a central base you walk to the spectator gates, and the G:link tram still runs through town for trips further afield.
Is the Gold Coast 500 family-friendly?
Yes. Children aged 12 and under enter free with a paying adult on a General Admission ticket, and the weekend mixes racing with support categories and afternoon concerts. Bring ear protection for little ones and plan around nap times, since the middle of the day is loudest.
There is no closer way to do the Gold Coast 500 than from an apartment inside the circuit, with the gates down the street and your own bed, kitchen and pool to retreat to between races. When the 2026 dates open, check availability and book direct with us, and see what else is on while you are here on our Surfers Paradise events guide.
Image credit: Supercars