Highlands Motorsport Park is on the edge of Cromwell in Central Otago, about 45 minutes from Queenstown. It's a race circuit and a day out in one: the National Motorsport Museum, go karts, the Porsche taxi, mini golf and a café are open every day. It hosts the New Zealand Grand Prix, the Highlands Festival of Speed and the Toyota Festival.
There are no grandstands at Highlands. Big events are general admission on the grass berms around the circuit, and the Silver Fern Berm is the only spot where you can put up a gazebo or tent. On any day you can watch from the café deck, which looks over the circuit and the lake. At events, Pit Lane Level 1 above the pits and the museum lounges are sold as hospitality with food. No pick yet, because the berms aren't mapped.
Viewing spot
Silver Fern Berm
Permanent
No cover
Grass
A spectator bank built in 2014, and the only area where gazebos and tents are allowed at events.
Viewing spot
Café Deck
Permanent
The licensed café's deck, looking over the circuit and the lake. Open every day.
Facilities
Café
Toilets
Museum
Kids area
The National Motorsport Museum has over 50 historic race cars and bikes, including Schumacher's Benetton Formula One car and the Aston Martin Vulcan, plus a VR hot lap room and arcade driving games. There's a licensed café with a deck over the track, the Loo with a View, an 18 hole mini golf course, a 650 m go kart track with lockers, and a motorsport themed playground. Public bars open at events.
Plan your day
Getting there
Corner of State Highway 6 and Sandflat Road, on the edge of Cromwell, about 45 minutes from Queenstown. At race meetings spectators come in from Sandflat Road or Cemetery Road, and staff direct the parking.
Camping
Camping at events has to be booked ahead on the Highlands website, and there are no campfires. For the 2027 New Zealand Grand Prix it's self contained motorhomes only.
Coming at a different time
Visiting outside an event
Worth a visit any day
Highlands is open every day from 10am to 4pm, and the café from 9am. The museum, go karts, the Porsche taxi ride, the Supercar Fast Dash and mini golf all run with no event on. The Track Laps Breakfast runs on the third Sunday of each month, 9am to 10am. The go karts don't run in the wet.
Open on normal days
Café
Museum
Go karts
Good to know
Good to know
The Loo with a View
The toilets at Highlands have one way glass that looks straight out onto the track, so you don't miss a lap. They're free, below the café deck, and MotorSport New Zealand calls them famous.
The track
A permanent circuit that runs clockwise, built by Tony Quinn and his son Klark and opened in 2013. The full circuit is about 4.1 km with 14 turns, with a lake in the middle. There are also 2.96 km and 2.22 km layouts, the shorter A, B and C tracks used for drives, a 650 m go kart track and a skid pan. The last corner has a reputation for catching drivers out. The race lap record is 1:28.830, set by Liam Sceats in a Formula Regional car in 2024.
