Local tourist attractions, summer events & the best places to eat and drink near Silverstone for F1 fans attending the 2026 British Grand Prix
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The 2026 British Grand Prix is scheduled from July 2-5
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The English summer is a busy time of festivals and major events, many of which coincide with the British Grand Prix in early July. Why not extend your itinerary to include Wimbledon or the Goodwood Festival of Speed? We have also highlighted the best motorsport-related attractions in the UK, plus the best things to do and places to eat and drink near Silverstone.
Wimbledon: June 29-July 12, 2026
Why not spend a day or two at the most famous tennis tournament in the world? The Championships at Wimbledon will be held from June 29 to July 12, which means you can attend the 2026 British Grand Prix (July 2-5) and then finals week at Wimbledon. Learn more and buy tickets on the Wimbledon website.
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Goodwood Festival of Speed: July 9-12, 2026
A quintessential English garden party with all the high-octane motorsport you could wish for in a weekend, the Goodwood Festival of Speed sits high on the must-do lists for motor racing fans all over the world. In 2026, The Festival of Speed is set to take place on the weekend after the British Grand Prix. Forward planning is essential if you want to go; tickets do sell out in advance as the festival seems to increase in popularity each year! The format includes the Moving Motor Show on Thursday and the festival proper over three days from Friday to Sunday. Learn more on the Goodwood website.
An Evening With Jenson Button: July 6 (Bath) & July 8 (London)
2009 F1 World Champion Jenson Button will be headlining events in Bath (July 6 at The Forum) and London (July 8 at the Barbican Centre) after this year’s edition of the British Grand Prix. Button will be bringing stories from his racing career to the stage for the first time, offering motorsport fans a unique perspective on his career. Tickets for the events, which are hosted by broadcaster and close friend Ant Anstead, are available now. Prices start from £41 GBP.
An Evening With Nigel Mansell: Northampton, July 6
1992 World Champion Nigel Mansell will also be making an on-stage appearance over the British Grand Prix weekend at the Royal & Derngate in Northampton. He’ll be discussing his 15-year career, which saw him drive for some of the sport’s most famous teams and finally secure the World Championship trophy with Williams in 1992. Tickets are priced from £46, with meet and greet packages also available.
Motorsport Attractions in England
Williams HQ in Oxfordshire is also home to an Experience Centre and Heritage Collection (pictured above). The Experience Centre offers live streaming of races throughout the year with catering and a tour of the Heritage Collection from £250, while tours of the Heritage Collection are available on selected days during the year and cost £95. Read about our tour of the Williams Grand Prix Collection.
The British Motor Museum is less than 30 miles from Silverstone. It houses the world’s largest collection of historic British cars (currently around 300 of them), including marques such as Austin, Morris, Jaguar, Ford, Morgan and more. The museum is open 7 days a week from 10:00-17:00; Tickets are priced at £18 for adults and £9 for children aged 5-16.
National Motor Museum: about 2 hours drive from Silverstone (and a similar distance from London), Beaulieu is a stunning stately home in the New Forest, and the location of the National Motor Museum. Admission costs £30 for adults and £18.50 for children aged 4-16. The McLaren Mercedes MP4/21 is here, as is Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, the Delorean, and plenty of Astons and Bentleys.
Jaguar Factory Tour: one of Britain’s most beloved marques is produced at Castle Bromwich in Birmingham, 60 miles from Silverstone. Find out how modern Jaguars are assembled by taking a tour of the state-of-the-art factory.
Attractions Near Silverstone
Blenheim Palace
One of the UK’s finest stately homes (pictured above) with an impressive 2000 acres of parks and gardens, Blenheim Palace is just 25 miles from Silverstone and is well worth a visit when you are in the area. Tickets to see the Palace, Park and Gardens cost £41 for adults. If you only visit the Park and Gardens, entry is cheaper.
Bicester Village
Fancy a bit of retail therapy? One of the UK’s best known designer retail shopping centres is located in Bicester, 15 miles from Silverstone. With more than 130 outlets and a range of products available, Bicester Village is open seven days a week.
Eat & Drink Near Silverstone
If you’re not camping trackside, you’ll still be spoiled for choice with places to eat, drink and pass the time, especially if you decide to stay in one of the larger centres nearby such as London, Birmingham, Milton Keynes, Northampton or Oxford. Get hold of a good city guide and check out websites like Time Out for worthwhile places to head for during your time here. Check out our recommendations below for the best places to eat and drink near Silverstone!
Towcester
If you get tired of the burger vans at the circuit, Towcester has restaurants and eateries in close proximity to Silverstone (5 miles). Fish & chips, Chinese, Indian, Kebabs, Italian, Gourmet Burgers, McDonald’s, Domino’s Pizza and numerous pubs are all to be found here. (A little further afield, Brackley has numerous pubs and a good choice of fast food.)
Milton Keynes
If you’re staying in or near Milton Keynes, The Hub is a purpose-built gastronomy district made up entirely of bars, cafes and restaurants. Ideal for a post-quali burger or an all-out Indian feast to celebrate the end of the big weekend. You’ll find plenty of big names here, from Zizzi Italian to Caribbean eatery Turtle Bay, plus Strada, Pizza Express, Brown’s, Loch Fyne and Café Rouge. Milton Keynes also has a few big nightclubs if you fancy making a night of it. Head for the Xscape complex and grab a drink at SnoBar or go dancing at Revolution. The futuristic looking complex also boasts a casino, cinema complex, tenpin bowling, indoor snow slope and lots of pubs, bars and restaurants.
The Lamplighter, Northampton
A friendly pub with a great bar menu and a program of weekly events like open mic and quiz night. The Lamplighter does a mean Sunday roast, and they put on either live music or a DJ at the weekend if you fancy a bit of a post-race boogie.
Villiers Restaurant, Buckingham
One of the smartest places to eat in the area, Villiers Restaurant is part of the hotel where the McLaren team have been known to stay. Who knows, you could be rubbing shoulders with Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri at the salad bar. Service is traditional and they do a reasonable set menu for lunches and dinners
