Blog › Planning Mistakes to Avoid
Los Angeles is a genuinely difficult city to visit if you do not know what you are walking into. It is spread out, car-dependent by design, and inconsistently walkable depending on the neighborhood. Add an Olympic-scale event on top of that and the standard planning mistakes get more expensive.
Here are the ones that trip up first-time visitors most often, and what to do instead.
Los Angeles covers hundreds of square miles. "Staying in LA" tells you almost nothing about how long your journey to any specific venue will take. Someone staying in Pasadena and attending events at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood is looking at a 25–45 mile trip each way, which in Olympic traffic could easily take 90 minutes or more.
Before you book anywhere, map out which venues you have events at, and then look at accommodation in relation to those venues specifically. Our neighborhood guide and venue pages both include transport context.
Los Angeles traffic is already difficult on a normal day. During the Olympics, roads near major venues will be significantly worse. Parking near venues will be expensive, limited, and chaotic on event days.
LA Metro is the right tool for getting to and from venues. The Metro C Line connects to Inglewood (SoFi area). The B and D lines reach Downtown. Metro is expanding service in preparation for 2028. Plan to ride transit on event days, and plan your accommodation to give you reasonable Metro access. See our Metro guide.
Even without Olympic-level crowds, a full event day at SoFi Stadium or the Rose Bowl involves: travel to the venue, getting through security and into your seats, the event itself, post-event crowd dispersal, and the journey home. That is easily 6–8 hours out of your day, often more.
If you try to fit a full tourist day around an evening event, you will likely feel rushed. On days you have events, keep your pre-event schedule loose. Build in more time than you think you need.
Los Angeles during the Olympics will see millions of visitors. The restaurants you assumed you could walk into will have long waits or no availability. Attractions with timed entry (the Getty Center, the Museum of Natural History, LACMA) will book up well in advance.
Book any restaurant or attraction you care about as soon as reservations open. Treat it the same way you treat event ticket booking.
This is the most expensive mistake. Hotels and short-term rentals in Los Angeles for the Olympics period are already being booked up by early planners. Every month you wait, both availability and price move against you.
Book as soon as your event schedule is confirmed. If you are not sure of your dates yet, keep searching, check cancellation policies, and book something refundable as a placeholder if needed.
Uber and Lyft will surge heavily on event days in LA. After a major event at SoFi Stadium or Crypto.com Arena, tens of thousands of people open their rideshare apps at the same moment. Prices spike dramatically and wait times can be long.
Plan your post-event transport in advance. Know which Metro line gets you back. Have a backup option. Do not assume you can just hail a car at 10pm after a major event finishes.
Los Angeles in late July and August is genuinely hot. Temperatures regularly reach 90–100F (32–38C) in many parts of the city, and outdoor events or walking between venues can be physically demanding. The coastal areas (Santa Monica, Venice, Manhattan Beach) are cooler due to marine influence, but inland areas like Pasadena and Inglewood can be significantly hotter.
Pack light, breathable clothing. Carry water. Wear sunscreen. Budget more time for travel than you would in cooler conditions.
Los Angeles is not a city where you cross from one major area to another in 20 minutes. Venice Beach to Pasadena is roughly 40 miles. Malibu to Downtown is 30 miles. On Olympic-period traffic days, these journeys can take hours.
Pick one or two areas per day and go deeper rather than wider. You will enjoy the city more and stress less.
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Get updates by emailWhat is the single biggest mistake to avoid for the LA 2028 Olympics?
Booking accommodation without considering which venues you will actually be visiting. Los Angeles is a very large city. Staying somewhere convenient for your specific events will save enormous amounts of time and stress over the course of your trip.
How early should I book for the LA 2028 Olympics?
As early as possible once your event schedule is confirmed. Accommodation prices are already rising for the Olympic period. Flights, hotels, and short-term rentals will all be significantly more expensive and less available closer to the Games.
Is LA Metro reliable enough to use for Olympic venue transport?
LA Metro is the recommended mode of transport for Olympic events. The network is being expanded in preparation for 2028. It is significantly more reliable than driving or rideshare for getting to and from venues on high-congestion event days. Check metro.net for current route and service updates.
Related: 3-Day LA Olympics Itinerary | LA Olympics Budget Guide | LA Metro Guide