You don’t have to be an athlete to be hyped for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, the first summer games to be held in the United States in more than three decades. Taking place from July 14–30, 2028, the XXXIV Olympiad will mark L.A.’s third stint as host city.
In previous years, Los Angeles has played a pivotal role in shaping the games, from opening the first-ever centralized Olympic Village in 1932 to bringing a bit of show business to the 1984 closing ceremony—think simulated flying saucers, a laser show, and a 750-member marching band. For the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics (LA28), more than 40 sports will be showcased at 800-plus events.
2028 Summer Olympic venues
Marking another first in Olympic history and an important step in making the games more sustainable, no new permanent venues will be built to host LA28. Instead, the organizing committee is making the most of Southern California’s vast landscape. Competitions will take place at around 80 venues throughout California, ranging from Temecula to San Diego and potentially as far north as the San Francisco Bay Area. Plenty of iconic L.A.-area stadiums and arenas will also be deployed, including the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, SoFi Stadium, L.A. Live, and Crypto.com Arena.
Roughly 10,500 athletes and millions of spectators will travel to the Golden State for LA28. If you plan to join them, here’s everything you need to know about getting around L.A., where to stay, and what to see between events.
How to get tickets to the 2028 Summer Olympics
Tickets for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics will be sold online, though it’s still too early to reserve your seat. Your best bet is to sign up for notifications on the official LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games website to receive updates as soon as tickets become available.
For Paris 2024, a lottery to purchase single tickets opened in May 2023, a little more than a year ahead of the opening ceremony. Though more tickets than ever were sold for that event—priced as low as €24 (roughly $26)—seats still remained in the days leading up to the games. Keep in mind that lower-priced tickets to the most coveted events, such as gymnastics, swimming, and the opening and closing ceremonies, will sell out quickly once released.
When to book flights to Los Angeles
Many U.S.-based airlines, including American, United, Jet Blue, and Delta, typically take reservations starting around 330 days before departure. Others have shorter booking windows, like Southwest’s 250-day policy. That makes August 2027 the magic month to begin searching for flights.
Traveling to the LA28 Games
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) will be a key travel hub for spectators and athletes, and will be completing a major overhaul by 2027 that includes the renovation of several terminals. Southern California is also home to numerous other airports servicing international, domestic, and regional flyers. Depending on prices and availability, it may make sense to utilize airports within an hour’s drive of LAX, including Hollywood Burbank, Long Beach, John Wayne (Orange County), and Ontario.
Getting around Los Angeles during the games
From cruising Highway 1 to navigating Route 66, driving in and around Los Angeles is a rite of passage. Renting a vehicle makes it easy to explore Los Angeles County and other parts of the state, but that doesn’t mean you have to drive to every event during the games. Visitors will be encouraged to take advantage of L.A.’s underrated public transit system.
The six-line Metro rail system will service venues in every direction, whether you’re hopping on the K Line to get to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood or riding the E Line to Exposition Park. Fun fact: L.A.’s Metro A Line is the longest light rail in the world, transporting passengers from Azusa to Long Beach, where you’ll be able to catch contests like the triathlon along the waterfront or water polo at the convention center. Fares are also affordable, running $1.75 for a one-way trip that includes two hours of free transfers.
Best Los Angeles neighborhoods to stay in for the games
With nine venues confirmed in Downtown Los Angeles alone, staying there is your best bet if you want to be near the center of the action. The convention center, one of the largest in the U.S., will host fencing, judo, table tennis, taekwondo, and wrestling, while Peacock Theater at L.A. Live will be home to weightlifting competitions. Across the street, Crypto.com Arena will be one of the hottest venues at the LA28 Games as the site of artistic, rhythmic, and trampoline gymnastics. Just south of USC’s main campus is Exposition Park, which will host diving as well as track and field at the storied L.A. Memorial Coliseum.
If the opening ceremony is a must on your itinerary, consider LAX-adjacent areas such as Marina del Rey or Culver City. SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, located about 20 minutes from the airport, will likely be the primary venue for the opening festivities, sharing duties with the Coliseum. In a bold move, LA28 organizers are holding Olympic swimming events at SoFi—which will accommodate a record-breaking 38,000 people. The Intuit Dome, also in Inglewood, will serve as the LA28 Games’ basketball venue.
The City of Angels’ near-northern neighbor, the San Fernando Valley, is an affordable alternative to staying in L.A. proper. About 45 minutes from downtown, the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area is the second-largest urban park in the L.A. area, and will host four events, including archery and skateboarding. Notably, these will be the first Olympic contests to be held in the valley.
Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson is located just south of L.A. in the South Bay and will be another hot spot for sporting. Stay in any of the nearby South Bay cities, such as Torrance, Redondo Beach, Hermosa Beach, or Manhattan Beach, for easy access to sports including track, field hockey, rugby sevens, and tennis. Water sports enthusiasts should head to Long Beach, where marathon swimming, triathlon, sailing, water polo, artistic swimming, rowing, and the canoe sprint will be contested.
Lodging in Los Angeles for LA28
On Location is the hospitality partner for LA28 and is expected to offer a range of packages that can be curated by personal interest and budget. In addition to seating and access to lounges at your selected events, travel packages may include guaranteed hotel stays, transportation add-ons, dining, and custom tours to experience the city.
For other lodging options in Los Angeles, expect higher than usual pricing with potential minimum stay requirements. Like airlines, many major hotel chains take reservations around one year in advance.
Attending Summer Olympic events outside the L.A. area
While Los Angeles is the official host city for the 2028 Summer Olympics, you can find Olympic fun across the Golden State.
Equestrian competitions will take place in Temecula, around an hour and a half south of Downtown Los Angeles. Galway Downs has a 242-acre equestrian center with 14 arenas for training and competition—the only facility in the region large enough to accommodate all required Olympic disciplines in one location.
Additional proposed venues outside of L.A. are part of the LA28 Games plan, such as the Honda Center in Orange County for volleyball competitions and Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego for soccer. Additional stadiums in the San Francisco Bay Area are also being considered for soccer, including Levi’s Stadium, Stanford Stadium, California Memorial Stadium, and PayPal Park).
What will be new at the 2028 Summer Olympics
Five new sports have been approved for the LA28 Games. For the first time, American football will make it onto the official Olympic program with a non-contact version of the sport for men and women. Squash is also making its debut after being rejected four times in previous attempts to join the games.
In addition to seeing baseball’s comeback after being left out of the Paris 2024 lineup, LA28 spectators will be able to watch the first Olympic lacrosse match since the 1908 games in London. The 2028 update will feature a lacrosse sixes version of the sport with six players per team, as opposed to traditional lacrosse played on a larger field with 10 players. Also returning is the bat-and-ball game of cricket, last played on the world’s biggest sporting stage in 1900.
LA28 will also mark the city’s first time as host of the Paralympic Games, which will follow the Summer Olympics and feature 22 sports. Taking place Aug. 15–17, the Paralympics will be contested at the same venues across the state and include the debut of paraclimbing.