Los Angeles is one of the most exciting places on the planet to catch the FIFA World Cup 2026, and one of the best to explore between matches. SoFi Stadium in Inglewood hosts eight games, including a quarter-final, and it’s where Team USA kicks off its campaign on June 12, 2026 (against Paraguay). But the second the final whistle blows, a whole city of beaches, studios, and bucket-list icons is waiting just outside the gates.
This guide covers what to do near SoFi Stadium and across the wider LA area so you can turn match days into the trip of a lifetime.
Getting to SoFi Stadium
SoFi sits in Inglewood, just a few miles inland from LAX and a short hop from the coast, which makes it one of the more conveniently placed World Cup venues if you’re flying in. The catch is that there’s no rail line running straight to the stadium gates, so you can’t simply hop off a train and walk in.
Most fans arrive by shuttle, rideshare, or pre-booked parking. The good news for 2026 is that LA Metro is running a free, direct Match Day Direct shuttle service to the stadium for all eight matches, and you only pay the standard $1.75 Metro fare to reach the pick-up hub, which is comfortably the cheapest and least stressful way in.
If you’d rather drive, you must buy an official parking pass in advance or use a park-and-ride lot, because turning up without a pre-booked pass means getting turned away at the FIFA security perimeter.
One more thing worth planning around: LA traffic is famously brutal, and a World Cup crowd of tens of thousands only makes it worse. Give yourself far more buffer time than you think you need on match days, and seriously consider basing yourself near the stadium or along a Metro line so you’re not fighting the freeways twice in one day.
Right Next to the Stadium: Hollywood Park & Inglewood
SoFi is the centerpiece of Hollywood Park, a vast 300-acre entertainment district built around the stadium, complete with restaurants, bars, retail, and a man-made lake. That means you don’t have to travel anywhere to soak up the pre-match atmosphere. You can arrive early, eat, drink, and wander without ever leaving the neighborhood.
- Intuit Dome: The futuristic arena right beside SoFi opened in 2024 as the home of the NBA’s LA Clippers, and it doubles as a major concert and events venue. Even if there’s no game on, the building itself is a piece of architecture worth seeing, with a striking exterior and one of the most tech-forward fan experiences in American sports. Check its calendar for your travel dates. Catching a show here is an easy add-on to a match day.
- Kia Forum: The legendary music venue next door has hosted everyone from the Lakers of old to the biggest names in music, and it keeps a packed calendar of marquee concerts. It’s an LA institution with serious history, and on World Cup match days its parking lots also serve as a popular walkable base for fans heading into SoFi. If a favorite artist is playing during your trip, this is a memorable place to see them.
- Downtown Inglewood: Just beyond the stadium complex, this walkable strip offers a more local, lower-key counterpoint to the glossy Hollywood Park development. You’ll find independent restaurants, soul food, Mexican cooking, and a growing arts and mural scene that reflects the neighborhood’s character. It’s a good spot to eat well without the stadium markup.
A Short Drive Away
Exposition Park
About 15–20 minutes northeast of the stadium, this cluster of museums and green space is one of LA’s best-value days out, and an easy detour on a non-match day.
- California Science Center: Free general admission gets you into a sprawling, hands-on museum that’s ideal for families and curious adults alike, with exhibits on ecosystems, physics, and space. One important caveat for World Cup visitors, though: the Space Shuttle Endeavour is currently off display while its dramatic new vertical home, the Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, finishes its interior fit-out. Construction of the new building wrapped in April 2026, but the Science Center is still installing artifacts and has not announced a public opening date, so don’t plan your visit around seeing the shuttle this summer. Enjoy everything else the museum offers instead.
- Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County: A short walk away in the same park, this is one of the largest natural and cultural history museums in the western US. Highlights include a genuinely impressive dinosaur hall, a dazzling gem and mineral collection, and exhibits tracing the history of LA itself. The surrounding Exposition Park rose garden is a lovely, free spot to decompress between museums.
The Beaches
Some of the most famous coastline in the world sits just west of the stadium, and most of them are reachable in well under an hour outside of peak traffic.
- Manhattan Beach and El Segundo: These laid-back South Bay surf towns are among the closest beaches to SoFi, making them an easy escape after a match. Manhattan Beach offers a classic California pier, clean sand, and an upscale-but-relaxed village of shops and restaurants. El Segundo, next door, has a quietly excellent food and brewery scene if you want somewhere less touristy.
- Venice Beach: The boardwalk here is pure, unfiltered LA: skateboarders, street performers, artists, the famous outdoor Muscle Beach gym, and a parade of people-watching you won’t find anywhere else. Rent a bike and ride the beachfront path, or wander the bohemian shops and murals just off the sand. It’s gritty, energetic, and unmistakably iconic.
- Santa Monica Pier: Home to the instantly recognizable Ferris wheel and a small amusement park perched over the ocean, this is one of the most photographed spots in the city. It also marks the official western end of historic Route 66, so it’s a fitting place to stand if you’re on a great American road trip. Come for sunset, when the whole pier lights up over the Pacific.
- Marina del Rey: A more relaxed, waterfront alternative to the bustle of Venice and Santa Monica, this is one of the largest man-made small-craft harbors in the world. You can take a harbor cruise, rent a kayak or paddleboard, or simply settle in for a leisurely waterfront meal. It’s a calm way to spend a half-day near the coast.
Iconic LA Must-Sees
- Hollywood: This is the LA of the movies, where you can walk the Hollywood Walk of Fame, see the handprints outside the TCL Chinese Theatre, and pass the Dolby Theatre, home of the Oscars. From here, you’ll also get classic views of the Hollywood Sign in the hills above. It can be crowded and touristy, but it’s a rite of passage on a first visit.
- Griffith Observatory: Perched on the slopes of Mount Hollywood, this free observatory offers some of the best panoramic views in the entire city, taking in the skyline, the ocean on a clear day, and the Hollywood Sign up close. Inside, you’ll find space and science exhibits and a planetarium, and the building itself starred in films like La La Land and Rebel Without a Cause. Go near sunset to watch the city lights flicker on, but arrive early because parking fills fast.
- The Getty Center: A world-class art museum set on a hilltop above the 405, the Getty pairs an outstanding collection, including European paintings, sculpture, and decorative arts, with stunning architecture and manicured gardens. Entry is free; you only pay for parking, and a tram glides you up from the lot to the museum at the top. The views over LA and out to the sea are reason enough to visit, even if art isn’t your thing.
- Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive: For a taste of LA glamour, stroll Rodeo Drive’s famous luxury storefronts and palm-lined streets. Even window-shopping here is an experience, and you’ve got a real shot at celebrity-spotting. Pair it with a wander through the surrounding Beverly Hills neighborhoods to gawk at the architecture.
- Downtown LA: The city’s revived core packs in major culture: The Broad (a free contemporary art museum, though you’ll want a timed reservation) is a standout. When you’re hungry, Grand Central Market is a century-old food hall serving everything from tacos to artisan coffee under one roof. It’s a dense, walkable area that rewards a few hours of exploring.
Theme Parks & Family Fun
- Universal Studios Hollywood: A working movie studio and a full-blown theme park rolled into one, Universal offers thrill rides, immersive lands, and the famous Studio Tour that takes you behind the scenes of real film sets. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter is a major draw, with its detailed recreation of Hogsmeade. Plan for a full day and buy tickets in advance to skip the longest lines.
- Disneyland Resort (Anaheim): About 40 minutes south of the stadium, this is the original Disney park, personally opened by Walt Disney in 1955, plus the neighboring Disney California Adventure. It’s the most nostalgia-soaked theme park in the world and easily justifies a full day or two. Book tickets and any reservations ahead of time, as summer crowds are heavy.
- Knott’s Berry Farm: Near Anaheim, this park blends genuine thrill rides with a charming Old West theme and a history that stretches back to its origins as an actual berry farm. It tends to be a bit less crowded and more affordable than the Disney parks, making it a great-value option. Don’t leave without trying the famous fried chicken and boysenberry pie.
- Six Flags Magic Mountain: North of the city in Valencia, this is a coaster-lover’s paradise, regularly ranking among the parks with the most roller coasters in the world. If you measure a theme park by its sheer number of loops, drops, and records, this is your place. It’s a longer drive from SoFi, so treat it as a dedicated day out.
Easy Day Trips & Add-Ons
LA is the perfect launchpad for two of the West’s best escapes, both very doable on a free day between matches:
- Las Vegas: Roughly an hour’s flight or a four-hour drive from LA, Vegas is a destination in its own right and the prime gateway for a Grand Canyon helicopter or fixed-wing tour. Beyond the casinos and shows, it puts the Hoover Dam and dramatic desert landscapes within easy reach. It’s an ideal add-on if you want to bookend your football trip with something completely different.
- San Diego: About two hours south down the coast, San Diego serves up the world-famous San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld, and the gorgeous beaches and sea caves of La Jolla. It’s noticeably more relaxed than LA, with a near-perfect climate and a walkable waterfront. A day or overnight here is a refreshing change of pace.
Getting Around Los Angeles
LA is enormous and famously spread out, so the golden rule is to plan by area rather than trying to crisscross the whole city in a single day. Pick a region, do it properly, and don’t over-schedule.
A rental car gives you the most freedom and is often the practical choice for reaching far-flung spots, but be ready for heavy traffic and pricey, sometimes scarce parking at the big attractions.
For popular, well-connected destinations like Hollywood, Santa Monica, and Downtown, rideshare and the expanding Metro rail network are genuinely good alternatives that spare you the parking headache.
Whatever mix you choose, build in generous buffer time, especially on match days at SoFi, when road closures and crowds reshape the usual routes. Apps for transit and rideshare will be your best friends, and a little patience goes a long way in a city this size.
Plan Ahead and Make It Count
LA’s headline attractions – Universal, studio tours, Griffith Observatory parking, The Broad reservations, and beach-day experiences – get extremely busy in peak summer, and World Cup crowds will only crank that demand higher.
Booking your tickets and tours in advance is the single best way to save both time and money, and it spares you the disappointment of sold-out slots once you arrive.
From a Grand Canyon flight to a Hollywood studio tour or a sunset at Santa Monica Pier, Thrillark helps you turn the days between matches into unforgettable experiences. Browse our Los Angeles tours and tickets and book early so that the moment the match ends, your next adventure is ready to go.
Heading to other host cities? Start with our FIFA World Cup 2026 USA travel guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
