Question

How early should you arrive for stadium parking on event days?

2-3 hours is the ideal time that you can keep as a buffer to arrive early at the stadium for parking on event days.

Even though the time the venue opens varies for different stadiums, arriving around 2-3 hours early will avoid the rush, beat traffic, and secure a parking spot. If you have already booked your parking for events through apps like the Way, you’ll have a spot ready, but it is always better to avoid the event rush. In addition, the offsite lots are often a short walk from the event stadiums, so factor in extra travel time before heading out.

So, while 2-3 hours can be followed as a rule of thumb, for NFL games at stadiums like SoFi or MetLife, you should try to arrive as early as 4 hours. This is mainly because traffic congestion peaks about an hour or two before the game begins. If you arrive late, you might miss the kick-off.  

Since stadium parking can come with its own set of rules, like no overnight parking or lots closing an hour after the event, make sure you check the rules on the stadium or event website. If those don’t align with your travel or parking plans, be sure you book a spot through your preferred parking app.