Pasadena, CA Road Trips

Pasadena is located at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains, just 11 mi (18 km) northeast of Downtown Los Angeles. Over a million people flock to Pasadena every year after Christmas, as visitors come from all over to decorate and view the floats, and to attend one of the most famous college football bowl games of the year. Pasadena also boasts the renowned California Institute of Technology, whose alumni and faculty have garnered 32 Nobel Prizes. Pasadena has become the most exciting place for nightlife in the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena has many boutiques, national retailers, restaurants and clubs in the western section, with chic shopping and dining on South Lake and abundant services in the eastern area. As the birthplace of Julia Child and home to numerous restaurants serving cuisine from around the world, Pasadena is a good destination for foodies. Adding to its culinary credentials, one of only 15 Le Cordon Bleu-affiliated culinary schools in the United States resides here. In addition, the first Trader Joe's market opened its doors in Pasadena in 1967. That same store on Arroyo Parkway is still serving customers today.

1 Old Pasadena. A 22-block historical area filled with 200 one-of-a-kind boutiques, national retailers, galleries, restaurants, and clubs. Old Pasadena is one of Southern California's hottest shopping/entertainment areas and gets very crowded on weekends. The area is very hip and young people love the great vibe! Old Pasadena is located between Arroyo Parkway on the east and Pasadena Avenue on the west, with Colorado Boulevard being the main thoroughfare. Get off the Gold Line at Memorial Park and walk south to Colorado. If you expect every building in the area to be old, you'll be disappointed, but fans of architecture from the Art Deco period back to the 19th century have quite a few beautiful buildings to appreciate. You can see many of them from a moving car, but to truly notice and enjoy the decorative details, you will need to park and walk. The Playhouse District and the Civic Center, a few blocks to the east of the district specifically named "Old Pasadena", also have beautiful historic buildings, including the lovely Municipal Building (city hall), built in 1927 and the Pasadena Civic Auditorium (carved on the exterior with the words "THE AUDITORIUM OF THE CITY OF PASADENA" in all caps), built in 1932. 2 Norton Simon Museum, ☏ +1-626-449-6840. M W Th noon to 5PM, F Sa 11AM-8PM, Su 11AM-5PM, closed Tu. The sculpture garden closes 15 minutes before the museum.

The San Gabriel mountains above Pasadena offer some excellent hiking opportunities. Of specific interest are some of the hikes along the abandoned Mount Lowe Railway in the Angeles National Forest. You can pass the site of the White City, Echo Mountain, the site of an old observatory, and Inspiration Point. Start at the northern end of Lake Avenue. As with any hiking excursion, let someone else know where you are going and when to expect you back again. Stay on the trails and most especially, do not attempt to go to the "second waterfall" in Eaton Canyon. Many people are killed each year attempting to climb up the loose rock slopes. In the summer months, be on the lookout for rattlesnakes and be sure to bring plenty of drinking water. Old Pasadena and the Playhouse district have a number of theater and movie houses and are a good place to see some of the latest independent or foreign films. Rose Parade. The Rose Parade is held on New Year's Day. If January 1 falls on a Sunday, then the parade is moved to Monday, January 2. The parade starts at Orange Grove Blvd. and then heads east along Colorado Blvd. for 5.5 mi (8.9 km) to Sierra Madre Blvd. The easiest and best view of the parade are from the 70,000 grandstand seats that line the route. These tickets can be purchased starting each February. For those who want to view for free along the streets, people can start camping out at noon the day before the parade. Blankets, sleeping bags, lawn chairs and self-contained barbecues are permitted on the route; tents, ladders and upholstered furniture are not.

As the birthplace of Julia Child, Pasadena was destined to be a foodie's paradise. The city is home to more than 500 restaurants, offering cuisine from around the world. 1 Mijares Mexican Restaurant, 145 Palmetto Drive - Palmetto and Pasadena Ave, ☏ +1 626-792-2763. Pasadena's oldest restaurant is its best kept secret! A local favorite, this restaurant and bar serves delicious Mexican cuisine in a delightful, family-style setting. 2 Ricchardo's the Total Vegetarian, 817 N. Lake Ave (north of the 210 Freeway), ☏ +1-626-794-0861. Vegetarian/vegan fast food, yummy. A bit on the pricy side for fast food -- about for a five dollars per person. 3 All India Cafe, 39 S. Fair Oaks Ave (just south of Colorado Blvd. in Old Pasadena). Good Indian food. 4 Marston's, 151 E. Walnut St (between Fair Oaks and Marengo), ☏ +1 626 796-2459. Great breakfasts in a converted old home. Come early because the crowds start to build up on weekends in the late morning. Esepcially recommended is the corn flake encrusted french toast. Kabuki (2 locations). M-Th 11AM-10PM, F-Sa 11AM-11PM, Su 11AM-9:30PM. Popular Japanese food chain, moderately priced. 5 , 88 W. Colorado Blvd (Old Pasadena), ☏ +1 626 345 5733. (updated Oct 2023) 6 , 3539 E. Foothill Blvd (Hastings Ranch), ☏ +1 626 351 8963. (updated Oct 2023) 7 The Hat, 491 N. Lake Ave. (Lake & Villa), ☏ +1-626-449-1844. Daily 10AM-10PM. Pastrami sandwiches, chili fries, Orange Bang, and other stuff that's bad for you but so good. 8 Carmela Ice Cream, 2495 East Washington Blvd (E. Washington Blvd. and N. Altadena Dr.).

1 Jones Coffee Roasters, 693 S Raymond Ave (S. Raymond Ave. and E. California Blvd.). A great local coffee house that roasts its own beans on site! It is situated in an obscure but tastefully decorated warehouse. Friendly and knowledgeable staff and owners. On unspecified days they even have homemade tamales for sale.

Pasadena has a wide range of hotels to accommodate all budgets. The full-service hotels tend to cluster around downtown Pasadena, which provides ready access to shops, restaurants, and entertainment. Pasadena also has motels in the eastern part of the city, some of which are along the Rose Parade route. Take note that many Pasadena hotels charge significantly more around the time of the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl. Hotels 1 Hilton Pasadena, 168 S. Los Robles Ave, ☏ +1 626 577-1000. Within walking distance of Old Pasadena. Features 296 rooms. Expensive Wi-Fi and breakfast ($19.95). Complimentary shuttle within 2 mi (3.2 km) of hotel. Complimentary swimming pool (updated Apr 2015) 2 The Langham Huntington, 1401 S. Oak Knoll, ☏ +1 626 568-3900. Built in 1907 when Pasadena was the prime destination for the affluent traveler, The Huntington is the last resort hotel left in town and is nestled in one of the more pristine residential parts of the town. Located on 23 acres (9.3 hectares) with historic ballrooms and gardens, a spa, award-winning dining, and 380 guestrooms. 3 Courtyard Los Angeles Pasadena/Old Town, 180 N. Fair Oaks Ave, ☏ +1 626 403-7600. Located in the heart of Old Pasadena with 314 rooms and complimentary Wi-Fi. 4 Sheraton Pasadena, 303 Cordova St, ☏ +1 626 449-4000. Features 311 rooms. Across from the shops and restaurants of Paseo Colorado. Free shuttle within 3 mi (4.8 km) of hotel. 5 The Westin Pasadena, 191 N. Los Robles Ave, ☏ +1 626 792-2727. Features 350 rooms, outdoor pool, state-of-the-art workout facility, and Heavenly Beds.

The closest and most convenient airport is the Burbank/Bob Hope Airport in Burbank (BUR IATA), which is 16 mi (26 km) from Pasadena. Other nearby airports are in Los Angeles (LAX IATA), Ontario (ONT IATA), and Orange County (SNA IATA). The best way to get to Pasadena from Burbank/Bob Hope Airport is via Prime Time Shuttle or Xpress Shuttle. There are a couple of ways to get to Pasadena from LAX, which is 27 mi (43 km) from Pasadena. A taxi from LAX will cost approximately $80. Prime Time offers shared-ride vans which serve the Pasadena area from LAX. Stand under the orange "shared ride vans" sign in the center concrete island outside the airport. Tell a customer service representative that you need a ride to Pasadena. They are easy to identify by their red jackets. If no representative is available, then flag down a red van with a "Pasadena" placard in the windshield. Approximate cost is $25 per person. Approximate time to Pasadena is 1 hour. The cheapest method to get to Pasadena from LAX is to use the Union Station FlyAway bus (which is available 24 hr a day) and the Metro A Line light rail (which is available from 3:40AM to 11:56PM daily). At LAX, stand under the green "FlyAway, Buses and Long-Distance Vans" sign in the center concrete island outside the terminal (the bus stops in each terminal). Board a blue FlyAway bus heading to Union Station; $9.75 one way (a trip lasting from 45 minutes to 1h30, depending on the traffic). It is a large charter-style bus and is occasionally not labeled.

The Metro A Line serves the Arroyo Seco Parkway, Old Pasadena, and East Pasadena. Visitors can take it to connect to other Los Angeles-area rail lines or Amtrak, or go east towards Azusa. Pasadena is primarily served by the county-wide Metro and the local Pasadena Transit network. Additional bus service is available from Foothill Transit and LADOT (Commuter Express). Metro's 180 bus goes from Pasadena to visitor-oriented areas of Hollywood - it's an (often interesting) ride that takes about an hour. Pasadena as a whole is large enough to require use of a car or public transit, but it is a very pedestrian-friendly city. Many hotels and motels are located within easy walking distance of major shopping and entertainment areas like Old Pasadena, the Playhouse District and South Lake Avenue.

Much of the city of Pasadena is inhabited by students, professors, scientists, and many other kinds of professionals, and is generally very safe. During your visit, you will probably need to take only basic safety precautions. Most amenities for visitors can be found in and around the hotels and shopping districts, including Old Pasadena, Playhouse District and South Lake Avenue. These areas are all located south of the 210 Freeway. As with much of the Los Angeles area, however, there are areas that a visitor should be cautious about entering. In large measure, Northwest Pasadena should be approached with caution, as this is the heart of Pasadena's longstanding, and frequently violent, gang-related activity. Police and emergency services can be reached by calling 911. Pasadena also borders the 660,000 acres (270,000 hectares) Angeles National Forest, a wonderful place to explore if you are prepared. There are many hazards in the forest, however, including rattlesnakes. Also, summer heat can reach into the triple digits Fahrenheit (well above 38 degrees Celsius), so it is *critically* important to take plenty of water with you should you plan to hike in the forest. Stay on established trails and let others know where you are going.