Whether you are coming to Pasadena for an afternoon, a day, a weekend or longer, there is plenty to engage, entertain and amuse you. You can find every sort of accommodation at every price range, as well as restaurants of every caliber, a variety of museums, entertaining activities and more for the whole family.
An afternoon of fun
Enjoy a mid-day meal in Old Pasadena at The Kitchen. If you want a beer with your burger in a sports bar atmosphere, try Barney's Beanery. Then take a leisurely stroll toward the Pasadena Civic Center to see our amazing City Hall. End your day with a Yucatan flavored dinner at El Portal Restaurant, one of Pasadena’s dining gems. If the kids are along, spend the afternoon at Kidspace’s inventive play and learning areas in the Arroyo Seco, walk to the nearby Rose Bowl for a close up look at college football’s most storied venue before heading to California Pizza Kitchen for a fam ily friendly meal. Look for the London cab and English call box outside.
An overnight stay
Book yourself into The Hilton in downtown Pasadena then head to Old Pasadena for some shopping. Enjoy a leisurely lunch at Sushi Roku or Osawa Shabu Shabu Sushi. For a unique burger experience, try Mr. Mushroom Burger Farm then enjoy shopping at any of the unique venues in Old Pasadena. Treat yourself to drinks and dinner at Celestino Ristorante and Bar on Lake Avenue, then catch some laughs at The Ice House comedy club before heading back to your hotel. The first comedy club in the U.S. has hosted Jerry Seinfeld, Jay Leno, Robin Williams and almost every comedy star of the last 50 years.
If you’ve got the kids along, take some time for play at Pasadena’s Central Park then head for Italian at Gale's Restaurant on Fair Oaks near California Blvd.
The next day, enjoy breakfast at your hotel then head to Descanso Gardens for a stroll through their lush gardens and art exhibits.
Enjoy lunch at Tardino Bros. Italian Kitchen, Chamo Venezuelan Cuisine or Hummus Labs, before you check out. If you're driving, make sure you cross the Colorado Street Bridge at the western end of Pasadena.
A Weekend Get-away
On Friday afternoon, check into The Westin in downtown Pasadena and enjoy a nice stroll through Pasadena’s Civic Center, taking time to visit City Hall and the Pasadena Central Library, before having drinks and dinner at Ruth’s Chris Steak House or Lunasia Signature along Colorado Boulevard. If the kids are along, try Caffe Italia for pizza.
On Saturday morning, start with an al fresco breakfast at Mi Piace in Old Pasadena for sidewalk dining and people-watching. Then stroll around Old Pasadena for some window shopping or to make a few purchases. If the kids are along, take a leisurely walk through the Lower Arroyo on Pasadena's west side to see a restored riparian wilderness. (If it's Saturday morning, the Pasadena Roving Archers may be giving free archery lesson for kids.) Make sure the kids get a chance to check out the fish and frog ponds and run under the olive trees. Take in a late lunch at Maria's italian Kitchen or Margarita's Mexican Restaurant then burn off the calories with an afternoon cheering on the horses at Santa Anita Park in nearby Arcadia for horse racing at its best (seasonal). If you want pampering, the Chuan Spa experience at the Langham Huntington Pasadena is unmatched.
Check out an evening of theater at A Noise Within, the Pasadena Playhouse or Boaston Court Pasadena. If you want to give the kids a fun treat, walk through the campus of Caltech and see the fish and turtle ponds among the buildings where scientific breakthroughs are almost a daily occurrence.
Sunday morning, take in brunch at The Raymond 1886, a converted bungalow cottage, or on the terrace at Café Santorini before you hop into Pasadena Tour Company’s bus for a two-hour architectural and historic tour of Pasadena. Before heading out of town, enjoy a glass of wine and hors d’oeuvres at Vertical Wine Bistro or take the kids to CREPEstudio, for a taste delight you will not forget.
Staying Longer?
Check in at any one of our fine hotels. Looking for luxury, try the Langham Huntington Hotel and Spa. The Westin, Courtyard by Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt Place or Pasadena Hotel each provide excellent accommodations within walking distance of downtown Pasadena.
Monday: Arrive in time for check-in at your hotel then have lunch at Urbane Cafe on South Lake Avenue. After lunch, Pasadena Tour Company can give a nice historical overview of the city in a luxurious motor coach to get you oriented. You can get even more insight into the people who built Pasadena and its institutions at the Pasadena Historical Museum where you can tour the Fenyes Mansion and browse exhibits about Pasadena’s bygone days before crossing orange Grove Boulevard to tour the Greene and Greene architectural masterpice The Gamble House. Finish up with drinks and dinner on the rooftop at Granville on Lake avenue. Enjoy a nice walk back to your hotel along Pasadena’s beautiful downtown streets.
Tuesday: Start your day off with breakfast at Brookside Golf Club for breakfast, then play 18 holes at the historic course. Not into golf? Take a leisurely walk past the Rose Bowl Stadium, along the natural Arroyo Seco, under the Colorado Street Bridge and along the lower Arroyo. View the Vista del Arroyo Hotel and glimpse the inspiration for Pasadena’s plein air painters. Catch lunch at a Pasadena favorite, Pie ‘n Burger and stroll along South Lake Avenue. Later, enjoy a glass of wine or drink and dinner at Smitty's Grill.
Wednesday: After breakfast at your hotel, head for Descanso Gardens for a cool, shaded walk in the beautiful gardens. Then have fine Italian cuisine, elegantly served, at Celestino Ristorante on Lake Avenue.
Thursday: Drive up to Art Center College of Design and check out what’s showing in the Williamson Gallery where art, technology, commerce and design often intersect in thought-provoking and entertaining ways. While at the Lida Street campus, enjoy the view of the Rose Bowl, Pasadena’s Arroyo Seco and Devil’s Gate Dam. Get lunch at Sushi Roku or Kings Row Gastropub in Old Pasadena.Afterwards, browse the rows of books, gifts and Pasadena themed merchandise at Vroman's Bookstore catch dinner at El Portal nearby then enjoy a movie at Landmark Theater.
Friday: Get breakfast at Hello, You're Welcome on Colorado Boulevard. Then, if it’s racing season, head out to Santa Anita Park for the thoroughbred racing at one of the finest venues in the world. Post time is usually about 12:30, but get there a little early to walk around the track and take in the mountain views. Be sure to see the Seabiscuit statue. Later on, head for Clearman’s Northwoods Inn for dinner at a local favorite.
If horse racing is not your thing (or if the horses aren’t running), enjoy a stroll through the Pasadena Museum of History and the historic Fenyes Mansion.
Take lunch at Fogo de Chao near The Paseo and browse the shops there. You can enjoy a unique experience while you're there at Escapology escape rooms or Hawaii Fluid Art, then walk past the fountain and through the rotunda at Pasadena City Hall. For dinner try fine French cuisine at Entre Nous, a local favorite. King’s Row Gastropub offers the latest in pub cuisine and ambience.
Saturday: Have coffee and pastries at neighborhood gem Lavender and Honey in north Central Pasadena then, if it’s fall and UCLA is playing at home, head for the Rose Bowl to experience football in the best college stadium in the world. For the price of the tickets, you can enjoy college football in the game’s most historic venue.
If it’s not football season, you can still visit the Rose Bowl Stadium for a tour. Take your picture in front of college football’s most iconic venue then, if you brought them along, take the little ones to burn some energy while they learn at Kidspace Museum’s experiential learning and play environment nearby in the historic Arroyo Seco. No kids? Consider a spa day at the luxurious Langham Huntington Hotel and Spa. Enjoy a day of pampering amid the charm, elegance and history of the last of Pasadena’s resort hotels.
Follow it up with an early gourmet dinner at The Royce Wood-Fired Steak House or The Hideaway at the hotel before you head to Boston Court Pasadena, A Noise Within or the historic Pasadena Playhouse for some of the finest regional heaer in he country. Not in the mood for theater? Stop by the Ice House, America’s first comedy club and experience live comedy at the stage that has hosted Jay Leno, Richard Pryor, Jerry Seinfeld and the legends of stand-up.
Sunday: Take in services at one of Pasadena’s many churches. Then enjoy brunch at Kathleen’s Restaurant on North Lake Avenue before immersing yourself in outdoor Pasadena with a hike up Eaton Canyon to the base of the falls. The leisurely walk will take a couple of hours and affords a close-up view of the beauty and power of the San Gabriel Mountains. After that, head to Old Pasadena for some window-shopping, people watching and an early dinner at Sushi Roku Japanese restaurantbefore you check out of your hotel and head for home.
