Pasadena

Los Angeles, California Travel Guide

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Pasadena

Area: North and East Valley

Overview: Pasadena will pleasantly surprise you (if you know anything of Pasadena that is). Pasadena city itself is located about 15 miles from Los Angeles. Strictly speaking, Pasadena is part of the San Gabriel Valley but still a part of Los Angeles County. Old Pasedena is Pasadena’s historic part of town on Colorado Blvd from Pasadena Ave (west) to Arroyo Parkway (east) and Holly Street (north) to Green St (south).

Old Pasadena
There are many reasons why you should visit Pasadena if you are visiting Los Angeles. Pasadena has a rich culture and history. Take a stroll or wheel through the renovated Old Pasadena, which less than two decades ago, was practically a dilapidated, foregone conclusion. Today, beautiful Old Pasadena, which sits at the heart of Downtown Pasadena, bursts with colorful, quaint buildings, restaurants and shops. Old Pasadena will grow on you as you saunter around its charming alleys with flat, inlaid bricks, restaurants and outdoor patios and other “old town” motifs. You can even cross the streets diagonally!

Old Pasadena’s renovation has made Pasadena a place locals are proud of and a desirable place to visit for both locals and tourists. There are boutique retail stores as well as well-known brand name stores. The type of restaurants vary and some are authentic to Pasadena like Jake’s Burgers.

A suggested itinerary is to grab some breakfast at Aux Delices Cafe Bakery, take a tour of the Gamble House a few blocks north of Old Pasadena, then eat lunch at Jake’s Grill. Afterwards, take a stroll around Old Pasadena, then, catch a movie at the Laemmle Theatre. Have a delicious dinner at Mi Piace and wind down with a drink. Spend the next day or two at The Huntington in east Pasadena (San Marino).

Pasadena exhibits some of America’s finest and distinctive architectural feats. Particularly, take in the majestic “California Mediterranean style” of the Pasadena City Hall, a building constructed in 1927 and now listed as a national historic place. Take a turn at Raymond St and Green Street and you’ll be awed by the enormous and extravagant Castle Green. Built in 1898, the Castle Green is seven stories high and mixes Moorish Colonial and Spanish architecture. The Castle Green, a part of the Hotel Green complex, are apartment complexes now, take up the length of Raymond St.

Pasadena’s culture and historic significance can also be seen in the majestic Pasadena City Hall building, the Gamble House, the Norton Simon Museum, the Castle Green, the Pasadena Playhouse and the Huntington Library, Museum and Gardens, the Rose Parade (Tournament of Roses).

Pasadena City Hall: 100 N. Garfield Avenue, Pasadena, CA 91105, site: www.cityofpasadena.net, ph: (626) 744-4000

Castle Green: 99 S. Raymond Avenue, Pasadena CA 91105, site: www.castlegreen.com, ph: 626.793.0359

Accessibility: Pasadena in general and most attractions are wheelchair accessible.

Getting There: www.metro.net