Pasadena
The famous city where the Rose Parade takes place every year
The Metro Gold Line light rail makes it easy to get to Pasadena, which is 16 kilometers northeast of downtown Los Angeles and known for its museums, historic buildings, and the Tournament of Roses Parade every New Year.
Significance in History
The city of Pasadena is the second largest in the Los Angeles area. It was founded in 1886. Rich people from the East liked taking trains to the city to go on vacation in the winter. Henry Huntington, a railroad magnate, made the area what it is today. He built the Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, as well as the Huntington Hotel, which is now called the Langham Huntington Pasadena. Architect brothers Charles and Henry Greene built most of the homes in Pasadena’s “Little Switzerland.” They are known for their work in the American Arts and Crafts movement. Charles See and his mother, Mary, started See’s Candies from their home in Pasadena. Julia Child was born there; she is a famous cook who brought French food to the United States.
Festivals and other cultural events
Pasadena is a place with a lot of history. If you want to really experience Southern California, you should go during one of the town’s unique events. Many of them are free. The Tournament of Roses and Live on Green are two winter events. There are three big events in spring for people who love architecture: the Spring Home Tour, the Pasadena Showcase Home of Design, and the Bungalow Heaven Home Tour of Homes. The Pasadena Chalk Festival and the Colorado Street Bridge Party happen every other year in the summer. Craftsman Weekend and Art Night Pasadena are great events to see in the fall. Fans of old things go crazy at the famous Rose Bowl Flea Market every second Sunday of the month.
Amazing collections in museums
There are many well-known cultural institutions in Pasadena, and many of them are close enough to walk to each other. People know the Norton Simon Museum for its impressive collections of well-known classical works. It also has a lot of impressive modern works. The Huntington is both a museum and a place for study. It houses the private collection of the Huntington family. The University of Southern California Pacific Asia Museum is all about the arts and culture of Asia and the Pacific Islands. It is housed in a castle that looks like it was built during the Chinese Qing Dynasty. The history, art, and society of Pasadena and the west San Gabriel Valley are all shown at the Pasadena Museum of History.
An eye for building things
There are a lot of beautiful buildings in Pasadena. A short eight-minute walk takes you to La Miniatura by Frank Lloyd Wright from The Gamble House in Pasadena’s Little Switzerland. Most of the homes in this neighborhood were built by Greene & Greene. Eight hundred small Craftsman homes built between 1900 and 1930 make up the landmark area known as Bungalow Heaven. The Civic Auditorium, the Public Library, and City Hall are all in the middle of downtown Pasadena. They were all designed in the style of the City Beautiful Movement. The historic Civic Center District in Pasadena is held together by a group of Mediterranean Revival houses.
Districts for shopping, dining, and fun
There are four different areas in Downtown Pasadena that each have their own shops, restaurants, and activities. Old Pasadena, the city’s original marketplace and oldest business area, still shows signs of its roots in the 1800s. The Playhouse District is an urban area around the Pasadena Playhouse, which is California’s State Theater. This area is the center of the performing arts. It is home to the Boston Court Performing Arts Center, the Ice House Comedy Club, and many coffee shops and wine bars. People can treat themselves at a variety of shops and tasty restaurants in the South Lake Avenue District, which is a European-style street lined with trees. Between Old Pasadena and the Playhouse District is the Civic Center District, which has beautiful buildings from the Beaux-Arts and Mediterranean Revival styles. To feel more like a local, go off the beaten road and check out East Washington Boulevard for specialty coffee and ice cream, South Fair Oaks Avenue for old things, and Lincoln Avenue for brunch and craft beer.