22 essential things to do in Pasadena

Also known as Old Town, this classic downtown district is among Southern California’s most walkable. Stroll along Colorado Boulevard—historic Route 66 and home of the Rose Parade—where you’ll find shops and eateries housed in turn-of-the-century brick buildings. Duck into Miller Alley to explore the lovely courtyard at One Colorado and pop into Indiana Colony for a treat from Wanderlust. Some of the area’s best restaurants and bars reside a block north on Union Street (Perle, Union, Pez Coastal Kitchen) and south on Green Street (Agnes).

Time Out tip: You can take Metro’s A Line to either the Memorial Park or Del Mar Stations, or get two hours of parking for only a dollar in a trio of garages.

This graceful house originally built for one of the heirs of the Procter & Gamble fortune remains one of the best examples of both the Arts and Crafts movement and Charles and Henry Greene’s masterful handiwork. Programming at the Gamble House is exceptional; there are tours (starting around $20) that focus broadly on the house and its gardens or specifically on its details and joinery.

Time Out tip: The Gamble House sits just up the street from the Pasadena Museum of History and its adjoining Finnish Folk Art Museum. You can knock them all out in a single trip during the biannual ArtNight.

This 90,000-seat stadium has been used for college football playoffs, the World Cup final, Olympic cycling, Jay-Z and Beyoncé tours, and—until recently—a yearly fireworks show. It is also, of course, home to the UCLA Bruins football team and the annual New Year’s Day Rose Bowl Game. But on the second Sunday of each month, the bowl hosts a stadium-sized flea market ($13) with a staggering selection of vintage clothing, antique furniture and bespoke wares of all sorts.

Time Out tip: If the dates don’t quite work out for you, Pasadena City College also hosts a great—and free—flea market on the first Sunday of the month.

The bequest of entrepreneur Henry E. Huntington is easily one of the most impressive attractions in the Los Angeles region. Though technically it’s just across the border in San Marino, I still think of the Huntington as a Pasadena must-do. It’s also a destination that demands an entire day for a first visit: Between the art, the library holdings, the themed outdoor spaces and the restored tea room, there’s plenty to see, and most of it is best enjoyed at lingering leisure rather than as part of a mad day-long dash. From a Gutenberg Bible to The Blue Boy to exquisitely designed Japanese and Chinese gardens, nearly every inch of the estate’s grounds and collection is essential (and worth the $29–$34 price of admission).

Time Out tip: You can visit for free on the first Sunday of the month, but you’ll absolutely need to plan in advance; reservations become available (and then are quickly all booked) the last Thursday of the month at 9am.

The massive circular tower at the front of Pasadena City Hall sets the tone for what to expect from the rest of the city: wealth, beauty and an atypically (for SoCal, at least) well-preserved architectural history. You can spot its 206-foot-tall centerpiece, a free-to-visit series of arches and domes, from all over town but it’s best appreciated up close. Walk through the rose-filled courtyard (where you’ll surely come across a wedding photo shoot) to admire the Renaissance-inspired details on John Bakewell and Arthur Brown’s 1927 construction. Most importantly: The building doubled as Pawnee City Hall in Parks and Recreation.

Time Out tip: There’s an upstairs, too; stick to the outer walls of the courtyard to find a couple of staircases that lead to a mezzanine and some of the smaller towers.

I think this is easily the most underrated museum in the L.A. area. Sure, its exterior is plastered in the center of your TV screen every year during the Rose Parade, but this calm and intimately laid-out institution rarely feels packed. Make no mistake, though: The quality of the artwork here is tremendous. You’ll see Old Masters (Rembrandt and Brueghel), French Impressionists (Monet, Manet and Renoir) and an unparalleled (for the area, at least) collection of South and Southeast Asian sculpture.

Time Out tip: Consider planning a visit for the first Friday of the month, when admission is free after 4pm.

One of two British-influenced plazas on South Lake Avenue, Burlington Arcade is a nearly spot-on facsimile of its namesake shopping center in London. Though tenants come and go inside the semi-sleepy stretch of stores, the line at Mandarin Coffee Stand is persistent. And for good reason: It’s pretty much the only place you can find coffee made with high-quality specialty beans from China’s Yunnan province, and it’s easily among the best coffee shops in all of L.A.

Time Out tip: Don’t sleep on Float. The folksy cafe at the end of the arcade serves delicious sandwiches and, true to its name, coffee and boutique bottles of soda topped with a scoop of Fosselman’s Ice Cream.

The largest independent bookshop in Southern California was founded over a century ago and continues to be a worthwhile destination for its helpful staff, design-minded objects and excellent stock of books (I particularly love its collection of all things California—and this is probably your best bet if you’re in search for a Pasadena-branded keepsake).

Time Out tip: Keep an eye out for the regular readings and the book signings, or stay a while with a few sips at the 1894, the on-site wine bar.

Art and artifacts from Asia and the Pacific Rim are displayed in the historic Grace Nicholson Building, a recreation of a northern Chinese palace with a charming Chinese Garden Court to match. Taken from the museum’s collection of 14,000 items, the permanent displays include both contemporary and traditional Asian arts; they’re supplemented by temporary shows, which tend to run for a few months at a time.

Time Out tip: Admission usually costs $15, but you can easily visit for free on the second Sunday of the month (Thursdays also have a “pay as you wish” policy).

Built in the ’20s and revived in the ’80s, this gracious 672-seat venue anchors the Playhouse District. The main space offers an increasingly esteemed lineup of mostly new plays and musicals, while a smaller black box theater upstairs presents occasional improv and experimental shows. Its Spanish Colonial courtyard has been known to host all sorts of neighborhood events.

Time Out tip: Though adjacent, stellar restaurant Bar Chelou has closed, you can still find a solid pre- or post-show hang a block west at AC Hotel Pasadena’s Osa Rooftop.