Pasadena, CA

The City of Roses

Known as the “City of Roses” after annual New Year’s Day Parade of Roses, Pasadena is a great place for a vacation as well as a perfect place to base a visit to Southern California. Located right in the middle of the L.A. Basin, Pasadena has the San Rafael Hills and San Gabriel Mountains surrounding it on two sides and the rest of the San Gabriel Valley on the others. The climate is, like the rest of the area, almost perfect year-round with warm summers, mild winters and little rain. As the cultural and social center of the San Gabriel Valley, Pasadena is the place where you’ll find the region’s shopping, dining, nightlife and excitement. In Old Pasadena, guests will find 200-plus shops, boutiques, nightclubs and eateries. is where You’ll find the high-end, brand-name shops and restaurants in the South Lake section of town. And being cultural center of the valley, Pasadena hosts 11 performing arts groups and has 14 museums for guests to check out.

While every part of the year is a great time to come to Pasadena, the city is in all its glory during the holiday season. Held on New Year’s Day, The Tournament of Roses Parade is spectacular sight where floats completely covered in flowers and ornamental plants follow the five-and-a-half-mile route through Pasadena. Nearly 700,000 people line the parade route, viewing the floats that are all competing for one of 24 awards. Also, right around New Year’s Day is college football’s Rose Bowl, which is the sport’s oldest bowl game. During the rest of the year, Pasadena does not slow down. Throughout the year there are festivals, concerts and events including Make Music Pasadena, Pasadena Chalk Festival and Craftsmen Weekend. Movie lovers should head to ArcLight Pasadena and its screenings of classics, first runs and independent films. Those looking for some time on the fairway can stop by Brookside Park. It is right next to the Rose Bowl Stadium and features two 18-hole courses.