With a population of just over 134,000, Pasadena, CA lies at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains. Primarily known for being a winter resort home to the annual New Years Day Rose Bowl Tournament of Roses parade and college football game, Pasadena is also the home of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the California Institute of Technology.
Transportation Drives Early Growth
Founded in 1874, the city was incorporated in 1886. Like most Southern California towns of the 20th century, Pasadena grew rapidly as a result of the construction of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and the subsequent construction of the local freeway system that linked Pasadena to Los Angeles and points to the southwest. Serving as the citrus capitol of the west, Pasadena experienced continued growth and notoriety as a leader in agriculture and as a prime tourist destination.
Unique Neighborhoods and Architectural Styles
Pasadena residents are proud of the city’s heritage and preserve it through neighborhood associations and special designations. Bungalow Heaven, Garfield Heights, Madison Heights, and the Historic Highlands are just a few you will find throughout the city. Also, Pasadena Heritage can keep you updated on special events during the year.
Hub for the Performing Arts
Pasadena residents enjoy the arts scene with their local symphony orchestra, a community playhouse, the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens; the Norton Simon Museum; the Pacific Asia Museum and several gardens noted for their rare display of flora. The Levitt Pavilion hosts free summer concerts in the park with a wide variety of music to suit everyone’s taste.
Shopping – Exclusive Designers & Fleas Too!
Shoppers will find a broad range of choices for all budgets including Old Town Pasadena, which is a popular shopping and dining venue for locals and tourists alike. Paseo Colorado offers a more upscale shopping experience complete with a mall designed to be a modern urban village, complimented by apartments above the mall. An exclusive shopping district is also located in the South Lake neighborhood as well.
If the flea market matches your style and budget, don’t miss the Rose Bowl Flea Market which is a large swap meet that involves thousands of dealers and tens of thousands of visitors who visit in and around the grounds of the Rose Bowl. Merchandise offered at this venue ranges from old world antiques to California pottery and vintage clothing. Open every second Sunday of the month since 1967, the swap meet is open rain or shine. The Pasadena City College Flea Market happens the first Sunday of every month on a smaller scale, but with just as many bargains.
About Doug Willis
The renovation of City Hall is one of my favorite features of Pasadena!
Great post! You should be the official Pasadena tourism blog! But just a reminder…JPL is in La Canada. I think they just use Pasadena as a mailing address. That’s how they get their kids into La Canada schools.