Pasadena itinerary: 1 to 2 days
Plans for one and two days in Pasadena, day by day: the Rose Bowl, the Gamble House, the Norton Simon Museum and Old Pasadena first, then Pasadena City Hall, the Pacific Asia Museum, Memorial Park and St. Andrew's Church. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 2 days
Pasadena in 1 day
Day 1
Rose Bowl
Large outdoor stadium in the Arroyo Seco, home of UCLA football and the Rose Bowl Game each New Year.
Gamble House
Arts and Crafts masterpiece of 1908 by Greene and Greene, with a wooden interior, open for guided tours.
Norton Simon Museum
Major art museum with European masters from Rembrandt to Picasso and Asian art, in a garden setting.
Old Pasadena
Historic downtown district with restored brick buildings, shops, restaurants and Colorado Boulevard's parade route.
Pasadena in 2 days
Day 1
Pasadena City Hall
City hall of 1927 in Mediterranean Baroque style, with a domed tower and a courtyard garden.
Gamble House
Arts and Crafts masterpiece of 1908 by Greene and Greene, with a wooden interior, open for guided tours.
Norton Simon Museum
Major art museum with European masters from Rembrandt to Picasso and Asian art, in a garden setting.
USC Pacific Asia Museum
Museum of Asian and Pacific art in a Chinese-style building with a courtyard garden in central Pasadena.
Day 2
Rose Bowl
Large outdoor stadium in the Arroyo Seco, home of UCLA football and the Rose Bowl Game each New Year.
Memorial Park
Park in the centre of Pasadena with lawns, a gazebo and paths, on the site of the city's first library.
Old Pasadena
Historic downtown district with restored brick buildings, shops, restaurants and Colorado Boulevard's parade route.
St. Andrew's Catholic Church
Catholic parish founded in 1886, with a Spanish Renaissance church and a bell tower.
Watch: Pasadena
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Pasadena
Pasadena has a warm, dry Mediterranean climate. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable for gardens and walking, while summer is hot, and winter days are mild with occasional rain. The Tournament of Roses parade and the Rose Bowl Game fill the city on New Year's Day, and hotels are busy that week.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Pasadena on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Pasadena on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Pasadena on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for United States from Airalo
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Tips for Pasadena
- The Gamble House is open for guided tours only, and tickets can sell out, so book ahead where possible.
- The Norton Simon Museum, the Gamble House and the Pacific Asia Museum are closed on different weekdays, so check opening days before fixing a schedule.
- The Rose Bowl is best seen outside event days, when the Loop road is open to walkers; the Tournament of Roses parade takes place on New Year's Day.
- The Metro A Line and local buses link Old Pasadena with downtown Los Angeles, and parking in Old Pasadena is in public garages.
- Pasadena City Hall is a fine example of Spanish Baroque design and can be seen from the outside and the courtyard at any time.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Gamble House: Martin Green, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Memorial Park: Tartessos75, Public domain
- Norton Simon Museum: Tony Mariotti from Los Angeles, United States, CC BY 2.0
- Old Pasadena: Unknown author Unknown author, Public domain
- Pasadena City Hall: David Wakely, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Rose Bowl: Ted Eytan, CC BY-SA 2.0
- St. Andrew's Catholic Church: Cullen328, CC BY-SA 3.0
- USC Pacific Asia Museum: Malaiya, CC BY-SA 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
