The Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day are what Pasadena is best known for, and they earned it the name Rose City. It is a city of about 136,000 in the San Gabriel Valley, roughly 10 miles from downtown Los Angeles.
For visitors, the Norton Simon Museum is the big draw, and the Huntington gardens and library sit right next door in San Marino. The Arroyo Seco has hiking and the Colorado Street Bridge. Living here is expensive, with homes over a million dollars and rents high even for Southern California. Property crime, like car break-ins and package theft, is the main issue, and crowds on event days call for extra care. Then there is the risk that comes with the setting: earthquakes, hot summers, smoke days, and wildfire in the foothills. The January 2025 Eaton Fire destroyed many homes in nearby Altadena, and rebuilding continues.
Trip planning at a glance
Peak season
New Year's Rose Parade and Rose Bowl period (late December to early January, prices multiply and minimum stays apply), plus summer and event weekends
Nearest airport
Hollywood Burbank (BUR), 13 miles
Highlights
Norton Simon Museum
The Huntington Library, Art Museum and Botanical Gardens (San Marino, adjacent)
Old Pasadena shopping and dining
Rose Bowl Stadium and Brookside Park
Gamble House (Arts and Crafts landmark)
Descanso Gardens (La Canada Flintridge, nearby)
Arroyo Seco hiking and Colorado Street Bridge
Pacific Asia Museum and Kidspace Children's Museum
Out of 10. Open any score to see how it’s worked out. “Data-based” scores come from published figures; “Hey! En Route estimate” scores are worked out from what we know about the city; “Hey! En Route rating” scores were set by our editors.
6.3/10Good
Connector Score8.5
30 worthwhile cities within three hours; reachable by road, intercity train, air, and local transit; lodging and sights for an overnight stop. Hey! En Route estimate
Safety7.0
About 375 violent crimes per 100,000 people a year; the US average is about 370. Data-based
Affordability1.9
Cost of living index about 153, where the national average is 100. Data-based
Transportation9.0
Reachable by: road, intercity train, air, and local transit. Hey! En Route estimate
Car-free friendliness7.5
Intercity train or bus, plus local transit and walkability. Hey! En Route estimate
Walkability8.0
A walkable downtown. Hey! En Route estimate
Things to do6.3
Known for 7 kinds of attraction, with 7 annual events listed. Hey! En Route estimate
Food & dining5.8
A known food scene, weighted by city size. Hey! En Route estimate
Places to stay6.0
Lodging at budget, mid-range and luxury prices. Hey! En Route estimate
Nature & outdoors4.0
Known for mountains & hiking. Hey! En Route estimate
Scenic value4.5
From its landscape: coast, mountains, lakes and parks. Hey! En Route estimate
Family friendliness6.9
Zoos, aquariums, theme parks and museums, weighted by safety. Hey! En Route estimate
Solo-traveler friendliness6.3
Safety, getting around without a car, hostels, and things to do. Hey! En Route estimate
Nightlife3.8
Estimated from city size and live music. Hey! En Route estimate
Remote-work friendliness4.9
City size, affordability, cafés and connections. Hey! En Route estimate
Road-trip convenience6.5
30 worthwhile cities within three hours’ drive, plus parking, EV charging and RV options. Hey! En Route estimate
Train-trip convenience8.8
Intercity train service, with 15 nearby cities reachable by rail. Hey! En Route estimate
Bus-trip convenience1.5
No intercity bus service noted. Hey! En Route estimate
Crown of the Valley; Rose City; City of Roses; Home of the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl; Jewel of the San Gabriel Valley
Founded
1874 settled (Indiana Colony); 1886 incorporated
Languages
English; Spanish; Armenian; Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese); Korean; Tagalog; Vietnamese
Airports
Hollywood Burbank (BUR) about 13 miles, 20 to 30 minutes, closest and easiest; Los Angeles International (LAX) about 28 miles, 45 to 90 minutes; Ontario International (ONT) about 35 miles; Long Beach (LGB) about 35 miles; John Wayne (SNA) about 45 miles. No commercial airport in Pasadena.
Tipping
Restaurants (table service): 18 to 22 percent; counter service and coffee: optional, a dollar or two; bars: 1 to 2 dollars per drink or 15 to 20 percent; taxis and rideshare: 15 to 20 percent; hotel housekeeping: 3 to 5 dollars per night; valet: 3 to 5 dollars; bellhop: 2 to 3 dollars per bag; hair and spa: 15 to 20 percent. Some restaurants add a service charge.
Community signals
Not enough responses yet to show a trend.
Pasadena (CA) City Circle
For people considering Pasadena (CA), visiting soon, living there for a while, or comparing it with somewhere else.
Verified: city population 135,804 (Census July 1, 2025 estimate), land area 22.96 sq mi converted to 59.5 km2, median home value and rent (Census QuickFacts, ACS 2020 to 2024). Metro: Pasadena is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim MSA (12,844,441 in 2025, FRED, updated March 2026), which is shared with much larger Los Angeles. Elevation, coordinates, founding, crime rate, hotel rates, rent and cost-of-living index are approximate and from general knowledge, not verified this session. Visitor site and events page loaded; a few named events (Rose Bowl Flea Market, Chalk Festival, Christmas Parade timing) are from general knowledge.
Last verified September 25, 2026 · Source: Research spreadsheet · Editorial ·
Neighborhoods
8 areas to know, and who each one suits.
Old Pasadena
Lively
Playhouse District
Cultural
South Lake
Chic
Bungalow Heaven
Historic
Arroyo Seco
Outdoorsy
East Colorado Village
Casual
Lake Avenue corridor
Upscale
Northwest Pasadena
Residential
No neighborhood matches that.
Where to base yourself
Old Pasadena and the Playhouse District (walkable dining and Metro A Line access)
Lake Avenue corridor (business and upscale hotels)
near the Rose Bowl (event weekends). Lodging tiers: budget chain motels along Colorado Boulevard and near the 210 freeway
mid-range chains and boutique hotels downtown
luxury such as The Langham Huntington and the Fairmont-style resort options in the foothills.
Suburbs and neighboring towns
South Pasadena (3 mi; car, Metro A Line light rail); Altadena (3 mi; car, Metro bus); San Marino (4 mi; car, Metro bus); Los Angeles - Eagle Rock/Highland Park (5 mi; car, Metro bus); Arcadia (5 mi; car, Metro A Line light rail); Sierra Madre (5 mi; car, Metro bus); La Canada Flintridge (6 mi; car); Glendale (8 mi; car, Metro bus)
What a visit costs
Per person per day, with a room shared by two. Change anything below to fit your trip.
Budget
$173/day
Lodging about $145 a night
Mid-range
$255/day
Lodging about $230 a night
Luxury
$497/day
Lodging about $525 a night
Budget calculator
Vehicle
mpg
These are estimates from typical prices, not quotes. Real costs vary with season, events, booking time and your own habits; taxes and fees are approximate.
Cost of living
For longer stays and relocation.
Cost of living index
153 (national average = 100)
Typical 1-bedroom rent
$2,450a month
Median home price
$1,093,300
Research notes
Roughly 1.4 to 1.6 times the US average overall (index about 145 to 160, approximate; housing about 2.5 times US average). Typical one-bedroom rent about 2,200 to 2,700 dollars per month. Census median gross rent (all units) 2,265 dollars.
Real estate
Buying or renting long-term: prices, trends and the rules.
Median home
$1,093,300
Mortgage calculator
Census median owner-occupied home value 1,093,300 dollars (ACS 2020 to 2024); market median sale prices commonly reported around 1.0 to 1.3 million dollars. Census median gross rent 2,265 dollars. Market is high-priced and roughly flat; the January 2025 Eaton Fire destroyed many homes in adjacent Altadena and affected local rents and demand.
Research notes on prices and seasons
Approximate hotel nightly ranges: budget 120 to 170 dollars; mid-range 180 to 280 dollars; luxury 350 to 700 dollars or more. Peak: New Year's Rose Parade and Rose Bowl period (late December to early January, prices multiply and minimum stays apply), plus summer and event weekends. Rough daily visitor budget excluding lodging: 100 to 180 dollars per person (meals 50 to 90, transport 20 to 40, attractions 20 to 50). Rates are estimates and not verified live.
Where to stay
Which part of town suits which kind of trip.
Old Pasadena and the Playhouse District (walkable dining and Metro A Line access)
Lake Avenue corridor (business and upscale hotels)
near the Rose Bowl (event weekends). Lodging tiers: budget chain motels along Colorado Boulevard and near the 210 freeway
mid-range chains and boutique hotels downtown
luxury such as The Langham Huntington and the Fairmont-style resort options in the foothills.
Places to stay
2 listings in Pasadena (CA), ranked by traveller reviews. Featured listings are marked.
Safety information is a guide from public data and our research, not a guarantee. Conditions change; check local news and official advice before you go.
7.0
Very good · Data-based
About 375 violent crimes per 100,000 people a year; the US average is about 370.
Safety overview
Violent crime rate roughly 300 to 450 per 100,000 residents (approximate; not verified against a fresh FBI table); property crime is higher. Common visitor risks: car break-ins, package theft, pickpocketing in crowds on Rose Parade and Rose Bowl days. Hospitals: Huntington Hospital (Level II trauma) in Pasadena, Kaiser Permanente Los Angeles area facilities, USC Verdugo Hills nearby. Hazards: earthquakes (Raymond Fault runs through the city, plus the San Andreas system nearby), wildfire and Santa Ana wind red flag days in the foothills (the Eaton Fire of January 2025 devastated nearby Altadena), summer heat over 100 F, smog and smoke days, occasional flash flooding and debris flows below burn scars during heavy winter storms.
Local notes
Specific places where extra care is worthwhile, especially at night. Most visits are trouble-free.
Few areas call for special concern. Property crime (car break-ins, package theft) is the main issue; take care in parts of Northwest Pasadena and near some transit stations late at night, and around Colorado Boulevard on big event nights when crowds are heavy. Areas of Altadena near the Eaton Fire burn zone may have restricted access and ongoing rebuilding.
Times marked “est.” are estimates: drives use typical road distances at highway speeds, and train or bus times assume both cities have service. Always check a route planner and timetables before you travel.
Route ideas
Suggested by Hey! En Route from the best-connected next stops. Save one to your routes and make it your own.
2-day trip
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3-day trip
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5-day trip
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7-day trip
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10-day trip
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