Welcome to Pasadena
A contemporary and urban city minutes from downtown Los Angeles
This chic, urban city located 11 miles from downtown Los Angeles is California’s ideal place to live. It’s trendy and hip — new shops and businesses are blooming each day in the shopping districts — and the dining scene is robust and vibrant. Residents of Pasadena live in a bustling small city that maintains its old-world charm alongside beautiful, family-friendly neighborhoods.
In the 1930s, CalTech students began experimenting with rockets, which eventually set the foundation for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. This put Pasadena on the map as the nation’s top destination for space study and caused Pasadena’s commerce to explode— business boomed, shops popped up on every street, and the need for quality homes skyrocketed.
Today, Pasadena is a top destination for families, commuters, students, and young professionals hoping to experience an excellent quality of life in a thriving neighborhood. Pasadena is home to several excellent schools, boasting the highest number of private schools per capita. The well-educated area also includes a higher than average percentage of the population with a college degree.
What to Love
- Endless entertainment opportunities, like the annual Rose Parade
- Unique shopping and dining options in several different districts
- Fantastic, high-achieving educational opportunities for children and adults
Local Lifestyle
With a population of just over 142,000 people, Pasadena is the place to live for those seeking a small-town feel with upscale amenities. The neighborhood has everything you could want in one location but maintains a community-centered and family-friendly charm. The streets are lined with beautiful, lush trees, and the neighborhood conveys an air of sophistication and allure. Residents have endless opportunities for entertainment in Pasadena, including world-class museums and libraries. It’s the best place for young families, entrepreneurs, and retirees to enjoy a laid-back lifestyle in a small city.
Dining, Entertainment, and Shopping
Residents and tourists enjoy plenty of excellent dining and shopping opportunities in Pasadena. Take a leisurely walk along Colorado Boulevard or South Lake Avenue for the ultimate shopping experience. Home to dozens of unique and upscale shops, these locations also provide Pasadena residents with the full amenities of city life: comprehensive fitness centers, luxury salons and spas, grocery stores, and doctor’s offices are all in one convenient, central location.
Granville Cafe is a local favorite spot offering gourmet-quality food. Made from scratch daily, Granville Cafe proudly offers delicious, high-quality food at an affordable price. Their mission is to bring fresh, organic meals to the people of California at a lower price point, so everyone can enjoy the exquisite “taste of California.” Menu items include enormous seasonal salads, grass-fed beef burgers, poke bowls, pasta, and an extensive wine list. Another “go-to” destination is The Luggage Room Pizzeria, a renovated train station from 1934 offering delicious pizzas and craft beer. Once the luggage room of the Del Mar Train Station, The Luggage Room housed Golden Age movie stars’ personal effects. Today, the building retains the old-world charm and provides Pasadena residents with the best wood-fired pizza in town.
Things to Do
The Rose Bowl, or the Tournament of Roses, is what puts Pasadena on the map. Did you know that the Tournament of Roses was originally founded by people who moved to Pasadena from the East Coast / Midwest area as a way to lure them out to the West Coast? A tradition for over 130 years, the Rose Bowl holds the annual Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game on January 1st. A festival of flowers, music, and sports in one venue, the Rose Bowl brings culture and creativity to Pasadena each year, showcasing incredibly detailed and expressive floats, outstanding marching bands, and stunning floral arrangements. It’s the party of the year, and millions of people worldwide tune in to watch the festivities.
If you’re looking for a great place to take the family for time outside, visit Brookside Park, Pasadena’s largest fully maintained park. With over 60 acres of green space, the park provides residents with the Jackie Robinson Baseball Stadium, two softball diamonds, a lighted field for football and soccer, and a speaker’s platform for special events.
A renowned training facility for future movie and theater stars, the Pasadena Playhouse is the official State Theater of California. For over 100 years, people have gathered in the theater to learn about storytelling and the positive roles we play in our world. The mission of the playhouse is to connect people through theatre, community programs, and learning, and they do so by offering workshops, classes, events, and shows throughout the year.
To celebrate each new year, the Tournament of Roses Parade sweeps through Pasadena in a fragrant, floral extravaganza. Coursing along Colorado Boulevard on New Year’s Day, you’ll see dozens of parade floats, each crafted from fresh flowers and greenery. Not only does this parade signify the start of the new year, but it also rings in the annual Rose Bowl Game and has been a time-honored tradition since 1930.