What We Love About Pasadena

You’ve heard about all the internationally famous stuff in Pasadena, so let’s talk like insiders, shall we? For example, one Pasadena neighborhood is Old Town Pasadena. It is a cool place to shop, but my bargain loving heart loves the Hastings Ranch area. Best Nordstrom’s Rack in the area is right here.

We all know about the Pasadena Rose Parade, (Check out my Pasadena Rose Parade Insider Tips!) but do you know how an insider sees the parade? Check out my post for how to get there, and how to see the floats up close and personal. Another famous favorite is the 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular at the RoseBowl. (check out our local guide to Fireworks Shows)

And then there is food. So. Many. Restaurants. You might not know about two of my favorite Pasadena restaurants, Soladang Garden and The Raymond.

And one more thing – If you like looking at homes, Pasadena Ca neighborhoods have to be near the top of any places to walk in the world. I highly recommend walking up Grand Ave near the Rose Bowl or any street around the Langham Hotel.

Stuff We Don’t Love

Tourists and events at the Rosebowl. Now, this is selfish on my part as I walk the bowl three times a week. Man, people lose their ability to drive and be courteous when they are going to and from a game or a concert.

Pasadena Schools

You may have heard about the Pasadena Unified School District. It is a fair bet that everything you heard is an old myth and rumor that has plagued the school system for decades. Check out the Pasadena Unified School District website and start arranging tours to see for yourself. Also, for an interesting article on the origins of that rumor, read this article from LAist: “Are Pasadena Public Schools Really That Bad?” (July 3, 2019)

There are more named and storied private schools in Pasadena than one can imagine. 51 “Top” private schools (according to Private School Review). Mayfield, Westridge, Polytechnic, and Maranatha are just a few of the famous private high schools available.