The fall season is here and that means it’s time for apple picking, pumpkin contests, and visiting a beautiful city of Pasadena! This charming city located in San Gabriel Valley has unique scenery this time of year one that all avid autumn season fans should go see!
Nestled in the San Gabriel mountains, Pasadena gives its local people and tourists plenty to do! From shopping on a mellow day to live shows to everything in between that this community has to offer. Tour turn of the century mansions or hike the Echo Mountain trail, spend a little time exploring an area outside your usual neck of the woods. Read below for our guide to a perfect day in Pasadena!
Start in the morning
Start your morning off strolling through Old Town Pasadena where you will find Southern California’s most walkable downtown district. Along Colorado Boulevard you will see historic Route 66 wherein there are homes plenty of shops, restaurants, and bars made of brick buildings. Stop by Miller Alley to wander the courtyard at One Colorado or pop into Indiana Colony for a perfect morning pick me up from Russells or a famed breakfast burrito from Lucky Boy.
Afternoon activities
Once your morning is filled up with food and fun activities, an afternoon in Eaton Canyon Falls-Pasadena’s most easygoing nature trail is the perfect lead into your afternoon. Follow the sound of running water to find your Kodak moment at the stunning waterfall.
Afterward head to Gamble House, originally built for one of the heirs of the Procter & Gamble fortune. Tours through the house range from the art glass to minute details of the home’s construction. They even have Brown Bag Tuesday where visitors can bring their own lunch for a picnic on the grounds followed by a 20-minute guided tour.
If you prefer to have nature and art all in one, Pasadena has that too at Huntington Library & Botanical Gardens. We know what you’re thinking: why would I spend my afternoon at a library of all places? Huntington is anything but just a library. The grounds include 120 acres of over a dozen different types of gardens from Tropical to Japanese. Have afternoon tea in the Rose Garden. Stroll past the Greek statues that line the precisely manicured courtyard. Spend the midday trailing through as much of the outdoor scene as your phone battery can take. One will likely not tackle all of the famed destinations in one day. But that being said, you can find art and nature equally placed throughout.
Before your day reaches the evening portion, be sure to make a stop at Bungalow Heaven. The singular, leafy and quiet neighborhood is comprised of over 800 homes from the Arts and Crafts movement. Bordered along Orange Grove and Washington Blvd, the mostly intact bungalows are a true showcase. Bungalow Heaven is full of astonishing craftsmanship that flowed through Pasadena during the early point of the 20th century.
Evening in Pasadena
Night has befallen and you have a few options to properly conclude your time in Pasadena. If time slots you, it is most recommended to take in a show at the ’20s built Pasadena Playhouse. Revived during the ’80s, the Playhouse has a profound line-up of new plays and musicals. While outdoors, the Spanish Colonial courtyard plays home to neighborhood events. Other show options in the home of the Rose Parade including taking in laughs at the famed Ice House. A comedy mainstay since 1960, the Ice House provides it, patrons, an intimate no-frills room with big-name comics and humor.