Rose Bowl Stadium

Pasadena & the San Gabriel Valley

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One of LA’s most venerable landmarks, the 1922 Rose Bowl Stadium can seat up to 93,000 spectators and has its moment in the sun every New Year’s Day when it hosts the famous Rose Bowl post-season college football game. At other times the UCLA Bruins play their home games here, and the occasional concert or special event also brings in the masses, as does a monthly flea market.

The Rose Bowl is surrounded by Brookside Park, which is a nice spot for hiking, cycling and picnicking. Families should check out the excellent Kidspace Children’s Museum, and architecture nuts should look for the nearby, palatial 1903 Richard H Chambers Courthouse, once a grand hotel.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

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    Knott’s Berry Farm

    23.91 MILES

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    Venice Boardwalk

    21.28 MILES

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  • Santa Monica Pier

    Santa Monica Pier

    21.77 MILES

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  • The Broad Museum of Los Angeles.

    Broad

    8.77 MILES

    From the instant it opened in September 2015, the Broad (rhymes with 'road') became a must-visit for contemporary-art fans. It houses the world-class…

  • Getty Center, exterior.

    Getty Center

    18.53 MILES

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    Universal Studios Hollywood

    10.76 MILES

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Nearby Pasadena & the San Gabriel Valley attractions

1. Kidspace Children's Museum

0.45 MILES

Kidspace is one of the best children's museums we've seen, with hands-on exhibits, outdoor learning areas and gardens luring the single-digit set. It…

2. Jet Propulsion Laboratory

0.64 MILES

Operated by Caltech, JPL is NASA’s main center for robotic exploration of the solar system. It's about 7 miles north of the main Caltech campus. It’s best…

4. Art Center College of Design

0.69 MILES

Overlooking the Arroyo Seco from its ridgetop perch is this world-renowned arts campus. Free tours for prospective students are offered during the school…

5. Gamble House

0.76 MILES

This mansion in northwest central Pasadena has been called one of the 10 most architecturally significant homes in America. The 1908 masterpiece of…

7. Pasadena Museum of History

0.96 MILES

On the grounds of a palatial beaux-arts mansion that once housed the Finnish consulate, this interesting museum now presents changing exhibits on some…

8. Norton Simon Museum

1.14 MILES

Rodin’s The Burghers of Calais standing guard by the entrance is only a mind-teasing overture to the full symphony of art in store at this exquisite…