Visit Pasadena Visitor Information

Route 66's original 1926 alignment through Pasadena followed Colorado Boulevard from the eastern San Gabriel Valley (entering Pasadena from Arcadia and Sierra Madre to the east) through the substantial Pasadena commercial district to the western end of Old Pasadena, then turned south on Fair Oaks Avenue and Arroyo Parkway to continue toward downtown Los Angeles via various surface streets through northeast LA. The Colorado Boulevard alignment was the primary Route 66 routing through Pasadena from 1926 through approximately 1940.

The Route 66 alignment was substantially rerouted around Pasadena along Foothill Boulevard (the more northern alignment through Glendora and the eastern San Gabriel Valley) during the 1940s, removing the active Route 66 designation from Pasadena proper. However, the substantial historic preservation of Old Pasadena along the Colorado Boulevard alignment, the broader Route 66 heritage of the city, and the continued use of Colorado Boulevard for the substantial Rose Parade (which follows substantially the original Route 66 routing through Old Pasadena) maintain Pasadena's Route 66 heritage significance even though the active route was relocated.

For Route 66 travelers, the Pasadena experience combines substantial original-alignment driving (Colorado Boulevard through Old Pasadena and the broader Pasadena commercial corridors) with substantial cultural-institution and community-stop engagement (Norton Simon, Huntington, Gamble House, the substantial restaurant scene). The combination produces a Pasadena Route 66 visit that exceeds typical Route 66 community-stop expectations and rewards multi-day engagement for travelers with substantial schedule flexibility.

The major cultural institutions concentrate substantially within easy access of each other — Norton Simon Museum on Colorado Boulevard adjacent to Old Pasadena, the Gamble House on Westmoreland Place a short distance northwest, the Huntington Library in San Marino immediately south of central Pasadena, and the Rose Bowl in the Arroyo Seco canyon northwest of Old Pasadena. The combination supports substantial multi-institution Pasadena days for visitors with cultural-institution focus.

Recommended Pasadena visit length depends substantially on visitor priorities. Quick pass-through visits hitting just Old Pasadena walking and one major institution take 4-6 hours. Substantive single-day visits covering Old Pasadena plus two major institutions plus a meal take 8-10 hours (essentially a full day). Multi-day visits engaging substantially with all major institutions (Norton Simon, Huntington, Gamble House, Rose Bowl tour or flea market) plus substantial dining and Old Pasadena exploration require 2-3 days for thorough engagement.

Timing considerations include the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game week (December 30 through January 2) which brings substantial crowds and inflated hotel pricing; the substantial summer travel season which produces moderate crowd and pricing increases; and the various major exhibitions and special events at the cultural institutions that can substantially affect specific visit timing. The Rose Bowl Flea Market (second Sunday of each month) provides specific timing constraint for visitors wanting to include the flea market in Pasadena visits.

Driving access to Pasadena is straightforward via multiple freeway corridors — I-210 (the major east-west freeway through Pasadena), I-110 (connecting from downtown Los Angeles to the south), I-134 (connecting from Burbank and the San Fernando Valley to the west), and various other freeway and surface street options. The substantial freeway infrastructure makes Pasadena accessible from substantially every direction within reasonable drive times from across the Los Angeles metropolitan area.

Public parking is substantially available throughout Pasadena — multiple substantial parking garages within and adjacent to Old Pasadena, substantial street parking with substantial metered enforcement, and substantial parking at the major cultural institutions (Norton Simon, Huntington, Gamble House all provide on-site parking with admission). Parking is substantially easier than driving for navigation within Old Pasadena and the central commercial districts.

Lodging options span substantially every price range — luxury historic hotels like the Langham Huntington, substantial business-class hotels in central Pasadena, mid-range chain hotels including Glendora-area options like Comfort Suites that provide substantially better value than equivalent Pasadena accommodations, and various other accommodation options. For Route 66 travelers, the natural choice depends on budget and priorities — luxury travelers gravitate toward the Langham; budget-conscious travelers find substantial value in Glendora-area chain hotels with easy Pasadena access. The Pasadena Convention & Visitors Bureau provides substantial lodging guidance through both the physical visitor center and online resources.