Things To Do In And Around Pasadena, California

I just learned the identity of the 2011 Rose Parade Grand Marshall. She is.....wait for it..."The First Lady Of Cooking," Paula Deen. It's with that knowledge that I decided to write this hub. I realize that many will be visiting Pasadena during that time, so I thought I'd give the visitors a few unique and interesting places to see, and things to do.

First and foremost, you must get a firsthand photo of the Rose Bowl. Then there's Old Town Pasadena, it is an absolute must see, especially for shoppers, and those that might consider themselves as having discerning palates. The places to shop and eat are staggering, I'll get to that later.

The Norton Simon Museum is high on my list of must do's, it's located on Colorado Blvd. In fact if you watch the Rose Parade on television you'll always see the museum as a backdrop.

The Famous Pasadena Playhouse is recommended, because it was there that a lot of famous stars got their start. Stars such as, (of course if you're old enough to remember these), Raymond Burr, (Perry Mason), Dustin Hoffman, (Tootsie), Gene Hackman, (The French Connection), Robert Young, (Father Knows Best, and Marcus Welby), Rue Mc Clanahan, (The Golden Girls). See more information by following the link, wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasadena_Playhouse.

JPL, (Jet Propulsion Laboratories) NASA. To some this might not be a desirable place to see, however to others, just to see a connection to the space exploration first hand is a real turn-on. They provide guided tours to certain portions of the laboratory. There's a saying in Pasadena, that everyone that lives in the Pasadena area has either worked there or has had a family member work there.Yes, as a matter of fact I worked there.

There is much more that I could recommend, in Pasadena, however I'll save those for another time, because there are so many more things around Pasadena that I would like to steer you towards.

I'd like to mention that from downtown Pasadena to downtown Los Angeles is only 7 Minutes, just FYI. So all of the sights to see and things to do, that I list, will be no more than 40 miles from Pasadena. Forty miles on Los Angeles county freeways will seem like ten miles on freeways elsewhere, at least that's how it seems to me.

Of course, most visitors to the area will do the usual things, Hollywood, Walk of Fame,(on Hollywood Blvd). Grauman's Chinese Theater, Sunset Boulevard, Disneyland, Universal Studios, and the Wax Museum, so I won't spend anytime on those.

Let's begin with a place that most have read about, but few that visit ever see, and that is Venice Beach Boardwalk. I have lived here for over forty years, and believe me it never gets old. To me it's not just the water, which is captivating, but the people are a sight to see, and the overall ambiance is just amazing.

Don't miss the Queen Mary in Long Beach, (http://www.queenmary.com/) I also encourage a trip along the coastline, winding your way through Santa Monica, and ending in Malibu. That's a trip you won't soon forget.

There are major museums galore. Just to name a few: Getty Center Museum, Peterson Automobile Museum, Natural History Museum, African American Museum, The La Brea Tar Pits, and The Museum Of Tolerance. I would like to elaborate on these, however I don't want to make this article too long. So my suggestion is if you intend to visit any of these museums do your research on the Internet. I highly recommend the La Brea Tar Pits.

As I mentioned most will visit Universal Studios, but for a change why not visit The Warner Brothers Studios. Tours are provided daily through the studios.

Since the Grand Marshall is Paula Dean, I think it's fitting that we give you some of the best places to eat, in and around Pasadena. Earlier I mentioned that I'd tell you about Pasadena eateries. Well here goes.

These are just a few places I've eaten and highly recommend. In Old Town I recommend The Cheesecake Factory,(not just cheesecakes), Barney's Beanery, Mi Piace,(pronounced, me pea a chee), The Melting Pot, (all fondue restaurant), IL Fornaio. These restaurants are all found on Colorado Blvd in the heart of Old Town.

P.F Chang,(on Colorado, located in the Mall), California Pizza Kitchen, ( on N. Los Robles). Saladang, (S. Fair Oaks), Houston's, Parkway Grill, (both on S. Arroyo Parkway). Roscoe's Chicken and Waffle, (N. Lake Ave). Twin Palms, (S. Delacy).

Of Course, there's McDonalds, Burger King, Carl Jr's, all On N. Lake Ave.

These are the Pasadena restaurants that I recommend, but there are many many more, perhaps your favorites will be found among some of those.

I've never dined at these places, however I've heard from reliable sources that while dining there you're bound to see celebrities. So if that's your thing, have a go at it

STK, 755 N. La Cienega Blvd, West Hollywood. Mr. Chow's, 344 N. Camden Dr. The Ivy, 113 Robertson, Los Angeles. Boa Steakhouse 9200 W Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood.

I can't say that I've seen stars at these places, but I do enjoy, and recommend them. The Stinking Rose, (everything garlic), loooved it! 55 N. La Cienega Blvd, Beverly Hills. Benihana, (Japanese restaurant), 38 N La Cienega, Beverly Hills.

As you would expect there are many, many more of these restaurants that I could have named, however time and space doesn't allow.

There's one more location that I'd like to list that not only has famous eateries, but also entertainment, shopping, and there you're guaranteed to see celebrities.The Grove, located at 189 The Grove Drive. The Grove is located in close proximity to the CBS Studios, (The Price Is Right).

I hope that I've given you enough information to have an enjoyable visit to Pasadena.  Please click on the links provided in the article to get more information on the places that I listed. Enjoy, Enjoy, Enjoy!