Pasadena, California

It’s the land of lovely estates with perfectly trimmed rose bushes in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. From Old Town to Huntington Gardens to The Norton Simon Museum to the architectural Greene and Greene landmark, The Gamble House and the Pasadena Playhouse, NASA Jet Propulsion Lab, and CalTech, this place is the real deal steeped in California's majesty and history. With lots of contemporary action in South Pas. (Remember the Big Bang Theory? Sheldon & crew lived in South Pas.)

Side note: Pasadena is not for the financially faint of heart. If the costs are too much for you, consider Sierra Madre or Glendora.

Lots of craftsman bungalows but South Pas is more urban with loft options. Pasadena proper is a very big, very sophisticated suburb with a deep bench of cultural amenities. It is also quite painful to travel to and from Los Angeles. Not because it’s that far (as the crow flies) DTLA, and Silverlake are in striking distance, and even Santa Monica shouldn’t be more than a 30-minute drive assuming it’s the middle of the night. Highland Park and Eagle Rock are much more accessible. You will be flying out of Burbank.

If you're interested in all the happenings in Pasadena check out the calendar of events.

We highly recommend visiting Pasadena and staying in the community in a VRBO rather than a hotel to get a feel for living among the locals. You can also receive discounted travel fares via our partnership with Expedia.

The quality of life is outstanding. There’s so much to indulge in and it’s all spectacular from the culture and the food to the hiking trails. It’s really very, very grand.