Is Pasadena a good place to stay in Los Angeles?

Pasadena is a good base if you want a calm, walkable town with the Metro into Downtown. Old Pasadena, around Colorado Boulevard, has most of the hotels, shops and restaurants, and Memorial Park and Del Mar stations on the Metro A Line run straight to Union Station. The Rose Bowl and the Norton Simon Museum are a short ride away.

The town is leafy and elegant, with the San Gabriel Mountains behind it. Old Pasadena's brick streets and alleys are full of restaurants, bars and shops, and Lake Avenue has more shopping to the east. The Huntington Library, with its art collections and botanical gardens, is in neighbouring San Marino, and every New Year's Day the Rose Parade fills Colorado Boulevard.

The downside is the distance from the beach and the Westside. Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and Hollywood mean a long drive or a slow trip across town, and evenings are quieter than in central LA. Hotels in Old Pasadena aren't cheap either.

What makes Pasadena special is how easy and pleasant it is to stay in. You can walk out to dinner, spend a morning among the Huntington's gardens and still be in Downtown on the Metro in under half an hour. For families and anyone who prefers a gentler side of Los Angeles, it's a lovely base.