Parking: very narrow lot entrance in the back…read more You have to enter thru the back where the parking is and not thru the front. There is a small desk with an iPad when you walk in and descend to the lower level. When there is no field trips this place is a great place to bring your kids. It is very quiet and not a lot of high stimulation toys. It is no pretend city but it has some interesting toys such as a beach and surfing installation and a camper van.

Best for toddlers. I brought my kindergarten aged kids and there wasn't a lot to do for them. They…read morestill enjoyed the imaginative play but for the price of the kids plus an adult ticket, it was too pricey for the experience. I wish parents had a lower price than the kids or better yet free especially since there isn't anything for adults. Great place for toddlers and families since it feels safe, has clean facilities, small communal snack break area with a handwashing sink and water fountain nearby.

I've been to this library since I was in elementary school. It was one of my favorite places and my…read moreall time favorite library. It was a lot different then. Very kid friends with awe sensory activities and book reading groups. I recently started school. I enjoy a different scene from my warm bedroom especially now in the summer. Studying at this library is not as pleasant as it used to be. It smells really bad in specific areas due to many homeless people. They take up all the study tables and quiet corners. Most of them sit for hours on their phone. Some Sleep for hours. It's not as quiet as other libraries but it's quiet enough to study my online classes. I'm a bit disappointed with how the remodeled. It feels more modern than homie which is no issue just not my vibe. I don't remember the library staff allowing homeless people in when I was a kid unless they looked somewhat well kept and with better hygiene. Anyways if it weren't for the homeless people and smell this library would still be my top favorite. I prefer the signal hill library now but still Billie Jean is a close way from where I live Oh and signal hill library is open on Mondays! Which is great because I study everyday of the week. I don't mean to be mean towards homelessness people. I agree there should be more done but one reality is that not all of them care to work and most are doing drugs. I can see that being of conflict in assisting them with stability. Nevertheless, I will always remember the good memories I had at this library. I practically grew up here.

I call it the Disneyland of botanical gardens. ;) I am a member of the Huntington, and have been…read morecoming for years. It is my absolute favorite Zen spot in the world. I no longer live in the state, but visit every few weeks and make sure to visit the gardens every time. I've painted these gardens over the years and will continue to do so. My favorite gardens are the Rose garden, the Japanese garden and the Chinese garden. This is the perfect date spot as well as a perfect place to walk in the morning amongst nature before the day gets too hot. The children's garden will entertain the littles and they even have a water feature on the hot days. The art pieces throughout the museums are not only beautiful but historical and should not be missed. There is a great coffee shop to grab a cup for your walk and a great gift shop at the exit. There are a couple of quick food options as well. Parking is plentiful- but make reservations! Verdict: perfection- everyone must visit this lovely land at least once in their lifetime.

The Asian-style building dates back to the 1920's and features a meditative central courtyard…read more There is adequate parking on the corner adjacent to the building, but I imagine it can get full on a busy weekend. We were here for the exhibit, "Mythical Creatures: The Stories We Carry." Entrance fee is $15, we got a discount as seniors. There is a discount for children. USC ID cardholders, active US military and one other category get in free. It's a medium-sized museum, and as one gets closer to the end there are more sitting opportunities. Nice. We were blown away by the quality of the exhibit, and the variety of displays. There were a few interactive displays, but the exhibit urged the viewer to think and explore one's own transitions. The philosophical musings and references of "Uncle" were challenging in a good way. Highly recommend.

Nice smaller museum with an eclectic mix of modern and older pieces. I loved how they highlighted…read morecontemporary Asian American artists. Lovely courtyard/garden between buildings and a super nice staff. Entry price is a little high at $20, but the museum is unique and a nice way to spend an hour in Old Town Pasadena.

Awesome! Just awesome. I recommend this arcade. They have nice staff here, and all of the games in…read morehere is free play. You should go!

Neon Retro Arcade is an Old Town/Old Pasadena must…read more It's a kid friendly hub, but just as fun for adults if not more. Open daily from Noon til 10pm, 7 days a week. Everything is set to free play with a paid admission fee. You can do hourly pay or a set price for all day play. There's probably about 60 different arcade style games ranging in many decades including 70s, 80s, 90s and 2000s favorites. Pinball, Mario Kart, Mortal Kombat, Marvel Vs Capcom (my jam), Super Smash Bros, Basketball Pro, Pac Man, NFL Blitz, Rampage (arcade game of my youth), Donkey Kong, Tron, The Simpsons and so many others. Soft drinks, great lighting, a spacious layout. Neon Retro offers cool holiday deals and specials, hosts fun events, IG giveaways and keeps the fun going all year long. It's still only $15 for unlimited hourly play or $25 for a day pass. No food is served here other than snacks (think chips and candy), but so many places closeby to eat before or after your Neon Retro Arcade fun!! It's not a barcade like EightyTwo or Player One so it's alcohol free. They're all welcoming and very personable. I do know they have a capacity limit and weekend tend to be the busiest until around 4 or 5 pm. Nights and weekends are definitely lower in foot traffic, but still great energy. I don't make it over too often, but highly recommend experiencing once or thrice. They just had a cool 50% off hourly prices for Bonus Level Loyalty Club members, and yes it's free to be a member :) Local street (meter), paid lot and garage parking available. Gender-neutral restrooms. Great for groups or just you.

What a fun experience…read more My lady & I enjoy Pasadena for its many great spots for history. We visited this museum on a Saturday and were greeted very warmly by Christian who presented a small group of us with a great narrative tour. Such a nice time to see how the wealthy used to live back in the day. I highly recommend this museum and a special bonus if Christian leads the tour.

Honestly, such a cool hidden gem right in Pasadena! Stepping inside the Fenyes Mansion feels like…read moretaking a quick trip back to the 1900s, and the tour guide had the best facts-like how this massive 10,000-square-foot mansion was somehow the owner's idea of "downsizing," or how it's been used in movies like The Prestige. The place is loaded with original art and cool vintage details, but I honestly didn't want the tour to end. I was lowkey hoping we could explore every single room in the house, especially that secret basement with all the archives underground. Super worth checking out if you're looking for something fun and different to do for an afternoon!

This is the most difficult Botanical Garden to get in touch with…read more The hours they have posted on their website are wrong, no one picks up the phone after calling several times and leaving several messages. I went in person last weekend, and it was closed despite their online hours posted. The lack of clarity even upon walking up to the venue is not clear. They have no signs stating they are closed and it's clear they do not care to return voicemails. Please do not waste your time going there.

Background On Visit: Last Sunday (4/12/26), the venue hosted the Pasadena Festival Of Tea. We were…read moreone of the participants for this event. Hours Of Operation: They welcome visitors to the garden on many Friday and Saturday evenings and during the day on Sundays. You can check out their schedule of events and admission cost on their website: https://japanesegardenpasadena.app.neoncrm.com/np/clients/japanesegardenpasadena/event.jsp?;=&event=1612& Admission Cost: Mostly, $15 on Friday and Saturday. Sunday, it's $12. For other events, they post the cost on their website. Location/Parking: Located across from the Arlington Gardens (Free). It's kinda hidden, but just use the gps on your phone to guide you. Parking can be found along Arlington. For special events, they encourage you to park at Westridge School (Orange Grove and W. State St.) and walk up to Storrier Stearns. Ambiance/Decor: The Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden is a beautiful and charming retreat with a quiet and tranquil elegance. The place is small which contains many of the much admired design features found in the most lavish of Japanese-style gardens of its era. As Kendall Brown states in his book, California Japanese-style Gardens, "this is the genius of Kinzuchi Fujii: this was once a flat area of two tennis courts; now it is a masterwork. 1) Classic Niko-an Teahouse, the garden landscape offers a variety of other beautiful details. 2) Numerous gathering points, seating areas & vistas 3) Four original bridges plus the original cedar log Japanese Waiting Bench 4) Two large interconnected, irregularly shaped koi ponds 5) The sounds of two waterfalls, one cascading down a 25-foot hill 6) An artful dry riverbed for rain overflow winding through the garden 7) Cooling shade everywhere from spreading sycamores & old oaks 8) Many tons of boulders & stones 9) Granite statuary & stone lanterns Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden For Thought: Wouldn't mind coming back to re-center myself. I did a have nice time.

We spent 2 hours here, but could have spent so much more time if we didn't have a deadline. We went…read moreon the free day (first Friday of the month), but with that free ticket you only get 2 to 3 hours in the afternoon before the place closes, so it's a great taster to make you want to come again! Our kids ages 2 to 7 all had a great time! There was so much to do, from walking through the river and doing water play, to sand play in the pretend lake, to crafts (that we didn't have time for), to climbing equipment, and building/engineering/physics activities. Plenty of things to do both indoor and outdoor. The physics section is great for older kids too, even middle school (but the rest of the museum is definitely geared to elementary).

Free Parking, confusing at first as it's a shared lot for the park. There was a line upon arrival…read moreso you can actually buy tickets online and bypass the other line. The museum is both indoors and outdoors. There's several activities that are geared towards older kids such as sitting on seat and self-pull to go up. Or a tug a war type thing. The other outdoor activities are for all ages, they have areas where you can bang on stuff to hear the sounds. There's an indoor which I feel the younger ones loves such as the train table or the parachute. Overall there's activities for all ages. There was even a spot if someone wants to read and do storytime. Fun overall. It can get pricey. I'm not big on places charging adults as it truly is more for the kids.

The Gamble House sits at the pinnacle of craftsman style architecture and is an absolute must…read morepilgrimage museum for all fans of architecture. It is a beautiful example of the genre and is meticulously maintained by its docents. It also represents the very DNA of Pasadena residential architecture and it's influential style echoes throughout the city. A visit here is fun and you will learn about the history of Pasadena too. The tour takes about an hour and was throughly enjoyable. After your tour you and also spend time in the lovely adjoining gardens. Double highly recommend.

JUST AMAZING tour with docents who not only give details but actually care about the property…read more I was lucky to get a spot the day before. 100 out of 10 Oh and the bookstore shop is a must