Pasadena Listed Among New York Times’ ‘52 Places to Go in 2024’

The New York Times has included Pasadena in its list of “52 Places to Go in 2024,” describing the city as an “artsy, walkable corner of Los Angeles that’s worth the Metro ride.” The City of Roses made the list along with the likes of Paris, Maui and Vienna.

Writing for the paper, Anne Lise Sorensen, a writer and journalist covering travel, culture and cuisine, said Pasadena’s natural beauty “is clear as soon as you roll into town.” 

“The San Gabriel Mountains preside over Pasadena like a sylvan crown, and hiking and biking trails framed by forested valleys and tumbling waterfalls abound in places like the Angeles National Forest,” the article reads. “The leafy city center is eminently strollable, with a vibrant main street and the nearby Norton Simon Museum, which features a sculpture garden inspired by Monet’s grounds at Giverny. The Tony Award-winning Pasadena Playhouse offers serious drama as well as youth-focused programming.”

The article also said PST ART, a Getty museum project, will hold exhibitions at museums and art centers in Pasadena this year. 

PST ART, which has the theme “Art and Science Collide,” will be held in September this year. Described as Southern California’s landmark arts event, PST ART will feature more than 818 artists and about 50 exhibitions. In Pasadena, some of the venues listed on the PST ART website include Caltech, JPL, the ArtCenter College of Design, Armory Center for the Arts and The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino. 

Sorensen also recommended dining at some of the more popular restaurants in Pasadena.

“To fuel up, try the innovative newcomer Bar Chelou or a new wave of Asian restaurants, notably the Cantonese-influenced Colette,” she wrote. 

The article mentioned riding on the Metro train service when visiting Pasadena. Metro recently opened its Regional Connector project that makes it possible to “ride from the sands of Long Beach to the stands of the Rose Bowl,” according to the article.