To most people, the Rose Bowl is Pasadena’s most famous icon. Although the Myron Hunt – designed stadium was not built until 1922, the fun actually began much earlier. In 1890, the Pasadena Valley Hunt Club hosted the first Tournament of Roses Parade and games. An audience of about 2,000 locals came to watch a parade of flower-adorned horse-drawn buggies, followed by tugs of war, footraces, and a game known as the tourney of rings.

The first Rose Bowl football game was played in 1902 in Tournament Park, while the inaugural game in the completed Rose Bowl Stadium took place in 1923. Apart form the New Year’s Day hoopla, the 104,000-seat stadium hosts the UCLA Bruins home games and other special events. It is also the site of a terrific flea market on the second Sunday of each month.