Road trip on Historic U.S. Route 66 to Pasadena, California

Route 66 in Pasadena California

Route 66, the Mother Road, ran southwest in Arizona from Kingman through Cool Springs to Oatman, and onward to Golden Shores and Topock where it turned west to Needles, California.

From the Arizona state line to San Bernardino U.S. Highway 66 followed the old National Old Trails Highway.

Leaving Needles, the road ventured a bit north, through Goffs. This railroad town remained a stop on Route 66 until 1931, when a more direct alignment between Needles and Essex was opened.

The road then headed south, through Chambless and Amboy, and then west to Ludlow, Newberry Springs and on to Barstow. There it turned south and traveled through Helendale, Victorville, through the Cajon Pass, and on to San Bernardino.

A final westward track carrried the route through Rancho Cucamonga and Arcadia into Pasadena. The city is 11 miles from Los Angeles, 15 miles from Hollywood, and 27 miles from Santa Monica.

As Route 66 left Pasadena’s Colorado Boulevard, it connected to a number of existing roadways. Route 66 made its way to downtown Los Angeles, followed Sunset Boulevard, connected with North Santa Monica Boulevard and headed through Beverly Hills, as it continued west to Santa Monica.

Map showing the location of Pasadena on Historic Route 66

Lodging, Dining and Attractions in Pasadena ... from TripAdvisor

Pasadena Travel Guide

Pasadena Hotel Directory, Traveler Reviews and Reservations

Pasadena Restaurant Listings and Reviews

Pasadena Attractions and Things to Do

Popular Attractions in Pasadena

Norton Simon Museum
Old Pasadena
Colorado Boulevard
Pasadena City Hall
The Gamble House
Tournament of Roses and the Rose Parade
Kidspace Children's Museum
Eaton Canyon Natural Area
Arlington Garden
Castle Green - A Nationally Registered Historic Monument and Pasadena Treasure, over 100 years old. Built during the Victorian era, and now faithfully restored in every detail.

More attractions and things to do at Visit Pasadena

California Street Bridge

With its majestic arches rising 150 feet above the deeply cut Arroyo Seco, the Colorado Street Bridge was proclaimed the highest concrete bridge in the world upon completion in 1913. The bridge connected Pasadena to Los Angeles, and traffic on the new bridge was heavy. Only two lanes wide, the bridge was considered inadequate as early as the 1930s. The bridge remained part of Route 66 until the 1940 completion of the Arroyo Seco Parkway. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.

Arroyo-Seco Bridge: Vintage View
Vintage view of the Arroyo-Seco Briidge, U.S. Highway 66, between Pasadena and Los Angeles, California

Arroyo-Seco Bridge: Recent View
Current day view of the Arroyo-Seco Bridge, between Pasadena and Los Angeles, California

East of Pasadena: Rancho Cucamonga

The Cucamonga Service Station is a historic gas and automobile service station located in Rancho Cucamonga, California.

Located on Historic Route 66, it was built in 1915 and today serves as a museum. The official address is 9670 Foothill Blvd, Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730.

Cucamonga Service Station in California on Historic Route 66

Route 66 overpass in Rancho Cucamonga

Route 66 overpass in Rancho Cucamonga, California

Just west of Pasadena: Chicken Boy in Los Angeles

The 22-foot high, fiberglass Chicken Boy, is part man and part chicken, and holds a yellow bucket of chicken. Chicken Boy was originally located on the roof of the Chicken Boy restaurant on Broadway in Los Angeles. It was later put in storage, and then relocated to its current site atop the Future Studio Gallery, on 5558 North Figueroa Avenue, part of Historic Route 66, in the Highland Park area. It is commonly called the "Statue of Liberty of Los Angeles".
Chicken Boy in Los Angeles, California

Interactive Map of Pasadena, California

The Weather in Pasadena

Pasadena has a Mediterranean climate, with typically hotter summers and slightly cooler winters than nearby coastal areas. Its location relative to the San Gabriel mountains allows the orographic lift to tac on several more inches of rainfall per year than nearby areas.

The average temperature for the year in Pasadena is 63.9°F. The warmest month, on average, is August with an average temperature of 74.7°F. The coolest month on average is January, with an average temperature of 54.4°F.

More Information About Pasadena and Route 66

City of Pasadena

Visit Pasadena

Pasadena at Visit California

Experience Route 66 at Visit California

Old Pasadena

Pasadena Chamber of Commerce

Tournament of Roses and the Rose Parade

California Route 66 Association

Earlier Times: Vintage Views of Pasadena

Earlier times on Route 66 in Pasadena, California: The Grand Motel

We have included below a sampling of our collection of vintage travel postcards dealing with Pasadena and Route 66.

What was Route 66 like in its earlier years, as visitors drove around and through Pasadena, and attended games at the Rose Bowl? What did all the service stations, motels and public buildings look like when they were new?

What did the traveling public experience on the Mother Road? We wonder such things when we travel Route 66 today.

Those earlier times in the 1930s, 40s and 50s were not always captured on film. But the use of colorful postcards was common in those decades.

These portray the historic road in its prime and help us to visualize, and appreciate, "earlier times" as we drive Route 66 today around Pasadena.