Families Can Enjoy Good Art and Good Eats in Pasadena

Pasadena gears up for a lot of attention as it prepares to host its annual Rose Parade on New Year’s Day, but it won’t just be the parade that makes it the place to be for family travelers in 2024. The coming year is full of great things for the city, like interesting anniversaries and fun kid-friendly events, which means great ways for visiting families to explore and discover.

In January the city celebrates the 100^th birthday of the cheeseburger. Originally called the “Aristocratic Burger,” the first hamburger with cheese is said to have been invented by Lionel Clark Sternberger at The Rite Spot, paving the way for a delicious classic kids love. Although the restaurant has long since gone out of business, the city celebrates each year with Cheeseburger Week, happening Jan. 21 to 27.While the birthday celebrations happen all month long, Cheeseburger Week will include a downloadable cheeseburger passport, letting you collect stamps for each cheeseburger you sample at participating locations around the city, which can then be redeemed for unique prizes.

The city’s signature dish, the cheeseburger, isn’t the only reason families visit this beautiful Southern California city. The Norton Simon Museum is home to some of the world’s greatest works of art and offers some pretty incredible family perks and programs. Located at the quiet end of Colorado Boulevard, right near the start of the famous Rose Parade route, it offers free admission to anyone 18 and younger.

Little ones can enjoy readings of beloved children’s books on the first Sunday of each month at the Story Afternoons programs and special events on the occasional Saturday like Family Days, which give families a wonderful opportunity to explore the museum’s special collections together. Each August, the museum also hosts a unique event, Family Chess Days, where kids have the chance to play chess with other kids or learn the rules of the game from a master in the serenity of the museum’s garden.