Northwest Pasadena, Pasadena, CA

Northwest Pasadena is a large part of the city that runs from the 210 and 134 freeways north to the city line, and its character comes as much from its commercial streets as from its houses. Five corridors cross it, Lincoln, Fair Oaks, Woodbury, Washington and Orange Grove, each with its own mix of shops and small businesses. Homes are mostly Craftsman bungalows, Spanish-style houses and smaller traditional homes on regular city lots. Older residents still remember that parts of the area were cleared for the 210 Freeway and its interchange with the 134, and that history shapes the southern edge today. Sailor's Brew Coffee, a veteran-owned and Black-owned roaster working in small batches, pours on Lincoln, and Craftsman Brewing has made its draft-only beer on the same street since 1995, though it runs without a tasting room. For outdoor time, Robinson Park Recreation Center and La Pintoresca Park sit on the eastern side near Fair Oaks. Brookside Park and the flat 3.3-mile Rose Bowl Loop are a short drive west across the Arroyo Seco, where walkers, runners and cyclists circle the stadium every day. Everyday errands happen along North Fair Oaks, where Vallarta Supermarkets handles most grocery runs. Metro Local lines 660 and 662 and several Pasadena Transit routes run through, and freeway access is close on the southern edge. The tradeoff is spread. A Saturday in Northwest Pasadena often looks like coffee on Lincoln, a sandwich run at Ferrazzani's and a lap around the Rose Bowl, all within a few miles of home.