Heading to Pasadena for New Years? This beginner’s guide to the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl events will give you all you need to know for a successful trip.
During the 5 years that we lived in Southern California, I really wanted to go to the Rose Parade on New Year’s Day in Pasadena. It’s been on my bucket list for years! But for various reasons, we never made it during the time we lived there. It took the University of Utah football team making it to the Rose Bowl for it to finally happen. (Matt is a HUGE Ute fan.) So when we planned to head back to California for the Rose Bowl game, I insisted we hit the parade too and enjoy a full day of the Tournament of Roses festivities. But I wished there was an easy guide to the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl to make planning easier! So I created my own! Enjoy!
History of the Tournament of Roses
For more than 100 years, Pasadena has hosted “America’s New Year Celebration.” It all started in the late 1800s, when Valley Hunt Club members sponsored the first Tournament of Roses as a way to promote the charm and beautiful weather of Pasadena. Club president, Professor Charles F. Holder, suggested the idea at a club meeting. “In New York, people are buried in snow. Here our flowers are blooming and our oranges are about to bear. Let’s hold a festival to tell the world about our paradise,” he said. By the turn of the century, the festival had become too big for the club to handle, so the Tournament of Roses association was formed to manage the events. And the tournament has been going strong from sunny Southern California ever since.
It takes nearly 1000 volunteers and more than 80,000 hours to ensure the success of the Tournament of Roses. Nicknamed “White Suiters” because of the distinctive white uniform every volunteer wears, the festivities are made possible because of these amazing volunteers. A small full-time staff provides support and continuity to the volunteer organization.
The Tournament of Roses consists of two main events held each New Year’s Day in Pasadena—the Rose Parade and the Rose Bowl football game. And it’s totally possible to do both if you want. Read on to find out how! Note: If New Year’s Day falls on a Sunday, the festivities will be moved to the following Monday.
Rose Parade Events
Rose Parade
The Rose Parade is unlike any other in that the floats are all decorated with fresh flowers and other natural materials. The color and smell along the parade route is so vibrant! With so many amazing floats, marching bands from around the country, and high-stepping equestrian units decked out in florals too, this parade is one for the books!
While I loved seeing the colorful and fragrant floats, I was surprised that one of my favorite parts was the marching bands! They were so fun to listen to and brought an awesome energy with them.
How to Watch the Rose Parade
The parade route covers 5 ½ miles mostly down Colorado Ave in Pasadena. There are several ways to watch the parade. You can purchase reserved seating in the grandstands from Sharp Seating. Pricing ranges depending on how close to the parade start your seats are. You can also camp out along the parade route to ensure a great curbside seat. Camping out is permitted beginning at noon on New Year’s Eve. You can also come to the parade route early on the morning of the parade and try to find a spot. This is most successful toward the final mile or 2 of the route. You may want to consider bringing a stepstool to be able to see over the people who have been camping out.
No matter what option you choose to view the parade, make sure to get there early! There was a long line to get in and have your vaccination card/negative covid test checked, and the lines for the bathrooms were long too! Bring cash if you want to purchase food/drinks from vendors along the route. The smell of grilled hot dogs was tempting!
Matt and I opted to purchase reserved seating in the grandstands simply because we didn’t want to camp out and we didn’t know what to expect. Since we were headed to the game afterwards, we also wanted to be closer to the beginning of the parade route so we could just walk over to the stadium after the game. It was about a mile walk and we had plenty of time to do this.
Floatfest
If you don’t want to sit through a 2-hour parade and deal with finding (or purchasing) a spot, you can attend Floatfest. Floatfest takes place the afternoon of New Year’s Day (during the Rose Bowl game) and also the day after. All the floats are parked in one big area and you can go see them up close. I’d recommend this if you have young kids that can’t sit through a parade. You can bring a stroller and snacks to help keep them happy. And bring plenty of water! It can take up to 2 hours to walk through and view all the floats. So wear comfy shoes! There is an admissions charge to Floatfest.
Bandfest
A couple of days before New Year’s Day, you can attend Bandfest and hear all the marching bands. They post a schedule so you can be sure to come when the bands you want to hear are playing.
Volunteer to work on a float
If you’re in the area a few days to a few weeks before the parade, you can even volunteer to help decorate one of the floats! This is such a fun way to get up close and personal with the floats and see how much work goes into making them so beautiful. They do have age restrictions for this, so if you plan to take your kids, make sure they’re old enough. Different float companies have different requirements, but most seem to be for 12 and up. And they usually are looking for volunteers to complete at least one 4-6 hour shift. I wanted to do this, but there weren’t any spots open for the days we were going to be in town, so if this is something you’re interested in, sign up early! Get details here.
Rose Bowl Game
History of the Rose Bowl Game
The first Tournament of Roses football game, which was the first post-season football game in the nation, was staged at Tournament Park on January 1, 1902. The game matched the West Coast’s Stanford against Midwestern Michigan. Today the Rose Bowl game is typically a match-up between the PAC-12 champion and the BIG 10 champion. Although the game had been played most years since 1902, this exclusive agreement was officially announced in 1947, and the pact is the oldest intercollegiate postseason bowl agreement between two major conferences in the United States. It was also the first football game to be radio broadcast and televised. Because of this rich history and tradition, the Rose Bowl game has been dubbed “The Granddaddy of Them All.”
The Rose Bowl experience
After viewing the parade we walked over to the stadium, where people had been tailgating since the early morning! So if tailgating is your thing, you won’t be alone. They also had a big Fanfest area set up just outside the stadium with a live band, food trucks, contests, photo opportunities, merchandise for sale and a lot of fun things to do before the game. This is nice because it’s a big, open area with lots of room to spread out. Inside the stadium is more crowded. I’d suggest getting lunch here before the game so you won’t have to stand in as long of lines inside. And you won’t miss any of the game!
When we went (Jan. 1, 2022), the match-up was between the University of Utah and Ohio State. It was such a fun game and a nail biter right up to the last minute of the game. We met plenty of Ohio State fans, who were very nice and respectful. The game started off with a super cool flyover (there was a flyover at the parade too) and fireworks, so be aware of that if you are sensitive to really loud, explosive noises.
How to get tickets
Tickets can be purchased on all your major ticket sites, like Ticketmaster. Tickets to the Rose Bowl are a lot cheaper if you buy them before the match-up is announced. And can fluctuate in price depending on who is playing and the demand. A large portion of tickets are given to each school to sell to their respective fans, so you could potentially get tickets through the universities as well. You can also get a full package deal with tickets, parade tickets, accommodations, transportation, etc. through On Location if you want convenience.
Visiting Pasadena during the Rose festivities
Where to stay
Hotel prices go WAY up during the Tournament of Roses and often sell out, so keep that in mind if you want to stay right in Pasadena. There are plenty of options fairly close by that are cheaper if you’re willing to drive into Pasadena or take public transportation. We stayed at an Airbnb about 20 miles away and had no problems getting into Pasadena the morning of Jan. 1.
Where to park
Parking for the Rose Bowl is typically available on the nearby golf course that surrounds the stadium. Yes, it’s kind of weird parking on a golf course, but it works! You can prepay for parking through Park Jockey or pay when you arrive. You can also purchase RV parking there as well (these go fast and early!). The parade route is about a mile from the stadium, so if you’re doing both, it’s a fairly easy walk over. Just get there early so you’ll have plenty of time. Most lots open by 6 a.m. so you can arrive early and tailgate or head to the parade.
You can also take public transportation. Just take the Metro Gold Line to the game, and exit the train at Memorial Park Station in Pasadena. Follow the signs for two blocks to the Rose Bowl Game shuttle pick-up location at Parsons. This shuttle will take you directly to the Rose Bowl Stadium. Parsons is fairly close to the parade route as well.
Other places of interest
If you’re going to spend a few days in Pasadena, there is plenty to do! Here are some of our favorites:
- Old Pasadena: There’s a reason why Pasadena is the home of America’s New Year’s Celebration! There is so much charm and history. You can visit museums and galleries, eat good food, shop, and see amazing architecture.
- The Fork in the Road: This quirky 18-foot tall sculpture is a fun place to take some unique photos! You’ll find it at the intersection of St. Johns and Pasadena Avenues.
- Jet Propulsion Lab: Look at flight operations centers, the spacecraft assembly plant, and the von Karman Visitor Center. Tours must be booked in advance and provide informational and fascinating education from local guides.
- Kidspace Children’s Museum: Bringing the kids along? Don’t miss this fun museum with lots of hands-on activities and exhibits for kids of all ages. My kids really enjoyed this museum. They even have a Noon-Year’s Eve celebration on Dec. 31.
- Huntington Library and Gardens: This is more than just a library! While the Huntington Library boasts all sorts of rare books and other collections, you’ll also find amazing art collections and gorgeous botanical gardens.
We truly enjoyed our visit to the Tournament of Roses, despite the unfortunate outcome of the game. I’d highly suggest making a New Year’s visit to Pasadena an item on your bucket list!
Have you been to the Rose festivities? What would you add to this guide to the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl?
Want more ideas of things to do in Southern California? Check out my Disneyland planning guide and my San Diego guide!
