A unique city with its own industries and attractions, yet just another L.A. neighborhood; a city steeped in history and rich in culture, yet pioneering the cutting edge of technology, Pasadena is a place of marvelous contradictions. 

The 135,000-population city in the shadow of the San Gabriels is home to Caltech, one of the world’s great scientific universities, but on Saturdays in the fall, it’s a football town as the UCLA Bruins defend the legendary Rose Bowl. It’s renowned for its historic Craftsman houses and an old town district dating back 150 years, and is also the site of Jet Propulsion Laboratories. For most of the year, it quietly goes about its business, but on one day each year – the first day, in fact – the City of Roses takes center stage in the nation’s most celebrated parade as tourists descend from across the country to enjoy the city’s reliable sunshine and welcoming hospitality. 

But for Angelenos, Pasadena is a year-round getaway that can feel a world away, while still located a mere 10 miles northeast of downtown. As such, it resides somewhere between vacation and stay-cation. And to get a little taste of the pleasures that make this local gem so special, here are some of the highlights of a City of Roses weekender.

Naturally, there are some fine accommodations, but to fully absorb the spirit of othe place, you’ll want to stay centrally located, near the heart of Old Pasadena. I found one situated just a couple of blocks off of Colorado Boulevard, right behind the Convention Center: the Hotel Dena. This is a stylish boutique (and dog-friendly) hotel evoking a nostalgic sense of bygone Hollywood while offering all the amenities that modernity affords (again, there’s that recurring motif of paradoxes). 

Start (and end) your evening at Agents Only, an elegant cocktail lounge with a bit of a speakeasy vibe. There’s a screening area with a Chaplin film projected onto a wall, as well as a library of classic tomes on the subject of cinema, but in a separate section, the bar is classy, the low-decibel music is pulsing, and there’s even a game on the TV. Get the night off to a good start with the Old Steakhouse Martini Service – Reyka vodka, Dolin dry vermouth and a “filthy” olive brine. You’ll want a second one, so grab a bite. You can’t go wrong with the trio of shrimp tacos or the chicken empanadas. Casting Call is their version of happy hour, and it’s M-F, 5-7 p.m.

Awake for a hearty breakfast the next morning at Lyric – they do a great smoked salmon Benedict with spinach, fyi, that’s served with home fries. Then maybe take a dip in the pool to get your blood going. 

Pasadenans take their coffee seriously, and there’s some seriously good caffeinators on and around Colorado Boulevard. But if you’re looking for a joint that the locals love, check out CAR Artisan Chocolate Manufactory and Cafe. It’s on the corner of Catalina Avenue, and there may be a line that goes around that corner, but don’t worry, it moves quickly. Their cortado is divine, and their pastries – particularly a blueberry one – are as good as any you’ll find in the region.

When you’re ready for some culture, there are options aplenty. You can take a guided tour of the gorgeous Gamble House, the embodiment of the Craftsman style. Or there’s the Norton Simon Museum, with its fascinating art collection. And of course, there’s the Huntington, which I will recommend for your first visit. Although technically located in neighboring San Marino, this popular local attraction is a combination library, art museum and botanical gardens. 

In all of Southern California, there are few spots so stunning as these manicured gardens, and yet you don’t find the same “selfie” culture that dominates other tourist haunts. There is instead a reverence for nature that pervades the environment whether you’re among the Bansai trees in the Japanese garden or the ocotillos in the cactus garden; meditating beside the lily ponds or whiffing the roses. 

The art galleries include collections on European, American and Asian masterpieces in the form of paintings, sculptures, photography, decorative arts and more. Meanwhile, the Huntington Library houses more than 11 million items, some of which date back a thousand years. It’s a research facility dedicated to the preservation of the written word.  

But if you have young children, there’s only so much culture they can handle in a day, and they’re going to need to get their energy out. Luckily, there’s the Kidspace Children’s Museum. In a beautiful park (with two playgrounds and sports fields) beside the Rose Bowl is a family-friendly attraction that elementary school children across L.A. visit for field trips. 

There are more than 40 fun, interactive exhibits that encourage kids to explore and create. The Winter Frolic is currently underway and if your little one has never skated in socks, get ready for some hilarity. There is laughter all around as boys and girls play redlight/greenlight and other games while slipping and sliding. 

For lunch, wind a short distance through the Arroyo Seco area to a little neighborhood off the 210 Freeway, where you’ll discover one of the most charming delicatessens to be found. Little Flower is part cafe/bakery, part boutique and features gourmet coffee and jams and other food products, as well as locally and artisanally made knick-knacks and kitchen items, including some fantastic cookbooks. By the way, the French ham and butter sandwich is to die for, as is the Italian, composed of ham, fennel salami, spicy salami, mortadella, aged provolone, romaine, tomato, onion, oregano, oil and vinegar on a housemade baguette. 

Pasadena’s culinary scene is impressive. Indicative of this dining excellence Marina, an example of what a modern neighborhood hangout can be. Keeping with the idea of contradictions, it is an intimate yet uncrowded space; it has a rustic Italian foundation but with all the requisite California-influenced flourishes (local, seasonal, superior ingredients); it is as ideal for a date night as it is for grabbing a drink after work. 

Currently on the menu is a thinly sliced-persimmon salad that blends the exquisite flavors of candied walnuts with salty speck and fresh mint, accompanied by whipped goat cheese and balsamic reduction atop an arugula bed. The bold colors and textures make this item as beautiful to look at as to eat. Pair it with a glass of Albarino and an order of blistered bread and Ricotta for a truly delightful start to your meal. 

Another seasonal dish to warm your soul is the butternut squash agnolotti, which melts in your mouth with the elements of pine nuts, fried sage, pecorino, Mascarpone and mild espelette in a decadent brown butter sauce. 

So, to get away from it all without really even leaving town, pack out to Pasadena. And with the new year just around the corner, this is the City of Roses’ time of the year, in which it basks in the limelight … and the sunshine, which the old-time orange growers of the area touted in order to bring Midwesterners out to their far-off city in the middle of winter to watch the wholesome spectacle of a flowery parade.