Around Blind Donkey
3 stops, all within a short walk
1
0.4 mi
5:30 PMSomething to do
2
0.5 mi
7:00 PMDinner
3
8:30 PMNightcap
← Best activities in Los AngelesDate night guide · Los Angeles
A night out in Pasadena
Something to do first, then dinner to talk about it.
10 spots · Jump to the list
Doing something together beats sitting across a table, at least to start: a shared activity gives you something to react to, and it takes the pressure off the conversation. This list runs the whole range — a gallery or a show, a kayak or a climbing wall, a comedy set, the zoo — and every one of them sets up dinner afterwards. Check hours and booking before you go; the popular ones sell out on weekends.
This guide ranks 10 activities in Pasadena. Editors' picks come first, then the rest by rating, and the plans below build a whole evening around the best of them.
Nights people planned here
Published date nights with a stop on this list.
adventurous
Make a night of it
Routes around the top spots on the list, with the best-rated places nearby for the rest of the evening.
Around KingsRow Gastropub
3 stops, all within a short walk
1
0.6 mi
5:30 PMSomething to do
2
0.7 mi
7:00 PMDinner
3
8:30 PMNightcap
Around Norton Simon Museum
3 stops, all within a short walk
1
0.4 mi
5:30 PMSomething to do
2
< 0.1 mi
7:00 PMDinner
3
8:30 PMNightcap
Activities in Pasadena
Editors' picks first, then by rating.
Blind Donkey
4.8(14)Pasadena · $$
KingsRow Gastropub
4.8(9)Pasadena · $$
Norton Simon Museum
4.5(19)Pasadena · $$
Huntington Library
4.5(13)Pasadena · $$
Gamble House
4.5(6)Pasadena · $
Gold Bug
4.4(7)Pasadena · $
Old Pasadena + Colorado Street Bridge
4.3(22)Pasadena
Colorado Bar
4.3(12)Pasadena · $
WeFly
Pasadena · $$$$
Neon Retro Arcade
Pasadena · $$
Good to know
- What's the best activity in Pasadena for a date?
- Our top pick is Blind Donkey, rated 4.8 out of 5. KingsRow Gastropub and Norton Simon Museum round out the top 3.
- Are there affordable activities in Pasadena?
- Yes — Blind Donkey, KingsRow Gastropub and Norton Simon Museum are all $$ or under.
- Do I need a reservation?
- It depends on the spot. Book ahead for Huntington Library and WeFly.
- What should we do before or after?
- Make it a night out: something to do, then dinner, then nightcap. The plans on this page pair each top spot with the best-rated places within about a 20-minute walk.
More nights in Pasadena
Activities in other neighborhoods
Downtown Los AngelesLos Feliz / Griffith ParkTorranceLong BeachPasadenaHollywoodSanta MonicaBurbank / Studio CityCulver CityPalos VerdesRedondo / Hermosa BeachSilver Lake / Echo ParkVeniceGlendaleMid-Wilshire / Miracle MileWest HollywoodBeverly HillsKoreatown / Mid-CityWest LA / BrentwoodCatalina Island (Avalon)All of Los Angeles