The "Crown" of the San Gabriel Valley, Pasadena is situated 10 miles (16 km) northeast of downtown Los Angeles and covers 23 square miles (60 sq. km) at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains along the Arroyo Seco. The renowned Mount Wilson Observatory atop Mount Wilson overlooks the city.

Pasadena is widely known for its New Year celebrations, the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl football game, which are viewed by 450 million people worldwide on television. Equally famous is the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which is a California Institute of Technology, Art Center College of Design, Pacific Oaks College, and Fuller Theological Seminary. Over 45,000 students attend these institutions.

The City Hall, with its classic style of early Renaissance architecture, was completed in 1927. It sets a standard for a community with a distinctive heritage. The large Civic Auditorium and Conference Center, Pasadena Playhouse, and Beckman Auditorium provide centers for cultural presentations.

Pasadena is a showcase of Craftsman Style and early California Bungalow architecture, as can be seen in the Gamble House and many more magnificent residential homes that attract television and movie productions. Numerous museums, such as the Norton Simon Museum, Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena Historical Museum, and nearby Huntington Library and Gardens, accent the city's historic culture. The ethnically diverse population of approximately 136,000, which is more than 27% foreign-born, enhances the cultural, business, and educational opportunities in Pasadena.

The city has 29 religious denominations, with more than 170 churches, temples, mosques, and shrines. The are over 50,200 households in Pasadena. Paseo Colorado, South Lake Avenue, Hastings Ranch, and Old Town offer excellent shopping and dining opportunities.