A remarkable 120-acre estate combining world-class art collections – including Gainsborough’s The Blue Boy – with a series of exceptional botanical gardens. The Japanese Garden alone is worth the trip. Tranquil, vast, and genuinely transportive; give yourself at least three hours. 

A long-running Pasadena favourite for traditional Thai cooking in an unfussy, welcoming setting. The menu covers the classics with care – curries, noodles, and rice dishes that are consistently well-executed. Generous portions, warm service, and a relaxed pace make it a natural fit after a full day of gardens and museums.  

Though you may not at first think you can find a Rembrandt, a Degas, or a Picasso (to name only a few) along a LA boulevard consider yourself mistaken. For the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena is home to  one of the world's most remarkable private collections of old master paintings. 

Traditional dim sum for lunch and exquisite Cantonese seafood for dinner, Sea Harbour Seafood Restaurant is an upscale gem. Renowned for inventive à la carte dim sum, it boasts ace flavors and wondrous textures. The menu, curated by devoted chefs, features also bigger plates like the elevated sweet and sour pork. All the ingredients are local, fresh, healthy and authentic.