No. 11 Pasadena

Coming up Roses
Adjacent to Los Angeles is Pasadena, home to the "Granddaddy" of bowl games, the Rose Bowl — preceded, of course, by the fragrant and fanciful Tournament of Roses Parade. In addition to being UCLA's home field, the 100,000-seat Rose Bowl has hosted Super Bowls, NCAA championships and World Cup finals. 

If you go ...
In Old Town Pasadena visit the stately mansions of early 20th century chewing-gum and beer barons William Wrigley and Adolphus Busch. Pasadena is also home to the California Institute of Technology, and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which monitors the Mars Rover and Hubble Telescope, is nearby. Be sure to try the gnocchi at Briganti's and the meatloaf at Green Street. And The Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens in neighboring San Marino are a must-see for any visitor.

Across town is the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum and Sports Arena, which hosted the 1932 and 1984 Summer Olympic Games and was the temporary home field for the Los Angeles Dodgers after they left Brooklyn at the end of the 1957 season. Two pro football teams, the Rams and the Raiders, once called the Coliseum home. Since 1923, it's also been the home field for the University of Southern California.

Pasadena sits at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains, filled with hiking, fishing and camping opportunities and spectacular views of Los Angeles (smog permitting). And SoCal’s famous beaches and Disneyland are quick trips.

• NEXT, No. 10: Rumbling rafters and salamanders
• Introduction: 11 Football Destinations You Can't Miss