Pasadena Weekend Planner: Avoiding Carmageddon 2

There’s never a shortage of interesting things to do in Pasadena, but this weekend you get the added incentive of avoiding a possible traffic jam.

Carmageddon 2 is this weekend [insert Doomsday music here]. While the first full 405 closure weekend ended up being traffic-free, it was likely due to all the worry beforehand that kept folks away from the freeways.

Below are some ideas for how to spend Friday night through Sunday without leaving town. Have an idea for what to do in Pasadena this weekend? Tell us in the comments.  

Visit a Museum

Whether your art interests are ancient, modern or contemporary, you like current artists from nearby or late artists from across the pond, museum events for kids or adults, Pasadena’s museums have you covered.

One event in particular is outside a museum but falls under the category of art installation. An artist reception for Chris Burden, who created the Small Skyscraper at One Colorado will be held Saturday from 4-6 p.m. in the One Colorado Courtyard (41 Hugus Alley).

Check out this list of some of Pasadena’s museums and see what they have in store:

Kidspace Museum

Armory Center for the Arts

Norton Simon Museum

Pasadena Museum of California Art

Pacific Asia Museum

Pasadena Museum of History

*Note that PMH’s galleries and store will be closed Saturday to prepare for their gala celebrating re-opening of the Fenyes Mansion.

See Pasadena Pooches

The Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA's 14th Annual Wiggle Waggle Walk will bring together dogs and the people who love them on Sunday at Brookside Park. Bring your pooch or just ooh and aah over the canines, particularly those in creative outfits. The Pasadena Patch team will be at Wiggle Waggle Walk so say hi if you see us and get some free Patch swag!

Try a New Restaurant

New eateries are constantly popping up in town and making the decision of where to dine a bit harder—a great problem for anyone to have.

Among the newest additions to the Pasadena restaurant scene are:

Float, a small vintage soda/ice cream/coffee/sandwich shop tucked away on South Lake Avenue.

Cousins Maine Lobster, which started as a food truck and made its brick and mortar debut inside LIV MIXX lounge on Colorado Boulevard on Sept. 21.

See a Movie

Your movie-viewing preferences are covered in Pasadena, whether you’re looking for a $2 flick at the Academy, a charming personal introduction to your film at Arclight or the lap of luxury at iPic.

Take a Hike

No, literally. Take a hike. There’s plenty of local trails, but you may want to choose one with a good amount of shade or slap on sunblock, a hat and drink plenty of water to combat the heat.

A couple nearby hiking spots are:

Eaton Canyon

Mount Wilson

Hit Up a Local Farmers’ Market

The Pasadena Certified Farmers' Market at Victory Park happens Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. so stock up on fresh produce and other good eats and treats.

See a Live Show

The Pasadena Playhouse’s newest show is Under My Skin, which describes itself as, “A revealing look at sex, love and healthcare.” Intrigued?

Enjoy live music al fresco as duo Roland and Adriane perform jazz, Motown, opera and showtunes in the One Colorado Courtyard Friday night.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of everything in Pasadena this weekend, but hopefully it will inspire you to explore even more of the city and stay away from that dreaded freeway.

What are your Carmageddon 2 weekend plans? Tell us in the comments.