California Institute of Technology
- Local Atmosphere

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Though Caltech’s atmosphere is quiet and serene, it’s central location allows students to visit most of LA, San Diego, Las Vegas, and more. Caltech is in the more affluent section of Pasadena, neighboring mostly large estates and expensive houses. Pasadena also has numerous coffee shops available to Caltechers to help them stay awake. The Rose Bowl, a tourist site for many, has been an American sports landmark for over a century, and one would be hard-pressed to find a wilder celebration on New Year’s Day than the Tournament of Roses Parade. PCC (Pasadena City College) is located across the street from Caltech. PCC and Caltech students do not interact on a regular basis, but students from these schools have been known to hook up and/or date on occasion.

Pasadena is also a mere 30-minute drive from the California coastline. Malibu, Puma, and Ventura beaches are all easily accessible if you have a car or the money (and patience) for public transportation. Malibu is also the home of Pepperdine University. For sports fans, the Staples Center is a must-see. Downtown LA also has the La Brea Tar Pits for all you pre-historic buffs. Downtown is the home of USC (University of Southern California) and Occidental University. USC and Caltech collaborate on research projects, and every now and then, we have mixed a cappella concerts. For more distant ventures, Pasadena is also about two hours away from Tijuana and San Diego (home of the world’s greatest zoo, Sea World, and Lego-Land). Also, Vegas is only a four-hour drive away. Caltech students have the privilege of doing something different every weekend—that is, if they have the time!

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Local Atmosphere at California Institute of Technology

Anonymous

Student

You should definitely cruise...

You should definitely cruise through San Marino, an affluent neighborhood with multimillion-dollar mansions, at least once just to get the feel of it. Huntington Library and Gardens (in San Marino), a short walk or drive away from campus, is also pretty nice. It’s basically some guy’s old estate (he’s passed away by now) with a large botanical garden and art collection in it. They’ve got a lot of assorted plants, and a few are extremely rare; it’s just a nice place to sit around in or walk through.

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Local Atmosphere at California Institute of Technology

Anonymous

Student

If you want to visit other...

If you want to visit other universities, it will require some form of transportation (such as a car). UCLA is about a half-hour drive away; USC is slightly closer. Then there are the Claremont Colleges which are 30 to 40 minutes away in the other direction. In Pasadena, there’s also the Art Center College of Design (an art school) where I think you can take some classes if you want, and Occidental College is about a 10-minute drive away (it’s a small liberal arts college located in Glendale).

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Local Atmosphere at California Institute of Technology

Anonymous

Student

The atmosphere in Pasadena is...

The atmosphere in Pasadena is friendly but posh. Nothing particular to stay away from, but do visit Old Pasadena and the various bookstores on Colorado.

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