The Rose Bowl stadium is an iconic sports venue in Pasadena, California. The stadium was built in 1922 and has since become a national historic landmark. The stadium is home to the annual Rose Bowl Game. In addition to serving as the home stadium for UCLA football, it has also hosted numerous concerts, five Super Bowl games, and even some Olympic events. For a behind-the-scenes look, you can take a Rose Bowl Stadium Tour.
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Rose Bowl Stadium Tour
Throughout the year the Rose Bowl Stadium Tours are only offered on the last Friday of the month. However, during the last week of the year, extra tours are offered on different days around the Rose Bowl Game. In 2023, I took the tour on January 2nd which was very cool. Since I took the tour the day after the big game we were able to go on the field and experience the stadium while it was still decorated for the game. The tours that take place leading up to the game cannot go on the field so it stays looking nice.
Rose Bowl Stadium Tours are offered at 10:30 am and 12:30 pm. 2024 Ticket Pricing is:
$25 per Adult
$20 per Senior (65+)
$20 per Child (5-12)
If you are not available on the last Friday of the month you can book a VIP tour. They also offer educational tours and private tours.
2024 Rose Bowl Tour Dates:
- Friday, Jun 28
- Friday, Jul 26
- Friday, Aug 30
- Friday, Sep 27
- Friday, Oct 25
- Friday, Nov 29
Tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite here.
Parking is free for the tour. Your guide will meet you outside of the designated gate. They request that you arrive 15 minutes early. There is a good amount of walking and stair climbing on the tour which is good to keep in mind if anyone in your party has mobility issues. When I took the tour it was 90 minutes long.
The tour kicks off in the Court of Champions which features the Rose Bowl game records as well as the names of the coaches and MVP players. The Hall of Fame statue is located in the Court of Champions as well. This is one of the best spots at the stadium for photos. This area is also home to the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame which honors members of the Rose Bowl Game Family who have contributed to the history and excitement of the game. Keep an eye on the ground for the plaque honoring the 100th Rose Bowl Game.
For our next stop, we went to the first of two locker rooms which were still decorated for Michigan and Alabama from the 2024 Rose Bowl Game. The two locker rooms are identical to each other but you should still be able to visit both. One of my favorite things about the locker rooms is the timeline of significant events that have taken place at the Rose Bowl over the years.
From the first locker room, we were able to walk out to the field. The field was still covered in confetti from the big game the day before. It was so much fun getting to take photos on the field. It was one of my favorite parts of the entire tour. Next, we climbed up the stairs to get to our next tour stop. There are no elevators in this part of the stadium so everyone does have to be able to climb the stairs. Eventually, you do reach an area with elevators to take you up to the press box.
The views from the press box were very impressive. It was exciting for me to get to see the stadium in a completely different way than when I came here for UCLA football games. Following the press box, we went to see the most expensive seats at the stadium, the loge boxes.
The best part of the tour is getting to go inside the museum located in the original 1922 Locker Room. In the museum, there are sections devoted to the Olympics, Super Bowl, UCLA and so many of the football games that have taken place at the stadium. Honestly, they don’t give you long enough in the museum to see everything because they want you to spend half of the time in there watching a video.
I would highly recommend the Rose Bowl Stadium tour. If you are interested in touring the Tournament of Roses Headquarters they offer free tours on Thursdays from late Spring to early Summer. You can look for tickets for upcoming tours on Eventbrite. If you would like information on attending the Rose Parade and how to volunteer to decorate a float you can check out our Rose Parade Guide.
Rose Bowl Events
Throughout the year there are several Rose Bowl events that you can enjoy.
Rose Bowl Flea Market
This beloved event takes place on the 2nd Sunday of every month. You can read more about it with our post on the Rose Bowl Flea Market.
Foodieland Night Market
Foodieland Night Market at the Rose Bowl is an annual event that takes place for three nights every Summer. It is an open-air and family-friendly food festival with 150+ vendors. Guests can enjoy food, shopping, games, and live entertainment.
2024 Dates and Hours:
Friday, June 21 — 3:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Saturday, June 22 — 1:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Sunday, June 23 — 1:00 PM – 10:00 PM
You can purchase tickets here.
4th of July at the Rose Bowl
The Rose Bowl used to host AmericaFest for the 4th of July but that has been canceled due to budget cuts. However, there is still an event taking place on July 4th. LA Galaxy and LAFC will play. The game will end with a fireworks show. Check out this blog post for other 4th of July Events in Los Angeles.
Upper Deck Golf
This is a one-of-a-kind golf experience taking place from 8/9 to 8/10. Guests will be able to play a round of golf throughout the stadium while enjoying music and food. You can register for early access here.
Egg Bowl
This is an egg hunt and spring festival that takes place during Easter weekend. It is a free egg hunt for kids up to 12 years old. Limited free tickets are available. We will update this when the 2025 free tickets will be available.
