I attended the Tournament of Roses Parade, then the Rose Bowl Game. ...

[aggiesal]

23. Good questions ...

Last edited Thu Jan 2, 2025, 04:26 PM - Edit history (1)

Tickets for the parade start selling Feb 3rd.
You can get Parade Tickets Information from this site
https://sharpseating.com/
But checking the ticket agencies the last week before the parade (TicketMaster, StubHub, Seat Geek, Vivid Seats, ...), you'd probably get them cheaper. This year seats cost $125/seat face value.
The last week I was seeing tickets, on the after market, as cheap as $60.
The best bleacher seats are on Orange Grove Blvd. at the corner of W. Colorado Blvd. intersection (National TV feeds are here. Seating Section 124 when looking for tickets).

If you don't mind missing the skits, the bleachers on W. Colorado Blvd. at the corner of Orange Grove Blvd. are premium (Usually local TV feeds like KTLA are here).

In all cases the lower the row the better, you want to get as close to the floats as possible.

If you don't want to pay to watch, it's a 5 mile parade route, lined the whole way. You'll have to get there early. Some stakeout the night before and they bring sleeping bags and small grills to cook dinner & breakfast.
For free parade section, when walking to the parade, I take W. Holly St. to Arroyo Dr., then reaching S. Arroyo Blvd. go south. Reaching Arbor St. walk up the hill, and it is a severe hill, so be prepared to stop along the way, I swear it's worth it. When you reach Orange Grove Blvd. This is the start of the parade. You'll see all the TV RV's and the Rose Bowl House at this corner. Cross Orange Grove street and start walking North looking for a spot you'll enjoy the parade, the earlier you arrive the better.
I usually take a small calapsable chair, the smaller the better. Remember you have to carry this seat with you from the stadium.

Bring a jacket, it's cold in the morning, but by 10 am. it's warm enough that you won't need it until the sunsets, during the game.

When the parade ends, follow the parade, walk back to the stadium staying on Orange Grove Blvd. until you cross the 134, then turn left on Holly St. back to the stadium.

Also remember, this is an adventure, so enjoy every bit of it.

For Rose Bowl tickets, Rose Bowl uses TicketMaster. I've never been able to find out when exactly they are released.

Face value for this year as $250. I've noticed that every ticket to the Rose Bowl game are priced the same regardless of seat location. So 50 yard line or back of the end zone would cost $250 this year. I got lucky this year. My ticket cost $250 plus ticket fees of $47.50 (I hate ticket fees).
As you can see from the sunset picture, my ticket was on the 48 yard line on the Ohio St. sideline, and I bought it the day before. But I only needed 1 ticket.

For about 20 years I dealt with fans with extra tickets (never scalpers, they have crappy tickets but charge premium seat prices) I always got tickets for less than face value. The only time I paid more than face value was when I needed 3 tickets.
But if you need tickets in hand before you come to the Rose Bowl, start monitoring the Ticket agencies mentioned earlier, the minute the teams are decided.
Any championship game or game with USC, are going to be expensive, bank on it.
https://rosebowlgame.com/sports/2021/10/6/tickets-vip-packages.aspx

When attending, park near the stadium. The walk to the parade route is about 1 mile. But you won't regret it, trying to dodge the traffic, moving your car from the parade parking to game parking. Expect to pay about $50 for stadium parking.

As for hotels, I usually drive up the morning of the parade, so I get up at 3:30, to leave by 4:30, arriving at Pasadena around 7 am, then walk the 1 mile to the parade route by 8am. Usually get to my seat around 7:40-7:45 having to go through security then the maze of paths to get to your seats.

I'd say any hotel in north LA area, maybe along the 210 or 134 would be the closest hotels with clear access to the parade.
210 would be East & North of the stadium & parade route.
134 would be West of the stadium & parade route.
I always head east on 134 from route 2, and exit at the Linda Vista exit, turning right from the off ramp onto N. San Rafael Ave, then an immediate left onto W. Colorado Blvd. Once on W. Colorado Blvd., unless your on a bus, it will be blocked off, where your forced to take Linda Vista Ave. Stay on Linda Vista until you reach Seco St. (Basically just follow the Orange pile-ons into the stadium)

Hope this helps your enjoyment experience.