The Rose Bowl Flea Market, CA

Why This Swap Meet is One of LA's Best-kept Secrets

Jun 9, 2008 Erin Konrad

The Rose Bowl Flea Market offers unique and exciting shops and food vendors. Your day can be spent enjoying the nearly 2,500 sellers and finding one of a kind wares.

There are many hidden delights in the Los Angeles area that only the locals know about. One of the most enjoyable experiences in Southern California can be found the first Sunday of every month at the Rose Bowl Flea Market (1001 Rose Bowl Drive, Pasadena, CA 91103.) The unique sights, sounds, and tastes offered at the Swap Meet are sure to satisfy anyone’s quest for a fun day.

What You Can Expect to Find at the Rose Bowl

Vendors and vintage sellers from all over the area flock to peddle their wares, and the products available range from products like gardening supplies to clothes to secondhand furniture. Rows and rows of traders line the parking lots that have been converted into a shopper’s paradise. If you can’t quite find what you’re looking for, there are even vendors set up around the entire perimeter of the Rose Bowl, adding up to nearly 2,500 sellers every time the market is held.

Food Vendors Offer Delights for Your Tastebuds

Sprinkled throughout the sellers are food vendors, ready to meet the needs of the customers. Sausage sandwiches, frozen lemonades, and a make-your-own-bloody-mary-bar are all available among the more traditional hot dog and hamburger stands. But for your wallet’s sake, bring your own water or sodas. One bottle of Coke costs $4.25. However, the food is worth the splurge, with Churros and ice cream sandwiches as examples of just some of the treats you can purchase.

How Much Do You Really Need to Spend?

The morning begins early for serious shoppers with a VIP admission price of $20 per person. The theory that these people have access to the best goods before everyone else doesn’t always ring true—many of the vendors haven’t even set up their merchandise until around 9 a.m., when admission prices drop to $8 per person (children under the age of 12 get in free with an adult.) So, for the best and most cost-effective trip, just wait until after 9 a.m. to buy your tickets. You’ll still have the chance to haggle for the best price on vintage clothes, jewelry, and toys even if you don’t come at the crack of dawn. The best part? All parking for the Flea Market is free.

For more information on ticket prices and available vendors, visit the Rose Bowl Web site. Also, don’t forget to keep your eyes open for celebrity sightings. While this gem of a shopping destination might be unknown to some Angelenos, most stars (like Gwen Stefani and Clint Eastwood) already make frequent stops at the Rose Bowl.

The copyright of the article The Rose Bowl Flea Market, CA in SW U.S./Hawaii Travel is owned by Erin Konrad. Permission to republish The Rose Bowl Flea Market, CA in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Rose Bowl Flea Market