The Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanical Garden is next to Santa Anita Park and is a must-visit destination for those attending the 2023 Breeders’ Cup. (LA Co. Arboretum/Facebook)

Article courtesy of Patrick Reed of America's Best Racing

2023 Breeders’ Cup Travel Guide: Where to Go and What to Do in the Arcadia-Pasadena Area

The Breeders’ Cup World Championships will be held for the 40th time on Nov. 3-4 at Santa Anita Park, and the communities of Arcadia and Pasadena, Calif. will be welcoming fans from around the world to visit. Santa Anita is a world-class venue with the San Gabriel Mountains providing a spectacular backdrop, and the venue hosts the Breeders’ Cup for a record 11th time.

Enjoy this guide to highlight destinations in Arcadia and Pasadena – and also check out ABR’s recommendations for on-track food options at Santa Anita and the best restaurants to visit in the area.

LA Co. Arboretum/Facebook

This 127-acre natural paradise right across Baldwin Ave. from the racetrack is located on land once owned by Native American peoples and was later the site of Rancho Santa Anita in the 1800s. The Arboretum opened in 1955 and features a variety of greenscapes and gardens plus a lake and waterfall. Many movie and TV productions have filmed here, including the iconic “Fantasy Island” during its 1970s-80s run. Visiting hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. local time.

Pasadena: Pasadena Breeders’ Cup Fan Fest Presented by PNC Bank

Eclipse Sportswire

This event is hosted by Breeders’ Cup and the Pasadena Convention and Visitors Bureau and will be held at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium Friday, Nov. 3, starting at 7 p.m. after the Future Stars Friday Breeders’ Cup races at Santa Anita. The party features music by 80s cover band The Spazmatics, food trucks, cash bars offering signature Breeders’ Cup cocktails, and more. Tickets are available here.

Arcadia: Bash at the Breeders’ Cup Presented by Churchill Downs

The annual party features live music (by Haute Chile this year), cocktails, hors d’oeuvres, and a live auction. It’s held Nov. 3, starting at 6 p.m. at the Le Meridian Hotel adjacent to Santa Anita Park, with proceeds supporting the Thoroughbred Charities of America. Tickets are available here.

Pasadena: South Lake Avenue

UOVO on South Lake. (UOVO/Facebook photo)

Pasadena’s shopping and restaurant district runs 12 city blocks and has everything you need for a day trip early during Breeders’ Cup week, including coffeehouses, bagel shops, cafés, barber shops, spas, and gyms.

Restaurants on South Lake include The Arbour farm-to-table) and UOVO Pasta (one of several in greater L.A.). There’s a Winchell Donuts on South Lake, too. The popular donut chain in the Western U.S. was founded by the late Verne Winchell, a Thoroughbred owner-breeder whose son Ron has carried on the family operation with great success.

Arcadia: The Shops at Santa Anita

Facebook photo

This mega-mall has everything you need and it’s right next to Santa Anita Park. Macy’s, JC Penney, and Nordstrom are the anchors, and the mall also has a food court, an AMC Theatres, and a karaoke lounge. Hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Pasadena: Playhouse Village

Pasadena Playhouse/Facebook

This artsy area just west of the South Lake Avenue district centers around the renowned Pasadena Playhouse, a performing arts center in Southern California with a history spanning the past century and alumni including Jean Arthur, Gene Hackman, and Dustin Hoffman. Food and shopping options abound, with shout-outs to vinyl emporium Canterbury Records (since 1956) and Vroman's Bookstore. Vroman’s was founded in 1894 and as such is the oldest independent bookstore in Southern California.

BONUS Rental Car/Rideshare/Public Transit Option: Griffith Observatory

Griffith Observatory (Matthew Field/Wikimedia Commons)

If the weather is cooperating – and since we’re in Southern California, it’s a good bet that it is – then heading to Hollywood to visit the Griffith Observatory is a must. The science- and space-related programs offered at the observatory are one thing, but just taking the drive through Griffith Park and then parking and checking out the grounds at the Observatory and the amazing panoramic views of Los Angeles is worth the price of admission … and there is no admission; it’s free other than parking costs. (Re-enacting scenes from “Rebel Without a Cause” is totally up to you and fellow travelers.)

The Observatory is closed on Monday; hours are noon to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.