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Visitor Information

Caltech and Pasadena

The California Institute of Technology is located at 1200 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, California, 91125. The Caltech campus is bounded by Wilson and Hill Avenues west and east, and by Del Mar Avenue and California Boulevard north and south. It is a small campus, only one city block square.

The Pasadena Convention and Visitors Bureau provides a great deal of information about the Pasadena area, attractions, dining and transportation. They can be reached by telephone at (626) 795-9311, or by mail to the Visitor Information Center at 171 S. Los Robles Avenue, Pasadena, California, 91101.

Map of attractions in Pasadena

Getting to Pasadena

The Greater Los Angeles area includes five major airports: Los Angeles International, Burbank/Glendale/Pasadena, Long Beach, Ontario, and Orange County John Wayne International. Pasadena is accessible by freeway from any of these airports; the most convenient is Burbank, just 20 minutes away.

Caltrans (the California Department of Transportation) provides information on freeway conditions in the Los Angeles and Orange County area. It is a good idea to check this information before travelling, as the traffic in Los Angeles is some of the heaviest in the nation.

Finding Caltech

Once in Pasadena, there are signs to direct you to the Caltech campus, located in the southwestern part of the city. From the north (Burbank Airport) or east (Ontario), take the 134 or 210 freeways to the Lake Avenue exit, and go south on Lake to Del Mar Avenue, and turn left. From the south (Long Beach or John Wayne Airports) or west (LAX), take the Pasadena Freeway (110) north to where it ends, turning into Arroyo Parkway. Continue north on Arroyo Parkway to Del Mar Avenue, and turn right. Proceed on Del Mar Avenue to the second traffic light after Lake, Wilson Avenue.

Parking at Caltech

Caltech is a small campus, with limited street parking located all around the perimeter. Parking on campus requires a permit. Please see Parking on Campus for details.

If you wish to make parking arrangements in advance please contact your local host. The campus map indicates the location of the Lauritsen Laboratory, the High Energy Physics building. There is not much street parking available and it is generally limited to 1 or 2 hours during the day. Violators will be ticketed or towed away.