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Categories: Antiques, Local Flavor, Used, Vintage & Consignment
Neighborhood: PasadenaHot Dog & Soda !! $3.00
Announced 6 days agoSun. 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
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First time I've been here and definetly want to come back. We got a coffee table, a sewing bar and two retro glass vases for under $300. That price may seem steep but believe me, after searching Craigslist, catalogs and warehouses, this flea market had the best bargains.
Luckily, there's a pick up area for the bigger furniture so you don't have to lug it to your car. Next time I'll bring a couple of canvas bags for the knick-knacks and jewelry.
It's worth noting that towards the 3 o'clock hour the vendors get a jump start and pack up early, so you can probably score a very good last minute deal.
Yesterday was my first time venturing to the Rose Bowl Flea Market. It was absolutely HUGE!!! Upon entry I landed in the world of new swap meet like items. I was a little confused as I expected antiques and flea market items. After walking around a bit and admiring the enormity of the venue I finally asked where I could find the antique stuff. That was a whole OTHER area! It was amazing and I had a great time and found many great things. Please note, I go for the fun of seeing and collecting interesting items so the cost was not as much of a factor as it has been for other reviewers. That said the prices seemed fair to me.
There were two negatives for me.
One, bring food and drink. I bought a sausage and pepper sandwich which was really good for $6.50 but almost lost my lunch when they said the accompanying soda would cost me $4.25!!! Thank goodness I had water with me.
Two, come early! I got there at 8am and thought it was a cinch to park and walk around the place. Around 9:30 or 10 the place was starting to feel a little crowded and by 11:30, which was the time I left, there would have been nothing on this planet worth the efforts to get in. The place was crowded and the lines for getting in to find parking was maddening. I drove 45 minutes to get there but I would have turned around if faced with that.
All said, I really enjoyed myself and will be going back again.
The Rose Bowl Flea Market is one of the largest and most well known swapmeets around southern California!...1/2 of the meet consists of commercial vendors, and the other 1/2 are traditional swapmeet type vendors.
I used to go often, but haven't actually been to the Rose Bowl meet for a bit, because it's inconvenient and has become quite commercialized. Go early, because it'll take you a whole day to walk through and see everything.
You can't really find many "great" deals because a lot of these vendors do swapmeets as a job and already have their set prices. most of the vendors will know what their items are worth, and will try to get market value for their things.
You will find many antiques, vintage items, and really unique stuff, but you will either have to get lucky, or you end up paying a premium.
There is NO better place to waste your hard earned cash in a struggling economy than here. Absolutely no where.
Inspiration in the most unlikely of places. Newly made and vintage trinkets galore. Aisles of clothing from decades past. Raggedy home furnishings at every corner. Garlic fries for the famished. Man o man, if you absolutely need it, look hard enough and your wandering eyes will find it. Come here as an innocent accomplice with absolutely no intention of purchasing anything and you'll learn the hard way that a fool and his money are soon parted. I am that fool. Many times over. But I've come up on some bargains here, seriously, BAR-GAINS. And a loss or two, but we won't discuss that here. Just remember that whatever the initial price you're being given, for whatever it is you're lookin to make yours, to haggle and ask them to kindly knock off a few dollars because it stinks, or requires alterations to make it fit, or that nobody in their right mind would even think of buying it. Works every time.
Beware the summer heat and the winter winds, this place can best you should you come ill prepared.
And even if you're not leaving with anything in hand, spending a few hours here on Sunday morning to look at everyone's junk and treasure is well worth the scenic drive. You cant' beat that with a bat.
Not a bad place if you're looking for good deals on mid century furniture or military items. Seemed to be a lot of those things.
Can kind of get overwhelming and make sure to wear comfortable shoes and sunblock!
This is definitely the BIGGEST flea market I've ever been to and a place to spend all day. I did not heed the warnings of other reviews to get there early. We got there around 11:45 and got a bite to eat. The selection of food was not very good and expensive. I recommend eating beforehand.
We started by circling the immediate perimeter of the Rose Bowl. This is where you find new items, including art, clothes, instruments, lots of established businesses with websites, etc. We came there looking for cheap framed art and found it in the immediate perimeter of the bowl.
The outer areas as you wander away from the bowl are the more antique areas. There is a labelled antique section. There was a lot of crap in these sections, and highly priced too. We did not make it through all of the outside sections, but it was all pretty much the same. Fun and interesting stuff to look at, but not something you'd want in your house.
The entire experience was great for people watching. Parking is free but expect to do a lot of walking. Next time I'll get there earlier so I can actually see everything there is to see.
I can't give this place a five. I want to. I mean, I've found so many great things here. And a lot of times it has been a pretty decent bargain. But the fact that I have to pay $8 is a crap shoot. A wager, if you will. I plop down $8 bucks and I can see other people's crap. Maybe, just maybe, I'll like one of those pieces of crap enough to buy it.
Will it off set the $8 bucks I spent to walk around the rosebowl? Something I would otherwise do on any week day without having to deal with the god awful parking situation that you face when you come to the flea market?
I have to admit though, this is a great place to come for a sort of Sunday outing when you're not feeling completely lazy or like sleeping in. You either come here before or after a nice brunch and you got yourself a fairly inexpensive couple of hours of seeing other people's crap that they want to sell you.
As for what you will find. Let's be honest here, the sellers know what they got. The true charm of yard sales and flea markets is long since gone. You're not going to find something you can take on the antique roadshow and get appraised for hundreds of thousands. You're not.
Embrace that fact and you'll have a much better time looking and potentially buying someone else's undesired material items. You may even find a nice table lamp or do-hikie that will make you feel like the $8 was well spent.
I love this flea market! I scored a mint-condition mid-century modern sofa there + two fabulous chairs for under $800. You might think that sounds like a lot of money, however, I'd been browsing vintage furniture shops for weeks before my flea market excursion, and hadn't seen any sofas I liked for less than $1,200. It was a great score, and everyone who sees my furniture freaks out over how great these pieces are.
Also, I found some great records and knick-knacks for cheaps. Also, the vintage clothing selection cannot be beat! If you are strictly shopping for clothes, I'd recommend a trip entirely devoted to that. Truly, the amount of clothes is overwhelming. Tons of cute 70s/80s summer dresses for below $20 a pop. You definitely need to do a bit of digging, but it's very worth it (particularly when you realize the same dresses are being sold for near $75 and up at some of the vintage shops).
If you are on a specific "shopping mission", then the entrance fee is completely reasonable. It has always been totally worth it, as far as I'm concerned. If you plan on doing serious shopping, I'd definitely recommend bringing a little cart or backpack. Goes without saying that it's f*@#ing hot as balls out there, so dress accordingly and wear some sunscreen (or end up with burn lines, as I tend to).
Bring cash. Lots of it! There are ATMs on the premises but they have a huge fee attached, and there's going to be a limit on how much you can take out. I kept hearing shoppers trying to get the vendors to take checks and it didn't always go over so well.
And...if you are looking for a creepy oil painting of a creepy subject, like, oh say a clown, then you are in luck. This place has loads of that sort of thing.
Cant rave about the Rose Bowl swapmeet enough. Oh what's that? Huh? Oh okay, my furniture just made a shout too, since about 75% of it came from there. ;)
Good stuff and as a gal who likes to barter, this is good times. Seriously where else are you going to find a MIdget Movie machine that plays Farmer Alfalfa cartoons from the 30's?
Get there early if you want to get the good scores. It's about $10 or so bucks more, but if you are on a serious mission, then it's well worth it! Oh and bring sunscreen and CASH as plastic will most likely do you no good here :)
On one Sunday morning, I decided to wake my ass up at the crack of dawn so I can join someone at the Rose Bowl Flea Market. Haven't been or heard of any flea markets since I moved down to LA, so I thought I'd give it a college try.
Got there around 9 and found some easy parking on the southwest end not too far from the gates. They have preferred parking for $10, but if you get there early enough, you won't have to walk much of a distance for free. I was surprised that they charge $8 for admission into a flea market, but this sucker is a giant. Much bigger than the flea markets held in community colleges that I've been used to.
Before arriving, we talked about running around the rose bowl sometime. It's about a three mile run I think. Well, shopping here at the flea market might be a bigger workout than that. If you want to explore the entire shebang, you'll probably be walking around at least two hours like us and rounding about 5 miles or more.
The loop around the stadium holds all sorts of strange trinkets. Each vendor sells something different, from romantic saxophone music, to ergonomic back supports, to sham wows, to preserved insects. A lot of these things you can probably find at local weekly swap meets... we came here to check out the antiques.
The antiques are probably what makes this place worth the $8 cover. It's almost like walking through a museum here as you find trinkets that take you back to the roaring 20s, the disco 70s, and every other important era in our culture. If you want an interesting vintage piece for your living room, here is the place to find it. You may have to shell out a premium, but you can definitely find something to bring home and talk about. It's to the left of the gate and spans on long and far.
I wasn't too much in the buying mood, but I'll definitely come back if I feel the urge to add some shizazz to my apartment.
You can grab a peek inside the rose bowl too. There's also a few food stands in the front and refreshments available. I actually saw some old ladies kicking back with bud lights in their hands, so yes, you can drink on a Sunday morning here. Just stay away from the antiques if you get a little too drunk.
OMG SHIT EVERYWHERE!!!!!!!!
DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE, IT'S MASSIVE!!!
This is the place to be if you're into digging through old clothes n thangs, antiquing, walking, people watching, eating churros, bartering, and getting deals.
I managed to score photos of 1950's era nude ladies performing S&M!! A 1939 issue of Vogue for $1.00! A knit cape for $8.00! and some other COOL JUNK!!!
I've heard this place is huge, but when I got there (at 8am), I stayed for 5 hours and I didn't get to see everything!! By the end, I was tired, dirty and sore but glad I got to experience the flea market.
GET THERE EARLY, IM GLAD I DID.
omg.. if i worked for an interior design firm, i'd come out this way every month.. the fantastic selection of vintage furniture is off the charts! sure, they may all look kinda dingy, run down and old.. but if you have the right eye and mindset, all of it is a freaking steal! reupholster it in fantastic silk or leather or velvet or suede... you'd have the hottest pieces of furniture on the block. hell i could even sell them back out for twice as much!
it's also a giaaaant flea market. forget what you know about swap meets on local city colleges, this one is monstrous. it'll take at least 4-5 trips to cover all the grounds available, and it's not like it's the same every time either.
oh, and also a must try/must have: GARLIC FRIES!!
This place is GALACTIC! I didn't know where to begin and where to end. It just keeps going and going and you begin to question yourself, "Was I just here? No no, I don't think we've walked down here yet..."
My bust was that I didn't bring cash. Thank God they had ATMs scattered throughout the market but the lines were deathly long. I waited a good 30 minutes in the ATM line.
We arrived there around 10am and paid about $8 each. If you go earlier, the entrance fee is more, if you go later, the entrance fee is less. I don't think it matters what time to come because they have a ton of stuff regardless.
This is a good place just to have a relaxing, cardio-filled Sunday. Just looking at all the stuff laying around and being sold is quite the entertainment!
If you're looking for vintage deals, you have to look hard. Their vintage items are a bit pricey (like what everyone says already), too high for smelly, old, stained clothes, that probably need altering any way. But if you're willing to spend that moola, then you've hit the LA vintage jackpot. You can find almost anything: coats, dresses, blouses, sandals, bags, shoes, etc! Don't be discouraged from the prices though. Being the ultimate bargain shopper ever (who won't spend for something that's not worth it) I was able to find vintage, Brazilian leather sandals for $10, HK Tee for $10, 100% chinchilla fur jacket for $25 (MY prized find for the day!!!), vintage keepsake boxes for $2 each, and boooommmbbb oatmeal-raisin cookies for $5 a box! The live music/entertainment and food wasn't all the bad either.
Ooo! And if you give them your e-mail address at the entrance, they'll send you a ticket for free admission for next month! :o)
These are held the second Sunday of every month. Admission is $8 (and if you don't pay with exact change, you'll get a $2-bill back! Cute!) while parking is free (that is, if you place absolutely no monetary value on your time.) We waited for SO LONG in a line of cars for parking, to be directed to a different parking lot that was FULL so we had to get back in the original line. Thank god I found what I was looking for or I would have been sooo annoyed.
The left-most area (when you're facing the Rose Bowl) accessible via a concrete bridge had the best, cheapest clothing. I found two pairs of cowboy boots - one for $10, and one for $20! Other vendors were charging $45+ for just one pair, and they had horrible selections. I also picked up a red dress with boning and a ruffled skirt for ~$40.
I was literally drooling over all the possible decor options (in particular vintage luggage and train cases that were adorable) but a student lifestyle means lots of moving and the less crap I have to store each time, the better.
I loved this event and will be going every month.
The Rose Bowl Swap Meet SUCKS... I prefer the Pasadena City College Flea Market. PCC Fea Market has better quality Antiques, and Collectable not to mention the Record Swap. When I went to the Rose Bowl there was alot of junk. The food was of poor quality and parking was inconvienant
Hot damn there's a lot of shopping to be done here. Good thing I'm here to help. I mean, somebody's gotta do it. No need to commend me, I'm simply doing my civic duty.
This place is nuts. Vintage galore. Everything you need to live in whichever era you feel like you belong in. Feel like you belong in the roaring 20's? Get yourself a flapper dress and hat that's just the cat's meow. You're more of the swingin' 40s type? Head over to the dealer with all the WWII GI uniforms and you're set. Mod 60s? Tacky 70s? Brassy 80s? All covered. Anything you need.
Prices obviously vary from vendor to vendor, but from what I saw they were mostly pretty good. Cheaper than vintage shops...but some of the quality is also lacking. Lots of stained stuff, and sometimes some Forever 21 junk mixed in with real vintage gems. Well, not literal gems...at least not that I found. But they were chock full of the figurative ones. Including my $25 cashmere sweater and loads of $5 dresses that I carried around only to second-guess myself and put them back on the rack.
If you take nothing else from this review, listen to this tip: bring water! I was like a tuckered out 3-year-old after a few hours of shopping without hydrating myself. I was ready to hurl myself down on the ground and throw a tantrum. Bring water!
I've helped work this one a number of times when I visit California and it's by far my favorite swap. There is SO MUCH STUFF. Tons of stuff and tons of people (and often tons of heat), but it's so worth it! You could spend hours digging through various booths until you find that perfect item that's meant for you. I highly recommend any visitors or residents in the area to go!
This place was HUGE! The prices are a little high for my tastes on things like furniture and vintage clothes, and it got a little too hot and windy to deal with shopping outside, but this was a great taste test for the next time I decide to venture up here. I just wanted to go for fun, and at $8 admission, what's the loss? Why not? We brought water, but it just got heavy-- it wasn't quite hot enough out to make it worth drinking. Be prepared to walk-- A LOT. I just got so exhausted by walking to see things the first time that things I had vowed to come back for just weren't worth trying to find again.
If you're looking for vintage stuff, go outside-- if you stick close to the Bowl you'll just end up seeing all the silly Swap Meet stuff-- like the Sham Wow and other lame things. The vintage is where it's at!
I'll be back in the future with some more comfortable shoes and a portable tent to put up and nap in halfway through a trip to this HUGE marketplace. Yeesh! It makes me tired to think about even coming back!
Good god, what an amazing place to spend a day.
I've gone various times, but my favorite part is always the people who set stuff out on the ground in the parking lot... they always have such awesomely bizarre things.
Best score ever, a deer skull/antlers for 15 bucks, which I was able to turn into a seriously awesome creature head. It's mounted on the living room wall.
Come with energy and lots of cash.
worth waking up early for - well, if early is like 7 or 8 am. i think its a family affair and no my family does not include small children but still, i've brought my cousins and sisters here.
yes, their second hand section is a far cry from cheap - $20 shirts. i kid you not. but i found boots that i've dreamt about for ages - $12. and a mickey mouse sweater - $15.
i enjoy people watching here. seeing hipster kids with their '80s digs. undercover high class hipsters who buy an old couch and swing the brand spanking new audi station wagon round back for the pick up. and your typical fair people who collect loads of junk.
Love it love it love it!, I go there every month, I dont go to the mall! why for? I buy all of my clothes here, I take my 17 y.o niece with me, and she helps me dig for clothes on those piles of goodness.
Im a sunglasses fanatic and you find the best funky fresh shades ever.
the willy wonkas on my profile.. 5 bucks! awesome
Natalie Portman totally checked me out the last time I was there. Enough said. 5 stars!
I totally agree that the entrance fee for visitor is high. Just walking through the entrance we already feel some attitude, perhaps I am cheap, really??? We cannot even make a comment. Do you know that vendors have to pay a lot as well. It was our first time and we felt we walked into a bunch of stuff, where were we??? Into some stinky stuff called Antique, then looked like there is no entry here or there. Anyway, lots of stuff, some are real cheap and some are Woooow antique, hundreds of dollar for a piece of old plastic? sorry, I do not know how to enjoy it. The opening time is too short. I doubt if they will extend the hours since most of the organiser will never change and never listen. With this recession, more people look for cheap stuff and more business people switch from shop to store in flea market. If you have a piece of open land, try this idea.
This flea market is truly about the survival of the fittest. And last Sunday I was at the bottom of the food chain. I had no cart to wheel around my purchases, I wore sandals with no tread, I only had large bills, and I failed to bring supplies of food rations or potable water. I know, what was I thinking? Next time I'll be far more prepared. I'll bring a compass.
Though exhausted after a morning of navigating a veritable jungle of vendors, I absolutely loved it! I found myself needing things I never knew I needed. Vintage dresses? Of course! Shoes of questionable origin? Yes!! Troll earrings? Hell yes!!! A hello kitty toilet seat? Maybe.
Much more than buying random treasures, I enjoy this flea market for it's variety, quality, and sheer size. I doubt even a strategist with tactical support could successfully navigate their way through the entire maze. The randomness of everything that's sold is very much inspiring and I love considering the possibilities. It almost makes the 8 dollar entry fee worth it.
I thought I was going a little delusional after considering purchasing an overpriced typewriter. And then my companion admitted to having bought old bottles of poison on her last visit, and I felt a little better. That's what the flea market's all about after all: buying things you thought you didn't need that you actually do need even though you really don't just because you can.
Entrance Fee - $8
Mediocre Food - $8
ATM use - 5$
Buying a vintage bag and getting it home to find a sketchy tooth brush inside - Priceless.
I was pretty pumped on this place. So much to see and look through, it really sparks the bargain hunter in you. If vintage clothes are your thing this is the place, and pretty cheap! I would've had more fun tearing through the racks but it was so hot, I couldn't bare it. I recommend going in the cooler month. Records, Jewelery, Random painting, this place has soo much stuff. People watching is top notch and there are plenty of fun nik nacks to tickle your fancy.
Five stars for its sheer size, five for the selection, four for finding what you're looking for, two for the price. The final rating, therefore, is about four stars.
Seriously, though, this place ought to be called "Bargains for Millionaires."
A 19th century Renaissance Revival throne chair, with its intricate lion-head carvings all chewed up and needing reupholstery--for $500? Yeah, the thing was cool and all, but if you're not adept at woodworking or upholstery, you'll have to pay someone about $2K to fix the darn thing just to make it presentable. In the end, you'll probably end up spending the same price and a hell of a lot less time by going to one of the better Pasadena shops.
Your typical Rose Bowl vendor tends to be a little delusional about the value of the wares he's peddling, but there ARE finds to be had. I picked up a small collection of mid-18th century books (including a 1764 novel by one of the first female English authors) for $10. They were in a box of other worthless books and the seller obviously couldn't spot 18th century bookbinding, paper, or print.
If you're looking for antiques, this basically amounts to a ginormous antiques shop that assembles the second Sunday of each month. On the whole, true bargains are few and far between. They exist, but don't think that just because you've gone to the flea market, everything's a steal.
On the vintage front--not something I'm terribly into but I've looked through and bought from, well, I'd imagine they're crazy overpriced too. Granted, you'll run into a lot more quirky stuff than on the antiques side of the market, and I suppose this section appeals to shoppers' nostalgia and the "I need to have this because it'll make me look cool" sentiment. Just be prepared to compete with a lot of Japanese tourists who are willing to pay inflated prices, and to whom the vendors have taken a keen interest.
When you first pass through the entrance to the market (the ring of vendors that immediately encircle the Bowl) you'll come across an array of standard flea-market stalls. These are people selling all sorts of gadgets, new items, and crafts. I usually skip this part.
Turn to the left, and again to the left for the real action. You'll pass through a gate and this is where the antiques are. Once you've finished here, cross the little bridge over the wash and you'll enter the vintage section.
Have fun. I go early in the morning because parking's a pain any later. If you don't find anything, at least you got your day's worth of exercise!
I love flea markets, swap meets, garage sales, etc.
This was the Mr. T of flea markets. There is so much to look at and you can find just about anything if you have the patience. The guy working at the frozen lemonade cart had an excellent sales pitch and the resulting beverage was delicious.
Lots of vintage shit and ironic t-shirts. Some cool furniture and nick-nacks. Some of the stuff seemed a bit over priced ($25 for a jesus watch... wwjd?), but I'm sure you could haggle. People watching was also a plus. I would opt to go during the cooler months as it felt like I was walking around in Satan's b-hole.
I'd give it 3 1/2 stars if i could... i enjoyed myself here!
The size of this show is huge! It might actually be the biggest antique show I've ever been too... however, i think in this case it may be a bad thing. It isn't always the most exciting thing to do, you know, breezing through crowds of people looking at overpriced chairs and tinker toys from the 70's in the 100 degree Pasadena sun.
Don't get me wrong, it is worth the $8 price to get in... And those lemonade slushis they sell there are awesome... and the live music is cool also...
I dunno, though. it's just too much. The prices are too high for some items and it's just to massive to get through the whole thing.
Oooohhhh! So much to look at here! AD/HD stimulating antique heaven for me! Try not to bounce and clap too much as you won't have the energy left to walk around. Take someone grounded with you and allow a good 4 hours to see maybe everything.
I LOVE flea markets, and don't get me wrong, this is an epic flea market.
I kind of hate paying 8 bucks to get in, but once I'm inside I usually think it's worth the fun day of scavenging and enjoying being outside.
Some of the stuff they have here is truly amazing- and they have a huge selection. Because most of the things there are genuine antiques, alot of it tends to be a bit pricey.
The clothing section is a goldmine, and they will usually let you bargain...sometimes...
for example:
I wanted to buy a vintage t-shirt with a bunch of words and a swordfish on it. I asked the little old lady how much it was.
"Ten dollars." says the little old lady
"Ten dollars? Dude, this should be five dollars...it's just a t-shirt"
"But, see, this is a VERY popular fish. TEN dollars."
"FINE!"
And so i left with a $10 dollar tshirt, but have no regrets now that i know how popular sword fishes are.
The highlight of my month! sorta. It really sucks that this is during the 2nd Sunday of every month because i always seem to miss it. I haven't been in ages, so i went last month, and man I forgot how great it was! Me and my friend were probably at 1 stand for almost an hour, just digging through jewelry. This old guy just had piles and piles of old, vintage jewelry and you just had to dig! He just busted out some trays and you put whatever you wanted to buy on it and he gave me a price. I got like 4 pairs of earrings, 2 necklaces and a ring for 5 bucks. and i wear one of the necklaces and pairs of earrings almost everyday... That booth made me really happy, aside from the old guy and his "ex-wife" arguing about really ridiculous things, such as their kitty cat.
This flea market is also good for finding really random knickknacks. The clothing isn't too great, but they have a lot of great accessories such as purses, hats, glasses, scarves, etc.
i could spend hours wandering around this flea market. I've purchased a collection of vintage eyeglass frames here as well as countless vintage dresses and an amazing side table. Even if you don't find a great deal when you go, the people watching is fabulous and you'll burn tons of calories walking around browsing for hours.
if u love antiques, this is THE place to go.
not much to say, huge lot of antiques.. directions easy enough, parking wasnt bad. cant beat the prices, hello, used products.
of course, the day i finally go, its fn hot as hell. i mean, really hot. the kind of heat you dont sweat. at least it wasnt busy.. duh, but hey, i wasnt backn out of my plan, it took too long to devise and implement into action [think i was going to war].
so, it splits into two areas [sm bridge, think, it was fn hot, dont question me], but cuz heat just hit first half, and prob for same reason, only went home with a spoon. yes, you heard me correctly, i drove hrs [at least got rfd otw home and an ice cold beer] for one fn spoon. the epitome of a loser. and, although could fit furniture in my convertible, not at that distance, too risky.
good xs.
After hearing about how this was the mother of all flea markets, I desperately wanted to come here. But, month after month I somehow missed it! Every second Sunday, I seemed to have some other commitment that prevented me from seeing the greatness that is the Rose Bowl Flea Market.
Finally, after about 4 months of waiting, my day had come. Unfortunately, it was August and this is in Pasadena, where it's known to to get very hot. I guess everything was against me because I wasn't able to sleep the night before (for unrelated reasons). Since I was already awake, I hopped in my car bright and early and drove up to good old Pasadena.
Now like I said, it was during the height of a very warm summer. At 8am, it was already hot. I loaded up on sunblock before I left and had plenty of water on my drive up. But, I kid you not, during the 10 minutes that it took me to walk from the parking lot to the main entrance, I was already feeling overcome by the heat. I wasn't sure if I could make it, but I had waited so long that I didn't want to turn back. So, I paid my admission fee and waded through the crowd inside.
This place is HUGE! At first, I was excited. It was so big, with so many possibilities. But at the same time, I was overwhelmed. It was so big. And there were so many people. Kids, strollers, couples, elderly, all types. It was the type of crowd where you can't manuever around anyone; you're pretty much just stuck moving at a slow pace with everyone else. I didn't feel like I had the freedom to roam about and explore. Plus, it was so hot, that I knew I couldn't stay long. After about 15 minutes, I found a glass tabletop that I wanted and I was done. I just couldn't take the heat or the crowd any longer. WIth the sun baking into my skin, I made my purchase and barely made it back to my car in one piece.
Thankfully the vendor had someone on hand to cart the tabletop over to my car for me. I was very grateful because it was heavy and there was no way that I could have moved it myself. That is another downer. The parking lot is also large and a little distance from the Bowl. If you're buying large items, this is something to consider. I think you can drive up to a pick-up location that's a little closer, but you'll have to wait your turn as there will be other bargain hunters picking up their large items too.
I'm sure that this place is great and has some incredible finds, but it just wasn't for me. I might be tempted to try it again during the colder months when I've had optimum sleep, but I haven't done it yet. If you've got the stamina, go for it. Just be forewarned about the heat and the crowd.
Oh, when I arrived home, I was sunburned and exhausted. I left the tabletop in my car and immediately fell asleep after doing a faceplant onto my bed.
If one wants to find me on the second sunday of the month try looking for me at the Rose Bowl Flea Market. I'm usually at the market buying bread, cooking spices or antiques. If the day is sunny and clear you can't ask for a better day then to spend it at the bowl. One of the vendors I like to visit is Mel's Olives. I buy a jar or two of their spicy minced garlic. And yes you can buy beer at the flea market. But it's only bud light or miller lite and if its a hot day it's nice to have a cold one.
Can you say huge? My legs ached for 2 days after I came by. There's so much variety and diversity here it's almost like being on ebay. One corner you see kettle corn the other you see fake Gucci bags. Another you see a bread vendor and the other you see radios and clocks.
One thing I was disappointed about was the entrance price... $8! Not only that but the food and drinks here were Disneyland prices. A coke is $4 and a hotdog or burrito is $6+. They even had those frozen lemonade slush that come packed in those see-through plastic garbage bags. The food vendors were very Sysco'd if you know what I mean and nothing seemed even close to authentic.
If you want to have a fun day of looking for useless junk, make sure to prepare a little picnic lunch with a couple bottles of water or juice. Aside from the food prices... it seemed like most vendors were selling things at inflated prices. Every vendor I passed by I would hear the same line, "this sells on ebay for 3 times as more." I swear to god I heard that so many times it's not even funny. If you're a fool to believe any of what they say... then that's on you.
Another thing I found was that these vendors really don't want to bargain. What's the point of going to a swap meet if you don't bargain? Overall this was a fun trip but I don't think I can come here for a good 6 months. At the end... we didn't even buy anything but food, drinks, and an entrance to an everlasting bazaar.
The entrance fee is now $8 a head. Think of it as motivation to find the o'spectacular awesome deal lying under a pile of stinky old shoes.
No, but really this flea market is probably the grand daddy of them all around these parts. It'd get five stars if the entrance fee was less... if you're a dude and have a female companion everything is counted in doubles..
So here's the roundup. The inner perimeter is where most of the new stuff is and the outside perimieter is most of the vintage stuff. And there's tons of vintage stuff.. everything imaginable... especially clothing. Don't bother with the rack with clothes all jumbled up together that's just used junk... the stuff organized in themes... well that's vintage.
I usually walkaway with nothing, except a sunburn and sore feet. Be prepared when you go... don't forget sunscreen on your neck and on your toes; throw a couple of granola bars in your messenger bag; and stow a couple of bottles of frozen water so they'll be ice cold and thawed out in the summer heat. Besides, you don't want to pay $4 for a soda and $6 for a weiner. Save the dough for a nice hamburger lunch at The Hat on Lake. There's nothing like a juicy burger after walking all day in the sun.
Welllll.... I was there from 930am to 1pm and honestly I was and I am still kind of disapointed... overall ! its super pricey even a simple Churos made in 2007 10 mns ago cost $3.50 !
The only good point is the space, the site is indeed really spacious
I prefered the one of long beach even if its smaller.
But for Pasadena I will give it another chance next month and pay the $15 entrance fees for the 7am opening .
the textbook definition of what a fantastic sunday is for me, is a visit here. it goes down on the 2nd sunday of every month, from 9am - 3pm. 8 bucks to get in, free parking. i try and go as early as i can, because after awhile the heat and sun becomes soooo brutal.
it's massive, everything you at one point in your life wanted or needed to own, you can probably find it here. the flea market is kind of divided into three sections. venders around the actual rose bowl, are current independent venders that sell random things. you probably won't find anything vintage in this section. the second section going away from the rose bowl and closer to the parking lot is were you will find a lot of vintage furniture and random goods. the section furthest away, in which you have to cross a bridge is where you'll find all the vintage or wannabe vintage clothing.
dig good, dig hard and don't forget to haggle. you'll find something you love.
Nothing bad to say about this place!!! I always get there between 7-8am and I pay 10 bucks to get in instead of 8 at 9am and believe me when I say, that one hour is a huge difference! They can be a little pricey on some things but pretty decent on others!!! Whether your looking for vintage clothing, antique furniture, or just a damn good experience, come here!!! I sometimes go when im broke just to walk around because the place is like a mueseum!!! No other place like it in the world!!!
Neighborhood: Pasadena
Category: Used, Vintage & Consignment
Neighborhood: Glendale
Category: Shopping
Neighborhood: Pasadena
Category: Stadiums & Arenas
Long Beach, CA
Category: Antiques
Neighborhood: Mid-City West
Category: Antiques
