Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena (must see)

The Rose Bowl Stadium, situated in Pasadena, is an iconic outdoor athletic venue that epitomizes the rich history and cultural significance of American sports. Since its opening in October 1922, the stadium has gained recognition as both a National Historic Landmark and a California Historic Civil Engineering landmark. With a seating capacity of approximately 96,400, it ranks as the 16th-largest stadium globally, the 11th-largest in the United States, and the 10th-largest NCAA stadium.

Located 10 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles, the Rose Bowl is primarily renowned as a college football venue. It hosts the annual Rose Bowl Game, a significant post-season college football game from which it derives its name. Since 1982, it has also served as the home stadium for the UCLA Bruins football team of the Big Ten Conference. The Rose Bowl's legacy extends beyond college football; it has hosted five Super Bowl games, making it the venue for the third-most Super Bowl games.

In addition to football, the Rose Bowl is a prominent venue for soccer. It was the site of the 1994 FIFA World Cup Final, the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup Final, and the 1984 Olympic Soccer Gold Medal Match, among other significant soccer events.

The stadium's design, influenced by the Yale Bowl in New Haven, Connecticut, was conceived by architect Myron Hunt in 1921. It was built as a horseshoe but later expanded to form a complete bowl by 1928. The Rose Bowl’s alignment is nearly north-south, offset slightly to the northwest, at an elevation of about 830 feet above sea level.

Historically, the Rose Bowl Game was held at Tournament Park until the need for a larger, more permanent venue became apparent. Construction on the Rose Bowl began on February 27, 1922, and was completed in October of the same year, just ahead of its Los Angeles counterpart, the Memorial Coliseum.

Overall, the Rose Bowl Stadium is not only a hub for sports and entertainment but also a testament to the cultural and historical evolution of sporting venues in the United States.