A Day Out: Rose Bowl Flea Market
It was my first time at the Rose Bowl Flea Market in Pasadena, which happens every second Sunday of the month from 9am-3pm. I brought my husband along since it was his first time too, and we had such a lovely day browsing that I knew right away I’d be back. That’s how you know it’s good!
Shot on iPhone14: Free Rose Bowl Flea Market souvenir tickets
I went in with a thrift wish list, silver “Daisy Jones” hoop earrings, a black leather backpack, a small pouch for my purse essentials, and high-waisted pants. I didn’t find any of the items to my liking, but that just means the hunt continues and more flea markets in my future.
Rose Bowl Flea Market is officially my favorite event so far because I had a fun time exploring the vendors, finding cool pieces, and leaving with a solid haul for myself and a couple of things for my family.
The Venue
Shot on iPhone 14: Main entrance of Rose Bowl Flea Market
Hosting an event this big at the Rose Bowl just makes sense since the stadium can easily handle the crowds. I expected the traffic and parking to be crazy, but both were surprisingly smooth and we found parking near the entrance pretty quickly. The walk from the lot to the main entrance was a mini hike, but manageable with comfy shoes.
Shot on iPhone 14: A framed promo poster in one of the women’s restrooms
I loved the loop layout because it made it easy to revisit vendors, which we did during two full rounds in about two to three hours. But then there were even more vendors outside the loop and it got a bit overwhelming. The best part about the layout were the conveniently spread out restrooms, so finding one was never an issue.
My one rookie mistake was using the on site ATM for cash only vendors and paying a $6 fee. Lesson learned!
The Vibe
The weather was nice, though the sun was strong from midmorning to early afternoon with no wind. I definitely wouldn’t have survived if I didn’t bring my 40 oz water bottle to hydrate every so often. What’s nice is that there’s food and drink vendors there if anything.
There was Christmas music playing at the entrance that felt festive without being cheesy. And I liked that there were some vendors who played their own music to set the tone of their booth.
There were people of all ages and many families. It was busy but manageable, so shopping never felt stressful. It was nice shopping with a community at a flea market like this. It somehow felt like Disneyland but for thrifters.
There were so many kinds of vendors that were selling clothing, antique furniture, plants, toys, umbrellas, tchotchkes, and more. There was truly something for everyone and I think that’s what makes this flea market great. I didn’t get to see every vendor, but that’s okay for it being my first time. It was still fun stumbling on vendors selling vintage graphics, artwork, and even a gramophone!
The Finds
How did I not find anything on my thrift wish list at such a massive flea market?!
I looked, but I’m picky. I checked many jewelry vendors and couldn’t find the exact silver hoops I wanted, and I’m not one to compromise on style or price. The same went for the backpack and pouch. As for the pants, being 5’1” makes that search especially disappointing since most cute pairs aren’t short girl friendly.
Even so, I found some great Christmas gifts. I bought a reversible handmade tote from ms.roshi.crafts for my grandma, marked down from $45 to $25. I also got a dope OutKast album coaster from studiomaxe for my older brother for $12, which felt perfect since he already has a matching tee.
For myself, I found a light, distressed jean jacket for $10 to start my patch project, plus a few starter patches that were five for $20.
I also couldn’t resist being a bit basic and getting a red “LA” dad cap from sabrinasboutique4 for $10 to add to my hat collection. I spent $77 total, which feels like a decent haul for the quality.
