Why is the Super Bowl called the Super Bowl? The term "bowl" comes from the Rose Bowl. “The granddaddy of them all,” our tour guide told us. “It all started here.” It's Pasadena's crown jewel, Pasadena's cash cow, and my kid's favorite part of our trip.

The century-old stadium holds 15 events annually, including six home games for the UCLA Bruins and the annual Rose Bowl. It also hosted five Super Bowls, two World Cup finals and two Olympics.

Tip: On the last Friday of the month, you can attend a public tour for a backstage look at the stadium. Walk in the same halls as Beyoncé and Mick Jagger! The stadium hosts a huge flea market on the second Sunday of every month.

My Pasadena travel guide is on Seattle's Child here.