Most of us have a secret (or not-so-secret) hankering to look at the estates of the rich and famous. Well, here’s a chance to check out one of the swankiest during the Pasadena Showcase House of Design.
You’ll have to pay to get into this mansion and gardens, but your money goes to charity. And who knows? Maybe you’ll win the lottery and someday buy it. Meanwhile, you can take a gander from April 20-May 18, 2025.
This is the 60th year that this charity event’s been held, and this year promises to be a doozy. The Bauer Estate & Gardens is so exclusive that you’ve probably never heard of it, but it might be the largest one ever featured on the tour.
The home was most recently lived in by famed TV writer and producer Stephen J. Cannell, known for creating such memorable shows as “The Rockford Files,” “The A-Team,” “21 Jump Street” and many more. He also wrote 16 crime novels. Cannell, who at one time worked in his dad’s store in Pasadena, died of cancer in 2010. The house now belongs to his heirs.
Not only do you get to see the space, but more than 30 landscape and interior designers have volunteered their time to spiff it up, just for you.
The house, dubbed a “Monterey colonial estate,” is the work of the late architect Reginald D. Johnson and was built by Peter Hall, who also constructed the famed Gamble House, which is now a museum. It was built for Harry Bauer, former CEO of Southern California Edison, and his wife, Alice, who was a board chair of the Los Angeles County Arboretum.
As you might expect with that pedigree, the acres of gardens are acclaimed for their beauty and style, with broad lawns, mature oaks, rose gardens, tropical plants and Mediterranean terraces. And, of course, there’s a pool and pool house, along with a tennis court.
Inside, the mansion has 18 rooms, ten of which have fireplaces. There’s a step-down living room, opening to the south terrace and pool. The ground floor has three bedrooms, two baths, a sitting room, a butler’s pantry and a flower arranging room.
On the second floor, there’s a study, four family bedrooms and baths and a nanny suite.
Organizers are expecting some 30,000 people to come through during its season, from April 20 to May 18.
How much does it cost? Timed-entry general tickets are $38-$75. Proceeds are earmarked for the Los Angeles Philharmonic and its youth programs. Purchase at pasadenashowcase.org/tickets or by calling 626-606-1600.
Pasadena Showcase House of Design 2025
When: 9:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday and Sunday; 9:30 a.m.–6 p.m. Friday; closed for tours on Mondays.
Where: Parking & Shuttle location for the 2025 Pasadena Showcase House of Design will be Santa Anita Park Gate 6, 265 Colorado Place, Arcadia, 91007. [House address is not provided.]
Tickets: Timed-entry general tickets are $38-$75.
Information: Purchase at pasadenashowcase.org/tickets or by calling 626-606-1600.