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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Monrovia, California
Monrovia
Base here only if you want a quiet, cheaper foothill town with free parking and a Metro line into Pasadena and LA: 1 night, 2 max.
Monrovia is a small San Gabriel Valley city at the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains, 34.1436, -118.0019, about 36,000 people. Its draw is Old Town: a walkable few blocks of shops and restaurants with free parking, plus a Metro A Line station that reaches Pasadena in about 15 minutes and Downtown Los Angeles in about 45. Most travellers use it as a cheaper, calmer base for Pasadena, the Huntington and the Angeles National Forest foothills rather than as a destination in itself. One night covers Old Town and the historical museum; two nights let you add a mountain or garden day.
- Country
- United States
- Local name
- Monrovia
- Best months
- Mar–May, Oct–Nov
- Avoid
- Jul–Sep (inland heat, 35 °C (95 °F)+ days), and Santa Ana wind days in autumnJul–Sep (inland heat, 95 °F (35 °C)+ days), and Santa Ana wind days in autumn
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $70–110 excl. bed · Mid $130–200 excl. bed · High $250+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911 · Monrovia Police non-emergency 626-256-8000 · Poison control 1-800-222-1222
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $4–6 |
| Lunch main in Old Town | $12–20 |
| Dinner main, mid-range restaurant | $18–32 |
| Draught beer | $7–10 |
| Metro A Line single ride | $1.75–2.50 (check) |
| Rideshare, 5 km (3.1 mi)Rideshare, 3.1 mi (5 km) | $12–20 |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | $10–25 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- LAX · Los Angeles International
- About 45–70 min by car depending on traffic; no direct rail link, so plan a transfer.
- BUR · Hollywood Burbank
- Often the quicker option for the foothills; about 35–50 min by car.
- ONT · Ontario International
- East of Monrovia; about 35–45 min by car.
Typical fares
- Metro A Line, Monrovia → Pasadena
- about $1.75–2.50, 15–20 min (check)
- Rideshare, Monrovia → LAX
- $45–75, 45–70 min (check)
- Old Town parking
- free; fills on weekend evenings
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Old Town is walkable and parking there is free, which is unusual for LA County. The Metro A Line stops at Myrtle Avenue and Duarte Road, about a 15-min walk from Old Town, and runs to Pasadena and Downtown LA. A free local trolley has linked Old Town with nearby shopping areas during the day; check current hours before relying on it. For the mountains, the Huntington and most of the valley you need a car.
See and do
Known for
- Old Town Monrovia
- Metro A Line to Pasadena and Downtown LA
- Foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains
- Route 66-era main street
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Pasadena | Metro A Line from Monrovia station, or 15 min by car on the 210 | About 25–35 min |
| Arcadia | Car on Huntington Drive, or Metro A Line one stop | About 10–15 min |
| Claremont | Car on the 210 east, about 30 min | About 35–45 min |
| Downtown Los Angeles | Metro A Line from Monrovia station | About 45–55 min |
| Angeles National Forest foothills | Car up Myrtle Avenue to the mountain roads | About 20–30 min |
Sleep
- Old Town / Myrtle Avenue
- Walk to restaurants and the Metro station; the only area where you can leave the car parked.
- Huntington Drive corridor
- Chain hotels with free parking and pools; 5–10 min drive from Old Town, cheaper per night.
- Foothill Boulevard
- Motels and the historic Aztec Hotel building; closest to the mountain foothills, least walkable.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you |
| Where is the Metro station? | Where is the Metro station? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Is parking free here? | Is parking free here? |
| The check, please | The check, please |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- You need a car for almost everything outside Old Town; rideshare waits can be long at night.
- Summer inland heat is real: 35 °C+ afternoons in Jul–Sep, and wildfire smoke can arrive with the Santa Ana winds.
- The Metro A Line station is a 15-min walk from Old Town, not in it; the last trains run before midnight.
- Free Old Town parking fills on weekend evenings; arrive before 18:00 or park on a side street.
Monrovia is a low-crime foothill suburb and feels calm day and night around Old Town. The real risks are heat, wildfire smoke, and driving the freeways at rush hour: keep valuables out of sight in parked cars.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Monrovia, California yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Old Town Monrovia
- Metro A Line to Pasadena and Downtown LA
- Foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains
- Route 66-era main street
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- LA Metro: www.metro.net/
- Wikivoyage: Monrovia (California), revision 5260288 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5260288
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Monrovia, CaliforniaMonrovia
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- Monrovia Police non-emergency626-256-8000
- Poison control1-800-222-1222
No embassies here; consulates-general are in Los Angeles, about 30–60 min by car.
Tipping: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% taxis.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/monrovia-california). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.