Team vs team
Use your own phones and join a team. Any teammate’s answer advances everyone. Beat the other teams on the leaderboard.
City exploration game
Pasadena: Stop the Bomb
4.17Player rating
A DIFFERENT WAY TO SEE THE CITY
Play at your pace · usually 86 min 3 km Pasadena App-guided
Play in
English
The experience
About this quest
It’s up to you to prevent a nuclear apocalypse! Explore the streets of Pasadena through the eyes of the greatest minds of the 1930s to stop the biggest disaster of all.
Discover a secret 1912 typewriter company that’s still in operation, learn the real story behind the first-ever cheeseburger, visit your favorite film locations and uncover well-kept secrets of the Crown City.
Discover a secret 1912 typewriter company that’s still in operation, learn the real story behind the first-ever cheeseburger, visit your favorite film locations and uncover well-kept secrets of the Crown City.
Is this for you?
Who it's for
Families with school-age children, couples and friends spend about two hours solving puzzles on a 3 km daytime walk, seeing Pasadena through the eyes of 1930s scientists racing to stop a nuclear disaster. Stops include City Hall, Legge Alley and a typewriter company running since 1912. Anyone hoping for a live guide to quiz about local history, or an indoor outing, should pick something else.
What makes this quest special
Highlights
Uncover the crumbling remains of an influential building that put Pasadena on the map.
Discover why one of the most influential Asian-inspired buildings stands in Southern California.
Visit the oldest bookstore in Pasadena and learn why Pasadena locals can’t stay away.
Find Pasadena’s well-hidden restaurants and bars in an unlikely historic spot.
From people who played this quest
Good times. In their words.
4.17 / 5
88 player ratings
Selected player reviews. Original words and ratings.
Most relevant starts with detailed five-star reviews. All ratings remain available.
From your phone to the streets
A walk that turns into an adventure.
- 1
Open the app. You’re on your way.
Choose your pass, then open your quest in the Questo app. It guides you from the starting point.
- 2
Get outside. Follow your curiosity.
Discover real places and their stories on foot. Stop for a coffee or a photo, then pick up where you left off.
- 3
Crack a clue. Share a little victory.
Look around for answers, solve puzzles and enjoy the “we got it!” moments.
CHOOSE YOUR PASS
How many are playing?
Get this questNo booking slot · play any dayFull refund until you start playing
BRING YOUR WHOLE GROUP
One city. Rival teams. Great stories together.
A school trip, a team day or friends out together. Turn your next outing into a little friendly competition.
Everyone for themselves
One player per phone. Solve clues on your own and race for the top spot on the final leaderboard.
Can a team share one phone?
Yes. Play together on one phone per team, or use your own phones and join the same team in the app. We recommend your own phones so everyone can take part.
Your walk, at a glance
Pasadena
A · Start
695 E Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91101, USA
B · Finish
85 E Holly St, Pasadena, CA 91103, USA
Start and finish only. Discover the stops as you play.
Along the way
Landmarks & Hidden Gems Included
The people behind the adventure
Created by Marlee Delia.
A route that brings places and playful storytelling together.
Made by Marlee DeliaWHAT MAKES A QUEST DIFFERENT
Your adventure, with a playful twist.
1 / 4
Experience
- This quest
- Discover places through stories and clues in the app
- Guided walking tour
- Hear stories and ask a guide questions
2 / 4
Pace
- This quest
- Pause for a photo, a café or a longer look
- Guided walking tour
- Usually follows the guide’s schedule
3 / 4
Company
- This quest
- Explore with your own people or on your own
- Guided walking tour
- Private and shared group tours are available
4 / 4
Guidance
- This quest
- Directions and challenges in the Questo app
- Guided walking tour
- Live interpretation from a guide
Features and terms vary by experience. Check the details before booking.
Good to know before you play
- Best during the day
- Kid friendly
- Best for couples
A little clarity before you go
Frequently asked questions
What is the Stop the Bomb game in Pasadena?
It is a self-guided puzzle walk played on your phone. You explore Pasadena through the eyes of great minds of the 1930s to prevent a nuclear apocalypse, passing places such as the Pasadena Playhouse, the USC Pacific Asia Museum, Pasadena City Hall and Russell’s, with a puzzle at each stop.
Is this like an escape room in Pasadena?
It shares the race against a disaster and the puzzle solving, but it happens outdoors on the streets rather than in a locked room. The app sets each puzzle in what is in front of you, and you can start any time with no group to join and no guide.
Where does it start and finish?
The walk starts at Vroman’s Bookstore and finishes at the Pasadena Senior Center public art, Einstein & Beyond. It is not a loop, so you end up somewhere different from where you began, about 3 km of walking later, after Memorial Park and the Public Library remains.
How long does it take, and can we pause?
Most players take about two hours, including the walking and the puzzles. The route covers around 3 km and is best played during the day. You can pause whenever you like, for a coffee or a meal, and continue later from where you stopped.
Is it good for kids, and can we play as a group?
Yes, it is tagged kid friendly and suits school-age children who can manage a 3 km walk and enjoy solving puzzles with adults. One ticket covers the whole group playing together on the same route, so families and friends can share the game.
Keep exploring
Every quest. One year.
Explore the annual passGive them a story
A day out, gifted.
Explore Questo giftsKeep exploring Pasadena
More adventures in Pasadena
HISTORY AND CULTURE IN PASADENA
A history-led way to explore Pasadena
Pasadena: Stop the Bomb is for visitors who want more context than a casual walk, but more freedom than a scheduled guided tour. The quest uses a route through Pasadena to connect clues, places and stories.
The route starts at Vroman’s Bookstore and finishes at Pasadena Senior Center Public Art Einstein & Beyond over 3 km, with 10 challenge locations. Typical duration: 86 min; 3 km walking route; 10 challenge locations
Choose this for active, private discovery at your pace. Choose a guided historical tour or museum when expert live interpretation or curated exhibits matter more. Playable languages: English.
