Altadena
Travel Guide
![Professor Lowe had a dream to make the beautiful Mountains overlooking the cities of Altadena / Pasadena accessible to average citizens. After much planning, many exploratory trips on horseback, he and Engineer Thomas McPherson located a series of routes that could be built upon with a series of rail cars to reach miles back into the forest and eventually all the way to the top of Mount Wilson. Financing the project himself, Professor Lowe proceeded to build his dream which eventually reached all the way to the base of Mount Lowe (named after Professor Lowe, previously known as Oak Mountain). At its peak, it was the top honeymoon destination in America. Beginning with the famous red car lines in California, Professor Lowe extended the line up through the rolling hills in Rubio Canyon where a small hotel was built at the base of new incline rail systems that would take a visitor up a mile along a ridge overlooking the LA Basin to the top of Echo Mountain.
The top of Echo Mountain became a little city of its own with places to eat, order picnic lunches, shop at stores, dormitories for employees, power generating station to power Echo Mountain facilities. There was also a trolley repair building and pit, observation decks at various spots, trails that could be taken by hikers both up and down the mountain and into the Alpine regions, tennis courts, stables and a now little known zoo. The entire assembly of buildings were painted white and because of the view from far below, became known as "The White City in the sky". The “opera box” great incline cars were also white and could be seen from afar ferrying up and down the hill. On a ridge behind the Echo Mountain ridge was an observatory building with a working 16 inch telescope housed in a round domed building. The foundations can still be found at the site as well as the cement stand which is what the telescope was mounted upon. It was Professor Lowe's intention to build the rail system all the way to the top of Mount Wilson along with additional hotels and facilities on the top of Mount Wilson. Later, much of the path of the large 100" telescope and observatory built on Mount Wilson was used to transport the delicate 100" mirror to the top of Mount Wilson.
[From Wikipedia]](https://images.trvl-media.com/place/6058643/03e5e617-ede3-45ea-9817-79e95ae8eb81.jpg?impolicy=fcrop&w=1040&h=580&q=mediumHigh)
Visit Altadena
E-Central Downtown Los Angeles Hotel
Clean room
Reviewed on 12 Jan 2026
Hotel Burbank
The room was immaculate and staff helpful and happy. There is no arcade on property as the listing suggests. The outdoor poor area and the back courtyard with coy pond are beautiful. There are cute little places throughout the hotel for photo ops! The bar/cafe has limited menu-card only, they do ...
Reviewed on 12 Jan 2026
Biltmore Los Angeles
Nice place
Reviewed on 12 Jan 2026
The Haas, Trademark Collection by Wyndham
Good
Reviewed on 11 Jan 2026
Fenix Hotel Hollywood
Rooms are clean but very noisy especially the rooms facing the streets. Couldn’t get much sleep for the first couple of days but management addressed our concerns and gave us a better room. The location is very good
Reviewed on 7 Jan 2026
Kasa Sunset Los Angeles
Why I love Kasa Hotel (not in order of preference) 1. No key entry, everything’s codes 2. No check in, all handled virtually 3. You need something, it’s available 4. Gym, lounge, etc. no extra fees 5. Spacious rooms with kitchen 6. White noise machine 7. Immediate response when asked a question 8. ...
Reviewed on 5 Jan 2026
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