South Pasadena calls itself the "City of Trees". South Pasadena's streets are lined with numerous species of native California trees. These include redwood, sequoia, ash, walnut, and sycamore. Some non native trees, such as sweetgum, are also seen.

South Pasadena offers a mixture of unique condominium developments to fine historic estates. The beautiful landscape along with great schools make this a haven for many. Because there are very few stucco clad Spanish Colonial houses and virtually no palm trees in some parts of the city, South Pasadena is a popular stand-in for Midwestern and Northeastern towns in motion picture and television productions.

Mom and Pop merchants still populate the business district, and the Mission West area is a part of the original U.S. Route 66. Of historical relevance is The Fair Oaks Pharmacy and Soda Fountain. The Rialto Theater in downtown South Pasadena is a unique blend of Spanish Baroque and Egyptian stylings and was built in 1925. It is one of the last remaining single screen cinemas in the country. The Rialto was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, having narrowly missed being torn down that year. It went out of business on August 19, 2007, because of low profits. It has been featured in many films and commercials, most notably Robert Altman's The Player and in La La Land. The Farmer's Market has become a tradition in the historic Mission-West District of South Pasadena.

South Pasadena can often be seen in motion picture productions with its tree-lined streets and "anywhere in America" feel. Such movies as Freaky Friday, The Terminator, Gone with the Wind, Halloween, Halloween 2, Nightmare On Elm Street, Pee-Wee's Big Adventure, American Pie, The Girl Next Door, Legally Blonde, 13 Going on 30, Back to the Future, Mr. Deeds, Bruce Almighty, Old School, The Ugly Truth, and License to Wed are just a few of the notable films shot on location in South Pasadena. Notable television series that have been filmed there include Parenthood, Family, Boston Public, Nip/Tuck, Desperate Housewives, Cold Case, Bones, Modern Family, No Ordinary Family, Big Love, and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.