Sierra Madre hosts various programs for families. If you're visiting on a Friday in the spring, you can attend Family Movie Fridays in Kersting Court. Movies are displayed on a large outdoor screen, and local restaurants and stores offer blankets and food for sale. Movies typically begin at 7:45 p.m. or as soon as it is dark enough to screen a movie. On Tuesdays and Thursdays in July and August, families can take their children to Summer Fun in the Park. Crafts and educational presentations are offered on Tuesdays. Thursday activities are fitness-based.
Although Sierra Madre is a small, quaint town, it does offer restaurant and nightlife options. Some of the highest rated restaurants in downtown Sierra Madre include Mountain View Sushi, Zugo's Cafe and the Village Pizzeria. After it gets dark, visitors can check out dive bars like Buccaneer and Wistaria Restaurant and Bar, or patronize Lucky Baldwin's Delirium Cafe, which is the local British pub.
Because Sierra Madre is a rural area situated in a mountainous region, it offers the outdoor enthusiast various trails to choose from. Mount Wilson Trail is a rigorous hike recommended for advanced hikers. Sturtevant Falls is an easier trail that is well-maintained and features a waterfall at the end of the trail. Chantry Flat Recreation Area crosses several rivers and features cabins that visitors can rent.
Sierra Madre holds a Wistaria Festival every year in March. The city's first wisteria vine was purchased in 1894 for 75 cents. The vine now spans more than an acre and covers two backyards. The city holds an annual Rose Parade in October, which features an elaborate rose float every year. The city is home to the Mater Dolorosa Monastery, which was originally a retreat for monks and is now a set for many movie scenes. The city has transformed an old jail into a Jailhouse Inn bed-and-breakfast, where guests can spend the night in a 200-square-foot retrofitted jail cell.
