Escape from LA
Set in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains, just south of the Angeles National Forest, sits scenic Sierra Madre. This city feels secluded, but it's only 20 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles. “Once you make your way up here, you feel completely disconnected from that LA life,” says resident agent Kevin Kwan, founder and CEO of Realiv with almost two decades of experience. “That’s what drew my wife and me here from Pasadena. We can go home and escape from everything, but we can return to civilization quickly when necessary.” Incorporated in 1907, Sierra Madre, known locally as the Village of the Foothills, has a downtown stretch that maintains its historic character and charm with a Main Street USA vibe.
Walk to shopping
The city maintains much of the quaint, historic character that made it a tourist destination around the turn of the 20th century. Sierra Madre Boulevard is the walkable commercial artery that runs through this charming mountain community. “The downtown has everything you could want,” Kwan says. For stocking up on groceries and essentials, Taylor’s Ol’ Fashioned Market is a grocery store known for its popular butcher shop and quality produce. “You could probably walk to Taylor’s in less than 10 minutes from anywhere in town,” Kwan says. Except for a Starbucks, most shopping and dining options are mom-and-pop shops. Syndicate Coffee is a morning and afternoon hot spot known for hot lattes and a cool industrial interior. Guests swear by the pastries — particularly the croissants. The Only Place In Town is a relaxed Californian restaurant with a broad menu that includes burgers, tacos, pastas, omelets and house-made ice cream.
Community-minded events
Community-minded residents keep busy in the Sierra Madre with a full calendar of events — there are over a dozen annual events, including holiday celebrations and library programs. There are family movie Fridays and concerts in the park during the summer months. In May, the Mount Wilson Trail race is popular with runners from all over the region, and pet parents come together in droves for Bark in the Park. “We have so many events. The biggest one is the Wistaria Festival in the spring, which celebrates the world’s largest blossoming plant,” Kwan says. The vine is in the Guinness Book of World Records, and in March, the family friendly festival boasts over 100 vendors.
Custom-built homes
Sierra Madre is a high-end real estate market with beautiful custom homes and price tags to match. “People love the early 1900s architecture of the neighborhood, which range from small Craftsmans to Victorians. There are also a good number of midcentury homes that were built out in the 1950s and ‘60s,” Kwan says. Many homes have been designated as historical landmarks by the city, which can create renovation obstacles. Single-family homes in the city range from around $800,000 for a 700-square-foot bungalow to around $2.5 million for a newer build with over 3,000 square feet. According to Kwan, the highest sale price he's seen is around $5 million, for a Frank Loyd Wright-inspired home. The handful of condos and townhomes do not offer a substantial discount, with prices ranging between $850,000 and $1.2 million depending on the size and age of the unit. Sierra Madre has a CAP Index Crime Score of 2 out of 10, below the national average of 4 out of 10. Burglary is the most common crime in the area, but instances of violent crime are low.
School pathway programs
Families with children in Sierra Madre are served by Pasadena Unified, a solid public school district with a B grade from Niche. Students can start their education at Sierra Madre Elementary, a walkable community school with an A-minus grade. Sierra Madre Middle is a B-plus school, according to Niche, which gives it an A in diversity. “The elementary and the middle schools are great. That’s the reason a lot of people pick this area,” Kwan says. Students may then advance to Pasadena High School, one of four high schools in the district. Graded A by Niche, PHS has academy and pathway programs in law and public service, creative arts and math. The school also has a robust language department, with four years of Mandarin offered, plus a supplemental class in Chinese business and cinema. “A lot of the families in the city actually do the private school thing, though,” Kwan says.
Rich in outdoor amenities
The city is rich in natural beauty, cultivated green space and community parks. Outdoorsy residents enjoy the moderately challenging terrain of the 1.3-mile trail — short but steep — at Bailey Canyon Wilderness Park. On the weekends, as many as 100 cars line up in the parking lot to walk the trail, set up for a picnic, or just take in the scenery near the waterfall. Mount Wilson Trail Park is a stunning space with mountain views in the Angeles National Forest. The trail is long — almost 12 miles roundtrip — and the elevation and lack of shade make it challenging for beginners and even regular hikers. There are also community parks like Memorial Park and Sierra Madre Park. The latter has a swimming pool, the YMCA, a dog park, a playground and sports facilities. The Los Angeles County Arboretum is directly south of I-210, just minutes from the city.
No traffic lights
Regarding local traffic, there isn’t a lot of congestion or highway-avoiding through traffic. “Fun fact: Sierra Madre is one of the only cities in LA that does not have a working traffic light. We only have stop signs,” Kwan says. The city is only a few blocks north of the 210 and about 7 miles north of I-10, providing access to the greater metro area. The 20-mile drive to LA can take over an hour at rush hour, which seems reasonable compared to the 2 hours and 30 minutes it can take to travel the 40 miles to LAX. Having a car is all but mandatory in the city, but for residents 62 and older and the disabled, the Dial-A-Ride Gateway Coach is a fixed-route public transportation service that traverses the city and has multiple stops.
Photography Contributed By
Christopher Montagne-Waggoner
