Del Rio, CA

Del Rio takes its name from the Spanish for of the river, and it covers about two square miles of Stanislaus County near the Stanislaus River, on the north side of the Modesto metro area. It is unincorporated, so the county sets its rules and the city of Modesto, the county seat, does not. The setting is quieter than the rest of the metro, with more sky than street. Development stays thin, with homes, farmland and open ground sharing the same stretch of land, and the river corridor nearby keeps a good share of it green. Part of what holds the community together is a single institution, a private golf, tennis and event club that belongs to the regional golf and tennis associations. Its members read their own newsletter, called The Bogey, which says something about how much community life runs through one gate, and the club grounds are the nearest thing the area has to a gathering place. Next to nearby communities such as Salida and Bystrom, Del Rio is far more open and spread out, with much more land per resident and no shopping center of its own. Salida began as a railroad stop in 1870. Del Rio began around a fairway. Upstream, the Stanislaus runs past Oakdale and Knights Ferry, where the river parks offer rafting, hiking and picnicking, which gives residents a ready option for a day on the water. Daily life means driving. Groceries, restaurants and nearly every other service sit in Modesto, and a trip to town is part of nearly every day, so the day tends to start and end on the same few roads. More room comes with longer drives, and anything that depends on a walkable main street is simply not here. Del Rio's whole appeal comes down to keeping the river, the farmland and the club in balance with the houses. Low-density living is the essential appeal, with more space and privacy than the neighborhoods closer to central Modesto.