Beach Tract / Fairway Homes, Pacific Grove, CA

Beach Tract / Fairway Homes runs along the north shore of Pacific Grove, a band of streets between Lovers Point and Point Pinos Lighthouse, with the municipal golf links behind it giving the Fairway Homes half of the name. Ocean View Boulevard follows the water the whole way, and most cross streets end at a view or a path. Houses range from older cottages to bigger remodels. The golf-links side looks over open grass, the shore side looks out across the bay, and fog drifts through often enough that people keep a jacket in the car all year. The outdoors starts at the front door. The Monterey Bay Coastal Trail covers about a mile between the aquarium and Lovers Point and carries on along this shoreline, so runners, strollers and cyclists share it from early morning. Perkins Park and Esplanade Park line the rocks, Crespi Pond sits near the lighthouse, and Point Pinos Lighthouse, lit in 1855, now runs as a small museum surrounded by fairways. Lucy's on Lighthouse, at 1120 Lighthouse Avenue, serves hot dogs named for local surf breaks and has a patio and live music some days. Lovers Point Beach Cafe, at 620 Ocean View Boulevard, is the stop for coffee and breakfast with a bay view. The Grill at Point Pinos, in the golf clubhouse, is known for its breakfast lineup. For a sit-down dinner, Passionfish sits a few streets inland on Lighthouse Avenue. Grove Market and the downtown shops lie a short drive or a longer stroll inland, and the big supermarkets are out on Forest Avenue. People in Beach Tract / Fairway Homes tend to walk for coffee and the shoreline and drive for the weekly shop. Summer weekends bring crowds and tight parking at Lovers Point, which residents plan around. The rest of the year these streets go quiet early, and the loudest sound after dark is the water.