Dunnigan, Dunnigan, CA

Dunnigan sits at the northern end of Yolo County with Interstate 5 running along its edge, and the exit ramp works as the town's real main street. Gas, coffee and fast food gather there for people passing through, while the homes sit on the quieter roads behind. The county seat of Woodland is about eighteen miles to the southeast, and Zamora is the closest neighbor at roughly eight. Houses are spread out, with older ones near the original streets and plenty of open yard around them. Fences are common, yards run wide, and for many households the back gate opens onto a farm field with nothing taller than a power pole in view. Summers are hot and dry, so evenings are when the outdoors gets used. There is no big park inside the community. Walkers and cyclists end up on farm roads and field edges, and anyone after a playground or a trail makes a drive to a larger town. Tres Cazuelas Taqueria, at 4960 County Road 99W, is the family-owned place locals point to, with hand-made tortillas, pozole and street tacos. Right by the freeway you will also find Starbucks, Jack in the Box, Taco Bell and Burger King for a quick stop. Dunnigan Market, on County Road 6, covers milk, bread and the other things a household runs out of midweek. Getting around Dunnigan means driving, and Interstate 5 is the way to every bigger town. There is no transit to count on, so a car is part of the deal, and keeping a full tank before the long stretches is simply good habit out here. The limit here is choice. A full grocery trip, a doctor, or a restaurant with a long menu is a drive of several miles, and for most households a workday starts with leaving town. Anyone who wants a wide menu of shops within walking distance will not find it. What Dunnigan offers in return is room and quiet, and a view that stays flat and open in every direction.