Lincoln Crossing, Lincoln, CA

Lincoln Crossing is the big, walled, master-planned section of Lincoln, California, where loops and cul-de-sacs of newer houses connect through a string of small neighborhood parks. It sits beside Downtown Lincoln and Sun City Lincoln Hills, so the old town streets and the Sterling Parkway shopping are both a short drive from almost any front door here. Lincoln Crossing homes are stucco and tile-roof single-family houses on regular lots, built by several different builders, and the streets read as consistent from one loop to the next. A community association looks after the entry walls and common landscaping, which keeps the edges tidy. Outdoors is the neighborhood's strength. Aitken Ranch Park, Machado Park, Pete Demas Park, Peter Singer Park and Dr. Nathan Dubin Park all sit inside the boundary, and the Auburn Ravine Dog Park is where dog owners from across town end up on weekends. City open space follows Auburn Ravine for anyone who wants a longer walk or bike ride on a flat path. For food, Kobe Teppanyaki & Sushi on Ferrari Ranch Road runs ten teppanyaki tables, and seating can take a while on weekend evenings. Starbucks and a Habit Burger share the same shopping area. For a local coffee, people head to Brood Coffee downtown, and for a sit-down dinner most go to the old town restaurants along Lincoln Boulevard and Fifth Street. Groceries are close. Sprouts is inside the neighborhood and Raley's sits just over the boundary, with Safeway beyond it. Highway 65 is the route to Roseville and Sacramento, and most errands are a drive of a few minutes. Chains dominate the dining nearest the houses, from In-N-Out to Panda Express, so a meal with a local feel means getting in the car and heading downtown. The walls and looping streets also make cutting through on foot awkward, and a walk to the store tends to turn into a drive. Dog walkers on the Auburn Ravine path and ball games in the pocket parks fill most evenings here, and that is where neighbors actually run into each other.