Paradise Valley, Fairfield, CA

Oak trees and fairways give Paradise Valley its character. This Fairfield neighborhood wraps around Paradise Valley Golf Course, and its streets feel greener and more spread out than the denser parts of the city. Homes here are newer than the ones near downtown, built as planned subdivisions with attached garages and modest front yards, and a handful of streets back onto the course. The look is tidy and fairly uniform, which suits people who like a settled, orderly block. The course is the main open space, with oak-studded fairways and creeks that wind through. The clubhouse hosts weddings and events, so weekends can bring a little music and traffic to the course road. Sunrise Park, on Camrose Avenue, is the everyday park for people without a tee time, with a playground, outdoor fitness stations and walking paths. Sutter's Landing Dog Park, a short drive up North Texas Street, is the nearest place to run a dog off leash. Sourdough and Co, on North Texas Street, makes soups, sandwiches and salads and is a common lunch pick. Totto Ramen and Sushi Bar sits next door. Topknot Taproom operates out of the golf clubhouse for a beer after a round, Bangkok Paradise handles Thai dinners, and TF Frozen Yogurt covers dessert. Mountain Mike's Pizza and Round Table handle family pizza nights, and Jimboy's Tacos is the quick taco stop. A Raley's inside the neighborhood handles most grocery runs, and Smart and Final and Trader Joe's are a few minutes up the road. Errands are a car trip, and the freeway is not far. The shops cluster along North Texas Street, so dinner on foot is realistic from the closest streets and unlikely from the rest. The honest limit is that the walkable part of life here is one retail strip, and it is mostly parking lots and chains. Past it Paradise Valley is quiet, and a routine of morning laps at the park and weekend rounds on the course comes together easily.