Ramona Park, Long Beach, CA

Ramona Park is a quiet grid of postwar houses in North Long Beach, named for the 7-acre city park on 65th Street that anchors it. The park packs in a baseball diamond, a soccer field, tennis and basketball courts, a futsal court, a roller hockey rink and a community center that opened in 1995. Ramona Park's streets are lined with modest midcentury stucco houses, mostly one level, with small front lawns and driveways laid out on a regular grid. Upkeep varies from block to block, and a few apartment buildings sit near the busier streets. One unusual thing about this corner of the city is the plant nurseries. Ricardo's Nursery on Atlantic, Rosales Nursery on Myrtle and Mezcala Nursery on Orange are each only blocks away, so a lemon tree or a flat of succulents is a quick trip. Food runs along Artesia Boulevard and Cherry Avenue. Robert Earl's BBQ on Artesia smokes Texas-style brisket and ribs, Soul Food Renaissance on Cherry serves Southern plates, and Paris Croissants on Cherry is the stop for coffee and pastries. Martin's Bakery on Downey Avenue handles birthday cakes. Daily errands are easy by car. Food 4 Less on Cherry and Big Saver Foods on Artesia cover groceries, and the 91 freeway runs just north for commutes toward Los Angeles or Orange County. Most of the neighborhood is a short drive from the Atlantic Avenue shops and the Michelle Obama Neighborhood Library. The tradeoff is Artesia Boulevard, a busy, wide road with fast food and car traffic on the north side of the neighborhood. The side streets are much calmer, and the park is close enough that most of the blocks can walk to a pickup game.