Scripps Ranch, San Diego, CA

Eucalyptus is the first thing most people notice in Scripps Ranch, on the northeast side of San Diego. E.W. Scripps bought ranch land on these dry hills in the 1890s, named the place Miramar and planted citrus, pine and eucalyptus, and the tall gum trees along Pomerado Road still frame the drive in from Interstate 15. Homes in the community are largely single-family, many shaded by those old trees, with offices and light industry kept to a business park along Carroll Canyon Road. The 2003 Cedar Fire burned through part of the south side and took more than 300 houses, so a good number of homes there are rebuilds from the years after. A few trees from the original Miramar estate still stand at the community swim and racquet club. Lake Miramar is the outdoor centerpiece. A paved road circles the reservoir for almost five miles, open to walkers, runners, cyclists and skaters, while anglers rent boats or fish from the shore for largemouth bass and catfish. Picnic tables and barbecues line the water. Smaller neighborhood parks such as Jerabek, Hoyt and Cypress Canyon are scattered through the residential streets. Food in Scripps Ranch splits between the village centers and the business park. Fay's Diner on Scripps Ranch Boulevard serves breakfast all day, and its seafood Benedict comes loaded with lobster and shrimp. The French Oven on Scripps Trail is a real French bakery, known for its raspberry almond croissant and eclairs, and it closes Mondays. Down on Carroll Canyon Road, the Harland Brewing tasting room pours a crisp rice lager and a West Coast IPA among the office buildings. Vons on Scripps Ranch Boulevard handles the weekly shop, and the Scripps Miramar Ranch Library sits on Scripps Lake Drive near the reservoir. Interstate 15 runs along the western edge, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar lies to the south, and Poway is next door to the east. Shops and restaurants are spread among several small centers rather than one main street, so a car is part of nearly every errand. Balancing that is a five-mile lake loop and old Scripps-era trees within a few minutes of most homes.