Skyline Forest, Monterey, CA

Skyline Forest climbs into the Monterey pines above the city, and the quiet is what sets it apart from the flat streets below. The roads bend around the hillside, houses sit back among trunks and needles, and the bay shows up in glimpses through the trees. Homes here are a mix of single-family houses on wooded lots, townhouse clusters and a few custom places with big decks and tall windows aimed at the forest. Many have been updated inside, while the outsides keep a woodsy look that suits the setting. The main draw is Huckleberry Hill Nature Preserve, which covers 81 acres of Monterey pine and is run by the city. Its trails are reached through Veterans Memorial Park next door, a 50-acre park with a campground, barbecue areas, a bocce court and more pine-shaded paths. The park is about a mile west of downtown and can be entered from Jefferson Street or from Highway 68, so a walk in the woods is a few minutes from the front door for many residents. Food is down the hill at Del Monte Center, where Dametra Fresh Mediterranean, Pizza My Heart and California Pizza Kitchen share a landscaped plaza with a sea otter fountain, and a Whole Foods sits just across the street. When it is time for a serious cup of coffee, Alta Bakery on Munras Avenue is the drive that people make, and it is worth the trip for the pastries as much as the espresso. There is no walking to groceries from the upper streets, so almost every errand means getting in the car and heading down toward Del Monte Center or downtown. The roads are winding and steep in places, and the forest keeps many lots shaded for much of the day. Come evening, the main sound in Skyline Forest is wind in the pines, and that is something the streets down in the city can't offer.