Sun City Lincoln Hills, Lincoln, CA

Sun City Lincoln Hills is a large Del Webb community in Lincoln, California, built around its own lodges, clubs and golf courses and set among rolling oak hills. It lies next to Twelve Bridges and Lincoln Crossing and covers close to 3,000 acres, so it works like a small town inside the larger one. The houses are Del Webb floor plans arranged on curving streets with landscaped greenbelts, and the design repeats in a pleasant, orderly way. The community association handles common areas and sets the exterior rules, which is why the streets look so uniform. Outdoors is plentiful across Sun City Lincoln Hills. The community has 18 fitness trails for walking and biking, Angler's Cove for catch-and-release fishing, and two golf courses, the Orchard Course and the Hills Course. Orchard Creek Lodge has indoor and outdoor pools and a fitness center, and Kilaga Springs Lodge has its own indoor pool and a spa. The Sports Pavilion adds 11 tennis courts and 13 pickleball courts. Dining inside the community is mainly Meridians, the full-service restaurant at Orchard Creek Lodge, and the bistro at Kilaga Springs. Outside it, Sterling Parkway has the rest, with Sterling Café for breakfast and It's A Grind Coffee House as a local option for a morning drink. Raley's and Safeway both sit in the shopping area beside the community, so groceries rarely take more than a few minutes. Highway 65 is the route to Roseville, and most people drive to leave the community. Inside it, the trail network handles shorter trips on foot or by bike. The rulebook is the main adjustment. Exterior changes and landscaping all go through the association, and some owners find that more structure than they want. With two lodges, a ballroom, art studios and dozens of clubs, a lot of social life here happens without leaving the grounds.