Village One, Modesto, CA

Soccer shapes the feel of Village One. Mary Grogan Community Park, off Litt Road in northeast Modesto, anchors the neighborhood with night-lit fields, a cricket pitch and covered picnic areas, and it was expanded earlier this year. The houses are newer than most of the city. Stucco walls, tile roofs and attached garages set the look, in Spanish Revival, ranch and newer traditional designs, with some townhomes mixed in. Floor plans run roomy, and the blocks read as one planned piece rather than something that grew up lot by lot. Ustach Park adds bike trails and play structures, and Freedom Park has basketball courts and a splash pad for the hot months. Together the parks give players of all ages plenty of room to play within a short ride of home. Village One Plaza holds Squeeze In for breakfast, Tasty Thai Restaurant and Bar, Wings and Rings and a Peet's. Perko's Cafe on Oakdale Road is the old-style diner stop, open from six in the morning and known for its French dip. The Tap Room Pub and Grub on Sylvan Avenue pours craft beer and serves a Philly cheesesteak alongside Thai chicken tacos, and Gusto Italiano covers Italian dinners. Raley's handles the main grocery run. The plaza's mix of breakfast spots, coffee and casual dinners makes it a natural meeting point for neighbors on weekends. Summer evenings are lively around the fields. Errands here mean getting in the car. Downtown Modesto lies a drive to the south, and Highway 99 is the road toward Stockton and Sacramento. Newer housing comes with distance. The older bungalow streets, the theaters and the downtown farmers market are a drive away instead of around the corner. What Village One offers in return is play space built into the neighborhood: fields, courts and a splash pad within the same few square miles.