Advice Needed Re: Vacaville and Surrounding Area (San Francisco, Sacramento: rentals, low crime)

[iglodowski]

Hi all -
My husband, 2 boys ages 3 and 4 and I are considering moving from Brooklyn to CA. My husband would work in Vacaville. Where's a good place to live - interesting, quaint, good schools, not to blah suburban?? I imagine that we would need to live near a city center to feel sighly at home, coming from a major urban environment. A driving commute of 40 minutes or less is preferable.
Thank you.

[Tim Currie]

Sacramento is the only choice. Other than that you'll be in "blah suburbia".
Central Sacramento can just barely get you inside that 40 min commute.

[humboldtrat]

Working at Genetech near I-505 and I-80?? Anyways, there is not much in the way of urban areas within 40 min of Vacaville. Vacaville and Fairfield are small towns with a suburb feel to them. Some would say "bland". There are some good neighborhoods as well as some not so good neighborhoods in both towns. If you like small towns, check out Winters to the north. It's a farming community surrounded by farm fields and orchards (almonds). Not much to do there but I like the place. Also check out Benicia on the river to the south.

You'll find cheaper housing in the Vacaville/Fairfield area than you will find as you get closer to the Bay Area or in Sacramento area. Also commuting on I-80 in recent years has been getting worse. It can slow down to a crawl in the afternoon going eastward.

[Cali BassMan]

Vacaville would be the place I'd choose, unless of course you want your little ones to grow up around gang bangers... Stay away from Vallejo for sure..

[NewToCA]

Davis is less than 1/2 hour to the north east of Vacaville, and has a great environment, a small but nice downtown and top notch schools. It would also put you about 15-20 minutes from downtown Sacramento, a decent sized city.

But it is pricey.

Sacramento's midtown area may work for you too in terms of daily living, but I'm not familiar with the schools in that area.

midtowngrid.com, Directory for Sacramento, Midtown, Downtown Sacramento, East Sacramento and Old Saccramento Business Directory for shopping, restaurants, hotels, Sacramento's 2nd Saturday Art Walk, Entertainment and more!

[tlunnie]

Hi there, I love Sacramento, it's lively and diverse with plenty of access to adventure and fun. Your only 1-2hrs from Sf, Reno, Tahoe and Napa. Places, I love to frequent. I'm a Ca. Realtor and I would like to offer some help, in your seach for home. 866-576-6484 email gowithtiffany@kw.com

[Thai]

Hi, Vacaville has come a long way towards improving it's downtown and image in general in the ten years I've lived here, but it's definitely suburbia, as are the other towns around here. Crime is a problem in Sacramento, but housing is cheaper for the most part there. Lots to do in Sac, a wonderful place to visit regularly and so much easire to navigate and park, etc. than SF. I notice your post was in June: did you make a decision?

[wisconsinwoman]

Well, I offer an alternative viewpoint. I just visited the Vacaville/Fairfield and San Francisco area for a job interview. The traffic and fatalities on I-80 are not a part of what I am looking for in quality of life. Nor is the high crime of the area, expensive housing and brown countryside. It all depends on what you are looking for. I would suggest visiting if you are seriously considering moving there.

[charsacutter]

What about Winters. It is quaint, low crime rate, schools are not crowded, 15 minutes to Vacaville, 35 to Sacramento, if you like boating it is only 15 minutes to Lake Berryesa, 5 minutes to Lake Solano which has camping, paddle boat rentals, fishing, & day park use. We have lived in Winters and raised 2 girls and one grand daughter here and love it!! check it out online. Winters, CA. I think it is just what you are looking for. Only 5000 people

[Bruce435]

Originally Posted by iglodowski

Hi all -
My husband, 2 boys ages 3 and 4 and I are considering moving from Brooklyn to CA. My husband would work in Vacaville. Where's a good place to live - interesting, quaint, good schools, not to blah suburban?? I imagine that we would need to live near a city center to feel sighly at home, coming from a major urban environment. A driving commute of 40 minutes or less is preferable.
Thank you.

I've lived in Vacaville for 35 yrs and it's not what it used to be but it's still ok. If it were me I'd look around Winters or Dixon both about a 10-15 minute drive into Vacaville.Winters is a small town, maybe 8,000 but very nice with good schools. Dixon is bigger,about 17or18,000 but still a nice city with good schools also. You'll find newer tract homes in Dixon and in Winters they'll most likely be older country homes with a bigger yard. Vacaville has about 105,000 people and tract homes everywhere you look, it'll take you 20 minutes to drive across town at commute time. All three have very low crime rates along with excellent Fire and Police Dept's. Good weather pretty much year round.. so leave the snow blower behind.. Also within a 40 minute drive you have Davis, it's a snooty, nose in the air kind of place and then there's Woodland, Vallejo, Fairfield, West Sacramento..Just depends on what you want and can afford..Hope this was helpful to you.. Anyway... Welcome to the area..