Town with local flair, walkable, near outdoor recreation 40 min from Travis (Sacramento: rent, house)

[2sleepy]

Originally Posted by eagle06

Winters is close. Will look at that. Auburn would be a pretty long commute.

Is there an annual or monthly toll rate for the bridge or is it just a $5 per day per vehicle no matter what? Looks like some of the stuff we'd like to do (great climbing gym) is across the bridge. Going there. A few times a week would add up.

It's $5 a day, no discount for monthly. There is a climbing facility in Davis Welcome To Rocknasium - The Sacramento Area Climbing Gym - located in Davis, CA

[NewToCA]

I think that Vacaville is pretty underrated. It has a decent small quaint downtown area, and a ton of local convenience shopping areas. Though the city itself is flat, to the northwest is an area that gets quite hilly, and a trip down Pleasant Valley road, and to the west of that road, is worth seeing.

[eagle06]

Googled photos of Vacaville and it actually does look rather nice. Here's the problem I seem to be running into (understanding it's very tough to really judge the areas until we visit) we want to find a town with the characteristics I described and also close to amenities like climbing gyms, fitness centers, Whole Foods (or equivalent), biking, etc. Benicia seems nice but it requires a drive down towards Walnut Creek (toll everytime) or Napa for these things. Even if Vacaville or Fairfield are nice, they also require a drive to Davis for these things.

Davis seems to have the amenities but I can't tell how close it really is to the outdoor rec we love. I understand within an hour or two drive are plenty of opportunities but that makes it tough for a quick trail run after work. It seems pretty flat.)

Napa may be the best option? How livable is it though? Housing is, of course, expensive but it looks like I can find something for less than $2000. It's surrounded by foothills for close recreation and an hour or two from other areas for weekend recreation.

[wburg]

The thing to keep in mind is that all of these are small cities and none are particularly self-sufficient. Napa is kind of a "boutique" city--it exists mostly to support the tourist trade. In a lot of those communities you will find boutiques and fine dining, but might have to drive over to the next city to find, say, hardware stores (one joke about the mountain town of Nevada City is that the only place to buy nails is a curio shop where they sell the antique square ones) or restaurants that aren't expensive fine-dining experiences (aside from a few inexpensive taquerias where the local labor force eat.)

[cmrubin]

Originally Posted by eagle06

Googled photos of Vacaville and it actually does look rather nice. Here's the problem I seem to be running into (understanding it's very tough to really judge the areas until we visit) we want to find a town with the characteristics I described and also close to amenities like climbing gyms, fitness centers, Whole Foods (or equivalent), biking, etc. Benicia seems nice but it requires a drive down towards Walnut Creek (toll everytime) or Napa for these things. Even if Vacaville or Fairfield are nice, they also require a drive to Davis for these things.

Davis seems to have the amenities but I can't tell how close it really is to the outdoor rec we love. I understand within an hour or two drive are plenty of opportunities but that makes it tough for a quick trail run after work. It seems pretty flat.)

Napa may be the best option? How livable is it though? Housing is, of course, expensive but it looks like I can find something for less than $2000. It's surrounded by foothills for close recreation and an hour or two from other areas for weekend recreation.

Davis is not only "pretty flat", it is absolutely flat -- the highest point in town is reputed to be the railroad overpass on Covell Blvd.

You aren't going to find everything you seek in one affordable city within your 40-minute commute to Travis, and keep in mind that if you live on the I-80 corridor, that stretch is often backed up during rush hours. Winters would fit most of your specs, but I don't know much about the rental market there. Vacaville abuts the Berryessa hill country and is a quick drive to Davis for the Farmers Markets, bike trails and other amenities. You could also try Dixon, but it's not as charming, IMO, as Winters, Davis, or even parts of Vacaville. Spend a few days in the area.

[ryuns]

Winters could fit, but it's quite small. There's a lot to do given its size, thanks in part in to local recreationists (boating, fishing, hiking, biking), but it's still limited in terms of things like full-service grocery stores, gyms, and the like. You're also very limited in terms of housing options.

I think Vacaville could be a good compromise. It's mostly *very* suburban in character, but lots of amenities, easy commute, and no bridge. You should be able to find something in a walkable area. (Maybe start with the green area on this map? Vacaville Apartments for Rent and Vacaville Rentals - Walk Score )It's also close to outdoor activities, including some open space right on the edge of town. (Some decent bouldering, too Vacaville (Nut Tree Boulders) - Bouldering Area Info - Bay Area Bouldering, California, USA )

[eagle06]

Bought tickets to head out at the end of the month to check these areas out. Hopefully the weather stays nice.

[bentobox34]

Originally Posted by eagle06

Bought tickets to head out at the end of the month to check these areas out. Hopefully the weather stays nice.

In Davis and Northern CA, the "nice" winter weather is, IMO, the rain that turns the landscape green for a precious few months. If you've been following the news, we are in the middle of a drought which may break all-time records (we've had about half the rain to date as compared to the driest rain season on record, 1975-76). Unless the weather changes you are going to encounter a very dry, BROWN landscape around here at the end of the month. I hope, for the sake of your impression of this place, that the weather does NOT stay nice.

As an avid hiker, I have to say I was not enthused by living in Davis. The closest change in elevation is 30 minutes west on Hwy 128. The closest hiking trails are about 45 minutes away in this area. Based on my preferences, I only found these hikes tolerable from December to May when the landscape is green (in a normal year) and the temperatures aren't too high. Note that by the standards of Colorado and California, this area has "hills," not "mountains."

If you want to see lots of trees and dramatic scenery, you will have to either head to the coast or the Sierras, which would generally be about 1.5 hours either direction from Davis.

[ryuns]

Originally Posted by bentobox34

As an avid hiker, I have to say I was not enthused by living in Davis. The closest change in elevation is 30 minutes west on Hwy 128. The closest hiking trails are about 45 minutes away in this area. Based on my preferences, I only found these hikes tolerable from December to May when the landscape is green (in a normal year) and the temperatures aren't too high. Note that by the standards of Colorado and California, this area has "hills," not "mountains."

If you want to see lots of trees and dramatic scenery, you will have to either head to the coast or the Sierras, which would generally be about 1.5 hours either direction from Davis.

This is all very true. Tough to get out for a very quick escape from here. But I'd say that's balanced by the huge diversity in opportunities--in the cold months, you have Stebbins near Winters, a lot of options in Capay or the coast range around Napa and Sonoma Valleys, or a longer drive to the redwoods. There's also (in a normal year) plenty of snowshoeing. In the warmer months, you do have to escape to the mountains, but there you have some truly fantastic hikes and backpacking trips at every level.

So, I agree, too much driving is involved, but also there's generally an opportunity to hike in different landscapes, snow optional, throughout much of the year. Even in outdoor meccas like Colorado or Bend, OR, where I have family, the long winters pretty much limit you to snow-based activities. By the way, I find I don't worry too much about driving by dedicating a full day to my chosen activity and to finding a spot on the way back to stop/eat/drink that's usually off the beaten path for me. Certainly wipes out a whole weekend day, but more fun that just drive-hike-drive.

[2sleepy]

I lived in Vacaville for years, it was, and still is quite suburban. It's an ok place for families with kids but I don't see how it would appeal to anyone single or even a couple without kids. You might look at Martinez, it's probably the most affordable place to live in Contra Costa County (outside of Pittsburgh ugh) Martinez has nice walking/biking trails around the Marina, and it has a quaint downtown with a few decent restaurants - but you would need to pay a bridge toll to get back and forth to work. The good news is it would be a reverse commute so traffic wouldn't be a problem.