Hit the road, find a new home
A fresh start in a brand-new home comes with great curiosity. You might ask, “What will our new surroundings feel like?” or “How do we know where we’ll feel most at home?”
The answers can be found in a few simple but beautiful and well-planned road trips. After all, newhome decision-making involves multiple discussions of floor plan, home structures and design features.
Recreation, natural terrain, historic or contemporary attractions, dining, shopping, schools and more are at least as vital to decision-making as the house. And with the best combination of the perfect new house and the perfect surroundings for your life, house becomes home.
Let’s start with fun in the sun.
Looping Las Vegas
Our first road trip takes us out of state on an adventure to the magical Las Vegas Valley, which you can reach in less than 10 hours, including stops. The magic here lies not in what Las Vegas historically is known for but in what it has become.
By the time you arrive at the first thriving new-home neighborhood outside the downtown area, you will have driven past some sights you may not have expected here. And, let’s face it, you would have done so in about the same amount of time as you would have spent dealing with the hassles of air traffic — all from the safety of your car with your “bubble.”
Residents, whether they moved here last year or five years ago, revel in how much Las Vegas and Clark County offer beyond the Strip. While at home in spacious, welldesigned, new-home communities, they also enjoy access to natural wonders plus cultural and sporting adventures, all within 15 to 60 minutes of home.
Driving in from the west, map out an excursion around the Spring Mountains, Mount Charleston and the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area. There, people enjoy daytrips of hiking and biking before returning to the comforts of their hometown communities located right within the borders of Las Vegas.
Stop at masterplanned communities on the north, west, south and east,
enjoying each one’s distinct character amenities ranging from shopping, dining and community parks to schools and thriving arts venues.
South of downtown Las Vegas, discover the Sloan Canyon National Conservation Area and Black Mountain for hiking with tremendous mountain valley vistas. And only 40 minutes east, you’ll happen upon Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, both on the Arizona state line. All of this less than an hour’s drive from exquisitely appointed new homes.
And don’t forget the Las Vegas Raiders and the Golden Knights, who have turned Las Vegas into a year-round mecca for pro sports.
Wine, terrain and respite
Back in California, our next road trip brings you through some of Northern California’s most beautiful terrain, including unexpected gems. Come along for the ride. Learn which builtin highlights of each region lend distinct character to new-home communities and the geography around them.
California’s Wine Country is as legendary as its mountains, valleys and oceans. And winemaking itself has created communities that are both famously wide-spanning or quaint and quiet.
We can’t give credit only to generations of winemaking, however. The natural topography of Sonoma County, Sacramento County and Placer County lend themselves to promising lifestyles.
Heading into upper Sonoma County from the Bay Area, you’re bound to relax on discovering the welcoming valleys flanked by state parks with mountains reaching 2,500 feet in elevation.
Residents pride themselves on the smaller-town feel of places such as Santa Rosa and, a bit north, Healdsburg. Both cities trace their roots back through generations of Sonoma County winemaking. And both are welcoming new neighbors into wellplanned new-home communities.
Healdsburg’s patio life
Chelsea Hock, who relocated from San Francisco up to Healdsburg seven years ago, has thoroughly embraced the lifestyle.
Year-round, Hock explains, life up here seems to take place outdoors and on patios, whether at people’s homes, at wineries or at restaurants in downtown Healdsburg.
“The central focus here has been building out the downtown,” says Hock, who is the art director for Vanguard Properties. “We have a darling downtown plaza that even has several Michelin star restaurants. It is a beautiful, scenic place.”
Regular events in Healdsburg allow community members to gather safely and get to know one another. The April through December farmers market, the summertime Tuesday Concerts in the Plaza series, with an arts festival, a Jazz Village and movies in the park round out life in town.
“There’s so much to do right in Healdsburg,” she says. “On any day of the week, you can drive through the redwoods to the coast in minutes or visit the wineries or head down to the Russian River.”
In addition to the state parks and mountains with hundreds of miles of hiking trails, both Santa Rosa and Healdsburg sit a mere half-hour drive from California’s Pacific Coast. A short road trip from your new home can lead you to some of the most tranquil beaches California has to offer.
Because Healdsburg is central to three major American Viticultural Areas — Dry Creek Valley, the Russian River Valley and Alexander Valley — the town holds onto its laid-back, ag-life vibe while at the same time offering beautiful newconstruction homes.
Back on the road and on the way east of Sonoma County, notice how close you are to points of interest such as Lake Berryessa in Napa County. Miles and miles of trails bring you to 3,500 feet in elevation overlooking the freshwater lake or down onto the beach for swimming and watercraft activities.
Then, during a twohour beautiful drive on Highway 128, you’ll reach greater Sacramento. On the way, be sure to notice the wineries east of Davis.
Navigating North Natomas
Our next region of new-home offerings surrounded by opportunities to live life to the fullest, is North Natomas, inside the northern edge of the city of Sacramento. In North Natomas, not only are you less than 10 miles from downtown Sacramento and its thriving arts, dining and cultural scenes, but you’re an easy drive to Folsom Lake and the Eldorado National Forest.
“Natomas itself is a great, family-oriented community within Sacramento,” says Drew Kusnick, a senior vice president of Integral Communities who is overseeing Integral’s development of the Northlake masterplanned community.
Here, find a blend of every convenience of suburban amenities with close proximity to the two major rivers and downtown Sacramento.
On top of that, the Sacramento Regional Transit District is in the planning stages to expand the city’s light rail system. At completion, an extension of the Green Line will connect Natomas both to downtown Sacramento just south and to Sacramento International Airport to the north.
Even before the light rail extension, the Natomas area offers much to do for family adventures or outings.
“Within Natomas there is a great, large regional community park just east of the Northlake site with a water-play area, sports fields, playgrounds,” Kusnick says.
That park, the North Natomas Regional Park, sits on 209 acres and also features the farmers market, sports fields, dog parks, walkways, nature paths, a lake and an amphitheater. Shaded cabanas are perfect for picnics in all kinds of weather and shaded playgrounds protect little ones from the elements.
“We’re close to the American River and the Sacramento River, with water sports and trails, and we’re less than two hours from Lake Tahoe,” Kusnick adds. He notes that residents gain all the benefits of a Sacramento address with the bonus of the unique sense of place in Natomas.
While we’re speaking of Lake Tahoe and freshwater lakes, let’s get back on the road and make a couple of stops before reaching Folsom Lake.
Lincoln’s unexpected charm
A mere 35-mile drive from Sacramento up in the hills of north Placer County, you’ll want to have your walking shoes ready to enjoy Lincoln. Here, a trail system encompasses hundreds of scenic miles for walking, hiking, cycling and jogging all within distance of the historic downtown and the Old West history of California.
“We’re the gateway to the Placer Wine and Ale Trail,” says Pam Lopez, president of the Downtown Lincoln Association and owner of a downtown restaurant. “There are several wineries and breweries in the Lincoln area and beyond, into the foothills and clear up to Auburn.”
At least 10 destinations of the Placer Wine and Ale Trail are located in Lincoln itself. Meanwhile, new-home neighborhoods are opening up for people to call this charming region home. Lopez explains that locals as well as wine-and-beer
loving visitors enjoy spending time in Lincoln to absorb its downtown sights and the surrounding parks and recreation.
“People are surprised to find so much to do here!” says Lopez, adding that downtown features annual festivals and events such as the Rods and Relics custom car show in June, the downtown Lincoln Wine Fest in April and even a high school rodeo.
Lincoln’s arts scene is filled with even more surprises, including art galleries and an archives museum. Lincoln is also the headquarters of Gladding, Mcbean, known the world over for its clay reserves and its design and large-scale production of terra cotta and tile products.
Continue your day in Lincoln with a comfortable picnic by the clock in Beermann Plaza or take a scenic drive just 12 miles east to Hidden Falls Regional Park. There, you’ll find gems, literally hidden in plain sight on 30 miles of paths. The beauty includes waterfalls, bridges, hills dotted with wildflowers and even streams for fishing.
Placer County is even considering a proposed expansion of Hidden Falls Regional Park to allow residents even more access to its natural beauty.
To the mountains
Heading to southeast Placer County, remember that Folsom Lake and its state recreational area sit just past several luxury new-home communities. These communities can be found carefully positioned in cities such as Folsom (Sacramento County), Granite Bay and other towns within El Dorado County.
In fact, while we’re discussing Placer County and El Dorado County, let’s not forget that both of these counties extend eastward to different spots on the Californianevada state line.
Nevada living provides many of the benefits of Northern California living, along with decidedly up-andcoming amenities such as thriving arts and dining scenes along with dynamic terrain for outdoor sports and adventure.
Only 40 miles from the eastern edge of Placer County, for instance, you can discover how Reno has been blossoming into a thriving place to live, work and play. In fact, another exciting road trip, less than seven hours in duration, could let you compare in one day the thriving new-home communities surrounding Reno with those surrounding Las Vegas.
Where will your new-home road trip take you?
To be sure, visiting the environs of newhome communities should be an enjoyable road trip several days long or, perhaps, two days at a time over the course of a month. We are certain you will enjoy visiting the communities featured throughout this edition of Beyond the Bay.