Gateway Center, Sacramento

Up in this newer section of northwestern Sac, you are basically in an area dominated by gated communities where only residents and their visitors can make their way into the surface streets. It is basically Sac’s own little version of Orange County in that sense--though not really in terms of the price. Rents here are only slightly higher than normal, with a typical one-bedroom going for around $900 and a two bedroom for $1200.

Typical of these kinds of communities all the lawns are well-kept and clean, so you feel as if you are in a safe, if a bit of a boring, environment. Homes are all fairly similar, though not so similar that you can’t tell them apart.

On the eastern end of the neighborhood is a commercial area, largely made up of motels like the Hilton and the Springhill Airport hotel, that take advantage of the nearby freeway and the airport some five miles north. You also have the headquarters for several businesses as well—many related to health, and coordinating with the big Sutter Health facility on the southern end of the neighborhood.

Another feature of the area is Northwestern University School of law near the river.

As far as eateries goes, there is nothing you won’t find in a hundred other communities like this with the highlight being the Chevy’s by the river.

Overall, this is a nice, quiet place that would be nice for raising a family if it were not for the below average middle school that serves the area. Boring but good.