Granite Creek Rd, California

If it weren't for the fact that Granite Creek Road were in Santa Cruz, I would almost say that it is straight out of a horror movie - a long, winding road that gets dark at night and sees its fair share of traffic. However, the fact that this stretch of road can't be more than two miles long and is less than ten minutes from the Santa Cruz beaches makes it hard to make this a viable assertion.

In reality, it's a pretty, shaded road that is shrouded in redwood trees and sees very little sunlight, between the high canopies and the seasonably dense fog. Homes here tend to be a bit older and more rustic than the real estate in this town's Silicon Valley neighbors, although there are some hidden gems embedded in the mix. The neighborhood is not cheap, but anything that is this tucked away will get you more for your money in this part of the country than a similarly sized home that is located in a high-traffic area. If you consider moving to Santa Cruz, it's worth looking here at least.