Folsom

Folsom is a small, flat and relatively sheltered city wedged between Folsom Lake to the north and Highway 50 to the south. It is a city ripe with expansion and new development. Within the last few years, a slow but steady influx of new homeowners has spruced up residential development and increased local business revenue. Consequently, these new residential neighborhoods are plotted against the city’s older, less appealing residences.

In many respects, the city of Folsom aspires to be a close-knit community, appealing to a newly pristine middle-class aesthetic. With this in mind, new districts are built around tall cement walls as if trying to characterize itself as a gated community. Within these walls are typically two-story homes with enough front yard space for children to play safely. Oddly enough, many older people choose to retire within the city’s limits, due to Folsom’s quiet, tree-lined streets and relatively low crime rate.

Folsom’s quaint, family-friendly appeal also carries over to its highly regarded school system. Folsom High School and Sandra Gallardo Elementary School are the main educational institutions within the city, while those looking for higher education head towards the lesser known Folsom Lake Community College.

Shopping needs are met by factory outlet stores and retail shops that abound Natoma Station and Broadstone Street respectively. Other window shoppers can head towards Sutter Street to find a cluster of antique shops and smaller eclectic stores. In the coming years the city plans to continue its relatively mild expansion by adding a handful of new retail stores, hotels and restaurants. Folsom also offers a small, but flourishing high-tech industry. Intel Corporation is one of the dozen well-known international companies enjoying a rapid growth in the last decade.

Folsom Lake Recreation Area is a popular, multi-use California State Park which spreads across 18,000 acres. The park offers visitors almost every outdoor activity imaginable: camping, picnicking, hiking, fishing, water skiing, boating and swimming. If you get tired of the water, the area provides 120 miles of shoreline where eager adventurers can trek around the miles of woodsy hiking trails.