Fremont, California

Located on the eastern shores of San Francisco Bay, at the foot of Mission Peak, lies Fremont, one of 21 cities and towns that comprise California's Alameda County.

And when you're surrounded by such beautifully diverse countryside, there's plenty to keep you off the couch. Hikers who climb the five hours to the summit of Mission Peak will be rewarded with amazing views of Mount Hamilton, the Santa Cruz Mountains, Mt. Tamalpais, and Mt. Diablo and the Sierra Nevada; along the way, they'll see vultures, sailplanes, and friendly herds of goat. Hikers will also enjoy the 29-mile (47-kilometer) Ohlone Wilderness Trail. Water lovers, on the other hand, can paddleboat, kayak, or sail the 83-acre (34-hectare) Lake Elizabeth, which is located in the 450-acre (182-hectare) Central Park.

Other reasons for getting off the couch include the Fremont Festival of the Arts, which consists of four miles (six kilometers) of pedestrian-only city streets that are lined with hundreds of artisan and food and wine booths, and its music concerts make it one of the largest free arts festival in the United States. The Olive Hyde Art Gallery, with its eclectic mix of contemporary and traditional exhibits, and the Ardenwood Historic Farm, where every year you can celebrate a Victorian Christmas as they did a century ago in the 19th century Queen Anne-style Patterson House, are also impressive events.

Fremont also offers 48 community parks; community centers offering more than 12,000 programs; more than 40 sports fields, where upwards of 60 adult leagues play; and 16,500 acres (6,677 hectares) of open spaces. Add to that low rates of unemployment, crime, infant mortality as well as a booming hi-tech industry and no utility taxes, and you can only ask yourself: "Who wouldn't want to live here?"

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