Median home: $236,000
What it's like: This desert community near San Diego sits in the middle of 600,000-acre Anza-Borrego State Park, with hundreds of miles of trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding.
Check out: The De Anza Country Club and the gated Montesoro development, which have the most deluxe homes.
By Beth Braverman
NEXT: Cripple Creek, Colo.