La Buena Vida is a pleasant and orderly neighborhood of fourplex condominiums on the east side of Davis. It is also called the McKeon neighborhood, after the McKeon Corporation, which built condominiums of this style all over California in the 1960s and 70s. The neighborhood is laid out on nicely landscaped circular streets with a community pool and meeting room at the center. Most of the individually-owned condominium units are now rentals.
La Buena Vida is bounded on the north by Nugget Fields soccer park. On the east, the boundaries are Sandy Motley Park and a paved bike path. On the south, the boundary line is Donner Avenue, and on the west it is Pole Line Road. The zip code is 95618.
Children who live in La Buena Vida attend Birch Lane Elementary School. Secondary schools are Harper Junior High and Davis High. Davis offers continuation schools and alternative or independent study too. The local college is the University of California at Davis, of course, and nearby Sacramento also offers many educational opportunities.
The parks of the neighborhood offer fields for nearly every kind of sport. Nugget Field is dedicated to youth soccer. Sandy Motley Park, named after a popular Davis politician, has barbecue grills, children’s play equipment, a ball field, and a fitness trail. Oak Grove Park, slightly south of the neighborhood, offers basketball as well as picnic tables under the trees. Oak Tree Plaza is a retail development with local shopping, services, and fast food.
La Buena Vida is a modest but agreeable Davis neighborhood. Well situated near plenty of open space, it’s also close to the spirited life of downtown.