No. 7. San Jose, Calif.
Population: 1,738,852
Median home price: $788,000
Number of public courses: 22.5
Median green fee: $59

THE GOLF: While real estate is pricey, public golf isn't. The Callippe Preserve, with its camera-ready views of Mt. Diablo and pastoral setting near a butterfly preserve, is only $36 to walk during the week, far cheaper than the $100-plus fee you'd expect.

THE REST: True, Silicon Valley homes go for about what Bill Gates spends yearly on pocket protectors. But San Jose's dandy weather — sunny and fog-free all year — is priceless. With this climate and crime rates lower than Mayberry's, you'll want to know the way to San Jose.

The 12th hole at Callippe Preserve in Pleasanton overlooks Mt. Diablo.