Magnolia Creek is a quiet, suburban community 30 minutes south of downtown Houston with a wide range of retail and recreation. This League City neighborhood is highlighted by its top-tier schools and its residents’ strong community engagement, according to Kimberly Harding, broker/owner of The Kimberly Harding Group with RE/MAX Synergy. “People in Magnolia Creek love to visit their neighbors and the kids here play together,” says Harding, a native Texan who’s been selling homes in the area since 2003.

In this neighborhood, you’ll find the common perks of modern suburban living, including sidewalks, streetlights and cul-de-sacs. While there are a number of retail and recreation options within walking distance, you’ll still want a car to connect you to the rest of the city. Its traditional grid-structured streets are lined with mature live oak trees and manicured lawns. Single-family homes in the area include new traditional craftsmen and colonials. Magnolia Creek homes include wide driveways and multi-car garages and typically sell for between $300,000 to $600,000.

The Clear Creek Independent School District offers several highly rated schools. Kids may start at Gilmore Elementary School, which gets an A rating from Niche, before transitioning to Creekside Intermediate School, which has an A-minus rating. Students may then attend Clear Springs High School, which earns an A rating and offers the lightning lunch program which gives additional time to students to make up missing assignments and attend extra lectures.

The neighborhood has several outdoor areas to explore, including Brittany Lakes Park, which offers a paved walking path, two tennis courts, a playground, picnic tables and a pool with a splash play area. You can also check out Willow Park which has a covered playground and a paved looping trail that follows Willow Pond. Magnolia Creek Golf Club runs straight through the middle of the neighborhood’s homes and offers golf courses, a gear shop and a restaurant. There’s also Big League Dreams, which has several baseball/softball diamonds designed to look like famous ballparks, and the League City Skatepark with an array of steps and rails to shred on. “You get quick access to any type of outdoor activity here,” says Harding.

Plenty of retail options are just minutes away by car, including League City Towne Center. For your groceries, you can choose to shop at H-E-B, Walmart Supercenter and Target. If you’re looking to get some work on your new home done, you can get supplies at The Home Depot, Lowe’s Home Improvement and Hobby Lobby. The shopping center also offers Kohl’s, Petco and Best Buy. If you’re looking for popular local restaurants, League City Towne Center has several, including Fuji Ramen which serves Japanese dishes in a cozy environment. You can also check out Little Daddy’s Gumbo Bar which has Cajun and American cuisine and a lively atmosphere.

With its highly regarded schools, ample amounts of recreation and retail and its proximity to the rest of the Houston area, Magnolia Creek offers modern amenities with southern hospitality.