Once upon a time when our kids were very young, we lived in Juneau, Alaska.

When things became too hectic around the house, we'd load the kids into our mini-van and take a drive. Eventually, the boys would all fall asleep and my wife and I had a moment or two of quiet. Often times, we'd drive around just looking at homes in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Our kids are grown now but we still enjoy spending an afternoon driving through different neighborhoods in Sonora admiring the many different architectural styles of homes in the area.

I'm always amazed at the diversity in the older neighborhoods. Most of the photographs below are from the Meyers Hill area.

From Spanish style ...

to colonial.

Arts and Crafts era bungalows...

to mid century modern.

This looks very much like an Eichler home from the 50's.

All of these beautiful homes in one neighborhood.

Take a drive around your area. See how many different styles of homes you can find.

If you have young children, you may even get the added bonus of some quiet time.