One of the biggest movie stars of the 2010s is from one of Oakland County’s coziest cities. She lives in Hollywood now, but Veronica Mars, aka Kristin Bell, grew up in the leafy land of Huntington Woods, Michigan.

If she resided there today, she’d be one of just over 6,000 residents of the built-out primarily residential city. It is one of the smallest cities in metropolitan Detroit, spanning about 1.5 square miles at the intersection of I-696 and Woodward Avenue. The southern part of Huntington Woods is composed primarily of a golf course and the western half of the delightful Detroit Zoo. The rest is homes…wonderful homes of all kinds.

As the community was born as a bedroom community north of Detroit, many of the homes were originally built between the 1920s and the 1960s. Thanks to the area’s popularity, some new residents choose to demolish old structures and build new modern and larger homes. There are 3 bedroom/2 bathroom/1,500 square-foot homes with postage stamp yards; further east, toward Woodward, are 2,000-3,500 square-foot stately houses that call to mind some of the feelings in Grosse Pointe. Whichever neighborhood you’re in, you’ll find leafy trees, ample sidewalks, and the pleasantness evoked by a city free of commercial influences.

Nearly everything metro Detroit has to offer is mere miles away: the trendy, hip restaurants in Royal Oak; the surprises around every corner in Ferndale; the delightful downtown in Clawson; and the modern suburban conveniences in Madison Heights and Troy. Big-city entertainment is a 15-minute drive to Detroit south on I-75.

If you just can’t leave your bucolic paradise, you can go to the Detroit Zoo, which opened in 1928 and is home to about 3,300 animals representing 280 species. The zoo includes America’s largest polar bear exhibit and an Outback-themed area that allows red kangaroos and red-necked wallabies to roam and even interact with visitors. Events at the zoo run all year, including trick-or-treating, a light display, and beer/wine tastings.

Your kids will be part of Berkley Public Schools. Four elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school make up the system’s foundation. A preschool program and participation in the International Academy are offerings within the district. The Norup School, one of 3,500 schools in the world that teach specialized programs called “Primary Years Programme” and “Middle Years Programme” is located within the district. And Berkley High School was ranked one of the Top 735 high schools in the country by Newsweek; it’s been on this list since 2008. Does your child play an instrument? Berkley was named 1 of 376 school districts nationwide as a Best Community For Music Education by NAMM (National Association of Music Merchants).

Though simply residing in Huntington Woods will not transform you into an acting star, living there promises to be a delight. Consider it a place to call home.