I agree. I know that they want to make the worlds more visually amazing and look like it's a full livable space but it's annoys me that there are so many fakes houses and the playable lots are spread out so much that they end up feeling empty. I think for SE they should of put the playable lots closer to each other and close to the exploreble/hiking trails. Cause in all honesty the part of the neighborhoods you want to explore is the hiking trails and not the "residential" area.
Suggestion for players who are not apposed to mods. Use MC Command Center and change the Sims on Zone count from base 20 to 30+. It helps make the world feel more alive especially for venues like parks, bars, and nightclubs. Do note that if your set up doesn't have a lot of ram you it will crash cause more sims means more resources needed.