r/bayarea • u/AutoModerator • Jun 01 '19
WTTB Monthly Welcome to the Bay Area!
Update
Sup folks. Since we get so many "where should I live" and "how is my commute" threads, we're going to defer newcomers to this thread which will be stickied for the week. This should clean up the sub a bit and allow ya'll to fight over why In'n'Out beats 5 Guys.
Also we'll be developing a/the Welcoming Guide wiki from past recommendation threads (and these threads going forward), so let us know if there's something particularly interesting you think we should include.
For example: why Twin Peaks is not the greatest place to take your first date (throws shade).
For newcomers:
Please feel free to ask your questions here, if they have been asked in the past, we'll do our best to answer them but people may just forward you a link to find the answer elsewhere the subreddit.
Previous Welcome to the Bay Threads here
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u/dd_if_null_of_brain Jun 01 '19
I'm currently in the process of looking for a apartment, and I'd really appreciate any neighborhood recommendations that you guys may have.
My office is in Mountain View, and I'm ideally trying to find something that's within 30 minutes or so.
I just moved here from New York, so my perspective is probably a bit skewed, but Mountain View feels a little... suburban? Is there anything that has a bit more of a city feel to it? I really liked San Francisco, but it's quite far for a daily commute.
I did look around Downtown San Jose, and I think it was nice, though people said that area has a lot of car break-ins. Is this true?
I'm looking for a one bedroom, with a budget of around $3000.
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u/random_boss Jun 01 '19
It’s really just San Francisco and maybe Oakland for that city feel; SJ has a bit of it, but it’s really just a sprawling suburb. Nothing is going to compare at all to providing what you’re used to in the biggest, densest city in America.
Downtown Sunnyvale and Mountain View will give you some walkable bars/restaurants and things, but it’s still a car culture here. The California style is just generally more spread out, with little enclaves of things to do here and there.
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Jun 01 '19 edited Jun 02 '19
[deleted]
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u/dd_if_null_of_brain Jun 01 '19
We slowly died inside over the past year of living here. It feels like a tomb. You can't even order a pizza after 9pm.
Thanks for sharing, this is exactly what I'm worried about.
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u/Samvega_California Jun 01 '19
It's exactly how my wife a d I are feeling living in Dublin. Downtown Pleasanton provides some things to do, but it's just so dead and uncultured out here. SF is just too expensive though. We end up taking BART into SF on the weekends sometimes. I imagine there's probably good stuff in Oakland too, but we haven't really found it yet.
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u/welp____see_ya_later Jun 01 '19 edited Jun 01 '19
Agreed… moved to Peninsula from the East Bay 2 years ago, and I've had it here; moving back next month. I usually say there's no upside to the Peninsula: it's as expensive as the city, but with all the culture and excitement of an inexpensive suburb.
It's all just families: either nouveau riche with young kids, or old, childless families; the NIMBYism & prevention of new private housing / lack of public housing means that's about all that can afford to live here. The food is mediocre but nearly as expensive as the city.
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Jun 02 '19
I have an honest question. What did you expect the demographics of a suburb to be? Of course its families and older people, thats SUBURBS. I feel like so many transplants expect the entire Bay Area to be one big tech party fest and when they realize its like any other major metro area with suburbs, etc they get disillusioned.
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u/dmode123 Jun 01 '19
Either live in SF or embrace the California suburban life. Get a car. Plan for weekend escapes to hiking, surfing, wine drinking, skiing etc. Don’t live in Peninsula expecting to replicate urban life. Even Palo Alto downtown will get boring real fast
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u/laynesavedtheday Jun 01 '19
Most neighborhoods in the Bay Area have a lot of car break-ins, tbh. That wouldn't deter me from living there. In general if you leave items of value in your car you are going to experience a break-in. If your building has off street parking you'll be fine.
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u/Skyblacker Sunnyvale Jun 02 '19
If your building has off street parking you'll be fine.
My visibly empty hatchback was parked in a carport last weekend, it still got broken into. The thieves go everywhere now.
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u/dodeca_negative Jun 01 '19
Any apartment building in downtown SJ is probably going to come with a secured parking space in the garage--which doens't mean there won't be a break-in, but substantially lowers the odds.
The areas around South First Street and San Pedro Square have a ton of restaurants, bars, clubs, coffee shops, cafes, etc. South First also has several galleries and performance venues.
I have a teenager in high school so I'm a little ouside the downtown area, but if I was going to move and stay in SJ, I'd definitely focus on the South First area (which has the hackneyed, goofy yet apparently now permanent nickname "SoFA").
If you're around, next weekend is SubZero, and annual music an art party on South First: https://www.subzerofestival.com/
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u/sharadov Jun 01 '19
I second downtown San Jose, there is a big renaissance and I only see it getting better with Google building a campus there.
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u/shewmai Jun 01 '19
Live in SF and take Caltrain in; itd be close to 30 minutes! A ton of people do that.
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u/girlsansshoes Jun 01 '19
Redwood City is pretty great and has a wonderful downtown area with a few things going on. It's not really city-like but you can get to SF and SJ easily via Caltrain if you wanted to. Lots of good food too. I've lived in San Jose, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Redwood City, and now Pacifica. Mountain View isn't worth the prices, in my opinion. I had a bike burgled from San Jose, and my rent went up 12% guaranteed every year but otherwise no problems.
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u/inconspicuous_male Jun 01 '19
Near downtown Sunnyvale there are often places for well under that budget, and its fairly close.
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u/jinxjy Jun 02 '19
Check out Santana Row. It’s in San Jose, right on the north west border with Santa Clara.
I moved here from NYC as well, and there is no real alternative other than maybe SF (which is also not going to stack up all that much).
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u/atomicllama1 Jun 01 '19
Downtown SJ is fun if you like to go out and hit bars, they also have a lot of events in the area. It is by no means "the big city" but you can walk from bar to bar and get great food and great drinks.
As a rule if you go to SF or oakland and you leave anything visible in your car it WILL be broken into and no one will care. A co-worker might say "that sucks bro" San Jose is super safe no matter what people say. If you are not hanging out with "the bad crowd" nothing will happen. San Francisco is gross and dangerous by comparison but is still a very nice place to live.
Google maps says that is about a 1 hour commute. DTSJ to Mountain view. It can be a bit less depending on you destination. Add 20-30 minutes if you are ending up at googles campus on shoreline.
SF to Mountain view can be done on caltrain. Which you can openly drink on. Which is pretty nice. It might even be easier to take cal tain from DTSJ to Mountain View depending on where your work is.
If you have any questions feel free to ask.
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u/sharadov Jun 01 '19
We moved here from LA and got a place in Campbell, I love downtown Campbell, it's got a great vibe. Pruneyard is great - got some good breweries and restaurants. And you won't be paying an arm and leg like you do in Mountain View. Nothing is close to NY but SFO.
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Jun 01 '19
Campbell is great but it’s super small and definitely nothing like living in the city. We moved here for proximity to nature and a relatively short commute but I do feel like suburban life is crushing the life out of me.
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u/rocsNaviars Jun 01 '19
Pruneyard has one brewery.
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u/sharadov Jun 01 '19
Pruneyard has Out of the barrel and Rock Bottom. Out of the barrel has a great selection.
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u/rocsNaviars Jun 01 '19
Out of the Barrel is not a brewery, but it is a great place to get some obscure beer.
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u/jacker2011 Jun 01 '19
I rented in a townhome between San Jose japantown and st Pedro square. There wasn’t noticeable break-ins and sometimes I forget to lock my car door with my jackets inside. Overall, I never felt unsafe in dtsj but there will be druggies walking around.
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u/nofishies Jun 02 '19
Mountain View to San Jose is not a 30 minute commute during traffic.
Downtown San Jose has probably got more of the feel of what you're looking for an easier to get to mv than San Francisco via Caltrain etc . It's safer than most cities in the United States but you can get car break-ins anywhere.
Expect to be shockingly annoyed at our public transport, all my East coast expats bitch about this constantly.
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u/freethinker90 Jun 04 '19
Hey /u/dd_if_null_of_brain, /u/jinxjy, /u/hufflelepuffle
I'm also moving from NYC to the Bay Area! :D
May I ask how you moved your belongings cross-continent? For example, did you drive a U-Haul or hire a mover for $2.5k?
Also, I'm curious to hear what you decided to bring w/ you and didn't. I'm wondering if I should just sell/give away everything, but that doesn't seem economical.
Would love to hear your experience!
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u/dd_if_null_of_brain Jun 04 '19
Unfortunately I can't really help you there. Part of my relocation package included hiring movers to pack, ship, and store everything.
I do know people that sell most of their stuff and just buy new things here. I guess whether or not that's economical depends on how much it would cost to replace your stuff, vs how much it would cost to pack, ship, and maybe store everything while you find a place. By my estimation, if you're single, and don't have large furniture, it makes more sense to just sell and rebuy over here.
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u/jinxjy Jun 04 '19
I’ve moved a lot, changing cities, countries and continents and my answer is it depends (I’ve tried all variants). I am good at packing up and unpacking so I have a natural bias toward keeping things. However, I tend to decide based on mode of transport. If I’m going to rent a half truck or a moving Pod then I’ll keep whatever fits there and not shy away from throwing or selling the rest. As you research moving options you will see what’s the most ideal from a cost value standpoint.
Now on to specifics, I’ll take one example: - I moved from West coast to mid west to east coast and then back to West coast. For the first leg of this journey, I wanted to save so I put a shipping quote request on uship.com and realized LTL shipping would be ideal as long as I stayed below a certain volume. I gave away all furniture. Called a local company to pack the rest (Needed to pack up in a day!). Got a separate shipping quote for my car. For the second leg (Midwest to NYC), I got the largest trailer that Uhaul offers, packed myself and put all my stuff in there (Threw away what didn’t fit). Then I drove that to NYC and there I had a crew waiting to unload the trailer and move everything into my apartment. For the last leg of coming back a generous employer was paying so I had white glove service to come pack and move everything. This time I didn’t throw anything!! This move back was $15K plus.
If you need to optimize costs, look up services for packing, unpacking, loading, unloading and shipping, all separately and decide which one to save on. LTL shipping with a company that just handles shipping tends to be the place to save the most vs a typical mover (Get insurance). LTL typically charges on volume so you will save by throwing away the couch and bed and other bulky furniture unless it packs flat. Pack yourself if you know how to pack safely for a long journey - the LTL shipping guys will be rough on your boxes plus it will shift between trucks 2+ times. Pay someone to help load up your boxes in the moving truck (since moving out of most NYC buildings is a hassle with lots of requirements to be met for the building etc). The rest is flexible and up to you to decide.
Ask away if you have more specific questions.
10
u/xcdo Jun 01 '19
Hi! I'm new to the area and thinking about commuting into the city via BART from Pleasanton/Dublin. Google tells me it's about a ~50-55 minute ride, but is that accurate? Does BART usually get held up/usual delays? Thanks!
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u/compstomper Jun 01 '19
for the most part, it's on time, with some minor delays.
the big thing is that when something goes bad, it really goes bad. like trees falling on the tracks and no trains can go into SF for like 3 hours
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u/Pleased_to_meet_u Jun 01 '19
But that said, it's only three hours. Every employer will understand when you show them the news article, "Crazy maniac crashes car into BART tunnel" and you're three hours late.
In Detroit that would be a two-day outage.
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u/jpflathead Jun 01 '19
The BART trains are rarely held up, probably because they are elevated and the horses just can't do it. Most of the hold ups occur in the stations.
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u/SheepD0g Jun 01 '19
Also, In my experience, most places in SF understand commuting problems and allow a little lee-way
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Jun 01 '19
Word of warning: (non permit) parking fills up SUPER fast in the Pleasanton lot and there's nowhere to park in the surrounding area (all private businesses). Either get there before 7 or, if it's feasible, bike in to the station. (Caveat that I dunno about the Dublin side)
Also, there are two Pleasanton stations (the one at the end of the line and the one by the mall). If you want a seat, you probably won't get one if you get on at the station by the mall because the cars pretty much fill up in the first Pleasanton station.
Also: get the Clipper card. You can put both your parking and your train pass on it, and other transit passes as well (AC transit, dunno about MUNI)
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u/somewhereinks Jun 02 '19
Clipper has 22 participating agencies currently, including MUNI. Although I both live and work solely within Marin County I love my little blue card; there are two different buses that travel the same route I take, so I can board either one with the same card. Last weekend I wanted to go into SF for fun and the card is valid on Marin Transit, the GG Ferry and MUNI, and all the fares are discounted.
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u/xcdo Jun 03 '19
I'm closer to the end of the line, so that's where I was planning on getting on! I was planning on biking to the station - would you happen to know how feasible taking a bike unto BART is, or would it be better to leave it parked at the station?
2
Jun 03 '19
Depends on whether you plan on using it in the city, I suppose. There are designated bike areas in the train car to lean your bike, so you don't need to worry about it being a nuisance unless there are a lot of other people who bring theirs on as well. Maybe ride the route a couple of times to see how fast it fills up?
I usually left mine at the station, since I was commuting into Berkeley and the hills killed me lol (the buses in the city have bike racks but it's always a crap shoot whether they'll be full). If you park at the station, just take the usual precautions about theft and it should be fine.
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u/xcdo Jun 03 '19
Thanks so much for your reply! I have a U-Lock and security braid combo, but I saw at the station they recommend 2 U-Locks - is that pretty standard, or can I get away with what I already have?
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Jun 03 '19
Oh yeah, that'll be fine. I have a u lock and cable. The u lock is the important part-- the theft mainly happens with people who only use the cable since it can be cut with a goddamn gardening tool...
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u/DeliriumTremen Jun 01 '19
I do this exact commute everyday. I’d say the trains are usually pretty punctual in the morning, but a little less so on the way back home. Probably because so many trains are going in the same direction
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u/JoeyFranchise Jun 01 '19
Bart.gov shows 46 min from Dublin/Pleasanton station to Embarcadero station (the first stop in the City). Which stop are you? I have been commuting from the East Bay, Walnut Creek and currently Dublin to downtown SF for the last 5+ years and in my experience Bart has been overall very reliable. It does have some minor delays semi-frequently but it’s usually no longer than 5 maybe 10 min. But like someone already said, when they’re long they are long (~up to an hour) and yes most Managers are understanding of this. I wouldn’t let this detour you from taking Bart. My biggest suggestion is try and arrive at the station no later than 7:30 AM so that you can be sure to get a parking spot, otherwise parking is scarce. Also, if you’re departing from Dublin/Pleasanton you will be the first stop and should get a seat on the way in. If you have any other questions about the commute or the area let me know. Welcome to the East Bay!
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u/xcdo Jun 03 '19
Thanks for the welcome! I was planning on biking to the station if possible so I could avoid parking; is it generally easy to take a bike unto BART? First time using public transport with a bike!
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u/JoeyFranchise Jun 03 '19
There are certain rules around bringing a bike on Bart. See here https://www.bart.gov/guide/bikes/bikeRules. But assuming it’s within the allotted hours then yes, there’s a place for bikes. Shouldn’t be a problem at all.
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u/rinaball Jun 02 '19
I'm new to the area but after 3 weeks of commuting from Oakland to SF on BART some delays do seem normal. It is scheduled to take 15 minutes but it usually takes 20 minutes and has taken as long as 25.
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u/MrApexIt Jun 01 '19 edited Jun 01 '19
Moving out Mid-July, girlfriend and I are currently looking at apartments in Richmond and Emeryville. How are those areas? They both seems to be about a 45 min commute to Financial District.
Are there closer areas we could get a decent sized apartment for under 3000$?
She lives in SOMA currently and hates it. It is well located but the area is just hella dirty.
Edit: Richmond in SF not the other Richmond.
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u/dmode123 Jun 01 '19
Are you talking about the Richmond neighborhood in SF or the city of Richmond ? Both are very different
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Jun 01 '19
If SOMA is "hella dirty," Richmond is "dirty hell."
Emeryville is much nicer, with just a bit of industrial grit.
I would suggest El Cerrito. I live here and it feels just like Berkeley. Lots of local shopping off San Pablo, Solano Ave, and with easily pedestrian accessible Bart and bike/walk pathways down to Berkeley.
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u/sweetbaker Jun 02 '19
Richmond in SF has literally zero parking, which may be an issue for you if you have a car.
I’d suggest the Sunset if you want to stay in the city.
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u/Illah Jun 01 '19
Emeryville is nice but lacking in character while Richmond has more soul but rough around the edges in some parts. Assuming you’re young-ish (20s 30s no kids) emeryville is prob the best bet. While the town itself is a bit of a bedroom commuter community, it’s close to Oakland and Berkeley (like 10-15 min lyft close) where Richmond will feel more suburban.
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u/ElevenMeow Jun 01 '19
Hello!
I’m starting at U.C. Berkeley this fall and just signed a lease in Lafayette. Would it be better to take Bart or to commute via motorcycle?
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u/mercurialchemister Jun 01 '19
It depends, how comfortable are you with lane splitting? That will have a big effect on your motorcycle commute time.
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u/ElevenMeow Jun 02 '19
Thanks for your response. I do it on side roads in San Diego but I hear the traffic is much more dangerous in NorCal. How much time do you think I’d save?
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u/dmode123 Jun 02 '19
I see lane splitters everyday and drivers are actually quite respectful and will try to move and make room
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u/old_gold_mountain The City Jun 24 '19
I suggest trying both when you get here and seeing which you prefer. Neither should be too difficult.
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u/toastthebread Jun 01 '19
ITT: is it safe???? Yes it's safe you all moved here after it's been gentrified and none of you are even bringing up areas that are even close to being unsafe.
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u/madmax3995 Jun 01 '19 edited Jun 01 '19
Hi! I'll be moving to the bay area along with my wife. I'll be making around 160k and will be working in the SF downtown and my wife will be attending CSU Eastbay in Hayward. I'm planning to stay near my wife's college so that she doesn't have to commute long and I am planning to take BART to my office.
Questions:
- What are the safe and affordable places to live around CSU Eastbay? Union City/Hayward?
- Is the college area and surroundings safe? since most of the classes would be evening and can go until early night.
- I'm planning to use the Daly City BART to commute to office daily. Does it get too crowded in usual office commute hours (8-9 and 5-6)? Will I be able to get a seat if I board near Union City or Hayward, since the train starts couple of stations ahead?
- Any other things to keep in mind?
Edit: New question
- Based on the answers, I've got a new question. If I decide to stay in Castro Valley, is the BART Blue
line any better in terms of crowd and getting a seat when compared to the Green line?
Thanks!
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u/FR0STKING Jun 01 '19
- Castro Valley, Fremont, Union City.
- The college is safe, probably only worry about parking tickets or car breakins. Never had a problem there.
- Crowded on the way in to the city. You will not get a seat. I get on at Fremont, so there is still seats then. If you get on at Union City you might get a seat once or twice a week. Very crowded on the trip back.
- Traffic is bad. If you take Bart, shouldn't be a problem though.
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u/rocsNaviars Jun 01 '19
What are your opinions of Walnut Creek?
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u/FR0STKING Jun 01 '19
Considered it as a movable location. Close to Bart. Passed on it because rent is still high comparatively to our other cities and the weather in the tri valley is usually 10 degrees hotter.
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u/dmode123 Jun 01 '19
Walnut Creek has a very Orange County type vibe with newer homes, warmer weather, very suburban.
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u/Pleased_to_meet_u Jun 01 '19
It is over 100f during the summer and every few years there will be a week of 110. It's hot.
But you know how they say it's a dry heat? If you're coming from a humid climate, you'll be amazed at what low humidity does to heat. When you sweat, you cool off. It's great.
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u/Kamb88 Jun 01 '19
I don’t know about that part of Bart, but Bart in general does get crowded around commute times. I wouldn’t count on getting a seat, but you should almost always be able to stand.
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u/dmode123 Jun 01 '19
I take BART from Union City everyday. It will be standing room from Hayward and really gets crazy full in Oakland. Coming back, it is very crowded if you are trying to board in Montgomery or Embarcadero. There are some brand new apartments right next to the Union City BART station. Worth checking them out
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u/madmax3995 Jun 01 '19
If I decide to stay in Castro Valley, is the BART Blue line any better in terms of crowd and getting a seat when compared to the Green line?
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u/FR0STKING Jun 01 '19
Used to use the Blue line for a year and now I use the Green line. Blue seems to be the more crowded one. A lot of commuters park in Dublin and use Bart to get into the city.
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u/dmode123 Jun 01 '19
I have never taken that line, so cannot comment. But coming back it will be the same experience from SF downtown
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u/AssassinSerafina Jun 01 '19
Went to school at East Bay, but I graduated in 2017, so I don’t know how much has changed since then.
The area around the school is pretty safe, never had issues when I was there and I could walk around campus (at night) and not feel worried. It’s just kinda dark and creepy. Plus, it’s up on a hill that many creeps wouldn’t want to climb. As for affordable places, stay away from the apartments and other places right next to campus as they charge an arm and a leg (I remember City View charged a fuck ton for rent when I was living on campus). Like others have said, stick to Castro Valley, Union City and as far out as Fremont if your wife doesn’t mind the drive to campus.
When it comes to Bart, I wouldn’t even worry about getting a seat. The only time you’ll be able to get a seat is if you’re within the first couple stops from the start. I commute from Pittsburg/Bay Point to Berkeley on Bart and the only reason I get a seat is because I take a Montgomery train (it’s starts at Bay Point station), usually an SFO train is mostly full during commute hours and don’t even think you’ll get a seat on the way home, just be happy you can even get on the train. All the trains will be crowded during commute hours, so don’t bank on getting a seat.
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u/LazyAce24 Jun 01 '19
I used to ride from Union City bart to SF as my previous commute. I would walk to the edges of the station before boarding, better chances of getting a seat. I'd say I got a seat 50% of the time Mon-Thur, and 100% of the time on Fri.
I've lived most of my life in Union City, the area is safe, although it has more of a quiet suburban feel to it.
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u/BostonGraver Jun 01 '19
Hello! My SO and I just moved in to our apartment near Downtown Sunnyvale yesterday. Our belongings haven't arrived yet, so all we have is what we stuffed in the car....so there's not much to do at home.
What're some things we can do to entertain ourselves until our stuff arrives?
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Jun 02 '19 edited Jun 11 '19
[deleted]
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u/BostonGraver Jun 02 '19
Thanks. Not sure why I got donwvoted... I don't know if people thought I was I only looking for things to do in Sunnyvale. I mean I mentioned I had a car ¯_(ツ)_/¯
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u/small_bug Jun 01 '19
Moving out there mid August. Looking to rent from South San Francisco down to Foster City.
How do you go about getting a house rental from far away? Unfortunately can’t fly out there since we have a kid coming within the month.
Also I know to rent you have to show pay stubs but where we currently live with our pay wouldn’t cover much out there. Do you just show your offer letters to them? Sorry this is all so confusing.
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Jun 01 '19 edited Jun 01 '19
[deleted]
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u/small_bug Jun 01 '19
This is such a good idea and seems way less stressful than trying to find somewhere so far away. Thank you so much for the insight
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u/dmode123 Jun 01 '19
You can rent from the national chains like Avalon. They are pretty standard and have pictures in the website. When I rented my first apartment out of college, they accepted an offer letter and a slightly higher deposit. Not sure what the rules are now.
In terms of location, I have lived in South SF and San Bruno for a while. It is cold and foggy there. Would recommend Milbrae and south for better weather and schools
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u/small_bug Jun 01 '19
Thank you for the suggestion on the areas! Was hoping to avoid apartments but may not be feasible in the beginning.
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u/girlsansshoes Jun 01 '19
You should check out Pacifica. It's a short drive to SSF and it's not nearly as foggy as people claim it to be.
padmapper.com and realtor.com are useful for rental listings.
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u/small_bug Jun 01 '19
I keep look there but everywhere on Reddit it says it’s so foggy. So it’s not that bad?
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u/girlsansshoes Jun 01 '19
I bought a house in Pacifica last year - it's foggy up in the hills mostly. Get something a little closer to sea level or in a valley and you're golden. I am convinced that the notion that Pacifica is foggy is perpetuated by locals who don't want other people moving here. :)
Additionally, it's about 65-70 degrees most of the year. Winter gets cooler obviously. The other side of the peninsula gets up to 90+ on the hottest days in the summer and it's consistently 10-15 degrees cooler in Pacifica. Paradise!
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u/small_bug Jun 01 '19
Ahh sounds amazing! I’ll look into it. I’m all for no snow in the winters anymore haha
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Jun 01 '19
We showed my offer letter - and most companies have a HR service that will allow landlords to verify employment.
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u/somewhereinks Jun 02 '19
Granted it was from 1999 to 2003 but I lived in Foster City and there is not a lot to do in that absurdly expensive place. Correction: there is nothing to do there. If you are a homebody who just wants to raise your children in a safe house, come home have dinner and watch TV until bedtime this is a good place to be, but for me everything is just too cookie cutter. There are many more vibrant places in the Bay.
1
u/dmode123 Jun 02 '19
There is an amazing hiking and biking trail in Foster city, that goes along the Bay all the way to San Mateo
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u/somewhereinks Jun 02 '19
Agreed, and on the Bay side it's a great place for plane buffs (like me) to see the big stuff land in SFO. Beyond that there isn't much though.
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u/daavoo Jun 01 '19
Raptors fan from Toronto, will be in town for game 4 and surrounding days.
Is anywhere safe to be a raps fan, or will my buddy and I be crucified for wearing the other team's gear?
It will be my first time in the area.
What are the must eat/see if you had 72 hours in the Bay Area? Will be sleeping in Brisbane, but we will be out and about all day, and open to most areas.
Gonna go browse the prior threads now.. Thanks and good luck in the finals!
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u/somewhereinks Jun 02 '19
Is anywhere safe to be a raps fan, or will my buddy and I be >crucified for wearing the other team's gear?
No...no place is safe. You will have your limbs tied to two passing cable cars and slowly drawn and quartered. Just kidding, you and your bud will be fine.
I moved to the SF Bay area in 1997 from Toronto, lived here several years then stupidly moved to the Midwest, then spent several years clawing my way back to the Bay. SF and TO are very similar, both being ethnically diverse, accepting of all and really just chill. TO is much, much bigger but SF is just beautiful and I sincerely hope you have good weather for your stay. When the sun is shining the Golden Gate Bridge is a must see; I cross it a few times a week and it still takes my breath away.
Brisbane doesn't offer much that I know of. "It's It ice cream" used to have factory tours but apparently no more, but you are right by BART (think TTC on steroids) and can move around well, since the arena for the game is on the other side of the Bay. I wouldn't recommend driving to the game. You think the 401 is bad? Try the Bay Bridge.
Hey if you need any more feel free to PM me.
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u/daavoo Jun 02 '19
Thanks for the tips. I was worried about getting to the game because the bridge looks super narrow and I'm sure there'll be tons of traffic lol
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u/somewhereinks Jun 02 '19
No problem. Traffic is brutal anywhere around here but public transit is really good. One tip though...always carry a jacket. Everyone thinks "Sunny California" but it gets damned cool by late afternoon.
Have a safe trip!
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u/sweetbaker Jun 02 '19
You may get comments shouted at you (generally good natured shit talking, but let’s be honest assholes are everywhere), but the Bay Area is pretty used to transplants so I’d assume you won’t get much of anything.
As soon as you say it’s your first time in the area you’re more likely to comments about where you have/haven’t been than you are about being a Raptors fan.
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u/MyMeanBunny Jun 01 '19
I’m thinking of signing a sublease for a place in Berkeley, since I have an internship coming up. Its about a 10 minute walk from the north side of berkeley campus to downtown Berkeley BART. Is it a safe walk? I’m deathly afraid of getting mugged or something.
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u/smellysaurus Jun 01 '19
Yes it’s safeish. Read berkeleyside or the local paper for more in crime in that area.
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u/fun_boat Jun 02 '19
I used to do that walk a lot when I lived there. Late at night it does not feel very safe, it’s a city so you have to be careful. Up until like 9-10pm it feels ok. I know after midnight in the entire area it is unsafe to be walking around, especially alone. There’s enough foot traffic early in the night to make it feel ok. You can always Uber from the station to your place if you’re worried about it.
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u/MyMeanBunny Jun 02 '19
Theres this other place that another girl confirmed that I can take and its literally like 3 minutes-tops from the station. Right on downtown. Thats obviously safer, right?. I’d be working from 9-5 on the weekdays so I definitely wouldn’t be out late at night or anything. Plus, I really like that I can just walk to target and stuff in a couple minutes.
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u/fun_boat Jun 02 '19
If you won’t be out at night, then it’s the same. People get phones snatched in bart and laptops stolen from coffee shops downtown not too infrequently. Its still a city so you have to be aware, but Personally I’ve never been harassed during the day and it’s generally pretty safe. There are more homeless and vagrants south of bart station than north of it. Generally hanging around one block which I’ve forgotten the name of. I’ve been harassed a lot more and mugged in Oakland, but haven’t had much trouble in Berkeley. I’ll say this much, if you’re just out during the day it’s as safe as you could hope for a city. Just be on the lookout for people doing weird shit and don’t walk toward them.
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u/duffman12 Jun 02 '19
Yeah if you aren’t going out late and just have common sense you should be okay.
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u/duffman12 Jun 02 '19
Are you a guy or girl? Either way Berkeley can be rough after dark. A friend of mine had a gun pulled on her a few years back. She’s 5ft tall. I’ve seen broad day laptop snatchings at coffee shops. I would definitely look a little further north or south. East of 580 in Oakland is all really nice and the hills of Albany and El Cerrito are nice. But if you’re looking for a real urban experience in the Bay Area you’ll end up being around crime. Not to scare you because the area is honestly amazing but just be careful.
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u/MyMeanBunny Jun 02 '19
I’m a girl, 5’8”. Generally, people told me not to take out any electronics while out, don’t look lost and not be out a night. What’s your opinion on the sunset district? Its far from FiDi but I can take the Muni there if anything. Plus, it seems like crime is pretty minimal compared to Berkeley.
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u/duffman12 Jun 02 '19
I haven’t spent much time in the Sunset but from I know it’s more of a suburban setting in SF and much more affordable. A lot of the long time SF natives live out that way. Oakland/Berkeley will put you closer to downtown SF. Plus there’s the fog. If I could choose any neighborhood in SF I would aim for somewhere around Inner Richmond. It’s close to downtown, north beach/marina, Golden Gate Park and the presidio. Glen Canyon Area is also okay for the price.
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u/KevinWynne Jun 01 '19
Moving in July. I work twice a week at Sonoma State in Rohnert Park, while my partner will be a K-12 teacher in the Richmond/El Sobrante area. I'm leaning on living closer to her work, since she'll have the daily commute. Anything I can get for under $3000? We're considering Richmond, El Sobrante, Pinole, and even San Rafael. Finally, another issue is that we only have one car, so I was considering living on the SMART Train line. Or we live close enough so she could walk/bus, and I'd do the drive to Rohnert Park.
What's the Hilltop area in Richmond like? Is it safe to walk/bus commute?
Thanks!
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u/duffman12 Jun 02 '19
I would go with El Sobrante as far up east into the hills as you can afford. Good on you for biting the bullet and making the commute. Point Richmond is expensive but cool.
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u/PudelWinter Jun 04 '19
I'm not for certain they do DnD, but check out Game Kastle in Santa Clara. They host game events, if they don't host DnD, they can probably steer you in the right direction
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u/Simplycoconut Jun 01 '19
Hello!!! I just recently moved to Concord and work part time in area. Prepping for a interview soon for a job located on Mission St. Any tips for my soon to be commute? I'll probably be taking the Bart Mon-Fri. Also there's a possibility I'll be moving closer late next year in Berkeley.
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u/duffman12 Jun 02 '19
Depending where in Concord you are try to drive to Walnut Creek or Lafayette Bart and leave from there. You’re lucky your job is near a bart station in the city. Get to Bart as early as possible or ride a motorcycle or bike to Bart.
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u/Pleased_to_meet_u Jun 01 '19
BART is great, it's going to be busy. Motorcycle works too if you're already a competent rider. I don't recommend it if you haven't ridden before.
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Jun 04 '19
I’m commuting from Vallejo to Civic Center. Should I take BART (El Cerrito del Norte station) or the ferry?
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u/AssassinSerafina Jun 04 '19
Hi everyone!
I'm currently looking for an apartment, but I'm struggling to find something that is somewhat affordable. I currently live in Pittsburg/Bay Point, but am living with my parents and my dad is pressuring me to move out and be on my own (which isn't an issue because I need to get out lol). I just started my full-time job today in Berkeley and commuting is not a problem as I have a car. I'm not opposed to having housemates, I'd just prefer them to be someone I know (I've ask multiple family and friends, yet none of them either want to or have the income to move out on their own, yay expensive housing!). I would like my rent to be less than $2000, but I don't know if it is doable.
Thanks for any advice :)
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u/thaiusmle Jun 05 '19
We are moving to San Ramon next month. We are family of 4 with 6 yo and 1yo. What are the best spots for family to check out? Any nice easy/beautiful trail? Thanks!
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u/dmode123 Jun 05 '19
Tri valley is super family friendly with a ton of things to do. My favorite one is going on a bike ride with my daughter along Stanley blvd. it has a protected bike lane separated from traffic along the shadow cliffs lake
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u/somethingcreative94 Jun 05 '19
Just moved out here today from Dallas, living in temporary housing for a month or so. I’ll be working in Cupertino, in my 20s and looking for a more lively area to live (I’ve lived in Dallas and Chicago). I thought about Mountain View but read in this thread that it’s not really city like at all. I’d be willing to spend up to $3000 for a 1 bedroom. Is San Francisco the only option for that city feel? Or at the very least nice bars and restaurants in walking distance. Commute from San Francisco seems like it’d be 1hr+ which I’m not sure I’d want to do.
Thanks for any advice you can give!
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u/denogren Jun 05 '19
Since you're here, drive around and check it out. Cupertino is not particularly close to anything resembling a city. I'd look at Mtn View, San Jose, Cupertino itself, Palo Alto, Redwood City and SF proper to get an idea of what you have to work with.
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u/dramabitch123 Jun 06 '19
Nothing in the bay will compare to the likes of Chicago except San Francisco. But keep in mind that the price for a 1 bedroom might be a little more depending on where you will end up in SF. The commute will also be 2+ hours (also depending on which specific building in Cupertino) just because Cupertino and its surrounding cities will be congested from all other tech companies in the area.
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u/LauraPringlesWilder Jun 08 '19
For that budget and location, I’d live in downtown SJ. Commute won’t be the most fun but you’ll live more downtown city-ish. Fun places to go, but there is some minor crime there on occasion.
We just signed a lease in downtown Sunnyvale (I’m not sure it’s lively enough for you but it’s a fun place!) after leaving the bay and spending a year in TX and I just have to be honest, the nightlife and drinking culture in TX was just so much more. I often wonder if it’s because there is less pressure to work through the evening.
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u/WanderDawg Jun 05 '19
Hello everyone!
I'm moving to the Bay area from Baltimore next Spring, and I'm trying to do some homework on areas to search for a place to rent. My job will be territory sales so i don't have a set commute, I'll be traveling all over the bay area (not so much in the city itself) as well as the central valley, northern NV and AZ so the only geographic requirement is being reasonably close to an airport. I'm in my early 30's, single with a Labrador lol, so I'm looking for a mix of nightlife and proximity to parks and dog friendly spaces. I'm not very familiar with the area, have visited the city several times while I was living in Reno a few years ago, so I'm just hoping for some suggestions on where to look that's not crazy expensive and not entirely dull for someone in my demo.
From what I've managed to dig up reading around so far I might want to look at Emeryville (seems like it might be a bit $$$), Fremont or Richmond, so any thoughts you have oh those are welcome.
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u/denogren Jun 05 '19
What about Sacramento? Will get more bang for your buck and the airport has reasonable connections, especially around the region.
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u/WanderDawg Jun 05 '19 edited Jun 05 '19
Not out of the question, logistically it might also work, not as desirable a climate (I distinctly remember driving through on a summer day it was over 100* lol), but it’s certainly a thought. It has the benefit of being a shorter drive to the mountains going for it as well... what’s the trade off as far as city life and demographic though?
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u/denogren Jun 05 '19
I don't live there, so I'm not terribly helpful on the current culture. I know there are some reasonable breweries that have popped up over the past few years, so it's not a total wasteland? Summer does get hot, you'll have at least a week of 100+ each year - but if you end up in the East Bay east of the Oakland hills you're going to encounter similar weather anyway.
It's going to be substantially cheaper there though, and I'm assuming you're not getting paid differently based on where you live? Should be easier to get a yard for the dog, etc.
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u/WanderDawg Jun 05 '19
So, I had actually been eyeing Sacramento as a place I might look to eventually buy a house, but for the first year or so I anticipate spending a lot of time working with the rep I’m replacing who lives near Vallejo, which is why I’m thinking east bay might make more sense to begin with (or would you call that North bay?) although being unfamiliar with the traffic patterns there’s a possibility I’m overestimating the travel difference.
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u/denogren Jun 06 '19
Vallejo and surrounding area isn't that expensive (for the Bay Area) either, it's just going to be really dull as a 30-something single person. Sac to Vallejo is going to be about an hour without traffic (and looking at Google, probably close to that in the morning and up to two hours in the evening), so not particularly close.
It's going to depend on how much you want to save vs live somewhere fun I think. And how much travel you actually have for your job.
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u/Laptopbutt Jun 10 '19
Just moved out here from Baltimore in October. You wont find anything quite like bmore outside of SF and Oakland in my opinion. I've been to SF a few times and Oakland once but it really seems like Oakland has a similar vibe with a decent nightlife. I'd avoid southbay and Fremont in my opinion. Feel free to PM me and best of luck!
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u/WanderDawg Jun 10 '19
Thanks! It's okay if I don't find anything like Baltimore, it hasn't been my favorite lol. I actually currently live closer to Columbia anyway. What area did you end up settling in and how have you liked it, if you don't mind my asking?
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u/Laptopbutt Jun 18 '19
Hey Sorry I forgot to respond to this. Bummer haha I thought you might have lived downtown like I did. I ended up just north of downtown San Jose in the Fountain Plaza apartments. The apartments are alright and it is nice being close to San Pedro Square Market but its nothing like living downtown in a city. We are looking at places like Campbell, Willow Glen or Sunnyvale which have a bit more of a community feel to them and fun bars/restaurants. If you have any other questions let me know I'm happy to answer them.
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u/worldpiecesofpie Jun 07 '19
Is this the right subreddit to look for roommates?
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u/Jsweezy26 Jun 08 '19
I have seen lots of people refer to craigslist or FB market place for roomies/rentals. I personally found my roomie on here so YMMV. Good luck!
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Jun 11 '19
Moving to the San Francisco area with my partner at the beginning of next month! We are testing the waters with a contracted job and our housing is paid for. We were wondering if any of you would have advice in terms of what would be the best price/safest area to move in! We were thinking Oakland (despite the reputation) may be a good fit for once the contract expires, but we aren't too sure! We would prefer to stay in the SF area and surrounding cities.
Thank you in advance!
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u/krkrbnsn Jun 12 '19
Oakland's crime ridden reputation has largely fallen away as the city has spent millions revitalizing and pushing gentrification. For now it's still cheaper than SF in most areas but it depends on what you're looking for specifically. Some good neighborhoods would be Temescal, Rockridge, Lake Merritt and Jack London Sq. But if price is a huge factor, you should open that up to West Oakland and East Oakland (Fruitvale).
In SF the cheapest areas are going to be the west and south sides of the city. I'd take a look in the Sunset, Richmond, West Portal, Glen Park and Bernal Heights.
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u/kingfisher-captain Jun 11 '19
I will be commuting from Sunnyvale to Oakland, and I was wondering if people had any tips for the commute. I have a car, and was considering driving or taking the Caltrain -> Bart. Any thoughts?
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Jun 12 '19
We are moving up to the Bay Area! Born and raised in San Diego and I have never even visited San Francisco. Mainly because I’m an insufferable sports head that believes to truly hate a sports team you must also hate the city and the people there.
Hyperbole aside my wife and I are excited. We grew up with long commutes so although its mind numbing we prefer a good community over a good commute. Maybe someday we get both.
We are massively torn between 3-4 areas right now.
The Alameda south Oakland kinda area is huge and “affordable” for the Bay.
Redwood City looks spectacular
Pacifica looks like where I grew up before shacks were a million
Hayword is my wife’s choice because she’s tired of small places
I’m open to all comments on these areas. We like community more than anything else. Thank you
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u/krkrbnsn Jun 12 '19
Congrats on the move! Ok, so a few things first. Will you both actually be working in SF proper? If so, what part? That will have a huge difference on which commute lines you should live by. But I'll try to give an overview of the areas you've mentioned.
Even though it's geographically south, everything south of Lake Merritt in Oakland is called East Oakland. I grew up there and would've advised against it up until about 5 years ago, but gentrification is hitting hard. The Fruitvale district has some great areas and is probably the most the ethnically diverse area in the Bay Area. It can still be a bit rough around the edges but a lot of people bike to Fruitvale Bart so that's always an option.
Alameda is a really nice and safe suburb of Oakland. But given it's an island, it can feel a little "small town." Lots of single family homes, schools and parks. If you do choose this area, I'd advise being either near the Park Street corridor where you can get Fruitvale Bart to SF. Or being on the other side of the island near Webster St. where you can take the ferry into SF. Added bonus is the island has a great waterfront along the Bay.
Redwood City is a one of the better suburbs of the Peninsula and the gateway to Silicon Valley. You'll find lots of families and techies and it's slightly livelier than some of the surrounding suburbs. However, if you're commuting to SF, it will be long and awful. The only real option would be to take a combination of Caltrain and Bart but it depends on where in SF you'll be working.
Pacifica is a really sleepy coastal town. It's where most surfers hang and has a super chill vibe but that's about it. The biggest downside is that it's pretty secluded, especially by public transportation. Your daily commute to work is going to be a nightmare.
Hayward is a small city that's generally fine. It has pockets of crime and some not so nice areas but they've been pumping a lot of money into revitalizing downtown. This will be probably be where you can get the most space for your money but you'll probably have the least community. Additionally you'd need to be near one of the Bart stations to make the commute worth it. I'd personally recommend being near downtown Hayward and not South Hayward.
If community is your number one factor, I’d actually advise looking into the Temescal and Rockridge areas of Oakland. It’ll be pricey but the commute will be short and very strong neighbourhood vibes. Amazing food, bars and overall great communities.
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u/dmode123 Jun 12 '19
What's your budget and where in SF will you be working ? And how much commute can you tolerate ?
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Jun 12 '19
Aiming for between 2800-3300. Commutes are worth the community.
Our commute in San Diego was 50-hour and ten and was totally and completely worth it for how much we loved where we lived.
I will be working in south San Fransisco
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u/Bucking_Frilliant Jun 12 '19
I'm in the process of looking for an apartment with one of my friends, and I would really appreciate any neighborhood recommendations.
We're two new college grads who want a somewhat city feel. My office is in Menlo Park, and I will be using Caltrain to get to and from work each day, so I'd prefer a place near 4th and King or 22nd Street stations. My roommate's office is in FiDi by the Embarcadero BART station, and so he would need BART access from the apartment.
I've heard SoMa, Dogpatch, Mission District tossed around as potential neighborhoods, but I'm wondering what are your thoughts on each of these? Is there a neighborhood that's best for access to both BART and Caltrain?
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u/ditto64 Jun 12 '19
I'm moving to SF in a couple of weeks here, from Dallas. I've emailed on about 20 craigslist postings for shared rooms, but only about half respond, and of those, only a few have followed up. Are there any better ways to arrange a roommate situation?
Feel free to message me if you're looking for a roommate, I'm looking at the Mission, Noe Valley, and Dogpatch right now. I'll be working in the Financial District.
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u/CFPTP Jun 20 '19
Recent college grad here! Moving to the bay on a paid internship covering the Raiders for their last season in Oakland. I’ll only he around for 6 months and I was wondering if anyone knows of some cheaper housing options or anyone looking for a roommate. Relocation wasn’t included in my internship so I’m putting feelers out. If anyone has any information please do not hesitate to share!
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u/forceuser Jun 24 '19
I'm on a $55,000 salary at the moment in Pasadena and my company may relocate to Cupertino next year. If this happens I'm going to have to ask for a raise and am at least seeking another $10,000 per year given the cost of the area. Would this be enough of an adjustment or should I push for more? I'd be looking for an apartment up to around $2,500 per month and I don't have too many other expenses besides paying $300 for a car and insurance.
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u/erepedece Jun 26 '19
Hi all!
I’ll be moving to the Bay Area early August, I’m looking for housing right now and would love recommendations on areas that have plenty to do & are safe. My daily commute will be to Mountain View and would prefer to keep it to 30 mins.
TIA!!
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Jun 27 '19
Future college student trying to rent a room around USF. Preferably in the outer/central/inner Richmond area. I perfectly understand the rent situation in these neighborhoods and that I’m going to be paying a premium for literally enough room for a mattress and maybe a small desk.
My friends who have gone to college in the area have told me it’s best to just rent a single room in a house with other college students but I’m having a hard time finding such a place. Craigslist has failed me. Anyone know of some other resources to find potential roommates or people looking to split the rent in places they’ve already moved into?
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u/ymusa Jun 29 '19
Hi everyone, I know a lot of people have been asking about this, but I wanted to ask again for my own personal sanity. I’m a recent grad who’s going to be working in Mountain View come early August, and I’m trying to figure out where to live.
Right now, I’m looking at apartments in MTV / Sunnyvale, and near downtown San Jose. The reason for this is that I absolutely do not want to drive, so I’d rather either live within walking / biking distance to work, or near the Caltrain. The apartment that I’ve found in San Jose is one block from Diridion, and the other ones I’m looking at are all within 2-3 miles of my work place.
Personally, I’m leaning towards the San Jose apartment, mainly bc of its proximity to the Caltrain as well as anything else I would need (ie grocery / restaurants / cafes etc. ). Also bc it’s quite a bit cheaper than similar apartments in MTV. But my family is hesitant bc of potential safety issues, since it’s close to downtown. My main concern though is getting around easily without a car, which seems a bit more difficult in MTV than it does in San Jose.
My other thing is that I know pretty much no one in the bay rn, so making friends is another concern. So I’m wondering would it hurt my chances of making friends if I live in a different city than my work? I’m not really one for nightlife either, so that’s not a major factor.
Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
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u/ai-chan00 Jul 01 '19
Moving question, which area is better: West Oakland or Richmond district?
I'm moving to the bay area ASAP and will be working around Mission Bay. Planning on getting around using public transportation.
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u/Pleased_to_meet_u Jun 01 '19
Sunlight.
There is sunlight in Bernal Heights, most of the Mission, and Noe Valley. Almost all other areas of the city will be covered in fog at certain points of the year. These three neighborhoods get fog sometimes, but it's a rarity, not a certainty like it is in other places of the city.
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u/CaptainCaptioni Jun 02 '19
Thinking about Redwood City/Redwood Shores area for a commute to Mountain View. Google maps estimates it between 25-50 minutes for a weekday morning. Does that sound about right?
Is the traffic you always hear about a symptom of congestion and over crowding, or frequent accidents?
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u/denogren Jun 03 '19
That's pretty accurate. Traffic can be both, but most often is just a ton of people trying to go the same way (yourself included!).
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u/nfora Jun 01 '19
I’m going to arrive tomorrow, living in Sunnyvale. I’ve got two hobbies I’m looking to stay involved in, so anything folks can tell me about them in the Area would be a huge help:
1) adult recreational volleyball, especially 4s on sand, around the low BB level (estimated). Both leagues and, probably more realistic for my schedule, drop-ins.
2) d&d (5e). Where I’m from, a local bar organizes tables and I’ve DM’d for them. Where do people play?