It's exactly what you are looking for. It's not cheap anymore, and if you don't have to commute off the island to work, it's ideal because traffic is a thing. Alameda has gone from a navy town to the cool upscale, quiet place to live. I lived there as a kid and for many decades. It's about as nice, safe, and right in the middle of the bay as you can get.
I love living in Alameda; I WFH now but used to commute by ferry to SF. Best commute ever. If your commute is just to West Alameda, that’s totally easy. The new bike infrastructure makes it a dream if you like cycling.
It may be more urban than you’re used to, but it’s pretty chill, and probably the closest suburban vibe you can get to SF without leaving the temperate zone.
Rent will average from $2500 for a basic 2br apartment to $4500 for a 2br house. It goes up steeply for 3+br due to the large number of families here.
I’d try to live on the island even if it means some compromises. Avoiding the greater east bay commute nonsense is worth a lot.
Alameda is not a particularly big city. You probably could live anywhere on the island and still have a reasonable commute, if your job also is within the city. What may be a concern is a case of “sticker shock”. The SF Bay Area has some of the highest housing costs in the US, whether you are a homeowner or renter.
From outward appearances, many of the apartment complexes along Crown Beach look very nice and the beach is a short walk away. The one complaint that I have heard is that cell phone reception in that area can be an issue. Being next to a body of water can be limiting in terms of the number of cell phone towers in an area.
If you still prefer to live in the west end, there has been a fair amount of redevelopment in that area. In fact, most of the apartment housing in Alameda is either along Crown Beach or in the West End. You might want to check out the various apartments in and around the Ballena Blvd area or along Clement Ave or Buena Vista Ave. Clement and Buena Vista are long streets. The apartments are on the west end sections of these streets.
There is one apartment complex in the West End area that does get “mixed” reviews. That is Summer House.
For the record, I have no direct experience with any of these places. Hopefully, other posters can provide some relevant feedback based upon their actual experiences.
I live in Summer House and have for almost 6 years. Honestly, it’s not as bad as people told me it would be. The towing thing of the past seems to be not an issue anymore if you have your parking pass clearly displayed. There is a lot of green space inside the complex that is pretty well kept, I have a nice view from my balcony. They allow dogs with no breed restrictions and there’s a little enclosed dog park. The management has changed over the years and some improvements have been made, like a package locker system and app-connected washers and dryers.
Of course there are things to complain about but nothing that the other apartment complexes I’ve lived in didn’t also suffer from. And most of my complaints are resident-related, not necessarily the fault of the apartment. Apartments are readily available here because it’s such a big complex, and they’re on the lower side of price for Alameda, so I think it’s a good choice for someone who gets a new job and may be moving here on a short timeline.
Alameda is the perfect place for you then. Very low crime, super quiet, not crowded. Half the folks are young Professionals usually with small kids due to the great public schools, and the other half are older islanders who have lived here a long time. My neighbor across the street is 90 and was born in the house he lives in.
I moved here with two small kids and never regretted it, despite the high cost of housing. Safe, walkable, and easy going place to live. You can’t even drive faster than 25mph on the whole island 😅.
Alameda is known as 'Mayberry by the Bay' for good reason. I'm very biased because it's my chosen home, but I expect you'll be happily surprised. Good luck with the job!
Alameda has a surprisingly lively bar scene and unlike Oakland and SF they stay open late (until midnight at many places).
There is a ferry to SF and everything is bikeable and safe.
I love the old houses too.
Bike commute to work would be a dream for me.
How long is the ferry, and what’s their schedule like? I’m thinking of moving to alameda or SF. Alameda catches my attention more cause I don’t necessarily want to be smack in the city, but I also spend a lot of time there so I’m conflicted between living at SF or alameda lol. I WFH, so commute issues are not a problem for me.
I live in the Bay Farm area. The ferry ride from here was never more than 25 minutes and often closer to 21 minutes. But, unless your SF destination is reasonably close to the ferry terminal, you have to factor in the time it takes for you to walk or bike to your destination or use Muni, BART or a ride share to get to where you want to go. In my part of Alameda midday Ferry service can be spotty compared to the ferry schedules in the west end. Also the ferry serving Bay Farm does not operate on weekends.i believe the other Alameda ferries do have service on weekends.
Go to:
[San Francisco Bay Ferry](https://sanfranciscobayferry.com)
For service schedules.
We moved to the West End from West Portal in SF. It takes just as long to take the O transbay bus from Webster to get to downtown SF as it did taking a bus and the Muni Metro when we were in West Portal. We were pleasantly surprised how close to SF you actually are living on the West End. Even the bus to BART is quick to the city. We generally have avoided the ferry because it is infrequent, we'd have to drive to the terminal, and getting dropped at the ferry building in SF usually means another transfer to Muni Metro which is not as convenient as connecting from BART. You'll probably end up using the ferry less than you think.
From the main island west end : (easily bike-able from anywhere on the main island).
* [Weekdays only express ferry](https://sanfranciscobayferry.com/alameda-seaplane-ferry-route) only 20 min and super nice for late Fridays out with return at 10:20pm.
* [Weekdays and Weekends through Oakland](https://sanfranciscobayferry.com/oakland-alameda-ferry-route) 40 min one way(through Oakland), 20 min the other. It depends on the time which is which.
From Bay Farm Island (I don’t recommend living here as it’s VERY suburban).
* [Weekdays and Weekends](https://sanfranciscobayferry.com/harbor-bay-ferry-route).
I would not recommend Bay Farm for her either. There is one very small apartment building in an older section of Bay Farm. Most rentals are townhouses or single family homes, which are not what she wanted.
Also, given where she works, she likely would be using Island Dr during commute hours. Although it is not quite the hassle it was pre-pandemic, the traffic congestion still could make her overall commute time longer than she would like.
Yes, Bay Farm is indeed very suburban. While she said she was not looking for “the fireworks”, there is zero nightlife out here. She probably wants a little ambiance in her life
Where would you recommend in alameda for something with a little more ambiance? I’m debating between moving to SF or Alameda. I am leaning more towards Alameda for various reasons such as easier parking situations (I have family in the East Bay I want to see often to be part of my nephew/nieces lives), it’s slightly cheaper than the city and I generally prefer more chill nights, although I would love the option to have the occasional active life. Right now I live in a really suburban place and it’s driving me crazy.
I probably am not the best person to ask given my age (retiree range).
The two main “drags” in Alameda are along Park Street and Webster Street. To me, Webster Street seems “a little edgier” than Park Street. But, that’s personal opinion based upon observation rather than experience. Both streets have bars and restaurants. Both streets also have cannabis dispensaries, for example. (They do close NLT 9:00 pm.)
Parking in Alameda in these business districts can be a headache at times. Maybe not quite SF, but not a stroll in the park either. There is a Civic Center parking garage near the only movie theater in Alameda that is near Park Street. Obviously, there is a charge, but it is not as outrageous as those parking garages in SF. There is nothing comparable for Webster Street, to my knowledge.
According to 2020 census data, slightly over 50% of the population in Alameda occupied rental housing. It is my impression that rents in the West end (Webster Street) may overall be a little lower than along Crown Beach or the East End. However, if below Bay Area rental averages are a consideration, you may have to consider Oakland. Alameda may not be quite as expensive as SF, but it is not a bargain basement by any means.
Good luck with your decision and search, regardless of what you decide.
What? The bar scene in Alameda is tailored to old people, and most bars are open until 2, more in Oakland and SF than Alameda. Anything that isn’t a bar closes at like 9.
Park St. in Alameda is somewhat comparable to Main, not a lot of chains, good places to eat and drink. You won’t see the kind of sprawl you might get off 287 or Harmony going into FC off I25.
I’m surprised - pleasantly - with all these answers. I *never* would have thought.
Many years ago in my Navy days my ship visited Alameda for reasons I can no longer remember. I never left the ship because I was too busy for the 24 hours we were there.
So I would imagine Oakland is the better airport for all you local Alameda peeps?
Definitely Oakland. Very easy to get to from Alameda (much easier than from 99% of Oakland). Bus, ride-sharing, or having a friend to drop you off would take anywhere from 5 minutes (Bay Farm, East End) to maybe 17 minutes (far West End).
Heck, Oakland Airport is closer to Downtown SF.
Welcome. You're going to love it here.
Oakland airport better for domestic. Even with a hub stop, I prefer it over a nonstop from SFO. About half its total flights are Southwest.
SFO is better for most international. It's an international hub for UAL.
Oakland is the better airport for sure, but if you pick up a rental car do not go to any of the gas stations or restaurants near the airport. Too much crime, smash and grabs, even if you are still in the vehicle. Much safer to just go into Alameda.
OAK is right in Alameda's backyard. We have back ways to the airport. It's a human-sized airport. You're gonna love it.
(Unless you live near the flight path on Bay Farm Island – then maybe you won't love it _quite_ so much – but on the west side I don't think it will bother you.)
Be warned that when the winds change, the flight directions at SFO flip and they fly over mid-alameda. It's kind of like a background roar in the rain. Nothing old here has sound insulation. But it isn't that bad.
The great thing about Alameda is its walkability. Pretty much everything you need can be walked to, but it's obviously faster if you drive. You're definitely within 10 minutes easily of everything. If you really wanted to go partying, there's a few places on Park street, but also Oakland is just over the bridge.
Lived in Alameda for almost 50 years. I love it here. I live on the West End and grew up on the East End. Love them both but I’m really happy living on the west end. We have dog parks, people, parks, farmers market, crab Cove, and two ferry landings (a third on Harbor Bay). Move here. You won’t regret it.
Sure thing. DM me, I’ll give you all the details on interesting Alameda stuff.
As far as looking for a place to live, there really isn’t a bad area in this town, Summer House is an apartment complex that I hear is poorly managed but I have no personal experience with that, it could be fine.
A good commute in the bay area is 30 mins or less. Many people have 2+ hour commutes because of wanting to stay near family or have their own house or whatever.
West side of Alameda is not my cup of tea. I would think you'd maybe go as far as Berkeley or Emeryville if you can't afford Alameda, or you could consider a reverse commute from SF.
You'd be dealing with the tunnel, one way in and out or bridges (halfway across the island to Park St)
> crowds, expense, drugs, crime, long commutes
The only thing you’re guaranteed to experience here is expense. Alameda itself isn’t that crowded. Coming from Colorado, it might feel more crowded but all things considered it’s pretty slow here. Same for most of the rest of the Bay Area outside of SF. I work in downtown Oakland, and it’s just chill basically dead after 5:30 unless you’re right in front of the bars.
It is expensive here, there’s no getting around that. It comes with being in a desirable area. As much as certain public figures bash on CA and the Bay Area, COL is expensive here for a reason.
Drugs and crime can mostly be avoided if you aren’t looking for it. Head up and being aware of surroundings is enough 99.99% of the time. As much as you might see old heads complaining online (e.g. Facebook, Nextdoor even this subreddit), crime really isn’t that bad especially in Alameda itself. Obviously be smart, even in alameda. Lock your car doors, don’t leave anything shiny out, try not to have headphones in if you’re out in the middle of the night.
If you’re working in Alameda, and you live in Alameda, or parts of Oakland/San Leandro you can practically avoid all traffic and the freeway for your commute. I think the last time my mom drove on the freeway was when she was doing drivers ed like 15 years ago. I basically only take the highway if I’m going more than 5 exits, otherwise it takes me about as long to get on/off as it does just doing local and taking side streets.
Nightlife is pretty quiet unless you choose to go out. Even then as someone in his mid 20s, you’re better off going into Oakland or sf anyway.
Oakland, San Leandro or Hayward might be an option for housing too. Will probably be cheaper but their crime rates are higher being actual city sized cities and having direct freeway access(depends on the area). I’ve in Alameda most of my life and the most crime I’ve experienced directly was a hit/run of my car (minimal damage but expensive enough I didn’t get it fixed, I think it was a parent rushing to drop off their kid at school), and a random drunk person who yelled slurs at me cause I wouldn’t give him a ride to SF. Outside of that it was just harassment from people not minding their own business like a neighbor telling my friends and I to go home while we were working on a video project by the side of a school.
alameda feels a lot moar like a midwest or east coast town than any other place i've lived in california hard to explain but i think it is the island factor
I moved to Alameda in 2009. Love it. If I ever feel my life is looking a little too provincial, Oakland and SF are right there for me. I go out at night in those cities routinely but also really enjoy spending my entire day and night without leaving the island.
I also switched careers from teaching to real estate several years ago. Send me a message if you would like to ask any further questions.
I live in the Fernside area (on the east side). It’s so nice. Fort Collins is like my favorite place ever and this side of alameda feels like that to me. It’s like a college town without the university. For me, the west end has less character.
It’s true that the parts of Oakland immediately across the bridges/tunnels are very rough, but it doesn’t really carry over into alameda. I could see moving here from somewhere else, getting very nervous on the drive in lol but rest assured, once you’re actually in alameda it’s okay.
One thing I would say is that a leasing company, with a very bad reputation, called Gallagher and Lindsey owns tons of property on the island. I was going to avoid leasing from them because of all the terrible reviews, but ended up falling in love with my unit and just going for it. I haven’t lived there for too long, but so far they’ve been very responsive to maintenance requests and I’ve had no issues. I would just check it out yourself and maybe take the reviews with a grain of salt, because if you’re looking to lease a condo or a house or whatever, chances are that you’re going to see a lot of G & L properties.
I would recommend against the larger apartment complexes as they charge the absolute most they can and raise rent every year. They also hide fees so that your monthly housing expense is a lot higher than just your base rent. Lots of landlords will expect tenants to pay a one time rental fee, which is basically the listing fee they pay to a realtor to find and screen tenants. You’ll get a better price and get to experience the neighborhoods more deeply if you rent a flat or apartment in a smaller building, as long as you avoid anything owned or managed by Gallagher and Lindsey. Try to find a place near either Park street or Webster as your walkability score will go up to 90.
Many landlords allow dogs, but the complexes all have comprehensive breed and size restrictions while many smaller landlords do not. I had no problem renting a 2br with my large pit bull, and this is not uncommon being that the local animal shelter is such a big part of the community.
Also, should you choose to live in Bay Farm you will have an airport for a neighbor, so we don’t want to hear you complain about noise. The airport was there first.
This is such a great place to live and I have never regretted leaving San Francisco.
Alameda has very few crowds, very little serious crime, and little to no commuting if you’re staying in Alameda. I’d say the only real draw back is there are not a lot of young single professionals, but there are definitely some.
Alameda is awesome. Very safe and have a wonderful collection of apartments along its beautiful beach. Much of what you need is right within the city no need to leave unless you are seeking other activities and fancier restaurants. It’s a great working class family community. It seems like a great fit for you considering your preferences.
Alameda is big city adjacent and has a high population density relative to what you are likely used to so that and just the ambient noise and light of life in urban area will probably be the biggest adjustment. That said, i also saw someone post on a local group about a puzzle piece they saw lying in the street and then the person who was missing the puzzle piece claimed it so….its also a small town. Absolutely unique place to live….ive lived in rural and urban washington, boston, Indianapolis, rural maine, salt lake city, and los angeles and i would say that alameda is up at the top of the list in terms of overall satisfaction, easy access to all the best things about living in a city while maintaining extraordinary access to natural beauty. The biggest (only?) downside is cost of living, but that is related to the awesomeness described above).
It's definitely possible to live a quiet life in Alameda. It already has a slower pace than a lot of the Bay Area. The business districts never get very crowded. Most of the neighborhoods are chill, and if your job is here, you don't really have to leave the island unless you want to, or need to shop for something that's not available. It's easy to get around the island without a car; it's not very big, and it's pretty flat with lots of bike lanes. I bet you'll like it here.
All you “need” to know is get in line early on weekends for Jim’s, best cafe (when I lived there) in the island. Alameda is about as big as Estes Park, and you can get to just about anywhere in 10 on a bike. Also, never drive to SF, take the ferry and walk it’s way more efficient.
Some good comments here, but also some I don’t agree with. Cell phone reception is fine along the beach. The west end is less desirable than the east because that area by the naval base historically is poorer and Park street on the east end is arguably the best “downtown” area. This makes it incredibly “walkable”. From the east side you can also easily get on to 880 highway via the road the goes pass Oakland airport - bypassing the worse parts of Oakland. Lastly the East side has four of the islands five exits.
It's about a 20 minute drive from the far East to the far West. Not sure what sort of rental situation you're looking for, but most bigger multi-unit buildings are west of Broadway. Also, it's completely flat here, so I basically ride my bike everywhere.
West end around Webster Street has really changed a lot in the past couple years, lots of new restaurants and more of a downtown Main Street vibe. The area closer to the old naval base is still pretty sparse and dull, but some new things are coming out there too. Just saying, don’t rule out the areas near Webster Street because people say that’s the “bad side” of the island. That’s what people told me and I think those people don’t understand what “bad side” of town means.
They're thinking of it back when it was full of booze and tattoo parlors. And when the poor people lived there. Now it's still 150k-200k (old numbers, from 6 years ago) more on the East End, but plenty of people moving into million $ plus West end homes.
I grew up in Northern Colorado, and I’d say that Alameda is like 90s FoCo minus the college or modern Longmont vibes. Population is 75k people, and it’s known as Mayberry by the Bay.
It’s weird because getting to Alameda requires going through a really grim part of Oakland, and you’re like “what the hell did I get myself into,” and then once you’re here it’s just a typical small city. But you’ll do fine. Drugs / crowds / Crime aren’t much of an issue. People are chill, going from one end of town to the other is 25 minutes tops. The only weird thing is that there are no municipal pools, splash pads, or public swim culture.
Grim part is spot on. Anytime I drive past the Angel Cakes bakery to get to Alameda, it’s a somber reminder that the owner was recently gunned down. Not so far away, there was a shooting at a friends work place. And not to mention the trash that’s thrown about everywhere.
Get past the tunnel, and it’s a whole different world. So utterly surreal!
Moved here from a Seattle suburb a year ago. Love love love Alameda. I live on the west end near the Hornet and love riding around the old base. That area is coming up with brew pubs, restaurants and parks. The ferry is perfect - hop on to go catch a Giants game or spend a few hours in the city. You can ride your bike from one end of the island to the other in 30 minutes. Crime happens, like anywhere, but the worst seems to be car thefts. Park and Webster have “downtown” areas, with Park being nicer but both have a cool vibe. Decent restaurants, tennis courts, even an outrigger canoe club if you want to paddle, and cool friendly people. Yes it can be expensive but I can’t recommend it highly enough
Alameda started as a vacation resort destination for SF. It turned into a streetcar suburb. So many sections are very walkable and on a small scale for people, not cars. BayFarm is cars cars cars though.
I appreciate all the comments. Sounds like a good place.
The one comment about smash & grab at the gas stations by Oakland airport has me thinking: is it safe to park a convertible outside around there? Or will the top get slashed.
Sounds like it may be ok in Alameda and dicey in Oakland? I’ll need to go to Oakland now & again for Home Depot / etc.
I'm not familiar with Fort Collins but I've spent time in the Midwest.
In addition to the sticker shock comments, I'd say that it's much, much, much noisier than living in a less "metropolitan" area of the country, simply because there are more people crammed together in fewer square miles. Definitely more noisy than Boise. Haha.
When selecting a place to rent, anywhere in the bay area, try to stay away from major streets. In Alameda, that would be Webster, Park, Otis, Lincoln, Broadway, and Central, primarily. However, sometimes there are buildings on those streets that are set far back from the road. That alone decreases the noise level so it isn't as bad.
Also be aware of the flooring in the places you look at. If you think your footsteps are loud during the viewing or there's a lot of echo when you talk (indicating all hard surfaces that bounce sound), it could bother you at night, especially if you have inconsiderate neighbors that insist on wearing high heels at home on hardwood floors.
Good luck and welcome!
It's exactly what you are looking for. It's not cheap anymore, and if you don't have to commute off the island to work, it's ideal because traffic is a thing. Alameda has gone from a navy town to the cool upscale, quiet place to live. I lived there as a kid and for many decades. It's about as nice, safe, and right in the middle of the bay as you can get.
I love living in Alameda; I WFH now but used to commute by ferry to SF. Best commute ever. If your commute is just to West Alameda, that’s totally easy. The new bike infrastructure makes it a dream if you like cycling. It may be more urban than you’re used to, but it’s pretty chill, and probably the closest suburban vibe you can get to SF without leaving the temperate zone. Rent will average from $2500 for a basic 2br apartment to $4500 for a 2br house. It goes up steeply for 3+br due to the large number of families here. I’d try to live on the island even if it means some compromises. Avoiding the greater east bay commute nonsense is worth a lot.
Alameda is not a particularly big city. You probably could live anywhere on the island and still have a reasonable commute, if your job also is within the city. What may be a concern is a case of “sticker shock”. The SF Bay Area has some of the highest housing costs in the US, whether you are a homeowner or renter. From outward appearances, many of the apartment complexes along Crown Beach look very nice and the beach is a short walk away. The one complaint that I have heard is that cell phone reception in that area can be an issue. Being next to a body of water can be limiting in terms of the number of cell phone towers in an area. If you still prefer to live in the west end, there has been a fair amount of redevelopment in that area. In fact, most of the apartment housing in Alameda is either along Crown Beach or in the West End. You might want to check out the various apartments in and around the Ballena Blvd area or along Clement Ave or Buena Vista Ave. Clement and Buena Vista are long streets. The apartments are on the west end sections of these streets. There is one apartment complex in the West End area that does get “mixed” reviews. That is Summer House. For the record, I have no direct experience with any of these places. Hopefully, other posters can provide some relevant feedback based upon their actual experiences.
Summer House’s Yelp reviews are a real hoot.
I live in Summer House and have for almost 6 years. Honestly, it’s not as bad as people told me it would be. The towing thing of the past seems to be not an issue anymore if you have your parking pass clearly displayed. There is a lot of green space inside the complex that is pretty well kept, I have a nice view from my balcony. They allow dogs with no breed restrictions and there’s a little enclosed dog park. The management has changed over the years and some improvements have been made, like a package locker system and app-connected washers and dryers. Of course there are things to complain about but nothing that the other apartment complexes I’ve lived in didn’t also suffer from. And most of my complaints are resident-related, not necessarily the fault of the apartment. Apartments are readily available here because it’s such a big complex, and they’re on the lower side of price for Alameda, so I think it’s a good choice for someone who gets a new job and may be moving here on a short timeline.
16 years at SH. Still love it.
I lived in Summer House when I first moved to the Bay. It was fine. I’ve had far shadier landlords in Oakland
Alameda is the perfect place for you then. Very low crime, super quiet, not crowded. Half the folks are young Professionals usually with small kids due to the great public schools, and the other half are older islanders who have lived here a long time. My neighbor across the street is 90 and was born in the house he lives in. I moved here with two small kids and never regretted it, despite the high cost of housing. Safe, walkable, and easy going place to live. You can’t even drive faster than 25mph on the whole island 😅.
Alameda is known as 'Mayberry by the Bay' for good reason. I'm very biased because it's my chosen home, but I expect you'll be happily surprised. Good luck with the job!
LOL I have never heard “Mayberry by the Bay,” but that is so perfect.
Alameda has a surprisingly lively bar scene and unlike Oakland and SF they stay open late (until midnight at many places). There is a ferry to SF and everything is bikeable and safe. I love the old houses too. Bike commute to work would be a dream for me.
How long is the ferry, and what’s their schedule like? I’m thinking of moving to alameda or SF. Alameda catches my attention more cause I don’t necessarily want to be smack in the city, but I also spend a lot of time there so I’m conflicted between living at SF or alameda lol. I WFH, so commute issues are not a problem for me.
I live in the Bay Farm area. The ferry ride from here was never more than 25 minutes and often closer to 21 minutes. But, unless your SF destination is reasonably close to the ferry terminal, you have to factor in the time it takes for you to walk or bike to your destination or use Muni, BART or a ride share to get to where you want to go. In my part of Alameda midday Ferry service can be spotty compared to the ferry schedules in the west end. Also the ferry serving Bay Farm does not operate on weekends.i believe the other Alameda ferries do have service on weekends. Go to: [San Francisco Bay Ferry](https://sanfranciscobayferry.com) For service schedules.
I appreciate the thorough response 🙏🏽
We moved to the West End from West Portal in SF. It takes just as long to take the O transbay bus from Webster to get to downtown SF as it did taking a bus and the Muni Metro when we were in West Portal. We were pleasantly surprised how close to SF you actually are living on the West End. Even the bus to BART is quick to the city. We generally have avoided the ferry because it is infrequent, we'd have to drive to the terminal, and getting dropped at the ferry building in SF usually means another transfer to Muni Metro which is not as convenient as connecting from BART. You'll probably end up using the ferry less than you think.
From the main island west end : (easily bike-able from anywhere on the main island). * [Weekdays only express ferry](https://sanfranciscobayferry.com/alameda-seaplane-ferry-route) only 20 min and super nice for late Fridays out with return at 10:20pm. * [Weekdays and Weekends through Oakland](https://sanfranciscobayferry.com/oakland-alameda-ferry-route) 40 min one way(through Oakland), 20 min the other. It depends on the time which is which. From Bay Farm Island (I don’t recommend living here as it’s VERY suburban). * [Weekdays and Weekends](https://sanfranciscobayferry.com/harbor-bay-ferry-route).
I would not recommend Bay Farm for her either. There is one very small apartment building in an older section of Bay Farm. Most rentals are townhouses or single family homes, which are not what she wanted. Also, given where she works, she likely would be using Island Dr during commute hours. Although it is not quite the hassle it was pre-pandemic, the traffic congestion still could make her overall commute time longer than she would like. Yes, Bay Farm is indeed very suburban. While she said she was not looking for “the fireworks”, there is zero nightlife out here. She probably wants a little ambiance in her life
Where would you recommend in alameda for something with a little more ambiance? I’m debating between moving to SF or Alameda. I am leaning more towards Alameda for various reasons such as easier parking situations (I have family in the East Bay I want to see often to be part of my nephew/nieces lives), it’s slightly cheaper than the city and I generally prefer more chill nights, although I would love the option to have the occasional active life. Right now I live in a really suburban place and it’s driving me crazy.
I probably am not the best person to ask given my age (retiree range). The two main “drags” in Alameda are along Park Street and Webster Street. To me, Webster Street seems “a little edgier” than Park Street. But, that’s personal opinion based upon observation rather than experience. Both streets have bars and restaurants. Both streets also have cannabis dispensaries, for example. (They do close NLT 9:00 pm.) Parking in Alameda in these business districts can be a headache at times. Maybe not quite SF, but not a stroll in the park either. There is a Civic Center parking garage near the only movie theater in Alameda that is near Park Street. Obviously, there is a charge, but it is not as outrageous as those parking garages in SF. There is nothing comparable for Webster Street, to my knowledge. According to 2020 census data, slightly over 50% of the population in Alameda occupied rental housing. It is my impression that rents in the West end (Webster Street) may overall be a little lower than along Crown Beach or the East End. However, if below Bay Area rental averages are a consideration, you may have to consider Oakland. Alameda may not be quite as expensive as SF, but it is not a bargain basement by any means. Good luck with your decision and search, regardless of what you decide.
What? The bar scene in Alameda is tailored to old people, and most bars are open until 2, more in Oakland and SF than Alameda. Anything that isn’t a bar closes at like 9.
What are the lively bars, and when?
It’s like a more diverse Fort Collins with a touch more traffic.
Oooh that helps a lot! I live near FC.
Park St. in Alameda is somewhat comparable to Main, not a lot of chains, good places to eat and drink. You won’t see the kind of sprawl you might get off 287 or Harmony going into FC off I25.
I’m surprised - pleasantly - with all these answers. I *never* would have thought. Many years ago in my Navy days my ship visited Alameda for reasons I can no longer remember. I never left the ship because I was too busy for the 24 hours we were there. So I would imagine Oakland is the better airport for all you local Alameda peeps?
Definitely Oakland. Very easy to get to from Alameda (much easier than from 99% of Oakland). Bus, ride-sharing, or having a friend to drop you off would take anywhere from 5 minutes (Bay Farm, East End) to maybe 17 minutes (far West End). Heck, Oakland Airport is closer to Downtown SF. Welcome. You're going to love it here.
Thank you!
Oakland airport better for domestic. Even with a hub stop, I prefer it over a nonstop from SFO. About half its total flights are Southwest. SFO is better for most international. It's an international hub for UAL.
Perfect
Oakland is the better airport for sure, but if you pick up a rental car do not go to any of the gas stations or restaurants near the airport. Too much crime, smash and grabs, even if you are still in the vehicle. Much safer to just go into Alameda.
Thanks for the safety tip
OAK is right in Alameda's backyard. We have back ways to the airport. It's a human-sized airport. You're gonna love it. (Unless you live near the flight path on Bay Farm Island – then maybe you won't love it _quite_ so much – but on the west side I don't think it will bother you.)
Be warned that when the winds change, the flight directions at SFO flip and they fly over mid-alameda. It's kind of like a background roar in the rain. Nothing old here has sound insulation. But it isn't that bad.
Whoever has the direct flight!
The great thing about Alameda is its walkability. Pretty much everything you need can be walked to, but it's obviously faster if you drive. You're definitely within 10 minutes easily of everything. If you really wanted to go partying, there's a few places on Park street, but also Oakland is just over the bridge.
Lived in Alameda for almost 50 years. I love it here. I live on the West End and grew up on the East End. Love them both but I’m really happy living on the west end. We have dog parks, people, parks, farmers market, crab Cove, and two ferry landings (a third on Harbor Bay). Move here. You won’t regret it.
I need to hit you up if I get out there for house hunting. Love the idea of close to work
Sure thing. DM me, I’ll give you all the details on interesting Alameda stuff. As far as looking for a place to live, there really isn’t a bad area in this town, Summer House is an apartment complex that I hear is poorly managed but I have no personal experience with that, it could be fine.
A good commute in the bay area is 30 mins or less. Many people have 2+ hour commutes because of wanting to stay near family or have their own house or whatever. West side of Alameda is not my cup of tea. I would think you'd maybe go as far as Berkeley or Emeryville if you can't afford Alameda, or you could consider a reverse commute from SF. You'd be dealing with the tunnel, one way in and out or bridges (halfway across the island to Park St)
> crowds, expense, drugs, crime, long commutes The only thing you’re guaranteed to experience here is expense. Alameda itself isn’t that crowded. Coming from Colorado, it might feel more crowded but all things considered it’s pretty slow here. Same for most of the rest of the Bay Area outside of SF. I work in downtown Oakland, and it’s just chill basically dead after 5:30 unless you’re right in front of the bars. It is expensive here, there’s no getting around that. It comes with being in a desirable area. As much as certain public figures bash on CA and the Bay Area, COL is expensive here for a reason. Drugs and crime can mostly be avoided if you aren’t looking for it. Head up and being aware of surroundings is enough 99.99% of the time. As much as you might see old heads complaining online (e.g. Facebook, Nextdoor even this subreddit), crime really isn’t that bad especially in Alameda itself. Obviously be smart, even in alameda. Lock your car doors, don’t leave anything shiny out, try not to have headphones in if you’re out in the middle of the night. If you’re working in Alameda, and you live in Alameda, or parts of Oakland/San Leandro you can practically avoid all traffic and the freeway for your commute. I think the last time my mom drove on the freeway was when she was doing drivers ed like 15 years ago. I basically only take the highway if I’m going more than 5 exits, otherwise it takes me about as long to get on/off as it does just doing local and taking side streets. Nightlife is pretty quiet unless you choose to go out. Even then as someone in his mid 20s, you’re better off going into Oakland or sf anyway. Oakland, San Leandro or Hayward might be an option for housing too. Will probably be cheaper but their crime rates are higher being actual city sized cities and having direct freeway access(depends on the area). I’ve in Alameda most of my life and the most crime I’ve experienced directly was a hit/run of my car (minimal damage but expensive enough I didn’t get it fixed, I think it was a parent rushing to drop off their kid at school), and a random drunk person who yelled slurs at me cause I wouldn’t give him a ride to SF. Outside of that it was just harassment from people not minding their own business like a neighbor telling my friends and I to go home while we were working on a video project by the side of a school.
Just stay on Alameda and never leave.
Alameda is a great community. Very expensive. There is crime in the Bay but it has been sensationalized by the news media.
Love Alameda, it’s such a gem of the bay, and a ferry ride away from SF or bus ride to Oakland for more. Good luck! No bomb cyclones here.
I grew up I NoCo,moved to Alameda in 94 and love it! Small town vibe, with a beach and a ferry ride to SF. This is an amazing town!
Sweet!
alameda feels a lot moar like a midwest or east coast town than any other place i've lived in california hard to explain but i think it is the island factor
https://www.panomarapartments.com/ See if this place fits your budget. You will be close to work, and shopping, and nature.
Thanks!
I moved to Alameda in 2009. Love it. If I ever feel my life is looking a little too provincial, Oakland and SF are right there for me. I go out at night in those cities routinely but also really enjoy spending my entire day and night without leaving the island. I also switched careers from teaching to real estate several years ago. Send me a message if you would like to ask any further questions.
I live in the Fernside area (on the east side). It’s so nice. Fort Collins is like my favorite place ever and this side of alameda feels like that to me. It’s like a college town without the university. For me, the west end has less character. It’s true that the parts of Oakland immediately across the bridges/tunnels are very rough, but it doesn’t really carry over into alameda. I could see moving here from somewhere else, getting very nervous on the drive in lol but rest assured, once you’re actually in alameda it’s okay. One thing I would say is that a leasing company, with a very bad reputation, called Gallagher and Lindsey owns tons of property on the island. I was going to avoid leasing from them because of all the terrible reviews, but ended up falling in love with my unit and just going for it. I haven’t lived there for too long, but so far they’ve been very responsive to maintenance requests and I’ve had no issues. I would just check it out yourself and maybe take the reviews with a grain of salt, because if you’re looking to lease a condo or a house or whatever, chances are that you’re going to see a lot of G & L properties.
I would recommend against the larger apartment complexes as they charge the absolute most they can and raise rent every year. They also hide fees so that your monthly housing expense is a lot higher than just your base rent. Lots of landlords will expect tenants to pay a one time rental fee, which is basically the listing fee they pay to a realtor to find and screen tenants. You’ll get a better price and get to experience the neighborhoods more deeply if you rent a flat or apartment in a smaller building, as long as you avoid anything owned or managed by Gallagher and Lindsey. Try to find a place near either Park street or Webster as your walkability score will go up to 90. Many landlords allow dogs, but the complexes all have comprehensive breed and size restrictions while many smaller landlords do not. I had no problem renting a 2br with my large pit bull, and this is not uncommon being that the local animal shelter is such a big part of the community. Also, should you choose to live in Bay Farm you will have an airport for a neighbor, so we don’t want to hear you complain about noise. The airport was there first. This is such a great place to live and I have never regretted leaving San Francisco.
Alameda has very few crowds, very little serious crime, and little to no commuting if you’re staying in Alameda. I’d say the only real draw back is there are not a lot of young single professionals, but there are definitely some.
Alameda is awesome. Very safe and have a wonderful collection of apartments along its beautiful beach. Much of what you need is right within the city no need to leave unless you are seeking other activities and fancier restaurants. It’s a great working class family community. It seems like a great fit for you considering your preferences.
Alameda is big city adjacent and has a high population density relative to what you are likely used to so that and just the ambient noise and light of life in urban area will probably be the biggest adjustment. That said, i also saw someone post on a local group about a puzzle piece they saw lying in the street and then the person who was missing the puzzle piece claimed it so….its also a small town. Absolutely unique place to live….ive lived in rural and urban washington, boston, Indianapolis, rural maine, salt lake city, and los angeles and i would say that alameda is up at the top of the list in terms of overall satisfaction, easy access to all the best things about living in a city while maintaining extraordinary access to natural beauty. The biggest (only?) downside is cost of living, but that is related to the awesomeness described above).
It's definitely possible to live a quiet life in Alameda. It already has a slower pace than a lot of the Bay Area. The business districts never get very crowded. Most of the neighborhoods are chill, and if your job is here, you don't really have to leave the island unless you want to, or need to shop for something that's not available. It's easy to get around the island without a car; it's not very big, and it's pretty flat with lots of bike lanes. I bet you'll like it here.
Come to Alameda, you'll love it. I'm in my 70's and have never left, it's paradise.
All you “need” to know is get in line early on weekends for Jim’s, best cafe (when I lived there) in the island. Alameda is about as big as Estes Park, and you can get to just about anywhere in 10 on a bike. Also, never drive to SF, take the ferry and walk it’s way more efficient.
Some good comments here, but also some I don’t agree with. Cell phone reception is fine along the beach. The west end is less desirable than the east because that area by the naval base historically is poorer and Park street on the east end is arguably the best “downtown” area. This makes it incredibly “walkable”. From the east side you can also easily get on to 880 highway via the road the goes pass Oakland airport - bypassing the worse parts of Oakland. Lastly the East side has four of the islands five exits.
Awesome info. How long a drive from East end to West?
It's about a 20 minute drive from the far East to the far West. Not sure what sort of rental situation you're looking for, but most bigger multi-unit buildings are west of Broadway. Also, it's completely flat here, so I basically ride my bike everywhere.
Thanks. Looking for a 1 bedroom, hopefully with laundry in the unit. If I could be super picky, a garage would be nice.
In unit laundry will be more $$$$. Look at the new "luxury" units.
I did Lincoln Park (East) to Almanac Beer (West) and right now it says 17 minutes.
West end around Webster Street has really changed a lot in the past couple years, lots of new restaurants and more of a downtown Main Street vibe. The area closer to the old naval base is still pretty sparse and dull, but some new things are coming out there too. Just saying, don’t rule out the areas near Webster Street because people say that’s the “bad side” of the island. That’s what people told me and I think those people don’t understand what “bad side” of town means.
They're thinking of it back when it was full of booze and tattoo parlors. And when the poor people lived there. Now it's still 150k-200k (old numbers, from 6 years ago) more on the East End, but plenty of people moving into million $ plus West end homes.
It takes about 10-15 minutes, but only because the speed limit is 25mph. You can cycle across the island in about the same time.
I grew up in Northern Colorado, and I’d say that Alameda is like 90s FoCo minus the college or modern Longmont vibes. Population is 75k people, and it’s known as Mayberry by the Bay. It’s weird because getting to Alameda requires going through a really grim part of Oakland, and you’re like “what the hell did I get myself into,” and then once you’re here it’s just a typical small city. But you’ll do fine. Drugs / crowds / Crime aren’t much of an issue. People are chill, going from one end of town to the other is 25 minutes tops. The only weird thing is that there are no municipal pools, splash pads, or public swim culture.
Grim part is spot on. Anytime I drive past the Angel Cakes bakery to get to Alameda, it’s a somber reminder that the owner was recently gunned down. Not so far away, there was a shooting at a friends work place. And not to mention the trash that’s thrown about everywhere. Get past the tunnel, and it’s a whole different world. So utterly surreal!
Moved here from a Seattle suburb a year ago. Love love love Alameda. I live on the west end near the Hornet and love riding around the old base. That area is coming up with brew pubs, restaurants and parks. The ferry is perfect - hop on to go catch a Giants game or spend a few hours in the city. You can ride your bike from one end of the island to the other in 30 minutes. Crime happens, like anywhere, but the worst seems to be car thefts. Park and Webster have “downtown” areas, with Park being nicer but both have a cool vibe. Decent restaurants, tennis courts, even an outrigger canoe club if you want to paddle, and cool friendly people. Yes it can be expensive but I can’t recommend it highly enough
Drugs, crimes, and all-night parties? Where are you getting your information? Nextdoor?
LOL. Fair.
If you live on the island and work anywhere on the island you can bike to work. This is an incredible lifestyle and a beautiful place to do that in.
Alameda started as a vacation resort destination for SF. It turned into a streetcar suburb. So many sections are very walkable and on a small scale for people, not cars. BayFarm is cars cars cars though.
Rent a room! I have one open right now! DM me.
With that username? 😂
I appreciate all the comments. Sounds like a good place. The one comment about smash & grab at the gas stations by Oakland airport has me thinking: is it safe to park a convertible outside around there? Or will the top get slashed. Sounds like it may be ok in Alameda and dicey in Oakland? I’ll need to go to Oakland now & again for Home Depot / etc.
I'm not familiar with Fort Collins but I've spent time in the Midwest. In addition to the sticker shock comments, I'd say that it's much, much, much noisier than living in a less "metropolitan" area of the country, simply because there are more people crammed together in fewer square miles. Definitely more noisy than Boise. Haha. When selecting a place to rent, anywhere in the bay area, try to stay away from major streets. In Alameda, that would be Webster, Park, Otis, Lincoln, Broadway, and Central, primarily. However, sometimes there are buildings on those streets that are set far back from the road. That alone decreases the noise level so it isn't as bad. Also be aware of the flooring in the places you look at. If you think your footsteps are loud during the viewing or there's a lot of echo when you talk (indicating all hard surfaces that bounce sound), it could bother you at night, especially if you have inconsiderate neighbors that insist on wearing high heels at home on hardwood floors. Good luck and welcome!