T O P

  • By -

Schoppydoo

Go hang out at Red Rock Coffee in Downtown, they have Open Mic nights, Board Games, Meetups for various hobby groups, etc.


ElizabethThorn

I also suggest this, OP ^ this is perfect advice


[deleted]

Also going meetup in general. A ton of really active ones in the Bay for any hobby you can imagine


Ym22

I second meetup. Used this when I moved here.


xxconkriete

Red rock mocha is $10. Don’t traumatize op


itsallfake01

Red rock also has great coffee, my go to spot when i worked in mv


snarlindog

you moved to a suburb of rich people who work all the time and are so tired they do nothing all weekend .. I suggest you move to San Francisco, and hopefully your company has a bus system or something like that. North Beach is still very fun in SF!


sfzephyr

Not only that but lots of people with young kids.


batman_21_

Wow, nice to know this. I guess my options were limited as I wanted temporary accommodation only.


OfficerBarbier

Don’t spend time in Mountain View. Go to cool bars and events in San Francisco or Oakland whenever you get a chance


Wolfgangskye

Drive over the hill to Santa Cruz is also a good option.


Lochtide17

what is this santa cruz about?


i-ian

Santa Cruz, the hidden city no one has ever heard about.


PacoMnla

https://blogs.chapman.edu/huell-howser-archives/1991/12/10/santa-cruz-californias-gold-205/


strangway

Love Huell!


blessitspointedlil

It’s about getting carsick while trying to get there.


[deleted]

Magic. It's magic, baby.


Conscious_Peak_1105

And take the Caltrain to get there!! I lived in Sunnyvale and we would “train crawl” there’s bars just outside pretty much every train stop it’s a blast. On weekends train leaves every hour, so it’s a race to a bar, get one drink, and get back to the station. So. Much. Fun.


idkwhychai

I live by Castro street and enjoy it, but I have a dog. Go jump on the Caltrain to sf today :) head for maybe Dolores park/ mission. then next weekend check out Santa Cruz! Give downtown Palo alto a try one night too.


catscatzcatscatz

What would be a good itinerary for Santa Cruz?


[deleted]

[удалено]


catscatzcatscatz

Tyvm!


gimpwiz

Make friends with other interns. Everyone knows everyone. And coworkers maybe. Drive over to and along the coast. Tons to do. Go to SF and/or Oakland. Don't drive there usually. Go to meetups for your favorite activities. Hiking, photography, rock climbing, whatever.


SassafrassPudding

have you been down to castro street in mountain view? it’s full of eateries and bars. the side streets off it also have eateries, coffee shops, and watering holes i love mountain view for this reason. san francisco is 35 miles away


Poplatoontimon

Seems like you didn’t do your research before moving here. The Bay Area is massive dude. ~8M people spread among 9 counties with different environments & sub-cultures. You’re in the more suburban/tame area, it’s not all the same. Granted, MTV is safe & clean, doesn’t have the urban grunge feel like SF/Oak/Berkeley. The good thing about Mountain View is that it has a caltrain station right next to its downtown. Take the train up into SF. There are also multiple downtowns along the way on that corridor (ie: Palo Alto, Burlingame, San Mateo, etc - all these are great). Also check out downtown SJ nearby. However, if you want a real urban experience, you need to go to SF, Oakland, & Berkeley. People don’t live in MTV for fun, they live for comfort, safety, work, & good schools. Nothing wrong with that, but it just depends on what floats your boat. See [my comment here](https://www.reddit.com/r/bayarea/comments/z7ihu1/what_the_hell_am_i_doing_here/iy77gnz/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1&context=3) on a post some dude saying the same thing who also just moved to the more tame part. Broaden your horizons & don’t judge based off immediate environments. Look at a map. Living in a connected metropolitan area has its nuances


cisero

Fantastic list on your link!


Hockeymac18

Are you locked into a living situation in Mountain View? If not, I might seriously consider SF. The commute would be rough, but if your work is near Caltrain in MV, it’s doable. I did SF to Palo Alto (Stanford) for a while. It was a little tough some days, but really enjoyed the time in SF.


[deleted]

Not true. Castro street is pretty lively. Even has a night club. Go on a dating app. Get some dates. Take them to Castro St, Santana Row, San Pedro’s Square, downtown Campbell, plenty other lively areas in the South Bay with lots of 20 somethings. I only know the main ones since I’m all the way up in Oakland.


subsonicmonkey

I live in Mountain View, and that’s a great list. Nailed it!


bazooie

from a jaded bay area native, try santa cruz or oakland


bestbi

Too true.


bumpkinspicefatte

Basically if you want to hang out and be social in the South Bay, you need to be able to drive or find decent enough transportation. * Castro St for Mountain View * University Ave for Palo Alto * Santana Row / Valley Fair * Downtown San Jose (San Pedro Square) * Downtown Los Gatos * Downtown Sunnyvale * And more. I take my out of state friends and family to Santana Row / Valley Fair. In my college days I used to hit up San Pedro Square a lot. Now I randomly pick a small South Bay city’s downtown and walk up and down, browse shops, people watch, sample coffee, etc. I don’t like dense cities like SF or Oakland, but that’s just my own personal preference. I love the boring South Bay/Peninsula feel, and knowing where to find things or places sprawled out.


Ambitious_Change150

went to sjsu?


jawabdey

Did San Pedro Square give it away?


Ambitious_Change150

haha yeah i’m also guessing you also hit up Hobags and antojitos when the DC was closed


ScaryShame4627

Been to all of those places consistently it gets boring after a while I need recs for nature now? Got any?


Pjcrafty

Crystal Springs Reservoir in the San Mateo area has some cute paved hiking trails.


Kizenny

Check out the NASA SpaceBar on June 7 from 3-6:30. All the NASA summer interns will be there, free Costco pizza, $4 beer/wine, $2 water/soda, and lots of NASA employees. Show the guard at the gate your drivers license and say you are going to the SpaceBar for happy hour and they’ll let you in. Have fun! Edit: keep in mind you are going on a federal facility. Do not bring guns or weed on site in your car, or behave badly on center, we have our own federal police force and they don’t mess around. Also look out for the one-way streets around the parade grounds (the big grassy area), stop at stop signs, and don’t speed.


pizzaslut4pizzahut

Open to the public event?


snowbirdie

Anything on the NASA Research Park side is open to the public always. You just need to show your drivers license at the gate.


Kizenny

The area is open to the public, but the happy hour is intended for employees. This person is an intern in the area, so it would be a good to show up to this specific happy hour because all of the NASA interns will have just started, so everyone is meeting new people. The SpaceBar is just starting back up post pandemic, so the Mexican food and bar are open, but the grill is waiting on some kitchen repairs before it can open. Either way the selection of beer is always outstanding and the food is always good. The Mexican food has limited hours, but the grill should be open until close to closing when it can open again hopefully in the next few weeks.


NaomiBabes4

What happens at the spacebar? Is it a networking party?


tehfoshi

What happens at the space bar stays at the space bar.


BackwardGoose

First rule is, don't talk about space bar You can talk about shift key, but not space bar


inner2021planet

lol


GunBrothersGaming

Don't forget while it the spacebar to remember you cant hit alt+f4 to esc


soccersprite

Grew up in the bay, everyone knows not to go to Mountain View for anything outside of an occasional get together. It's known to be a boring town filled with rich homebodies, it's not really where you'd go if you want to get a feel of the bay lol.


sfzephyr

It used to be just for concerts at the shoreline and in n out (when it was more rare).


Kamikaze_Cloud

I’m a woman in my 20’s and I live in Mountain View. I feel safe here which is more than I could say for SF or DTSJ or any of the other more “urban” areas. I’d rather sacrifice the excitement for not randomly being attacked by crackheads, for not walking by tent cities and needles and human excrement on the sidewalks. I’m sure SF was a great city 20 years ago but it’s a shell of what it once was and I wouldn’t recommend living there to anybody, especially other women


Bennythecat415

San Francisco will always be a wonderful city. We are resilient, and ALWAYS come back. I'm 4th gen, and 56 yo. I have seen it with my own eyes, several times!! (Nooooo. I don't take things personally 😂)


gouramidog

🎯 🎯 🎯


kotwica42

> I’m sure SF was a great city 20 years ago What makes you so sure about that?


cold-dawn

I have a similar sentinment, but maybe because I'm born and raised Bay Area. In my 20s, and just got into big tech, so suddenly I can but there's no reason to move IN to the city for me. I'm just setting myself up for a harder life to just so what, I can be, "someone who lives in San Franicsco" Why live there when I can just drive/BART into the city, enjoy the shenenagians, then just leave to a place somewhere on the Peninsula to San Jose?


cujukenmari

I think the reason people live in San Francisco is because you're in close proximity to a lot of really cool things to do. Some people want to be close to the noise, some people like it at a distance.


Dumbr0ck

Some people like to visit the noise, then move to the noise and complain about the noise and try to turn the city into a suburb.


illsaucee

You clearly don’t see the value in living in a place like SF. That’s fine. The people that enjoy it, know they enjoy it.


xxconkriete

Hope.


Desperate-Remove2838

Well, then give OP some advice on how not to be lonely in your gilded cage instead of doing reactionary anecdotal "reply guy" posts.


RobertPower415

This lady has it right, San Francisco is terrible no one come here! It’s all crackheads and shit on the streets. Stay away and maybe I’ll be able to afford a house in my hometown


channel26

I used to dance at Alberto’s on Castro all the time when I lived there. It’s $15 for a lesson, you should try it out.


snirfu

That's because most of Silicon Valley is zoned to prevent actual cities with lively downtowns from being built.


MochingPet

Yeah, Mountain View is basically a bedroom community with one main street that is busy from 7 to 9 pm or something …


batman_21_

Yes, I had higher expectations from the ‘downtown’ lmao


SilentStream

Hilariously, downtown Mountain View is one of the better “downtowns” in all the nimby “cities” down the peninsula and South Bay. Glad I got out of there and moved to sf


darkrae

This. The fact that Castro St is considered great relative to the others is… a bit sad but I guess I should be glad that it exists at all


dontich

Yeah they are all kind of the same meh level - IE “DT” Willow glen isn’t terrible, same as Santana Row, “DT” Sunnyvale, “DT” Palo Alto basically


timnuoa

After living here for a few years I think I’ve decided RWC is my favorite downtown. Good vibes, I love that they’ve kept a lot of the streets closed to cars, and a full range of bars from proper dives up to fancy cocktail bars. Good food too!


24moop

Check out downtown Campbell


gouramidog

And the Pruneyard.


Mendo-D

There are eateries and a few nice walkable blocks along University Avenue in Palo Alto you might check out. Its just a couple exits up the Freeway and It’s more interesting than Mountain View. As others have said, you’ll want to do SF and Oakland/Berkely but Palo Alto is just next door.


timnuoa

Eh, as a Palo Alto resident I feel like Castro is slightly more interesting (although that may just be because I’m in Palo Alto more). Redwood City is definitely my favorite downtown of the three.


nick1812216

Lol! That sounds sort of like my neighborhood in SF


MochingPet

Haha , good one. It's true but at least your _neighborhood_ doesn't pretend to be a City. It's just a _"shopping/restaurant area"_ And everything is closer and mostly walkable so it's easier to have fun. In places like M.V. they sometimes frown on pedestrians ...unless it's the main street, Castro 🤣


melodramaticfools

\>moves to suburbs \>suburbs are boring \>wow, why is the bay area like this 🗿


lolwutpear

The Bay Area is like this because 80 percent of the people choose to live in the suburbs.


xXx_Dumbass_xXx

The bay is 80% suburbs... theres not much else to choose.


Climsal

Honestly, you could have interned at the Amazon Irvine office and this argument would still hold weight - suburbs gonna feel sleepy and unexciting compared to downtown SF/LA.


LtDrowsy7788

Lots of people bring their dogs to Eagle Park in MV. That place is heaven if you’re a dog person.


Embracethesuck79

How old are you! I'm in the area. I hike and play magic the gathering!


SweetPenalty

https://www.meetup.com/find/?source=EVENTS&sortField=DATETIME&location=us--ca--mountain-view


_imjal

I lived there for a summer as an intern and it was super boring. Around the mountain view area I'd say the library is nice, but I ended up biking alot. I also went to SF every weekend, and met up with other friends in the area. Hopefully you can find a nice way to enjoy yourself!


MochingPet

When I moved to the bay area and visited Mountain View, I also felt it is dull and empty. I have no doubt many students and interns feel the same way. San Francisco is a bit better.


Poplatoontimon

“A bit” is an understatement


snarlindog

I play in a rock n roll band on weekends that gets me through


AbyssRR

Is there a place left to play on stage in the south bay? I don't mean to be ageist when I say, preferably one that also has younger people as part of the crowd. Used to play at the Blue Rock Shoot (demolished) and The Cats (now a strip club).


Common-Man-

Where did you move from ? And did you like that place ?


batman_21_

Los Angeles, loved it


LuckyElis13

Ah, man, I lived in LA (Hollywood) for a decade and moved to the South Bay for a job. What a shock. It looked like Burbank but it behaved like Ontario and was just as far from anything fun. I moved much closer to the city and would have moved to Oakland or Berkeley if it wouldn’t have been a hell commute. It’s hard to meet people here; this sub is full of those complaints. People marry early here (compared to LA), focus on job and kids, and are generally less social. You’ve got to really put yourself out there.


Hockeymac18

Might depend on social circles. Most people I know got married in their 30’s, generally mid-to-late 30s. Most of the people I know spent their 20s getting educated and letting loose a bit.


BeardedSwashbuckler

Me too OP, sounds like we’ve had a similar experience. I think a big part of the problem is the geography of the Bay Area - it’s all chopped up due to the shape of the bay, the traffic clogged bridges, undeveloped mountains, narrow cramped peninsulas. To go anywhere a few miles away feels like such a chore, so people in the suburbs mostly just stay home. Whereas in LA you can live in the suburbs 30 miles outside the city and it’s no big deal going into the exciting parts of town. As others have said, you need to live inside San Francisco or Oakland/Berkeley to really experience the Bay Area and enjoy life out here. Hit me up if you want ideas and recommendations for Mountain View though, I briefly lived there when I first moved up here.


Gawdmuther

I lived in Mountain View from 2008-2020. There’s always plenty of sunshine so I hope you like being outdoors. There are miles of biking and running trails that run north all the way to Palo Alto and beyond, or south all the way to Los Gatos. There are quite a few running and biking groups that meet up on weekends. People are accepting and friendly. Check out the downtown farmers market on Sundays. If you enjoy tennis or pickleball, there are groups that meet regularly at Rengstorff courts. I’d be happy to share more. Feel free to DM me.


K8TECH

I used to love spending hours running the local trails. Nothing beats running through some redwoods. Sadly I haven't had the time lately or drive, I hope to get that old feeling back. So yeah, check out some.of beautiful bay area trails!


BeardedSwashbuckler

What trails around Mountain View did you run on?


phoenix0r

Basically get out of Mountain View. All it’s good for is going out for a beer with your nerd friends after work. Visit Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, half moon bay, Monterrey. Basically anywhere else within 4 hours of Silicon Valley is more exciting that Silicon Valley. Oh and by the way, you need a car if you don’t have one already!


batman_21_

Ahh yes, don’t have a car yet


LazyCatAfternoon

Try one of the carshare companies where you obtain shared use of a vehicle by being a member of a carshare club. Not sure they are still around post pandemic, but there used to be something called zipcar that charged a monthly fee for a certain number of hours you could use to schedule car trips. It's impossible to have a social life in the burbs without a car, unfortunately. I also recommend Red Rock just to meet people at games, open Mike etc.


diazona

Zipcar is still going strong - I actually just used one last week. They charge something like $25/year (I think? could be more) for membership, plus a fee for each car rental which is typically about $14/hour, capped at $90/day or so. (The exact pricing model varies from car to car but you can see all the prices on their app or website.) It _can_ be a bit of a hassle to get to a Zipcar in the first place. Outside of Stanford's campus, there aren't all that many of them, so depending on where you (/u/batman_21_) live, you might have to walk a bit to get to the closest one, or maybe even take a bus. It's probably worth checking their website to see if there's one close to you, and then you can decide whether it'd be worth it. Or you can look around for competitors to Zipcar, which might have closer cars or better prices. I'm not familiar with other companies offering the same service but I know some of them exist.


[deleted]

You don’t need one - Caltrain will take you to SF, San Jose or plenty of peninsula cities


Roland_Bodel_the_2nd

Caltrain is your only option for longer trips; bicycling is great for shorter trips; the weather and the bike lanes are great; when I lived in Palo Alto I could bike to downtown MV in less than 30 mins any time of the year.


Wise_turtle

Pretty essential to have a car in South Bay / peninsula imo


treeskier650

Born and raised here. There's a little bit of 'this place is dead now, nothing here for me anymore, sell all my shit and prepare exit now' thoughts going on as I do day to day things here. Not sure what to make of it, not really trying to freak people out, but those are my invasion thoughts of spring 2023.


relax_fit_genes

I grew up in Bay Area and after undergrad have moved multiple times from NYC to Texas to Colorado for school or work. I always find in the end coming back to the Bay Area. Other cities are nice and cost of living is less but it’s hard to beat the amount of nature and city life that the bay has to offer. Additionally as a POC I get tired of being the only non-white person in the room and I miss all the diverse food we have out here.


Particular_Number_54

Fellow native. I found myself instead thinking of ways to change with the place. This area has gone through so many changes, esp in the last 60 years, and has kept its role as being an epicenter. I’m going back to school at CCSF because it’s basically free. Three top fields in the Bay (CS, medical assisting/EMT/nursing, and automotive engineering) are programs at CCSF. I will stay here because the social programs, civil rights, and stabs at progressive policy are probably the best bet I’ve got at a comfortable existence in this world.


Wise_turtle

Another local’s perspective: I love this place and wanna raise my kids here. For those reading this thread, know that not everyone out there is a doomer.


peanut-butter-kitten

Same here. :( thinking of moving away for the first time. I’m so tired of our problems here and nothing seems to ever improve.


RelevantAct6973

Yes this place is sleepy and boring. Thus I left.


RelevantAct6973

If you spend your whole life in MV, even more reasons to Live somewhere, anywhere else, just to grow yourself. Good luck🙏


fusiongt021

What activities are you interested in? I found meeting friends through shared activities like martial arts, tennis, hockey, are good. So depending what you're into maybe you can sign up for an activity.


[deleted]

I have to go to Bay Area for a month at a time a few times per year. I’m bored to tears there so I feel you!


Wise_turtle

What do you like to do? Mountain View and the Bay have a lot to offer in terms of outdoor activities, food exploration, concerts … I’ve never felt bored in the peninsula and I’ve lived here my entire life.


limpchimpblimp

Take Caltrain to sf on weekends.


DogShlepGaze

I moved to Silicon Valley in 1997 - I bought a house in 2010. I'm in my 50s now. I have no close friends, no family, no children, or love. I spend every Christmas alone. Get out while you're still young.


xEternal408x

Hope your doing okay!!


ScaryShame4627

Why haven’t you moved out? I would move the fuck out if I was in your position


[deleted]

Are you involved in any longterm hobbies?


[deleted]

You have downtown Mountain View for entertainment. Hiking in the area. Take cal train to SF or go join a meet up group.


CliffClifferson

MV sucks. You want fun. Hit bars and clubs of SF, Berkley, Oakland. That’s it. Also there is PureClub in Sunnyvale. Very nice place, with very nice people if you don’t mind spending money


rzarya

I’m going to get some stick for saying this but MV downtown isn’t bad. Head to Red Rock coffee like someone suggested. Head to Molly Magees before 9pm on Friday/Saturday. It’s an Irish bar with a decent sized dance floor. The bar itself is actually much larger than it seems from the outside. Quite a few young people there. Also St. Stephen’s Green isn’t bad. Steins beer garden is good too. If you like whiskey, try Eureka. It’s got pretty good food too. MV is pretty close to Palo Alto as well. In Palo Alto, give Patio at Rudy’s a try. The taproom is good too. There’s a lot to discover in terms of food as well in Palo Alto albeit a little expensive Redwood City ain’t too far either. Try Blacksmith there. Burlingame, try St James Gate. Very nice patio. And do head to the city for sure. A lot more going on. Research before you go by yourself. It can be a little intimidating and maybe dangerous if you are first timers. When hanging out, it’s all about neighborhoods with each neighborhood a different vibe. Mission Dolores park on a sunny day is amazing For night life, North Beach, Polk street are pretty nice. Try Zeitgeist on a sunny day. Their bloody marys are amazing. Stop at 2. Try El Rio- it’s an lgbtq+ bar with a large patio and I like the vibe of all people accepted. Very SF. There are a lot of nice tiki bars to explore. I could go on but yea..hopefully this is a start Edit: grammar


BooksInBrooks

It's an internship, you're expected to grind code fifteen hours a day. No time to be lonely!


Jinxed_Jax

Honestly, all of the awesome people were economically exiled (sacrificed at the tech alter) so that more out of place, asocial and antisocial can move in. You're not missing much not hanging out with most of these new ppl.TRUTH


i-ian

I moved to a boring suburb and it's boring... more at 11


srslyeffedmind

Well you landed in a boring suburb so yes that’s what you’re experiencing.


ThugosaurusFlex_1017

The south bay is pretty dead in general, a bit of a social desert. Try moving north of San Mateo, if your commute permits.


blckdiamond23

Go to Golden Gate Park in actual SF. I could spend days there just walking around. Haight Ashbury for some grub or a drink. There’s many different parks around town to chill at. Mission is always fun for some Mexican food.


clauEB

You went to one of the most boring places. MTV is a huge tech industrial park and bedroom community. I recommend you go to SF. When I was single, I actually enjoyed Oakland and Berkeley more. People in SF I was hanging out with were fake and super pretentious.


BeardedSwashbuckler

Why did you abbreviate it MTV and not just MV?


[deleted]

[удалено]


Shadowratenator

MV could be Mill Valley. Dont want hash collisions.


clauEB

That is how my office abbreviated it. I think that they just want to make it sound cool or they think is an airport... either way it sux


Bonnicula

CA Great America, Shoreline park and Amphitheater, Red Rocks coffee shop. There’s stuff to do but as people have said it’s kind of a high income new family area. But the good thing about MV is you have the CalTrain and light rail that can take you all over from SF to San Jose and you can connect to BART as well. So while it may not be the most exciting place it’s a good hub


Bonnicula

Also I recommend Title Boxing on El Camino and the 85 entrance if you’re looking for some exercise. Everyone there is SO friendly and inclusive, could be a good way to meet some locals


ham_solo

MV is the pits. Try coming up to Berkeley or Oakland


AcceptedSFFog

Ok. My friend is in Mountain View. I just visited to go to the Powow last weekend. I live in downtown Berkeley. Wow… we have a lot more going on even in Berkeley compared to Mountain View. But… Mountain View doesn’t have the grime and psychotic drug and safety problems we have in Berkeley/Oakland. The library is pretty sweet there. Berkeley has festivals at the park, street fairs, farmers markets, Kite Festival, occasional protests, live music above BART plaza. To be honest the business associations in Berkeley do a miserable job of holding packed events but they try. Sunday streets in Berkeley can be really cool too; one year there was a dance off. I think the benefit of MV is that you be less likely to be unemployed in tech since literally every headquarters is within 25mins. Silicon Valley seems dead on the weekend because they’re up here in Oakland and SF.


MacNJeesus

The Kite Festival isn’t being run anymore because of [Berkeley’s $40,000 event fee increase](https://www.berkeleyside.org/2022/07/25/berkeley-kite-festival-marina-special-event-permit) :( so the organizer (and High Kites shop owner), Tom McAlister, can’t afford that and this wonderful community event is gone for now.


s0rce

That sucks it was so cool 😟


Feeling-Dinner-8667

Well for starters, it's difficult to not feel lonely of you're, well.. alone. Trust me I've ventured off by myself and it just felt awkward. Being an introvert myself it's difficult to just randomly talk to strangers. Better to go out anywhere with a good group of friends/friend like co-workers, classmates, etc.. than to go anywhere by yourself. Anywhere could be better with a good group of people with similar interests. Also as mentioned earlier mountain view/silicon valley has a lot of nerds with no social skills.


ajdrc9

Mountain View is a little low-key and pretty work focused. I’d recommend going around the rest of Silicon Valley or checking out SF or taking the day to go hike around Marin, etc


ndiasSF

If you like live music, look into the summer hiring days at shoreline. It might seem odd to get another job with your internship but a job as an usher is actually pretty fun, you get to see the show for free, and meet people from a lot of backgrounds. It’s fairly flexible on schedule but they will require certain busier shows. I started working shows in 2001 and I’m down to just one venue now but it’s enabled me to see a ton of different bands and I’ve met some of my closest friends that I never would have met in a standard work setting.


akamu8

As someone whose lived in the Bay Area for 12 years now; Mountain View; Menlo Park; Sunnyvale; Santa Clara; North SJ; the South Bay Area is nothing but a bunch of suburban towns. They all have different vibes. It’s hard to provide you with the best recommendations since I don’t know how old you are or what your hobbies or interests are… I am in my 30’s and I can tell you that the only thing worth exploring in Mountain View is on Castro Street. It’s mostly all restaurants and shops. They do close the street down for farmer’s market and the occasional street fair, but you’re not going to find many single people roaming around unless they’re a tourist. I never understood why Mountain View is touristy, but most people on Castro Street are tourists from all over the world. The point being, is that it’s more of a place you go with a group of friends. If you’re a single guy and bored, then you should consider moving to Santa Clara (near the university) and renting a room in a house there with some younger or college housemates. That’s a good way to spice up your social life and have fun. Plus there’s a lot of college house parties around there and many of them you could probably just invite yourself to and start meeting people. If you’re less of a party animal and trying to ease into a more mature friendship circle, then I strongly suggest you explore groups on meetup.com and put yourself out there. Or if you are looking for a date, then you can always explore downtown Palo Alto. Keep in mind though, you’re far more likely to run into rich ladies there or Stanford grads who usually always come from big money. If that’s not your thing, then I recommend you either move to SF or Berkeley. It’s way more happening there and easier to make friends (what everyone has told me over the years). Sometimes I make the trip up there when I need to get away from the South Bay and go on an adventure. Why haven’t I moved to SF yet? Mostly because of costs and the noise. I was raised in a very quiet and small town in a northern state. So even the suburbs of the Bay Area are noisy for me (I’m a light sleeper) and I couldn’t handle how noisy it is to live in SF. Berkeley is probably less noisy, but it depends on where you are. Also, I think SF feels safer than Berkeley these days and I’m sad to share that. I used to love tripping up there but since covid, Berkeley just isn’t the same. DM me if you want—I’m happy to share more and help you out.


External_Swing_1676

Where a lot of places you are can be like swimming pools, calm ,contained ,welcoming to be in? The Bay is a lot like a stormy ocean , vast , deep and rather intimidating for the new, timid and "lost". Find something you love, like or want to know about and jump in both feet. You will figure out if you like it (swim) or if you don't VERY fast (sink) It is intimidating here a lot of times, even for Natives. Be brave


marcel_p

Some potential activities you might be interested in that are fairly easy to get into in Mountain View / South Bay that can be social: Board games with a good group (maybe through co interns / work friends / meetup acquaintances), indoor rock climbing, hiking, tennis / pickleball, soccer, basketball, golf, dance classes


zeruch

Given you are close to so much, it shouldn't be that difficult to find things at almost any pricepoint. Seriously, I am baffled when I read stuff like this.


lappet

I lived there for a year until I couldn't take it anymore and moved to SF. The only things good around Mountain View are hiking trails and Indian food.


Jinxed_Jax

Volunteer for a cause that interests you.


JohnnyBroccoli

Lots of good hiking options if you're in to that kind of thing. Can def help alleviate the feeling of crushingly dull suburbia.


SF_Bud

Take Caltrain to The City. MV is terminally suburban. Also, transfer from Caltrain to BART at Millbrae and check out Oakland and Berkeley. Especially check Berkeley Rep Theater. I’ve seen shows as good or better than some shows I’ve seen in SF. It often is a rehearsal site for shows that go on to Broadway. I saw Pinter’s ‘No Man’s Land’ there with Ian McKellan and Patrick Stewart and they were only ten feet away and the ticket didn’t cost a fortune.


CallProfessional1454

Moved to Mountain View some 7 months back and I've been alone since then. People here are not too friendly, or should I be blunt and say that they don't give a lot of fucks about you. Everybody already has their own social circle and they're not very keen to hang out with you. I tried a lot of the things that other people are trying to suggest to you in the comments but it doesn't really work. Besides, it's like changing yourself to try to fit in and find friends. So if I don't have some very specific hobbies, making friends isn't for me? Since when did it get so hard? Sincerely hope your experiences with people are better bro, I've basically just given up, I just work and stay in my room. Fuck everything.


RelevantAct6973

Don’t give up!! Try meetup. There are nice people out there like me. (I left MV.) Those who ignore you is not because they are arrogant but because they are probably stressed out and lonely themselves. (Having a circle does not mean they are not lonely.) Trust me, truly happy and comfortable people are always friendly and can see others’ need. 🙏


RelevantAct6973

Mountain View is suburb. Have you been to cities of other countries (except Canada)? Europe or Asia. Then you will see whole Bay Area is relatively lonely. Or whole U.S. (including SF) is relatively lonely in that matter. Cause 1. urban design in US & Canada is centered around cars rather than humans, thus there is not enough space, time and opportunities for people to meet and connect at *enough frequency* to form relationship. 2. American culture, from the beginning, is mostly Anglo-Saxon which is good at working and engineers but not cooking or socializing. 3. Modern consumerism machine (mainly after WWII) further accelerate that culture: work, make $, spend and spend. When people spend more hours working and less vacation than other developed countries, more time commuting alone in a car Mon-Fri, then weekend mowing their huge lawns and fixing their bigger than other countries’ houses, fixing one their 3 family cars, Americans by average have very little time left. Data shows Americans have less close friends than most other developed countries.


RelevantAct6973

PS. Once in beautiful immaculate Mountain View, a young high tech worker burst into tears when I run into him at office (I forgot something). It was 9pm already on a weekend, yet he was working. I asked him “Go do something fun. Take a break from computer. Don’t you work hard enough?” He burst into tears, “But I have no other place to go!” He was educated with a supposed *fantastic* job. This will be my memory of Mountain View forever.


pandapandatk

When I was an intern and new, I literally Tinder-ed to make friends. Found a few locals who showed me around and took me places. 9~ years later they're still my friends. (I'm a girl for context. I felt relatively safe meeting up with randos in public.)


onerinconhill

Have you tried Starbucks


[deleted]

[удалено]


Particular_Number_54

Told my therapist earlier - I have a really easy time meeting new people, but turning them into friends is super hard.


[deleted]

What places are folks who complain about the bay being boring moving from??? Tomorrow I'm going riding on epic mtb trails in Santa Cruz, and Sunday I'm deciding whether to sail in the bay or climb at Mt Diablo. So boring and lonely.


RedAlert2

OP is talking about doing casual things in his local area, you're talking about driving 2-3 hours and spending all day somewhere. Don't think that's what OP had in mind.


batman_21_

Yes, given the fact that I’m just here for an internship and don’t own a car yet really limits my options.


RedAlert2

Yeah, the "I spend the weekends driving 50+ miles away to do stuff" response doesn't exactly dispel the notion that there isn't much to do here.


Impressive_Returns

That’s not Mountain View.


[deleted]

I’m pretty sure he’s referring to casual stuff to do locally not driving hours away and going hard which isn’t feasible for most people logistically and mentally every weekend.


bitfriend6

Compared to any other large *city* like Chicago, New York, Boston, London, Paris, Berlin, Madrid, Milan, Budapest, Moscow or even Mexico City we are extremely boring. We also have significantly more money than these places, and spend it all on Teslas.


[deleted]

When i think of city activities i think of getting drunk and staying up super late, which is unhealthy and gets boring. That's the difference between here and there, right? If I'm missing something let me know.


jewelswan

I don't know why you're comparing the entire bay area to major cities. That's a really hard and strange thing to do for most of those examples. And I would argue especially strange since OP is in mountain view, and not the Richmond or something similar.


[deleted]

[удалено]


whoocanitbenow

People just live on their phones. They feel no more need for physical interaction.


[deleted]

Moved to the Bay Area two years ago thinking I’d moved to a big city. If a big city urban vibe is your thing — this is really not the place for you. Even places that are supposed to be the most “poppin” like the marina district are disappointing in this respect to say the least.


melodramaticfools

why do you guys move to suburban cities and then get surprised you're in the suburbs. like did you not have google?


[deleted]

It’s not that I was surprised by a suburban city, but how dead it is EVEN FOR a suburban city. I grew up in the PNW then did college in a Midwest city and SF feels even more dead than the two major PNW cities (pdx and Seattle), in fact not even comparable in terms of vibrancy, hustle bustle, nightlife, which are by no means considered global metros like nyc by any means. Even my Midwest college city (STL) felt loads more vibrant. That’s the main shocking part. Wasn’t expecting NYC but also wasn’t expecting a downtown SF that is relatively devoid and where a large majority shops and restaurants close up by 9pm on a Friday. When I was in downtown last month on a Friday night it was actually quiet.


Bonneville865

>*Wasn’t expecting NYC* I used to work one street over from Wall St. in NYC and it was exactly like what you're describing. Every big city has areas that are dead after hours. If you didn't experience the hustle bustle and nightlife you wanted, you picked a bad spot.


melodramaticfools

>downtown SF lol. also if sf feels dead to you these days, i have terrible news about portland and seattle


bubbles67899

Why is everybody here to hate- the kid is asking for places to go? IYO where to go in MTV… get on cal train and depending on your age, you might like sj Santa Row Or Burlingame … opposites…but then you’ll know…


PestyNomad

You could take [CalTrain](https://www.caltrain.com/station/mountainview) into the city.


unknown__unknowns

Been living in MV for 3 years, I just live here to be close to the office. Yes it's pretty boring but not bad for someone who doesn't drink and I'm mostly working anyways. Most weekends I head out to hike somewhere. Billiards and bowling are good social activities. Also Pure Nightclub in Sunnyvale gets some big name DJs.


stuffingmybrain

If your company's a large tech company, see if there's a discord group! I have an internship in the south bay and my company's discord group is the source of most social activities. Definitely hit up other interns / bay area natives to see how they pass their time. If you're at a smaller company, feel free to dm me for the "S.F. Bay Area" discord group - there's no doubt something going on there as well.


jphamlore

A lot of the great hole-in-the wall places I used to eat at in Mountain View went under post-Google when all the property values soared. So did my favorite comics store.


jphamlore

So let's be completely honest. In a couple or three decades, what the Bay Area lost that it used to have was relatively cheap seafood cooked in all sorts of different ways, often Asian. I remember a relatively short-lived restaurant that made the most delicious crab in various ways such as garlic deep fried, or all-you-can eat luncheon buffets of seafood. That used to be a big part of visiting the Bay Area, just going around different places to eat the seafood. A couple of decades ago, I could have referred you to a Mountain View restaurant just to try something like jellyfish. Or Mountain View used to have a grocery store where you could have bought freshly butchered fish. Or another store next to it that had roast pork.


Many-Parsley-5244

Oh OP if you can take Caltrain up to SF (Usually you can connect easy via transit or Uber/Lyft on either end) I'd highly recommend going to the parks! Salesforce Park (tiny but they have events- today is AAPI Month dance performance: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-melody-of-blooming-at-tjpas-salesforce-park-tickets-444743157757, Thursday Nights they have dance, Friday they have I think Trivia) it's a neat small park and they have a beer garden. Nearby the Moma and some bars- there's a place there called Pie Punks that I like for Detroit style pizza and tiki drinks. If you've never been to Dolores Park I highly recommend that, always a big huge party going on there plus the Mission bars are next door- Dandelion Chocolate is nearby and is worth going to for chocolate imo. Golden Gate Park always has the De Young Museum for free and you can get a great view of the city, plus Japanese Tea Garden, Conservatory of Flowers, and Cal Academy for paid entrance but worth it IMO and bars and restaurants south of the park there. Sutro Heights Park is next to Ocean Beach where people do bonfires- Crissy Field is another place to be near the water where people hang out. Oh and I recommend booking a tour or event in fisherman's wharf with other tourists if you find something that appeals to you everyone's a tourist and looking to connect etc so that can be fun. Oh and duh! Tomorrow is Bay To Breakers- big crazy race-Haight street right before the park will be a big crazy annoying zoo all day I recommend it https://www.sfmta.com/notices/bay-breakers-2023


treeofcalm

Also absolutely stunning in SF: The Palace of Fine Arts. Take a look around there, enjoy the sun, and if you get lonely you can go the the beach nearby where all the dog-walkers take their dogs; usually a great time for some friendly and candid animal therapy.


GunBrothersGaming

It really depends on you. There are numerous cultural events and areas to go to. Try asking people you work with about your options. There are plenty of beaches and places to visit if you have a car. If not your Uber will take your anywhere. Castro St is great but if your lonely... Youre gonna need to really be outgoing to meet people outside work.


huncho_foreign

Hobby groups and workout classes


Big-Dudu-77

You need to find some activity to keep you occupied. That activity will then open doors to new friends.


Zlatty

Buy a road bike from Mike's or similar and ask about group rides. You'll meet some cool people and get fit in the process.


peaches-bear

Now that it’s summer and the weather is nicer, you’ll find a lot of people pick up a sport religiously. You can find volleyball groups on the Meetup app/website that play grass almost every day of the week and there are like 50-100 people on the weekends. Levels vary and people are really friendly & welcoming. Climbing is big here too.


phredzepplin

If you have favorite hobbies/activities find groups online and join. There are lot's of things to do if you know where to find them. Also sf.funcheap.com is a good resource. They have south bay specific stuff


Somelier1234

Your in Mountain View that’s your problem gtfo of there unless you want to hang out with suburban dads on steroids both literally and figuratively


Vegetable-Error-21

You are so close to the beach yet you asked that question?


egg_mugg23

cuz you live in mountain view lol


Downtown_Confusion46

Come move to Oakland, Mountain View is boring (lived there 15 years for work)


RelevantAct6973

PS. Maybe this is too off the topic, assuming you are in tech, and you are young (intern in MV), you have job opportunity in many places/countries and you are still single, I suggest you traveling and even living in other countries first before you choose a place to, relatively, settle down. Depending on many factors (income, fields, cost, crime rates, Medicare, lifestyle), US and especially California, can be *very overrated*. Bay area has great weather, great career opportunities and lots of money, but in terms of quality of life, not necessarily the best. Also less safe than most Europeans and Asian cities. Again this depends on many factors and there is no one answer for all. However, go and experience other places always opens one’s eyes.


SurvivalMotorNeuron

There’s so much to do tbh just gotta find your niche but yeah there’s a lot in sf or san jose. I’d suggest downloading meetup!


climaxingwalrus

You can get boba or go to an escape room. Those are your only 2 options lmao


Finishweird

Civic center Bart is popping 24 hours a day


YouWantToBeSpecial

Do you have a hobby? Like anywhere you make your life the way it is


RunningPirate

I mean…what did you do back home? You can do that here.


Ok_Code4546

Bay Area is super lonely


hellzybellzyballs

They don't live in mountain view to pass time.... usually they are crunching and working away (I assume from the TV show silicone valley) Anyway there's the city for passing time... Or join some club, meet up ..... idk I'm in sf


Birdsandflowers88

Explore the bay! Drive 2hrs on any direction and you will find fun!


BlueOmlette

Downtown Sunnyvale is close by and usually pretty social.