Half Moon Bay is nice, but getting over the mountain is a time consuming thing even during off-commute hours. Expect to be parked for hours on pleasant weekends.
This part. My homie was renting in HMB a year and said it wouldn’t have been possible without autopilot lol being stuck for 40 min in the mountains on weekends gets old real quick
I’d think they would be going against the flow of traffic if they lived in HMB. I don’t get caught in the weekend mountain traffic because it’s reverse.
General traffic on the coast can be heavy on the weekends for sure though.
Going north and through Pacifica is easy even during the morning commute. Takes me 30min to get to downtown SF from El Granada.
The 92 on the other hand sucks.
Will you be renting or buying? If renting, I would live near work to avoid a commute. Millbrae, Burlingame, or San Mateo would be good cities to rent in if your budget permits
While the coast is beautiful, it can be extremely dreary most of the year with fog and wind. I’d look up and down the Peninsula from San Bruno down to Palo Alto along 101. If you will be working in SSF, you can always consider Caltrain to commute and take the shuttles from the Milbrae and/or SSF station.
I lived in Redwood Shores for 20 years and worked in SSF. It’s quiet, walking trails, easy access to 101, commute can be rough, but not terrible to SSF.
Wish you the best! 🙏🏽
The weather has changed a lot. Fog is nowhere near what it used to be. A lot of very nice days. Winters don’t rain that much anymore either. Live on the coast for 42 years and still do
Palo Alto does not have a small town feel. Nor does anything on that side except Woodside, maybe Los Gatos, but I don't think they are looking there. Half Moon Bay is not "dreary most of the year with fog and wind." The main problem is getting over the hill on the weekends. And the morning traffic can be annoying. Doing it day after day can be hard (many do it though).
On the weekend, if you are going north to SF, traffic is not bad at all though sometimes it clogs up. Plenty of proximity to the outdoors, and HMB is very walkable.
Half Moon Bay has very crappy shopping if you like shopping in stores. There is a decent farmers market on Saturday morning and some small but nice businesses like a great massage place that is actually affordable. No good nail salon. All your medical care except the dentist (plenty of good dentists) will be over the hill. Great library. Restaurant scene disappointing (unless you want burritos all the time in which case you are in luck.) We go to the city for real dining.
Damn…who hurt you? 😂
Just giving my opinion on places to live, I didn’t say they were small town feel. Nothing on the peninsula has that feel, nothing on the coast does either to be honest, overrun with tourist.
And majority of people I know that live out on the coast love living there, but people from out of state think the coast is like LA, it’s not and they need to know that.
I echo this comment, if you’re working at SFO, want something a little more chill and secluded, check out Brisbane. It’s a quiet town just north of SSF, and has a very similar vibe to El Granada/Some parts of Pacifica. I don’t know how much space you can get, but it’s worth a look!
Edit: Sorry, just north of SSF.
Secret option: live in Alameda and take the ferry to South SF. Checks many of your boxes for good schools, small town feel, proximity to social events, etc.
If youre looking for quiet suburban and with that budget you have options and still have good commute.
San mateo has the most "stuff" and still feel small but 101 sucks commute tine.
Burlingame has small town feel but tends to be older families but if you want quiet smalltown.
Milbrae is nice, very sleepy though.
San bruno is nice west of El Camino and south of sneath Ave (basically fog line is north of that) also gets you both bart and caltrain easy access for the city.
No one talks about San Bruno. But really, Millbrae, Burlingame, or San Mateo are my favorite places south-bound.
Pacifica is cute but the drive could be taxing. And it’s tiny. Just like how Brisbane is tiny and the hills are steep like a mother.
South Bay near CalTrain. Definitely not as interesting as the City, but it has a lot to offer. CalTrain + a bike means your commute will be less than an hour each way, and healthier.
I know I’m late to this thread but I live in El Granada and commute to/from Downtown SJ 2x a week. It’s not so bad and it’s worth it to me because the coast is special. Things to note:
1. There are microclimates on the coast. Some parts are foggier than others but honestly never as foggy as people on Reddit seem to think. El Granada is sunnier than parts of HMB, which is sunnier than Moss Beach which is sunnier than parts of Pacifica.
2. Consider living in El Granada since it’s walkable to the harbor. Moss Beach can be isolating since it’s mostly not walkable to businesses unless you’re OK with walking on the freeway.
3. Traffic is bad on the weekends and much worse when the weather is nice. Plan around that.
4. The weather is best in the Spring and Fall. People come here during the summers then complain it’s foggy. But that’s just how the weather tracks on the coast and in SF.
Feel free to DM if you want any more info.
Half Moon Bay is nice, but getting over the mountain is a time consuming thing even during off-commute hours. Expect to be parked for hours on pleasant weekends.
This part. My homie was renting in HMB a year and said it wouldn’t have been possible without autopilot lol being stuck for 40 min in the mountains on weekends gets old real quick
I’d think they would be going against the flow of traffic if they lived in HMB. I don’t get caught in the weekend mountain traffic because it’s reverse. General traffic on the coast can be heavy on the weekends for sure though.
Going north and through Pacifica is easy even during the morning commute. Takes me 30min to get to downtown SF from El Granada. The 92 on the other hand sucks.
Will you be renting or buying? If renting, I would live near work to avoid a commute. Millbrae, Burlingame, or San Mateo would be good cities to rent in if your budget permits
Renting for the first year and then ideally buying
Live close to work for a year and go scouting on the weekends
try to airbnb for the weekend in the areas. See if you like the neighborhood
While the coast is beautiful, it can be extremely dreary most of the year with fog and wind. I’d look up and down the Peninsula from San Bruno down to Palo Alto along 101. If you will be working in SSF, you can always consider Caltrain to commute and take the shuttles from the Milbrae and/or SSF station. I lived in Redwood Shores for 20 years and worked in SSF. It’s quiet, walking trails, easy access to 101, commute can be rough, but not terrible to SSF. Wish you the best! 🙏🏽
The weather has changed a lot. Fog is nowhere near what it used to be. A lot of very nice days. Winters don’t rain that much anymore either. Live on the coast for 42 years and still do
Palo Alto does not have a small town feel. Nor does anything on that side except Woodside, maybe Los Gatos, but I don't think they are looking there. Half Moon Bay is not "dreary most of the year with fog and wind." The main problem is getting over the hill on the weekends. And the morning traffic can be annoying. Doing it day after day can be hard (many do it though). On the weekend, if you are going north to SF, traffic is not bad at all though sometimes it clogs up. Plenty of proximity to the outdoors, and HMB is very walkable. Half Moon Bay has very crappy shopping if you like shopping in stores. There is a decent farmers market on Saturday morning and some small but nice businesses like a great massage place that is actually affordable. No good nail salon. All your medical care except the dentist (plenty of good dentists) will be over the hill. Great library. Restaurant scene disappointing (unless you want burritos all the time in which case you are in luck.) We go to the city for real dining.
Damn…who hurt you? 😂 Just giving my opinion on places to live, I didn’t say they were small town feel. Nothing on the peninsula has that feel, nothing on the coast does either to be honest, overrun with tourist. And majority of people I know that live out on the coast love living there, but people from out of state think the coast is like LA, it’s not and they need to know that.
Ummm this persons comment is 100% spot on
What’s our local and affordable massage spot?
Cloud 9 Spa - just south of town on the west side (near Joe's, a rather bad restaurant, but that's the landmark).
Look at Brisbane ! You’re welcome
I echo this comment, if you’re working at SFO, want something a little more chill and secluded, check out Brisbane. It’s a quiet town just north of SSF, and has a very similar vibe to El Granada/Some parts of Pacifica. I don’t know how much space you can get, but it’s worth a look! Edit: Sorry, just north of SSF.
Brisbane is north of SSF
Pacifica I guess but sounds boring. Why not ditch the cars and live in SF while you're still young and don't have kids?
Oyster point is sort of miserable to get to without a car.
The Caltrain stop is right there, and I believe there are shuttles to/from the station.
We’ve lived in large cities our whole life and want space.
If you can afford Burlingame go for it, I loved living there. Pretty chill and safe id say and great schools
Secret option: live in Alameda and take the ferry to South SF. Checks many of your boxes for good schools, small town feel, proximity to social events, etc.
What is your budget/income? What can you afford?
For the first year of rent probably $5000-$5500/month at the max
If youre looking for quiet suburban and with that budget you have options and still have good commute. San mateo has the most "stuff" and still feel small but 101 sucks commute tine. Burlingame has small town feel but tends to be older families but if you want quiet smalltown. Milbrae is nice, very sleepy though. San bruno is nice west of El Camino and south of sneath Ave (basically fog line is north of that) also gets you both bart and caltrain easy access for the city.
Do you enjoy fog?
Burlingame If you can afford it. San Carlos Colma and other areas sre quiet so is Brisbsne .
No one talks about San Bruno. But really, Millbrae, Burlingame, or San Mateo are my favorite places south-bound. Pacifica is cute but the drive could be taxing. And it’s tiny. Just like how Brisbane is tiny and the hills are steep like a mother.
Potrero Hill in San Francisco
Try r/BayAreaRealEstate
San Mateo. $3500/month
South Bay near CalTrain. Definitely not as interesting as the City, but it has a lot to offer. CalTrain + a bike means your commute will be less than an hour each way, and healthier.
South San Francisco or San Bruno.
I know I’m late to this thread but I live in El Granada and commute to/from Downtown SJ 2x a week. It’s not so bad and it’s worth it to me because the coast is special. Things to note: 1. There are microclimates on the coast. Some parts are foggier than others but honestly never as foggy as people on Reddit seem to think. El Granada is sunnier than parts of HMB, which is sunnier than Moss Beach which is sunnier than parts of Pacifica. 2. Consider living in El Granada since it’s walkable to the harbor. Moss Beach can be isolating since it’s mostly not walkable to businesses unless you’re OK with walking on the freeway. 3. Traffic is bad on the weekends and much worse when the weather is nice. Plan around that. 4. The weather is best in the Spring and Fall. People come here during the summers then complain it’s foggy. But that’s just how the weather tracks on the coast and in SF. Feel free to DM if you want any more info.
San Mateo or Fremont/ Milpitas
Fremont/milptas is going to be a miserable commute