San Diego or San Francisco?

[Winter Storm]

Yo! California peeps! If you had to choose between San Deigo or San Francisco to relocate to, where would you choose and why. Give as many pros and cons as possible.

Any anyone else with any info on either city, please throw your thoughts in.

Thanks!

[and1grad]

Neither. You cant afford to live IN either city unless you prefer low rent housing. City-wise, there's more to do in SF but the weather in SD is tough to beat.

[Winter Storm]

City-wise, there's more to do in SF but the weather in SD is tough to beat.

Yeah I just saw stats on average weather in SD and looks like it's pretty much 70 degrees all-year round. Not too bad!

[vivo]

which has more qlcers?

[cornflakegirl]

i've never been to SD, but that will soon change. i lived in SF for 2 years and i'd move back in a heartbeat if i had a well paying job & most of my friends hadn't left.

keep in mind you aren't gonna get that stereotypical california weather in SF. it gets cool & foggy, which i didn't mind, coming from cleveland & boston. the weather can be a downside. affordability is def a downside ...but there is so much to do, so much going on, so much amazing food that it is worth it.

[weary]

Neither. You cant afford to live IN either city unless you prefer low rent housing. City-wise, there's more to do in SF but the weather in SD is tough to beat.

ditto that. i grew up in cali and i think i'd take SF* over SD, even with the weather consideration. it's not like it snows in SF (though that fog is a bitch and it can get pretty cold). but it all depens on what you're looking for. SD is pretty slow. it's only a couple hours from LA though, if you like the hollywood loon-balls. beautiful beaches too. you can't swim @ the beaches in SF...it's not nearly warm enough (not even in summer) and the waves are dangerous.

(*of course i grew up near SF, so my opinion's biased)

[vivo]

i'm guessing sf is a little more spensive than sd. not a cali resident. also better public transport in sf. sf more major city and probably more fun.(ie perhaps most vibrant place besides manhattan) not sure though

[cache]

Let's get this out of the first off: housing we can write off as about equal


I think the biggest difference is that SD represents southern CA, and SF definitely represents nothern CA. By this I mean SD is a newer city, with newer infrastructure geared toward modern life, whereas SF is an older city with more history and culture.

In Frisco, there are tons of educated people - it is a lot like Seattle and Portland in this regard, which is great for being around intelligent people, but it also means lots more competition at every level of job.

Personally, I'd take Frisco any day.

[weary]

oh, winter...cali mass transit SUCKS in just about all forms. just FYI.

[Winter Storm]

oh, winter...cali mass transit SUCKS in just about all forms. just FYI.

What exactly makes it suck? I need to be able to compare it with Baltimore.

[vivo]

i'm guessing sf is way better than bmore. weary when's the last time u used transit in sf? http://www.urbanrail.net/am/snfr/san-francisco.htm
I only used Bart once from fremont but my impression from reading about it is it's one of maybe the 5 best rail systems for major cities in the us. but i could still c why it sucks. US public transit sucks in general.

[SmilesSoSweet]

Since I grew up in Southern California, I know a little bit about both SF and SD. I have family in both areas and have been to both areas many, many times.

You'll do a lot more driving in SD. If you're actually living in SF city (not one of the other Bay Area cities) public transportation is good. Now if you choose to live in a city outside of SF like Redwood, Daly City or cities on the other side of the Bay like Oakland, San Leandro, Fremont, etc. traffic is pretty rough, though you may be able to take BART into SF (BART - Bay Area Rapid Transit). SD doesn't have the greatest public transportation system either.

I do like SD a lot as well, but it also depends on what part of town. La Jolla is really expensive. El Cajon isn't as expensive, but it's inland. Scripps Ranch, which is also inland is expensive. Then there's north County cities of Carlsbad, Oceanside and Poway, then central cities of Mira Mesa, National City, Vista, Pacific Beach, Mission Beach, etc. SD is also a large military town.

Both cities are pretty diverse. Both are really expensive. SD has the better weather (it doesn't rain a lot but when it does, people there don't know how to drive!) SD is also about two hours from LA (depending on where in SD you live and what part of LA you're going to and what time of the day you're on the road to head out to LA - distance in So. Cali is defined by TIME not miles.)

That's all I can think of for now. You already know that both areas are really expensive to live in.

[weary]

What exactly makes it suck? I need to be able to compare it with Baltimore.

well, i don't really know b'more's, so i can't compare for you. but as far as cali's, it's limited...and slow. the buses have routes that go all around and through and therefore it would take you 2 hours and a couple of buses to get somewhere you could drive in 30 minutes. no, i'm not kidding. (of course, traffic can be pretty awful too...so it may not make a diff depending on where you're going.) their attempt at a subway/el (BART, in noCal) is pretty pathetic too. i get that it can't be super-extensive b/c no one in their right mind is going to go digging up ground that runs along the san andreas (earthquake) faultline...but the stops are often so far apart and not near main city areas it's just inconvenient.

sorry to be so negative. cali is really nice overall...
:rolleyes:

feel free to PM me if you want me email for more info. i still have a couple family members and some friends there.

[weary]

i'm guessing sf is way better than bmore. weary when's the last time u used transit in sf? http://www.urbanrail.net/am/snfr/san-francisco.htm
I only used Bart once from fremont but my impression from reading about it is it's one of maybe the 5 best rail systems for major cities in the us. but i could still c why it sucks. US public transit sucks in general.

it's been a while. and i recognize that transit right in SF is pretty good. but SD and most other places leave a lot to be desired. i know winter asked about SD and SF specifically, i guess i was just being more general b/c if she went outside SF she'd be in for a rude awakening! ;)

[Winter Storm]

well, i don't really know b'more's, so i can't compare for you. but as far as cali's, it's limited...and slow. the buses have routes that go all around and through and therefore it would take you 2 hours and a couple of buses to get somewhere you could drive in 30 minutes. no, i'm not kidding. (of course, traffic can be pretty awful too...so it may not make a diff depending on where you're going.) their attempt at a subway/el (BART, in noCal) is pretty pathetic too. i get that it can't be super-extensive b/c no one in their right mind is going to go digging up ground that runs along the san andreas (earthquake) faultline...but the stops are often so far apart and not near main city areas it's just inconvenient.

sorry to be so negative. cali is really nice overall...
:rolleyes:

feel free to PM me if you want me email for more info. i still have a couple family members and some friends there.

Overall, either city would probably be an upgrade from Baltimore, so I'm not discouraged yet. How is driving in either city, do you know? I prefer to drive if I can.

[SmilesSoSweet]

Overall, either city would probably be an upgrade from Baltimore, so I'm not discouraged yet. How is driving in either city, do you know? I prefer to drive if I can.

SD is all driving. Traffic can get bad as well because there aren't as many freeways (compared to LA) and a lot of things are spaced out which means driving is the only way of getting there.

Good luck driving in the actual city of SF. Every time I'm in SF we park a car in one of those lots and either walk or take public transportation everywhere. I've also been there during a typical work week and I've seen lots of the everyday businessperson taking public transportation every where.

[Winter Storm]

Well, if the worst things either city has to offer so far is traffic, then I'm still interested. But I'll keep researching.

[vivo]

Nancy Pelosi's from Bmore (her dad was mayor) :huge: :

http://www.house.gov/pelosi/biography/bio.html

Biography

Since 1987, Nancy Pelosi has represented California's Eighth District in the House of Representatives. The Eighth District includes most of the City of San Francisco including Golden Gate Park, Fisherman's Wharf, Chinatown, and many of the diverse neighborhoods that make San Francisco a vibrant and prosperous community.Overwhelmingly elected by her colleagues in the fall of 2002 as Democratic Leader of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi is the first woman in American history to lead a major party in the U.S. Congress. Before being elected Leader, she served as House Democratic Whip for one year and was responsible for the party's legislative strategy in the House.

Personal Story

Pelosi hails from a strong family tradition of public service. Her father, Thomas D'Alesandro, Jr., served as Mayor of Baltimore for 12 years, after representing the city for five terms in Congress. Her brother, Thomas D'Alesandro III, also served as Mayor of Baltimore.

Pelosi graduated from Trinity College in Washington, D.C. in 1962. Pelosi and her husband, Paul Pelosi, a native of San Francisco, have five children: Nancy Corinne, Christine, Jacqueline, Paul and Alexandra, and five grandchildren.

[WorkInProgress]

Is there a point to that?

[weary]

Overall, either city would probably be an upgrade from Baltimore, so I'm not discouraged yet. How is driving in either city, do you know? I prefer to drive if I can.

OH GAWD....those SF hills used to scare the SHIT outta me! LOL. i think it really depends though, on what kind of driving you do now, what you're comfortable with, etc.

SD is pretty much easier just b/c it's not as congested/not a big city like SF. but if city driving doesn't bother you than SF is not all that hard once you learn the neighborhoods*. there's always a taxi driver or somebody who can tell you how to get where you're going too if you get lost b/c cities are just more like that. SD, not so much. but the roads are very good in both places. cali has great roads just about all over. (yes, i know not in some ghettos...but that's universal.)

(*i still think some of the steep-assed hills can be scary. i was back for a visit a few months ago and my friend was like, "let's go down lombard just for fun!" i was not excited to do that. :redface: )

[Winter Storm]

Is there a point to that?

I was wondering, then went, 'aw nevermind'. :rolleyes:

[vivo]

Is there a point to that?

hehe just pasted it for fun.

[weary]

Is there a point to that?

i'm guessing the cali-baltimore correlation...

[vivo]

OH GAWD....those SF hills used to scare the SHIT outta me! LOL. i think it really depends though, on what kind of driving you do now, what you're comfortable with, etc.

SD is pretty much easier just b/c it's not as congested/not a big city like SF. but if city driving doesn't bother you than SF is not all that hard once you learn the neighborhoods*. there's always a taxi driver or somebody who can tell you how to get where you're going too if you get lost b/c cities are just more like that. SD, not so much. but the roads are very good in both places. cali has great roads just about all over. (yes, i know not in some ghettos...but that's universal.)

(*i still think some of the steep-assed hills can be scary. i was back for a visit a few months ago and my friend was like, "let's go down lombard just for fun!" i was not excited to do that. :redface: )


actually isn't sf pretty small like 40 sq miles or something? sd is probably bigger.

[weary]

actually isn't sf pretty small like 40 sq miles or something? sd is probably bigger.

yes, SD is much bigger than SF, but SF has many more people

[meatwad]

Get a job at the Navy Yard and move to SD. All the guys that work with my dad say it's great. :D

[Winter Storm]

OH GAWD....those SF hills used to scare the SHIT outta me! LOL. i think it really depends though, on what kind of driving you do now, what you're comfortable with, etc.

Right now, I've been navigating fine through B-More and DC just fine. I have seen pics of those hills and they look frightening, but fun.

I guess the main things are I wanna live where its beautiful, there's plenty to do, plenty of young people, not too far from the beach (1-2 hour drive if possible), jobs (of course), nightlife and very important culture.

I'm still looking at other cities too but these 2 are my top picks right now.

[weary]

forgot to add that parking in SF is a BITCH. i guess that's true of most cities, but there's also those damn hills again.

does anyone remember the wheel-to-the curb rule of thumb? i forget which way you're supposed to cut them going up or downhill...

winter - what are your interests, desires, comforts, etc as far as living locations go?

[Josie]

Holy crap, the two places are a world apart.

Which place will you probably get a job in over the other?

[weary]

Right now, I've been navigating fine through B-More and DC just fine. I have seen pics of those hills and they look frightening, but fun.

I guess the main things are I wanna live where its beautiful, there's plenty to do, plenty of young people, not too far from the beach (1-2 hour drive if possible), jobs (of course), nightlife and very important culture.

I'm still looking at other cities too but these 2 are my top picks right now.

okay so i just cross-posted with you. sorry!

um, if this is what's important to you i would say SF hands down. you can't do the SF beach, but there's santa cruz, half moon bay, montery, carmel and others within your 2-hour requirement.

[Winter Storm]

winter - what are your interests, desires, comforts, etc as far as living locations go?

Parking seems to always be a bitch in all the coolest places. The price of being popular I guess.

Interests, desires, comfort? I love music, all types and dancing, so I need good clubs for dancing, bars and lively nightlife. I need good shopping, lots of outdoor activities, ie. festivals and places to go and things to do. I need culture, diverse people (blacks are usually a plus :) ), and arts. I'd love to be around artistic, young, fun-loving types.

Another question? I read on a cost-of-living comparison site that in order to live my same lifestyle as I do in B-More in SD, I'd have to make at at leat $48k. How easy or hard is it to get that kind of salary there, particularly in marketing (with 3+ years exp and a master's)?? Any ideas?

[Winter Storm]

Which place will you probably get a job in over the other?
No idea. Still researching that too. I've only looked at positions in SF for now.

But what I'd probably do, is pick a city and concentate on trying to get a job there.

[meatwad]

They have legalized poker rooms there.

[vivo]

sf demographics per bay area census census 2000 estimates in first column; 2004 acs(i think american commmunity survey) estimates in 2nd column
http://www.bayareacensus.ca.gov/counties/SanFranciscoCounty.htm
I think Oakland has a decent % of blacks. (maybe around 50%)

RACE
White 385,728 49.7% 381,211 52.6%
Black or African American 60,515 7.8% 47,003 6.5%
American Indian and Alaska Native 3,458 0.4% 2,467 0.3%
Asian 239,565 30.8% 240,675 33.2%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 3,844 0.5% 3,906 0.5%
Some other race 50,365 6.5% 27,643 3.8%
Two or more races 33,255 4.3% 21,633 3.0%

Per census of 2000 for san diego (higher population than san fran)
http://www.sandiego.gov/planning/programs/mapsua/population.shtml

Population by Race and Hispanic Origin (SF1-P8)
TOTAL HISPANIC NON-HISPANIC
Number Percent* Number Percent* Number Percent*

Total Population 1,223,400 100% 310,752 25% 912,648 75%

White 736,207 60% 132,315 11% 603,892 49%
Asian 166,968 14% 2,073 0% 164,895 13%
Some other race 151,532 12% 148,467 12% 3,065 0%
Black/African American 96,216 8% 3,386 0% 92,830 8%
Two or more races 59,081 5% 20,693 2% 38,388 3%
American Indian 7,543 1% 3,267 0% 4,267 0%
Native Hawaiian & other Pac. Is. 5,853 0% 542 0% 5,311 0%

[Winter Storm]

sf demographics per bay area census census 2000 estimates in first column; 2004 acs(i think american commmunity survey) estimates in 2nd column
http://www.bayareacensus.ca.gov/counties/SanFranciscoCounty.htm
I think Oakland has a decent % of blacks. (maybe around 50%)

RACE
White 385,728 49.7% 381,211 52.6%
Black or African American 60,515 7.8% 47,003 6.5%
American Indian and Alaska Native 3,458 0.4% 2,467 0.3%
Asian 239,565 30.8% 240,675 33.2%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 3,844 0.5% 3,906 0.5%
Some other race 50,365 6.5% 27,643 3.8%
Two or more races 33,255 4.3% 21,633 3.0%

Per census of 2000 for san diego (higher population than san fran)
http://www.sandiego.gov/planning/programs/mapsua/population.shtml

Population by Race and Hispanic Origin (SF1-P8)
TOTAL HISPANIC NON-HISPANIC
Number Percent* Number Percent* Number Percent*

Total Population 1,223,400 100% 310,752 25% 912,648 75%

White 736,207 60% 132,315 11% 603,892 49%
Asian 166,968 14% 2,073 0% 164,895 13%
Some other race 151,532 12% 148,467 12% 3,065 0%
Black/African American 96,216 8% 3,386 0% 92,830 8%
Two or more races 59,081 5% 20,693 2% 38,388 3%
American Indian 7,543 1% 3,267 0% 4,267 0%
Native Hawaiian & other Pac. Is. 5,853 0% 542 0% 5,311 0%

Thanks. I was able to look up general stats on each.

I was looking more for personal opinions and experiences. Things I can't readily find on Google.

[weary]

Parking seems to always be a bitch in all the coolest places. The price of being popular I guess.

Interests, desires, comfort? I love music, all types and dancing, so I need good clubs for dancing, bars and lively nightlife. I need good shopping, lots of outdoor activities, ie. festivals and places to go and things to do. I need culture, diverse people (blacks are usually a plus :) ), and arts. I'd love to be around artistic, young, fun-loving types.

Another question? I read on a cost-of-living comparison site that in order to live my same lifestyle as I do in B-More in SD, I'd have to make at at leat $48k. How easy or hard is it to get that kind of salary there, particularly in marketing (with 3+ years exp and a master's)?? Any ideas?

we keep cross posting. ha. and, very true about parking.

i still have to say SF. i think you will be bored out of your skull in SD. the weather does not seem like it outweighs all the other things you listed. and if you're not right on the water in SF, you won't always have to deal with that awful fog. it's worst near the water, for obvious reasons.

for the plus people (hee hee), oakland is right across the bay bridge. there's also berkely, hayward, etc. hell, there's hunter's point right in SF...but i wouldn't recommend that unless you carry a gun. :googly:

job competition is def going to be much harder in SF than SD. i unfortunately don't know a thing about mktg, so i can't really help you there specifically. although i will say that w/ the degree and exper (which i'm guessing you'd have even more of by the time you actually move) i think you could find something in the $40k's. that's my HR side talking though, not my cali exper. not to be negative again, but a salay in the $40k's is not going to be enough to survive on if you want to live right IN SF...

[vivo]

Thanks. I was able to look up general stats on each.

I was looking more for personal opinions and experiences. Things I can't readily find on Google.


well u asked for diversity saying blacks were a plus so I pasted this. don't think the west coast has a lot of blacks compared to east /some mid-west cities

[Winter Storm]

well u asked for diversity saying blacks were a plus so I pasted this. don't think the west coast has a lot of blacks compared to east /some mid-west cities

Yeah, I realize. I may have to just deal.

[old_school_soul]

Get your ass out to Cali and experience San Fran and San Diego yourself before you start looking for jobs out there. You need an unfettered personal opinion. Take a week off.

[vivo]

Get your ass out to Cali and experience San Fran and San Diego yourself before you start looking for jobs out there. You need an unfettered personal opinion. Take a week off.

I second this although she may have been planning this anyways.

[Winter Storm]

Get your ass out to Cali and experience San Fran and San Diego yourself before you start looking for jobs out there. You need an unfettered personal opinion. Take a week off.
I plan on doing just that. I'm headed to San Diego in Feb. Hopefully, hit San Fran sometime in '07.

[SmilesSoSweet]

Get your ass out to Cali and experience San Fran and San Diego yourself before you start looking for jobs out there. You need an unfettered personal opinion. Take a week off.

I made a couple trips out to Phoenix before I moved out here. One was just to check out the city; the other trip was after I accepted a job and I was looking for a place to live.

Since Phoenix is only an hour flight from So. Cali, it wasn't too expensive to make those trips. I would think from the East Coast it would be a little more expensive. And if you fly say into SF to check out that city, you can drive down to SD but it'll be about a 6-8 hour drive to get down there. Or you can fly and that's about an hour. It all depends on how much you are willing to spend while you visit.

[meatwad]

I plan on doing just that. I'm headed to San Diego in Feb. Hopefully, hit San Fran sometime in '07.

Why are you going out to SD. Do you have time to spend a day up in San Fran?

[and1grad]

I think, based on the things you've mentioned, its SF by a landslide. SD cant compete in terms of culture and some of the other things you've listed. But I feel I need to reiterate, you're more than likely NOT gonna be able to afford to live IN SF, at least, not somewhere desirable. You really should put a lot more time into researching the surrounding cities, as mentioned by weary, like Oakland. Also, I'd suggest combining your visit of SD with SF, if possible. I think I also agree that 48k isnt enough.

[cache]

When I moved to CA, I did a lot of research about every detail - recreation, demographics, job markets, etc.

But, I moved without ever previously setting foot in CA. Things worked out great because of all my work before moving - I was confident that even without first hand knowledge of most areas, I had enough information and checked out enough things to get a good feel for places.

[Winter Storm]

Why are you going out to SD. Do you have time to spend a day up in San Fran?

I'll be there on business so no, I won't get to see SF too. But I'm going to try and make a trip there sometime during the year.

[Winter Storm]

I think, based on the things you've mentioned, its SF by a landslide. SD cant compete in terms of culture and some of the other things you've listed. But I feel I need to reiterate, you're more than likely NOT gonna be able to afford to live IN SF, at least, not somewhere desirable. You really should put a lot more time into researching the surrounding cities, as mentioned by weary, like Oakland. Also, I'd suggest combining your visit of SD with SF, if possible. I think I also agree that 48k isnt enough.

Yeah, a friend of mine is from Oakland and says its livable and close enough to San Fran. And as far as income, I have no idea yet what offers I will get. I'm thinking a few years down the line, so I'm hoping for a decent, livable wage. There's still lots of time to research and explore.

[meatwad]

You could always move to sunny and luxurious Watts. :eek:

[old_school_soul]

You could always move to sunny and luxurious Watts. :eek:

Except that's LA.

[weary]

Except that's LA.

and gross. :p

(yes, i realize he was being sarcastic.)

[meatwad]

Except that's LA.


Eh, it's all going to be Pacific Ocean soon anyway.

[and1grad]

Why DID you rule out LA, winter?

[vivo]

You could always move to sunny and luxurious Watts. :eek:

"I think this is the big one, I'm coming to join you honey" (paraphrased from Sanford and Son) I believe Sanford(Redd Fox) lived in Watts. my sis lives in the OC.

[Winter Storm]

Why DID you rule out LA, winter?

Well, I never considered LA. I don't think I've ever heard a positive thing about it, doesn't seem as beautiful or scenic as the other two. I've just always heard bad things about its overall environment, people etc.

[shimma]

El Cajon isn't as expensive, but it's inland.

El Cajon, as in singular of "los cajones" and "yo tengo cajones" and "kick you in the cajones"?

Awesome. :huge:

[LakeJay]

I wasn't a big fan of LA myself. The traffic was unbearable.
I thought SF was awesome especially Sausalito. Driving around the city didn't seem too bad in my opinion.
Wish I had some input on SD. I've only heard good things (scenery, weather, people, etc.)

[vivo]

Well, I never considered LA. I don't think I've ever heard a positive thing about it, doesn't seem as beautiful or scenic as the other two. I've just always heard bad things about its overall environment, people etc.

and the traffic blows, blows, blows

[weary]

Well, I never considered LA. I don't think I've ever heard a positive thing about it, doesn't seem as beautiful or scenic as the other two. I've just always heard bad things about its overall environment, people etc.

and everything you've heard is right. blech. LA is gross. great to visit for a day or 2. NOT somewhere to live. BLECH.

[shimma]

OK, read the thread.

Winter - I have heard SD is much more conservative than SF. How conservative, I dunno, I've never been to Cali. But a change of scenery may be great for you.

[vivo]

and everything you've heard is right. blech. LA is gross. great to visit for a day or 2. NOT somewhere to live. BLECH.
pssssssh, typical san francisco attitude ;):

note: jk

[weary]

El Cajon, as in singular of "los cajones" and "yo tengo cajones" and "kick you in the cajones"?

Awesome. :huge:


aaah ha ha ha hah ha!

(but...cajon means box/chest/trunk in spanish. sorry, i know not nearly as funny.)

[SmilesSoSweet]

Well, I never considered LA. I don't think I've ever heard a positive thing about it, doesn't seem as beautiful or scenic as the other two. I've just always heard bad things about its overall environment, people etc.

I grew up in So. Cali, but not actually in LA. I grew up in Long Beach and I haven't really explored LA like a lot of people I know that live out there. I do remember a time when I lived in OC and I was going to a 7pm Laker game in LA. I had to leave work at 3pm in order to get to the game by 7pm! Crazy!!

There are cultural things in LA. I've been to handful of museums and I hear a lot of the music venues are cool too. There are the clubs and bars, but they vary thoughout all of LA and Orange Counties. Public transportation isn't that great either. Oh and as for driving; I worked 30 miles from parents' house one summer at an internship. It took an hour and half to get to work and over two hours to get home. I hated it.

I like the city I grew up in, but I just had to explore other places. Long Beach has a bunch of hit and miss places too.

I just don't find paying $1200/month for a one bedroom apt anywhere in So. Cali appealing to move back. And the traffic sucks.

[brightestblack]

I've only visited SF once, for a week... but just from that visit I'd pick it over any city in the country.

Of course... I live in a very rural area in Ohio, and my parents have sheltered me most of my life so... getting out to visit anywhere was a thrill to me :)

[and1grad]

Well, regardless of where you go in CA, in terms of a big city, the traffic's gonna suck. Also, the OC isnt an accurate reflection of prices of places to live around LA. My cousin lives in Culver City and pays about 1100 for a 2bdr/2ba. There's also cities, like Inglewood & Torrance, that arent ridiculously unaffordable...and I dont mean run down hoods or gangland either. Every place has its horror stories but LA isnt NEARLY as bad as some people make it out to be.

[weary]

pssssssh, typical san francisco attitude ;):

note: jk

heh hee. yep. i'm one of the ones who'd ABSOLUTELY have voted YES if they ever did the frequently discussed divide cali into 2 states vote.

NoCal/SoCal....YEAH! :p

[Winter Storm]

Well, regardless of where you go in CA, in terms of a big city, the traffic's gonna suck. Also, the OC isnt an accurate reflection of prices of places to live around LA. My cousin lives in Culver City and pays about 1100 for a 2bdr/2ba. There's also cities, like Inglewood & Torrance, that arent ridiculously unaffordable...and I dont mean run down hoods or gangland either. Every place has its horror stories but LA isnt NEARLY as bad as some people make it out to be.

Yeah. I guess I figure if I'm going to pack up and leave my hometown, with nothing holding me back, why not go to the most ideal city I can find (outside of Hawaii). Why not just go to The best place. Even if I'm not there forever, I can say I was at some point in my journeys. Its just one place on a list of places I'd love to live. And while I have no obligations ie, spouse, mortgage, children etc...

[weary]

Yeah. I guess I figure if I'm going to pack up and leave my hometown, with nothing holding me back, why not go to the most ideal city I can find (outside of Hawaii). Why not just go to The best place. Even if I'm not there forever, I can say I was at some point in my journeys. Its just one place on a list of places I'd love to live. And while I have no obligations ie, spouse, mortgage, children etc...

it can be done w/ those things, but yeah, much harder. i've done it w/ just the kid...i can't imagine another person and now my home. ugh.

don't think hawaii is looking so ideal right now. (of course, cali has earthquakes too! :rolleyes: )

[and1grad]

(of course, cali has earthquakes too! :rolleyes: )
Come on. What, like one a decade? I'd be more concerned about mudslides and brush fires in the SD area, as those arent as uncommon.

[weary]

Come on. What, like one a decade? I'd be more concerned about mudslides and brush fires in the SD area, as those arent as uncommon.

those aren't as uncommon...ha, i had to read that twice.

there haven't been that many earthquakes recently, but i remember a lot of them growing up. alot in the 80's...and the BIG ONE in '89 (7.1?) when the bay bridge fell through!!! :eek:

[sondra_finchley]

I havent been to SD, but Ive been to SF quite a bit and have to say that those posting about the traffic and the housing have it spot on. The traffic starts up as soon as you get past Auburn and its a lot of tense driving all the way into the city. I cant say I actually like San Francisco- something about the light and the way it smelled and looked just wasnt appealing to me at all. Northern California is gorgeous along the coast, but I just didnt feel that great in San Francisco. You couldnt pay me enough to stay on the west coast, Im in the process of moving to Chicago and am quite happy being back in the Midwest, even if i am in the middle of farmland at the moment! :P Well, maybe I would live in the West again if I could live in Vancouver, Canada- thats one awesome city.

Its funny- you from Baltimore want to move out to Cali, I had a roommate (Mexican) who was from Tijuana and had relatives in San Diego so she was back and forth all the time, or was spending time in the Bay Area (Davis or SF) due to her fiancee (we were in Reno). She was always planning on living in California once she finished school, but then she took a trip to Virginia this past spring and now wants to move over there because its more affordable than California. I guess its all relative and wanting to try out new things and places that are different from what you know.

You sure you dont want to try Oregon? Their whole coastline is undeveloped and is preserved as natural parks and is just stunning- Portland is only 45 minutes away from beaches AND vineyards. From what I hear they have better public transport options as well with an active populace. The boy and I did a road trip up the coast last year and we just loved Oregon (next to British Columbia) because it didnt seem as overdeveloped and overrun with stuff as California. But... if you want nice weather, then head south for sure!

[ocean24]

So. Cal.
Pros- mountains and beaches in a close radius, diverse population, beautiful weather
Cons- typically a high cost of living (although I have heard it is less than the bay area), traffic blows & you have to drive most places, can feel materialistic at times

[Priya]

I grew up (my life minus one year when I moved to Phx) in San Diego, so I'm totally loyal to that city. I love it!! But then again, I haven't been to SF, so I don't have much to compare it to.... :)

San Diego has culture (Balboa Park - museums, zoo, good festivals, Old Town), sunny beaches, really good clubs downtown, great food, diverse population when you venture into many suburbs. From what I hear about SF, is that it has more culture/history than SD. I think the touristy things are closer together than in SD, so it's probably good on foot.

Besides, I only moved out here becuase I wanted to get out on my own but not go too far and I can afford my own place!! Someday, especially when I have a lot of money, I'll move back to SD - it's great!!

[weary]

So. Cal.
Pros- mountains and beaches in a close radius, diverse population, beautiful weather
Cons- typically a high cost of living (although I have heard it is less than the bay area), traffic blows & you have to drive most places, can feel materialistic at times

just about all of this can be said about noCal/bay area though...

[ocean24]

just about all of this can be said about noCal/bay area though...

That's probably true...I've only been to SF a few times and never long enough to really see what it would be like to live there. Just did the touristy stuff :)

[Illuminous]

OK, This is what I know.

SF: It's a really nifty place to live, although yes the hills are scary. It seems there are a TON of marketing jobs out there that pay a ton. Housing is a bitch. It's more liberal and there's plenty to do. It's not very beachy and gets "cold." It's not cold to people who are used to blizzards and such, but cold enough for CA.

SD: My parents live in North County, and I would'nt do that. It's VERY suburban. I would live in La Jolla or Del Mar or something like that if you want beachy-ness. You drive EVERYWHERE. It's nice and sunny in SD, but I personally do'nt like it b/c overall (not to bash any So Cali people here) the SoCal people are very fake. They're nice enough, but pretty judgemental. But that's overall. I have met some Really cool people.

I love where I live (on the central coast, north of Santa barbara). I'm going to honestly say that although it's not so city-ish out here, theres plenty of outside stuff to do, weather is perfect, landscape is breathtaking and I find plenty of nightlife and such. People from outside the state tend to forget there is the whole central part of CA. SLO is supposedly one of the best places in the country to live and SB is pretty kick-ass IMHO.

That's my long-winded Midwestern thoughts on the state.

[eclipse9678]

I've lived in San Diego for 5 years now, after moving from upstate NY. I wanted to get away from the freezing cold winters and small town living.

Overall, I LIKE living in San Diego. Every place has it's drawbacks. What I miss the most are the people from the east coast. But, there are so many "transplants" out here that most of my friends aren't originally from SD. Traffic sucks sometimes. But it's much better than LA or SF. And, I am still not used to the cost of renting. I've already come to terms with the fact that I'll never be able to buy unless I win the lotto.

You cannot beat the weather in SD. Period. I do a lot of outdoor activities that I could never do consistently in NY. There are a ton of things to do in SD. Downtown is thriving - so many restaurants, clubs, lounges, Petco Park etc. You never run out of things to do or see. Plus, for being a big city, SD has a "small town" feel. I always randomly run into people I know.

I love going up to SF for the weekend. Southwest has tix for $100 RT all the time. But, I prefer to call SD home.

[Kitty]

I'm totally biased, but I prefer SF. I love the Bay Area.