NoCal or SoCal ? (San Diego, San Francisco, Pasadena: college, living, airport)

[Don Vito]

75 degrees in LA today. you cant beat so cal

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by Don Vito

75 degrees in LA today.

That doesnt make up for the other stuff-sorry.

you cant beat so cal

"Let me count the ways"-Shakespeare

[rah]

Originally Posted by LDDiamondGirl

It's foggy, damp, and cold at their house, because the sunny neighborhoods are out of the question expensive.

Actually the sunniest, warmest areas in SF are some of the poorest and cheapest. Neighborhoods like the Mission, Bayview/Hunters Point, Potrero Hill, Visitacion Valley...These have arguably the nicest weather in the city, but they also have some of the cheapest home prices and rents as well as highest crime rates.

As for SF's climate it's actually kinda dry (just like most of California). The western part especially is susceptible to lots of fog, especially in the summer months, and that fog can also make it quite windy. We also tend to get some good amount of rain somewhere between December and...February or March I'd guess. The rest of the time it's pretty much sunny with mild temperatures (especially in the eastern part of the city), anywhere between 50 and up to 70 or 80 degrees depending on the microclimate you're in. Due to this, the weather can change pretty fast though. You may wake up in the morning with 45 degree wheather, put on a warm jacket, take the bus to work, or wherever, and find yourself sweating in sunny 70 degree heat. That can be a little annoying. And we do get heatwaves of 90-100 degree weather, at least once a year most of the time. We have an "Indian Summer" that goes from maybe late August through September, and that's when the warmest overall temperatures tend to be. If you want consistently warmer weather with little or no fog, try the East Bay. You can always take BART into the city if you want.

As far as beaches go, yes Baker Beach is nude, but it's usually old dudes there, all the beaches are cold, and most have dangerous currents that will do in unexperienced swimmers. If you try swimming out past waist deep water at Ocean Beach for example, and the beach guards see you they'll yell at you with a megaphone, saying you're swimming at your own risk, and unless you're really confident, you should come back now.

If you wanna surf though, the Bay Area is actually pretty good. Yes the water is cold, but just get a wetsuit. People surf at Ocean Beach, under the Golden Gate bridge off of Fort Point, down in Pacifica, North in the Marin Headlands, and farther down south at Mavericks, which is one of the most famous spots in the world for big-wave surfing.

Traffic can be bad, streets are crowded and congested because SF is a densely populated city with a small land area. Traffic on freeways can be bad too, but not to the extent of LA for the most part (and there are simply alot less free ways crisscrossing the Bay Area too.) Parking is hard in most neighborhoods, and DPT loves to ticket people, as they are used to make revenue for the city. Also expect to have your car vandalized or broken into, because more likely than not it will happen eventually (well, it's not guaranteed to happen, but you should be mentally prepared. I guess the same would go for any city, but SF does have a problem with that kind of crime). Not to worry though, because public transportation is really good, one of the best in the nation, and is light years above the effectiveness of LA's system.

Finally, people have to stop generalizing, saying things like:

"people in LA are materialistic," or "people in SF are artsy."

Both are large Urban Area and both will have pretty much equal amounts of any kind of person you can think of.

Also, with a $110,000 salary, you'll do perfectly fine in SF.

[Don Vito]

dont move to sf its cold and foggy and rainy and even in the summer you will be dying for some REAL california SUN

[bellalunatic]

SF beats LA...I'm an ex NY NJ CT area gal... grew up back East and moved out here in 93...SF is fantastic...especially if you can't stand NYC in July/August...etc...SF bay area is easy to get to beach (not like SoCal beaches though...think getting in the waves down the shore in jersey in the winter...that's pretty much around here...and don't forget about all the rocks!) and easy to ski Tahoe...1.5 hour flight to Vegas.
LA is so well, LA. (if you are very very New York, the whole traffic thing WILL make you insane) my husband commutes M-F to Pasadena and then back up here in Sonoma County (north of SF)on weekends....I prefer to stay up here (refused to move down there)...It is truly two different states...
if SF is culturally more NYC then LA is culturally more Miami but with alot less cool, A WHOLE bunch more cheeze!

[mj88]

I've never been to CA but they both sound like great and lovely areas (NOCAL or SOCAL). I always seem to hear positive things about CA such as the weather, friendly people, and beaches. The one and only drawback I have heard is that it occasionally gets congested on that one freeway in LA - can't remember its name at the moment.

[18Montclair]

Originally Posted by mj88

The one and only drawback I have heard is that it occasionally gets congested on that one freeway in LA - can't remember its name at the moment.

Are we talking about the same LA? There are many freeways that get congested all day and well into the night. Tell me your joking. LOL

Good one.

Anyway,
I wouldnt let the traffic deter you, LA has lots of great things that are worth sitting in traffic for.

[Tony from Europe]

Is anybody ever swimming without wetsuit in San Francisco ?!

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by Tony from Europe

Is anybody ever swimming without wetsuit in San Francisco ?!

Not unless you want to freeze to death! You can wade in the water without a wetsuit, but can't really go swimming... our water is very cold, even in the summer.

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by Don Vito

dont move to sf its cold and foggy and rainy and even in the summer you will be dying for some REAL california SUN

I've never craved "real California sun," even after 25 years up here... I'm a redhead, and get burned in about 10 minutes, so the SF weather is perfect for me! Plus, that L.A. sun also comes with heavy smog - I'd rather have fog than smog, thanks.