Good suburbs of San Fran for Modesto commuter? (San Jose, San Francisco: hotel, quality of life)

[kerrbear8183]

My husband and I are considering moving out to San Fran, as he may be offered a job at the Modesto Nuts baseball team. Are there good suburbs to live for a young couple outside San Fran that are easy access to the city but not a horrible commute to go to Modesto for work? We'd rather not live in the super suburbs if we can and like culture, ethnic food, etc. Possibly the Berkeley area or more east? Any help would be very appreciated.

[City Boy]

No you're better off just living in Modesto or Stockton. The commute from teh Bay Area out there would be horror.

[Tallysmom]

Originally Posted by kerrbear8183

My husband and I are considering moving out to San Fran, as he may be offered a job at the Modesto Nuts baseball team. Are there good suburbs to live for a young couple outside San Fran that are easy access to the city but not a horrible commute to go to Modesto for work? We'd rather not live in the super suburbs if we can and like culture, ethnic food, etc. Possibly the Berkeley area or more east? Any help would be very appreciated.

That's about a 100 mile commute one way. Since he'd be going through the Altamont Pass, where the WORST traffic jams happen daily as a matter of course, he'll be driving two and half hours ONE WAY, with a total commute of 5 hours a day.

And gas just hit 3 bucks a gallon.

Don't do it. Just live near where he works, save your money for frequent trips into the city and stay in a hotel for the night.

[sonarrat]

Can you really afford to live in San Francisco working for a minor league team in the Central Valley? I'm in the wrong profession.

This falls into the category of stunt commuting. Seriously, Modesto isn't that bad. I know people who have commuted from Modesto to San Jose for decades because they had a better quality of life there.

[krudmonk]

Commute sucks, even from the east bay.

[kerrbear8183]

thanks everyone! i guess its impossible any thoughts on a young couple living in Modesto in terms of cultural activities, coffeeshops, restaurants? for a New York City relocator just thinking it might be a tough adjustment..

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Um ... the OP stated the commute would be from a burb to Modesto, not the other way around. If it is a normal business hours commute, that would not be that bad. When I take a day off during the week to go skiing at Kirkwood / Bear / et al, I get to the Altamont from the Peninsula in about 45 minutes. From, say, the end of the line of BART it would be 10 minutes. Then another 20 something, maybe 30 from there to Modesto with light / no traffic, which would be the case for this type of reverse commute if done in the morning.

Of course, going east any time after about 2PM, and that's a different ball game (pun intended).

Bottom line: If commute is for normal business hours to Modesto, then no problem living in the Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin complex. Totally BARTable into the usual fun Bay Area places.

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by BayAreaHillbilly

Um ... the OP stated the commute would be from a burb to Modesto, not the other way around. If it is a normal business hours commute, that would not be that bad. When I take a day off during the week to go skiing at Kirkwood / Bear / et al, I get to the Altamont from the Peninsula in about 45 minutes. From, say, the end of the line of BART it would be 10 minutes. Then another 20 something, maybe 30 from there to Modesto with light / no traffic, which would be the case for this type of reverse commute if done in the morning.

Of course, going east any time after about 2PM, and that's a different ball game (pun intended).

Bottom line: If commute is for normal business hours to Modesto, then no problem living in the Livermore, Pleasanton, Dublin complex. Totally BARTable into the usual fun Bay Area places.

Sure it's possible. It might even be easy. But in case you didn't realize it, San Francisco has a green reputation. Even those who commute in from the Central Valley to save money on housing get their eyes rolled at, because they're perpetuating the wastefulness and insanity of stunt commuting. And someone like the OP who wants to do a 200-mile round trip commute by car just because they want to live in "the city," no matter where they actually work - there's no way I could ever encourage that kind of extravagance. Pleasanton? That's still 60 miles. No, traffic won't be a problem, but you'll be spending two hours a day spewing toxins into a beautiful scenic valley filled with windmills. It's just not kosher.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Originally Posted by sonarrat

Sure it's possible. It might even be easy. But in case you didn't realize it, San Francisco has a green reputation. Even those who commute in from the Central Valley to save money on housing get their eyes rolled at, because they're perpetuating the wastefulness and insanity of stunt commuting. And someone like the OP who wants to do a 200-mile round trip commute by car just because they want to live in "the city," no matter where they actually work - there's no way I could ever encourage that kind of extravagance. Pleasanton? That's still 60 miles. No, traffic won't be a problem, but you'll be spending two hours a day spewing toxins into a beautiful scenic valley filled with windmills. It's just not kosher.

You are still not getting what the OP wants.

Home - an East Bay burb.

Work - Modesto.

A reverse commute. The OP will not be commuting to SF. The OP will not live in SF or Modesto. Wants to live half way between and do reverse commute to Modesto. Get it?

Plus, some of your comments are what I call Green Fascist. But that's a topic for another day.

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by BayAreaHillbilly

You are still not getting what the OP wants.

Home - an East Bay burb.

Work - Modesto.

A reverse commute. The OP will not be commuting to SF. The OP will not live in SF or Modesto. Wants to live half way between and do reverse commute to Modesto. Get it?

Plus, some of your comments are what I call Green Fascist. But that's a topic for another day.

OP can do whatever he/she wants. I just wanted to voice my disapproval because I think it's an irresponsible, self-centered waste of resources. As if taking BART from Pleasanton to San Francisco somehow offsets the pollution caused by yet another person crossing four counties during their normal commute. Why do you think the air quality in the 99 corridor is getting worse by the year?