Is there any culture/art/music scene for young people in the Sbay or Peninsula? (San Francisco: living in)

[Julisa0422]

We are 2 mid-twenties single females looking to move somewhere in the south bay or peninsula. Both born and raised in the bay area (Milpitas and SV respectively) yet neither can point to an area that seems particularly vibrant, young, exciting, or community based. San Francisco would be exactly where we'd love to be however we've agreed its not an option due to commutes.

One of us works in Mt. View and is hoping to not live more than 30 min away (w/out traffic) from there to avoid half her life being wasted away on the commute (she's been living in LA and is fed up with the car-culture/traffic). The other works in South SF but not as worried about a long drive as she commutes during off-peak hours.

Any tips on fun, hip places where other young people live/work/play other than the City that fit that 30 min from Mt. View guideline? We would love to live somewhere walkable, with restaurants, bars, shops, etc. What about parts of downtown SJ? We're hoping to hear about hidden communities we just haven't heard about or had the opportunity to explore yet. Thanks!

[sonarrat]

The fact that you were born and raised here and can't really think of anything should say volumes. Downtown SJ is about as close as it gets to what you're after. I have been there after dark recently and it has improved a lot since I graduated from SJSU in 2006. The commute from Mountain View can be a drag; on the peninsula, there are sometimes unpredictable pockets of slowness in San Mateo and Burlingame during the off hours, but nothing unmanageable.

[sjnative]

I thought Campbell, perhaps sans the "exciting" requirement, was a natural suggestion, if the only suggestion.

As a white, non-thug non-gangbanger male sitting in 95111 right now, I wish I was there.

[Radical347]

Sounds like you should reconsider SF. It's really the only place that fits what you're looking for and honestly it's not that far from MV -- it's a little under 40 miles without traffic, and traffic between SF/Peninsula, while it exists, isn't like LA. You could even find a place in SOMA near Caltrain station and she could take Caltrain to Mountain View, that way she could avoid the "car culture." It would just seem like a bad idea to give up exactly what you want because it's ~10 mi further out esp. when there really isn't anything remotely similar.

If she's really not willing to budge, then Mountain View or Palo Alto is as good an option as anything else.