Working in Fremont- like Urban living- suggestions for SJ neighborhoods needed! (San Jose: apartment, rent)

[EDomain]

Hi all! 2 yeaars ago I lived and worked in San Francisco but my company took a dive with the economic downturn.

Now I have a new job in Fremont and am returning to the Bay Area- I DON'T want to commute from SF to Fremont- I've tried and it just takes too long.

What I am looking for is a neighborhood to live in that is walkable- I like walking to restaurants and nightlife, farmers markets on weekends, bookstores, a gym, maybe a brewery, winebar, etc. I don't know San Jose well enough to know- does light rail there work like Chicago's EL or NYC subway?



So if I do San Jose, are there good neighborhoods for city living? I'd like to keep rent $1600/mo or under.

I could also do the Peninsula- I seem to read a lot here about PA and Mtn. View. I just like urban, liveable/walkable neighborhoods. (I lived in Chicago for years and SF for one)

I'm in my 30s and have a girlfriend that is in IL so we'll do long distance and therefore stuff like "Man Jose" lol won't deter me- not looking for a lady, just cool people and cool life outside of work. I like being active in my free time- hiking, running, mingling

Thanks all!

[jbunniii]

I lived a few blocks from downtown Mountain View and it was OK but not great, certainly nothing like San Francisco, where I lived previously. The downtown is really just one street, 4-5 blocks long, with a few bars and way too many Asian restaurants. There are also a few coffeeshops and bookstores, and a passable brewpub. Caltrain and VTA light rail are very convenient, directly adjacent to the main shopping street. Nice farmer's market on Sundays in the Caltrain parking lot.

Palo Alto's downtown has a bit more variety including grocery stores and movie theaters. But it's also more expensive than Mountain View and farther from Fremont. If your $1600 budget assumes a 1-bedroom apartment, you should be able to find something decent in either town.

I haven't been to downtown San Jose much, but when I have gone it seemed kind of dead, especially on weekends.

[EDomain]

Thanks, appreciate the insight. I like all types of ethnic food but definitely like a variety- not all the same thing.

And yes, the $1600 is assuming a 1BR aprtment. Obviously I'll pay less but don't want to pay more.

Thanks again!!

[CaliforniaPlaya]

Whats wrong with living in Fremont? Its not big city life, but its not bad. We have pretty much all you mentioned except a big nightlife scene.

[krudmonk]

No, light rail here is not like those well-established subways. Fremont is actually better connected to Oakland in the north than San Jose in the south.

Originally Posted by jbunniii

I haven't been to downtown San Jose much, but when I have gone it seemed kind of dead, especially on weekends.

Especially on weekends??

[NorCal Dude]

There really isn't anything particularly urbane or walkable from Palo Alto all the way up to fremont, hell all the way up to san leandro for that matter. Its all continuous suburban sprawl. I am from Chicago so I know what you mean about urban and walkable and there is NOTHING in silicon valley that comes close. Hell down town San Jose has about as much going on as downtown naperville with about the same amount of medium rise office buildings lol. Palo Alto isnt really that walkable. It just has a bunch of College kids that dont have cars. The place is still a suburb at heart.

If you want urban living you will have to do sf. If you want a bit of a youth orientated scene Id check out Palo/menlo. Other than that, you are going to have to accept the fact that where you are working is not urbane in the least.

[krudmonk]

Originally Posted by NorCal Dude

Hell down town San Jose has about as much going on as downtown naperville with about the same amount of medium rise office buildings lol.

Farmer John, what are you on now?

[NorCal Dude]

Originally Posted by krudmonk

Farmer John, what are you on now?

Aww cute a san jose inferiority complex.

[Joe_Ryder]

About the only relatively close place that fits your description is Alameda. I don't know about the nightlife but everything else fits the needs you described. Actually SJ has pretty much everything but it's walkable like LA is walkable. It's all walkable if you've got the time. Some folks walk pretty fast.

Alameda is like a small New England city without 30 feet of snow each day.

The commute to Fremont is about 20 minutes usually but crashes do happen on I-880 which can increase the time considerably.

[Ketabcha]

I like Fremont a lot.

"Little Kabul." It has the best Afghan restaurants in California, IMO.