Alameda vs Burlingame? Safe, good public trans to SF? (San Francisco: apartments, rentals)

[ElleC]

Hi Experts-

Do you know of safe, sunny, inexpensive ($1400/1br or 1600/2br) areas that have convenient public transportation to both 1) SF downtown and 2) OAK airport (within 1 hour away)? My hubby needs to go into the city periodically and I fly out of OAK every week or two. We're both 31 and are over the late nite partying and cold fog near the haight.

Would Alameda or Burlingame/Millbrae fit the bill? Is one better than the other? Can you recommend any other cities or suburbs that you think we should check out?

Again, We're looking for
1) Near BART OR public trans to SF (within 40 min transit to financial district/montgomery)
2) Near BART OR public trans to OAK airport (within 1 hour each way ideally)
3) Safe!
4) Sunshine/Warm Weather
5) Good low cost hole in the wall restaurants
6) decent access to trader joes, etc

Thanks so much!!

Elle

[tstieber]

Well, both towns are really cute. Burlingame is much more expensive and boutique-y, while Alameda is more small town America, plus there's a neat beach there. Burlingame is probably a bit warmer than Alameda, but Alameda is pretty nice, definitely south and east of the fog belt. I don't know where all the grocery shopping is in Burlingame, but I'm sure a Trader Joe's isn't far off. Alameda has pretty much everything you need right on the island. You may also want to look at San Mateo! More to do, and cheaper than Burlingame.

[twins4lynn]

There are a few apartments in the price range you're looking at in Burlingame and Millbrae (most rentals area bit higher). Millbrae has BART, the train, and bus lines to San Francisco (it's a big transportation hub on the peninsula). Burlingame is just a short drive away (or short walk, if you live near the Millbrae/Burlingame city line) to Bart. The weather is similar in Millbrae and Burlingame, and there is a Trader Joe's in Millbrae's downtown area.