SD or SF solo... Help me decide!

WeshtCoasht

hi, 27-year-old J1'er here trying to decide between San Diego and San Francisco for the summer (first world problems!) Basically I'm looking for a summer of nice weather and a good nightlife, with a strong prospect of getting bar work, restaurant work, etc.

People have told me that if its the weather I want go to San Diego and if its the nightlife I want go to SF. Can anyone who's been to either place (or other places on the west coast) help me to decide? Like is the weather in SF really not that good? And is the nightlife in SD a lot quieter than SF? Or should I check out someplace different?

And also, should i try find other people who are going alone and pre-arrange a place to stay or just go about doing that when i get there?

Decisions, decisions...

thanks!


San Fran solo for the summer in search of nice weather and work. is anyone else going on their own who'd like to arrange a place in the city? if we got 4 or 5 together we could

C.D.

I'd go to SD, it is much more the classic "California" beach lifestyle that we see on TV in Ireland. You'll have a more laid back, fun and hot summer down there.

If you are going to be working in a bar or restaurant you won't be able to afford to live in San Francisco unless you are 2/3 to a room. You'll be living on the other side of the bay and commuting in. Google puts the average rent in SF for a one bedroom at $3,120 a month. And I didn't believe it coming over.. but SF is cold and wet. It is not classic California weather, it has its own microclimate. Nobody ever believes me (I didn't coming over) but everyone regrets not packing more when they are here!

Living in the SF Bay Area for 3 years, been down to SD a few times

InTheTrees

Santa Cruz.

San Diego is just a huge navy base anyway.

WeshtCoasht

Hi to both of you,

Very helpful! Yes C.D. i have heard some people touch on that stuff about SF, the weather is a real must have to be honest!

In The Trees, can you offer any info on your personal experience in SC if you've been there? Regarding work, accommodation and meeting others?

Thanks again!

iusedtoknow

SF is not the place to come for warmth in the summer. We have a thing that locals call "Karl the fog". When it gets hot in the central valley of CA, the moisture gets pulled in San Francisco bay and causes fog and low temperatures for most of the summer. It actually is cooler in June/July and August than it is the rest of the year (last week it hit 24c in SF). It is the only time of year I wear heavier clothes.

Dave1442397

San Diego if I were going.

SF is a nice place, but as Mark Twain never actually said, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco.”

spideog7

Definitely South Dakota, you won't regret it!

InTheTrees

WeshtCoasht wrote: »

In The Trees, can you offer any info on your personal experience in SC if you've been there? Regarding work, accommodation and meeting others?

I lived here for many years. Not on a J1 though.

Its a great place. It has southern california beach town feel because of its sheltered position on the north side of Monterey Bay. Its known for being laid back and full of hippies but its also a major world class surfing centre.

Its also the main "beach" town for Silicon Valley (and the whole Bay area) so its gets a ot of summer visitors. There's an area called the "boardwalk" on the beach in downtown Santa Cruz that has a fun fair, rollercoaster etc. Small but very popular.

There's also the massive University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) just outside the town so I expect there's a student accommodation that comes available during the summer.

But you'll have to search on "santa cruz J1" to find J1 info. There's been a few threads on Santa Cruz and they're positive but but its a smaller place.

I dont know San Diego well at all, but i'd take Santa Cruz in a heartbeat. You'd actually be able to live within walking distance of the beach too.

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.963311,-122.022343,3a,75y,130.97h,76.61t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1shzmT8-tFB3M78EI49st_ag!2e0?hl=en

CaliforniaDream

Been to both places many times and I love both cities.
But San Diego would get my vote. Weather is fantastic, nightlife is great and there's a lot to do. It's got different vibes depending on what area you're in and you can have a great time based on what you like.
I head there for weekends regularly and haven't been disappointed.
That being said, if you choose SF you'll love it too no doubt.

ProudDUB

If weather is your thing and getting to experience the laid back Southern California lifestyle of beaches and what not, go to San Diego. If you want to experience the flavour of a real international city, go to SF. SF is very, very expensive to live in. So if you are going on your own & finances are a worry, think very, very hard about SF. SD has great weather. June can be a bit gloomy, but at least its quite hot. SF is about 500 miles/800 of km north of SD, so you are going to get a big difference in the weather. SF is generally colder and cloudier, due to the fogs that come in from the bay. However, they affect different parts of the Bay area differently, so you can have quite a big difference in micro climates in areas that may only be 10 miles apart.

iusedtoknow

ProudDUB wrote: »

If weather is your thing and getting to experience the laid back Southern California lifestyle of beaches and what not, go to San Diego. If you want to experience the flavour of a real international city, go to SF. SF is very, very expensive to live in. So if you are going on your own & finances are a worry, think very, very hard about SF. SD has great weather. June can be a bit gloomy, but at least its quite hot. SF is about 500 miles/800 of km north of SD, so you are going to get a big difference in the weather. SF is generally colder and cloudier, due to the fogs that come in from the bay. However, they affect different parts of the Bay area differently, so you can have quite a big difference in micro climates in areas that may only be 10 miles apart.

All the above is true, including the microclimates. It can change from area to area in the city. The East bay is generally considered warmer, but you need to pick your neighborhood and block wi sell...a whole foods on one end, gun shots the other end.
The area itself is expensive, with rents being the main expense, even flat shares can run to 2000 a month depending on where you are.

FatherTed

SD all the way plus you can take day trips into Mexico.

ProudDUB

FatherTed wrote: »

SD all the way plus you can take day trips into Mexico.

Not any more you can't. The drug wars have made casual day trip to the likes of Tijuana far too dangerous. If you are a in a big organized group, with some people who speak Spanish and who know the lay of the land, you'll probably be ok. But a single, clueless Irish traveler, heading to TJ & beyond to have the craic, is a seriously baaaaaad idea these days.

WeshtCoasht

All great advice, thanks. I'll keep an open mind about SC but between SF and SD I've decided on SD due to the weather and costs. I might give Mexico a skip then ProudDUB, or my head will end up a tortoise Breaking Bad style :P

iusedtoknow

ProudDUB wrote: »

Not any more you can't. The drug wars have made casual day trip to the likes of Tijuana far too dangerous. If you are a in a big organized group, with some people who speak Spanish and who know the lay of the land, you'll probably be ok. But a single, clueless Irish traveler, heading to TJ & beyond to have the craic, is a seriously baaaaaad idea these days.

This is pretty wrong

I've been to tj 3 times in the last 2 years and never had ANY problems, granted - i speak spanish but there are lots of people that go there and don't have a word of spanish and are fine. My colleagues very vietnamese looking brother went last week, can't speak a word beyond "hola" and survived and enjoyed himself. There are police everywhere, people are pretty helpful and most if not all the residents speak english.

The playa area is great, and you can get some good food as well. A lot of San Diegoans go to TJ on a saturday night to party for cheap.

Keep your wits about you when you go and be prepared for a 4 hour wait at the border to get back in, but other than that - it's fine.

ProudDUB

Grand. Nothing to worry about then so.

http://www.kpbs.org/news/2014/apr/16/report-finds-murder-rate-mexico-continues-decline-/

http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/all-narratives/q-and-a/tijuana-violence-ticks-up-but-dont-blame-cartels/

Someone living in the US, who knows the score, who speaks Spanish, is obviously going to get on much better than some clueless Paddy (sorry OP ) traveling on their own, which the OP is. Once you are actually in TJ, you are in well lit areas surrounded by lots of other tourists and police, the odds of anything bad happening to you are slim. But getting from the border to TJ is another matter. I have family in SD. Once upon a time, going to TJ for them, was about as dangerous as going from Dublin to Bray for the day. But the list of horror stories (usually involving Nogales) put a lot of them off now. That is why I said going with a group, that know the area, that speak Spanish, is highly advisable.

iusedtoknow

ProudDUB wrote: »

Grand. Nothing to worry about then so.

http://www.kpbs.org/news/2014/apr/16/report-finds-murder-rate-mexico-continues-decline-/

http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/all-narratives/q-and-a/tijuana-violence-ticks-up-but-dont-blame-cartels/

TBH, it's very localized to specific neighborhoods - 99% tourists enter and leave with the only downside being the line at the border.

I was down in SD that week in april for a conferences funnily enough (and went to TJ that saturday) and saw a guy in an irish rugby jersey passed out and pantsless on the street in SD, most likely without his wallet and phone (and probably passport)

If you follow common sense in most parts of the world, you'll be fine. Mexico's violence is not against foreigners, it's mostly internal (it doesn't make it any better).

faceman

Both are pretty equal nightlife wise. California alcohol laws are pretty strict so bars must stop serving at 1.30am sharp (and they do) and no drinks must be on tables at 2 am. Not all bars stay open late. California doesn't have a drinking culture like we're used to. It can be tricky finding a late opening bar during the week.

Both cities are pretty awesome but SF has the edge with its more famous setting. SF is very expensive compared to SD.

SF is a direct flight, SD is not but both cities are only a little over an hour apart on a domestic.

tough choice OP!