Which Bay Area Neighborhood to Live In?
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Which Bay Area Neighborhood to Live In?
March 2011
We live in SF now but I would love to get recommendations on
which Berkeley-area neighborhoods to check out in case we
decide on an East Bay move with our 2 year old for more
space, better weather and more affordable private schools.
I'm originally from NY and miss the density, buzz and foot
traffic so ideally, I'd love to live in a neighborhood that
has the best of both worlds in terms of being near a BART
station with a walkable, urban shopping area and yet still
have a yard, leafy streets and block parties.
I've only done a few drive bys but the area near the
Rockridge BART and the North Berkeley area near that Totland
Playground seem nice. My husband lived in Berkeley long long
ago for grad school and seems to like the Hills area but I
feel like we'd always be bound to have to drive then.
On schooling, I'm particularly interested in Mandarin
immersion and know there is AIM, GMIS and Shu Ren in
addition to the new Charter School.
In NYC, I'd probably be inclined to live in or near Park
Slope, Brooklyn. In SF, my favorite area is probably the
neighborhoods near Dolores Park. Considering all this,
which neighborhood do you think would have the best vibe for
me?
Thanks for any thoughts!
Ponzu2
I am totally unfamiliar with Park Slope, but your
description of what you're looking for is *exactly* what
Rockridge is like.
I've also lived near the North Berkeley BART station, and
it's a great neighborhood -- compared to Rockridge it's a
little less affluent and a little more crunchy-hippie, with
somewhat smaller homes on average and not quite so leafy,
but the two areas are not wholly dissimilar, especially if
you go a bit more east and north than the area right around
the N Berk BART station. My husband and I moved from
Rockridge to Albany because, among other reasons, we wanted
to send our kids to public school -- but for you, planning
on private school, probably Rockridge is better located for
commuting too. The area has plenty of great private schools
although I don't know anything about Mandarin immersion
options specifically. We love Albany, and Solano Ave has a
sort of similar vibe to College Ave in Rockridge, but I do
sometimes miss being *so* close to a BART station! Holly
I suggest our area - the LeConte (sometimes called Lower
Elmwood) area of Berkeley. Our borders are Telegraph &
Shattuck, Ashby & Dwight. We are seriously in walking
distance to everything - we haven't had a car in years. We
walk to bart, our choice of well-stocked grocery store,
Telegraph, Shattuck and Elmwood shopping districts, schools
and parks on tree-lined streets with yards. Families,
college students, aging hippies, a great mixture of friendly
neighbors. We love the neighborhood! It's just the right
mixture of urban and suburban. Love our spot
From everything you said, Rockridge sounds like the best
match to what you are looking for. I think it resembles
Park Slope the closest, although you will never get a
perfect match. Walkable shopping areas, close proximity to
BART, good public elementary schools, tree lined streets,
and nice weather. M
We moved to Rockridge from Park Slope 8 years ago -- in
fact, we call Rockridge 'Park Slope West.' We LOVE it here.
Though not nearly as dense as Brooklyn, this part of Oakland
has a similar feel with highly-educated, interesting people,
nice housing, and an easy walk to shops, school, and
transit, plus it's only 20 minutes to downtown SF on the
train.
Coming from New York, you will find the pace slower, but it
is also much easier to cope with daily life. You'll never
have to haul a stroller up subway steps again. As in the
slope, public schools are less certain after elementary, but
our neighborhood middle school is getting better all the
time and more neighborhood families are choosing it each
year. Lastly, although the bay area is expensive compared to
most of the country, we've got nothing on the most desirable
parts of Brooklyn and Manhattan so you should be spared some
sticker shock. Good luck in your choice!
April 2010
we are moving into the area in august from london with 2
boys of 7 and 10 and have no idea where to live and where
to send our kids to school. our 7 year is an average child
and the 10 year super smart.we will both be working from
home so can live anywhere
any advice on where the good schools are and also a good
neighbourhood. we can go private or to public. any advice
gratefully received. we are thinking about marin county,
and palo alto but i dont really know SF and surrounding
areas at all. what are the differences between the 2
areas.we would also like to live in a place which has some
soul and where people are open and are not totally money
minded. we are finacially very comfortable so can look at
reasonably expensive areas
Hello ...
I'd consider Piedmont . . . nestled in the Oakland hills,
close to Berkeley and San Francisco. Friendly, walkable
community, great schools. I'd be happy to talk to you
about it.
jill
Hi-
If you're looking for 'soul', I would avoid the Peninsula
(eg Palo Alto area). We moved there from San Francisco for
the school district and immediately realized that we had
made a mistake. While the schools there rank very high in
API scores, we felt that we were giving up diversity most
definitely there. (I generally found that the majority of
diversity could be found on the playgrounds where the
nannies were taking care of the children...) Not to mention
that the Peninsula is wealthy and folks seem to focus on
that fair amount.
We made the decision to move to the East Bay and while there
are challenges with the public school system here, we are
trying to make it work. So far I love the feeling of
community at our neighborhood school. A group of very
dedicated parents who want the best for EVERYONE.
I know Orinda has very good schools. We decided against
buying there as that would put a bridge and a tunnel in the
way of getting to the city, although there is BART. Also, it
was a bit too rural for us.
Good luck!
-Happy to be in the E Bay
If I could live anywhere in the Bay Area and money wasn't a
concern - I think I would choose Marin, specifically Corte
Madera or Mill Valley.
I live in Oakland now, but grew up in Marin.
Pros: weather - much more temperate and reliable;
accessibility to variety - SF, beaches, mountains, etc.
Gorgeous area. Lots of things to do, both outdoor and more
cultural activities. Nice variety of architecture. Still
places to live where you can walk to to most things.
Cons: Traffic on 101 - even for non-commuters. Demographic
variety is limited. General stereotype of Marinites: they're
all rich, white and money-centric.
Schools: Public schools tend to be better in more affluent
areas - parents have time and money to give. It's the only
way they can survive the crippling state and city budget
cuts. Private schools - you can pick and choose what suits you.
With any education system anywhere though - there are no
guarantees - you can't predict the crap teacher, the
bullies, the terrible principal, the peers you disapprove of...
Choose based on what your family likes to do, preferred
weather (Bay Area has dozens of microclimates), type of
architecture, type of neighborhood.
My 2 cents
-------------------------------------------
First of all, congratulations on your move. Daunting I'm
sure but exciting in so many ways. I have a 4 and 7 year
old and can absolutely relate to your question about
finding the right neighborhood and community to join, one
that is right for you as well as for your kids. I would
highly recommend the east bay and specifically Prospect
Sierra School, a fantastic private school in El Cerrito.
My 7 year old is a 1st grader this year and he is happy
and thriving. We have families who come from all over the
east bay but I believe most are from Berkeley, Albany or
El Cerrito, all beautiful areas with great family friendly
neighborhoods. While I know many families both in Marin
and the Palo Alto area, my family has found the east bay
to be the perfect fit for us. We have always found the
east bay to be diverse, interesting and full of
personality. With kids being exposed to so much, Prospect
has been the perfect setting for them to explore, focus
and really engage in all that they see and hear. Prospect
is a very progressive school in which all ideas are not
only accepted but welcomed and the stuff that the kids do
just amaze me. My 1st grader's class is having a Poetry
Cafe this week to share their works of poetry with family
and friends. Each week, his class packs up fruits and
vegetables from a local farm for school families who have
purchased the farm box as they learn about farming and
sustainability. My son also plays in the elementary
orchestra and has learned to love reading, math and
learning in general. With a science lab and an art
studio, he has been able to learn from specialists who not
only teach but truly share their passion. I just can't
recommend Prospect enough and for me, the school has now
become one of the reasons we stay in the east bay. Good
luck with your move and decision on a school. Please feel
free to contact me if you have any questions.
Kelly
I suggest that you consider the East Bay neighborhoods of
North Berkeley, Kensington and El Cerrito. From the
perspective of our inter-racial family, we feel blessed to
reside here. These communities should provide your family a
rich experience while living in the Bay Area. You can have
it all. San Francisco is a short BART ride away. You can be
in Marin County or the Wine Country in under an hour. UC
Berkeley attracts diverse peoples to the area. Your
neighbors will be a mix of professionals, social activists,
elders, adventurers of all types, athletes and fun loving
characters. We have chosen to send our boys to a wonderful
school in El Cerrito named Prospect Sierra. I have pretty
much described our school community above, so should your
search bring you to the aforementioned neighborhoods check
Prospect Sierra out. Our boys love the school and I suspect
yours would as well.
rich
March 2009
Hi, We are moving to East Bay from DC Metro area for my husband's new
job. He'll be working in Oakland and Pleasanton. We have a 1 year old
boy. We love where we are currently living. We are 1/2 mile to 2
subway stations while only 1 and 1/2 mile to DC. When we have to
drive, we can travel to anywhere in the area within 30-60 mins top(we
are against the traffic during rush hours). Our neighborhood is
diverse (in a mixing bowl, melting pot sense, not pressure cooker
kind). Even though we tug away in a very safe/friendly neighborhood
w/ very few cars pass by (we are behind a service road), within 1/2
mile, we have great restaurants, bars, shopping, 3 playgrounds, great
public schools. We want to find a neighborhood that comparable to
where we are. We can afford a home up to around low to mid'900k (but
lesser we need to spend the better). Any advice is welcome. Our
first thought is Berkeley b/c my husband lived there long long time
ago, but any advice on any place is welcome. !
Thanks
Moving to East Bay from DC Metro
I used to live in DC (Adam's Morgan area), and we now live in
Berkeley with our 22 month old and love it. We live in
North
Berkeley, in the Westbrae neighborhood, and love the fact that we
are a 10 minute drive from the city (with no traffic, 30 with
traffic), less than 10 min. walk from BART, have several local bus
lines that stop within a block of our house, and plenty of great
shopping within walking distance (Monterey/Hopkins shopping
district, as well as Solano Ave), and can walk to several really
nice playgrounds and parks. We rarely need to use our car. I think
this is an ideal neighborhood for someone used to diversity and
convenience of urban living, but looking for a bit more quiet,
child-friendly living environment with plenty of parking. You
should definitely consider Berkeley for your relocation.
Hillary
Oakland! My husband and I moved to Oakland 8 years ago from
Hoboken (NYC Metro area), and both love Oakland. Many of the
attributes you mention about DC we have here: close to transp
(BART), parks, shopping, good food, etc., diversity, proximity to
SF, Napa/Sonoma, Marin, Tahoe... Since you have a child, I'd
recommend looking at the following areas of Oakland:
Rockridge
(closest to trans), Montclair or
Crocker Highlands. I know a
terrific realtor, who I can put you in touch with. If you're
interested, please email me. Good luck with your move! Missy
We moved from DC to Oakland two years ago and like it SOOOOO much
more. We lived in a variety of neighborhoods in and around DC
(Adam's Morgan, Capitol Hill, Clarendon, Silver Spring) over the
years always still felt cramped. The pace of the area just feels so
different to me than here. For example, people here brake for
pedestrians! At first, it drove me nuts -- I would get enraged at
cars stopping in front of me to let someone cross the street when
there wasn't even a light or stop sign. And then I realized, ''Wow,
that's really nice. You don't have to risk your life to cross the
street here.''
Anyway, on to your topic of interest. I think Oakland is terrific
and has a ton to offer. In your price range, you could easily live
in more upscale neighborhoods in Oakland and have a nice
single-family home (which there are a lot more of in this area
compared to cramped, apartment and row-house/townhouse crazy DC).
For a neighborhood that has BART within walking distance plus shops
and restaurants nearby, I'd look at Rockridge
and maybe Temescal. I
also really like the Dimond District. Grand Lake/Lake Merritt has
some terrific shopsand restaurants and the North side of the lake
is considered nicer, but there are mostly apartments right around
the lake and then houses a few blocks out. Great houses with
terrific walkability. Montclair and Broadway Terrace are really
nice too but it's quite hilly and many houses aren't walking
distance to the shops and restuarants or BART.
We live in Maxwell
Park and really like it but we aren't as close to BART. But, it
does have a very neighborhoody feel to it with mostly all single-family homes that
have been here since the 1920s.
Working downtown in Oakland would be a quick BART ride away or like
a 10 minute drive from most of the neighborhoods I've mentioned.
Depending upon the age of your kids and whether you plan to go
public or private for schooling may influence your decision as
well. We only have a baby so I can't speak to the quality of the
schools from experience. I'm sure others can chime in on that.
Best of luck with your move! I'm sure your family will love your
move to the Bay. :)
Happy to be out of DC
Sounds like you would really like
North Berkeley - specifically the
neighborhood near the Monterey Market, because it has a wonderful
urban community feel complete with daily farmer's market, deli,
cheese shop, fish shop, pizza, wine store. And, a public pool,
tennis, parks, library. Plus Bart for public transportation into
the city (SF) close by. Also, decent public schools. Especially
look into MLK middle school because it is famous for its Edible
Schoolyard program started by Alice Waters of Chez Panisse. Your
house budget will serve you well in almost any neighborhood in
Berkeley. The nice thing about this one is it is between the hills
and the flats and it has great housing stock with lots of character
abound, and it's a very walkable part of town. You really don't
need a car. Check out specific neighborhoods' walk score on several
web sites.
Love North Berkeley
June 2008
My partner and I are the parents of 2 toddlers and live in
Oakland. We are sick of the increase in crime, poor-performing
schools, and our lack of a cohesive, safe neighborhood where
kids can play together outside. I was raised in a more rural
setting and long for that, but for many reasons, we need to stay
in the East Bay. Is there a neighborhood or area that has a
more rural feel to it, with kid-friendly neighborhoods? I want
our kids to be able to run around outside and play with other
kids in a place that does not seem so urban. We also want a
decent public school near us. Is there anything in Oakland that
meets these criteria? Anywhere else in the East Bay that is not
prohibitively expensive (we are middle class). Thanks!
Looking for a better place
While it's not rural, Alameda has a lot to offer: nice parks and
neighborhoods, low crime, good schools and friendly residents. Come
check it out!
Jessica
We moved to Moraga a few years ago, after spending the previous couple
of decades in Berkeley, Oakland, and San Francisco. We enjoy it here
very much. Many areas have a rural vibe, especially the neighborhoods
that back up onto cow pastures! In our area (off of Camino Pablo) we
are surrounded by hills on three sides. When we sleep with our window
open, we often hear owls at night and cows in the morning. The schools
are good and not all the houses are totally expensive. I found the
prices to be in line with Oakland's Montclair and Rockridge districts,
but with better schools and lots of open space, trails, and such.
My kids play in the street, ride their bikes to their friends' houses,
walk to and from school, etc. I ride my bike to the farmer's market and
pilates (AWESOME pilates studio in Moraga...a real hidden gem).
No, it isn't Berkeley or Oakland hip. But it has a lot to offer,
especially if you are looking for a something rural and close in.
Moraga Momma
May 2007
We currently live in the Dimond/Laurel area of Oakland with our
young children. Unfortunately, there has been a recent
increase in crime in our neighborhood, to the point where we no
longer feel all that comfortable living here. We are interested
in living elsewhere in the East Bay, somewhere that is safe and
very kid-friendly where the neighbors really know and look out
for each other, close access to nature, and in a good school
district. Oh yes-and affordable. Don't know if this is too much
to ask? We have thought about living through the tunnel in
Moraga, Lafayette, etc., but I do like the progressiveness and
diversity of Oakland/Berkeley. Are there some neighborhoods we
aren't aware of? Rockridge is great but there is no way we
could afford it. I don't know if it is too much to ask to live
in a place where the kids can run around in the neighborhood
after dark-or is that something from the past that we were able
to do in different times? Or is it possible still to do that
somewhere like Lafayette/Moraga? I would love any suggestions.
We are planning to send our kids to public school, by the way,
so we would like to live in a neighborhood that has a good
elementary school. Thanks.
Looking for safer pastures
We live in El Cerrito
and both of our elementary school age children attend the
local public school.
It's not perfect because we are a resource-poor district but it's worked out great
for our kids. The parents are very involved (volunteering in the school) and they
raise funds to provide the students with a good education. The PTA provides art,
music, and science programs to supplement what the district provides.
At last count, there were at least 8 elementary school children on our block--all
living within 5 houses of each other. At night they run in and out of each others'
back yards and play in the front yards. Some parents in El Cerrito opt to go to
private schools but I think the local elementary school is just fine. We are also
planning to go to the local public middle school when my son is ready. Most of El
Cerrito is very safe and family-friendly. There are great parks and a terrific
public pool.
Unfortunately, I don't think it's that affordable for first-time home buyers but
houses are slightly less expensive than Albany, Lafayette or Orinda. Consequently,
there is more diversity in the local public schools.
You're in luck - such a place does exist! We were looking for a similar place as
you describe, and we found it in Alameda.
It's a very neighborly, friendly place, where most people will say hi to you as you
pass on the street, kids play together outside and the ice cream truck stops on the
corner in the summer. The schools are good - some have better reputations than
others, and I cannot attest to that as my kids are not yet in elementary school, but
you can check out the basic stats on www.greatschools.net.
We love that we can walk to the park or to dinner, and there is a good mix of people
(ages and ethnicities) and young families. Holidays are fun here - the whole town
is out for the 4th of July parade, Halloween is so fun and tons of kids abound, and
over the holidays we love going to ''Christmas tree lane'' to see the lights.
Lots of changes/improvements are in store over the next year or two - the historic
theater downtown is getting renovated, the mall is undergoing a revitalization and
will have more restaurants and shops, including Borders books, and plans to develop
the old military base on the west end are in the works. I think it's a good time to
get in the market here.
Prices vary, with the gold coast neighborhood and the east end being the most
expensive - gold coast due to the concentration of large mansions there, and the
east end due to the good reputation elementary schools and proximity to shopping on
Park Street.
Come on down and take a drive through the town - you won't be disappointed. I would
recommend it over Lamorinda - you can actually walk to school/grocery
store/restaurants here and there is more diversity. Good luck!
at home in Alameda
We were in your boat four years ago and we found near-nirvana in
San Leandro!
The neighborhoods around Dutton (right off 580) are just what you're describing:
kids play on our street day and night, neighbors know each other, and the local cafe
(Zocalo) makes for a friendly, progressive community center. While San Leandro was
known in the 70s as one of the whitest towns in the East Bay, it is now very
diverse, which we see reflected on our street and in our school. Our son is in the
local public elementary school (Roosevelt) and we love it; he's learning a lot, gets
great attention, and it's a wonderful community of involved parents. Plus we all
love that we can just walk there. (We understand the middle school is only so-so and
high school is worse -- we hope to be part of making them better by the time he gets
there, or we'll look at other options.) I'd recommend that you look at real estate
in the Broadmoor (north of Dutton), Estudillo Estates (between Dutton and Estudillo,
on both sides of the creek), and Sheffield Village (east of 580, officially in
Oakland but part of the S.L school district) neighborhoods. Most houses are cute and
well- maintained, and we found prices to be about 10-15% cheaper than for similar
homes in Berkeley/Oakland when we were looking (not sure if that's still true). San
Leandro isn't perfect -- we especially wish for more good restaurants! -- but
Berkeley and Oakland are just up 580 and/or 13, and the joy of feeling part of a
safe, caring community outweigh the drawbacks by far. Good luck to you!
Happy in suburbia
Have you ever consider Benicia?
It's affortable and close to Easy Bay. It's 20 plus
minutes to the Bay Bridge and 10 mins or so to Walnut Creek so it's not a bad
commute and there is a ferry service into the city. If there is anything else you
like to know please email me. A great and safe community with
a lots of parks.
Amy
We lived in Oakland for a long time and now live in Moraga.
It is ridiculously
family friendly. All the kids in the neighborhood are in and out of each others
houses after school and on weekends. The other parents in the neighborhood are
extremely kind and helpful. Yes, my kids can walk or bike to school, walk or bike to
the farmer's market, and play outside after dark. When I moved here, I was braced
for feeling like a fish out of water, but I have been surprised and humbled at my
generalization that all people out here would be conservative and narrow minded. I
was wrong.
It is very white, but that is changing, slowly but surely. I have seen a slight
demographic shift in the couple of years that I've been here.
When you compare a place like Moraga to the safer neighborhoods of Oakland
(Rockridge, Montclair, Redwood Heights), I think you get a little more for your
money out here. The lots are bigger, the streets are conducive to kids playing in
them, and the schools are among the best in the state. The property taxes are
expensive though, which is the downside. You'll have to do your math and decide the
best solution for you based on your income, number of children, commute, and so on.
For us, it has been one of the best changes we ever made. There is so little stress
now: no serious crime, no worries over school quality and safety, no constant
scheduling of and driving to/from playdates. My kids are happier than they've ever
been.
We LOVE living in what has recently been dubbed ''Piedmont Pines'' - the
hills in
Oakland just above Joaquin Miller Elementary School. Our backyard is the trailhead
to Joaquin Miller & Redwood Regional Parks, we have great neighbors, many with
children, and living on a cul-de-sac allows us to let our children (with
supervision) to run around in a safe environment, where we all look out for each
other. Cost is an issue. When we moved in, things were not so bad, but we've been
looking at housing prices skyrocket since. If you own your home though, I'm sure
you'll get a good price when you sell and could find a place in our neighborhood to
make it work for you.
Hope we meet your family soon
We love El Sobrante.
We moved to El Sobrante from Albany in order to purchase a
larger home. El Sobrante is somewhat rural (there are horses and goats in our
neighborhood), diverse and family friendly. It is also very safe. There is an active
neighborhood association which just oversaw the installation of a brand new
toddler/kid park. Olinda and Valley View are wonderful schools. I have heard great
things about them from parents who have children there. There is a beautiful creek,
library, boys and girls club, dance studio, soccer league, and some great
restaurants (peruvian, salvadoran, chinese, italian, mexican, indian as well as
local breakfast places). The Lakeridge Athletic Club is also in El Sobrante and
offers swim, tennis and other aerobic classes and camps. We also have Canyon Swim
school which is quite popular for children's swim lessons. One of my favorite places
is Central Foods on Appian which just changed owners and has lots of organic and
natural products, produce and meats. Another wonderful place is Eco Village Farm
which is a community learning project for sustainable farming. The weather is great,
just outside the fog belt. My husband works at UC Berkeley which is a 20 minute
ride.
He can also drive the back way through Tilden to avoid traffic. We are very happy
here. Come check it out!
Loving El Sobrante
El Cerrito!
It has become my favorite east bay city. Close enough to freeways so
you can get anywhere. Easy shopping at the E.C. plaza and E.C. Natural Grocery.
There are lots of new families moving here, it is relatively safe and has good
schools. And I was pleasantly surprised to find that it is actually more diverse
than our old neighborhood in SF. Our block has lots of different kinds of families
- different ethnicities and family structures. There is crime everywhere and E.C.
is no exception but we have not experienced anywhere near what we did in SF or what
some of our friends in Oakland have. I think it is in part because even though El
Cerrito is a part of the larger bay area community it still has a small town feel.
Our neighbors here have been friendlier than anywhere I have lived and about 1/3 of
the houses in our immediate neighborhood has kids.
anon
October 2006
My husband, 9 month old daughter and I live in a small house in Kensington at the top of
the hill. We're looking for a larger home in the East Bay in a kid friendly
neighborhood. We long for walks in the stroller, parks, playmates for our daughter and
a lovely home. Our income (thankfully) allows for great flexibility in where we live.
What we'd like to know from parents is which neighborhoods most fit this criteria?
Where do people LOVE living with children?
Any advise about neighborhoods, things to look for as a parent and home owner would be
greatly appreciated!
Many thanks!
Leigh
Benicia may be a bit too far North for you, but it is an
amazing little treasure. The community is warm and friendly,
the schools are very good, there are many (!) beautiful parks
and the social activities in town are always wonderful. The
downtown area is pretty flat, so it is perfect for strolling
around or bicycling. We lived there for 10 years and I actually
miss it tremendously.
JOJ
Alameda! I don't think there is a more family friendly community
in the East Bay. Great victorians and craftsman homes as well as
new cookie-cutter homes available in Bayport as well. Great parks
and a beach. Need I say more?
EA
Consider the North area (Broadmoor and Estudillo Estates) of San
Leandro. Beautiful houses, lots of people pushing strollers, an
amazing community center/cafe (Zocalo Coffeehouse) and a real
sense of community. San Leandro also has one of the most amazing
children's libraries and children's programs in the Bay Area (all
thanks to our children's librarian, Ms. Penney). Check us out.
And if you want to find out how people living here, go to Zocalo
any morning and talk to other moms & dads
Marga
As I was reading your post asking for a recommendation for a
kid-friendly neighborhood in the East Bay, I could not wait to
reply!! My husband and I have a 9 month old as well and we LOVE
our neighborhood. We live in Pleasanton, which I believe is
about 40 min. away from you. I can't tell you enough good
things about it. The neighborhood is filled with families with
children, there are tons of great parks and green areas and the
schools are top notch. I love living in Pleasanton because you
have easy access to the freeway, and traffic is not a problem.
There is a beautiful downtown that is great for a Sunday walk,
cute stores and great little restaurants and cafes; it has its
own farmer's market every Saturday with lots of goodies. You
always see families with their strollers and kids. The only
thing is housing costs are higher than other areas, but since
you mentioned that thankfully your income allows for
flexibility, I really encourage you to check out the
neighborhood. http://www.ci.pleasanton.ca.us/
Feel free to email me directly for more info or if you have
questions.
maria.esther
We recently purchased our first home after living in a few
different parts of east bay over the last 3 years. I don't
claim to be an expert on east bay neighborhoods, but we live in
Alameda and I am very pleased with our decision. It has a
small town atmosphere, yet is so close to San Francisco and
Oakland/Berkeley geographically. We live within walking
distance of Park street and there are many lovely shops and
restaurants there. I have greatly enjoyed strolling around our
neighborhood and looking at the great variety of architecture
(many victorians, craftsmans...) and overall the island has a
nice ambiance. There seem to be a lot of children around, the
parks are nice, schools are very good, and I just can't say
enough about how nice it is to call Alameda home. Good luck
with your search.
happy homeowner
My daughter is in a nanny share in the Elmwood neighborhood of
Berkeley. The homes and yards are beautiful, lots of Craftsman
and shingle style homes, tree-lined streets, etc. The home is
on a dead-end street with lots of kids, an easy walk from
Bateman Tot Park (near Alta Bates Hospital)and Willard Park.
Elmwood and Rockridge shops and restaurants are in walking
distance. FWIW, they live on Lewiston between Woolsey and
Alcatraz, and I think there is at least one home expected to
come up for sale soon. I'd live there if I could afford it.
Carrie
I live in the ''Totland district'' of North Berkeley, it runs
between Sacramento and MLK; University and up to Hopkins, I
think. I'm 2 blocks from North Berkeley BART, 2 blocks from
Totland, about a mile from the ''gourmet ghetto'' on Shattuck.
There are kids and dogs and families everywhere you look, I
absolutely love this neighborhood and highly recommend it for
what you're wanting!!
Jill
HI,
I would like to recommend Alameda for kid friendly
neighborhoods. I live in the East end of the island and in my
2 block radius, we have 11 three years! This is great since I
myself have 3 year old twins. The sidewalks are flat so
walking and riding bikes with the kids is easy. Downtown
Alameda is about 3/4 mile away so morning walks to breakfaast
or Starbucks or Petes has become our Sat. ritual. It is also a
very friendly family neighborhood, we have block parties twice
a year where we block the streets and get jumpy houses for the
kids and barbque all day. If you live in Kensington, you'll
think alameda is very affordable! I'd be happy to give you
more info on specific neighborhoods that are kid friendly
karie
Alameda! We just moved to the Gold Coast neighborhood and
absolutely love it. The neighborhood elementary (Franklin
School) is excellent, and we are walking distance from several
parks, including Crown State Beach and Crab Cove and two
wonderful playgrounds.
Since Alameda is very flat, it couldn't be more stroller
friendly. The city parks and rec department has lots of
activities for kids and families, including a program offering
free swim lessons for all kindergarteners.
Park Street has lots of fun shops, good food and coffee, much
like Solano or College Avenues.
The housing stock in the Gold Coast neighborhood is older, with
lots of turn of the century Victorians. In our house-shopping,
we found that homes in this neighborhood were pretty well-
maintained, and the prices weren't completely insane (at least
by bay-area standards).
For shopping, there's a Trader Joes and new Safeway in the
Alameda Towne Center. Target is also interested in building a
new store there, but they're getting a lot of opposition. Near
the Park Street bridge, The Marketplace is like a mini Rockridge
Market Hall.
Happy Alameda Mom
We love our neighborhood, Redwood Heights in the Oakland
foothills. It's crawling with kids; has a real community feel;
lovely '20s- through '50s-era homes; a great neighborhood
elementary school (Redwood Heights Elementary); a well-used Rec
Center with lots of interesting kid and adult programs; a
wonderful park and playground; friendly, involved residents;
well-tended gardens; mostly flat streets with sidewalks for bike
riding and scootering; etc.
(In fact, when we outgrew our small starter house last year, we
purchased a larger house just a few blocks away so that we could
stay in the neighborhood, where our kids have lots of friends and
where we really feel like a part of the community.)
Demographically, it's somewhat ethnically diverse, with mostly
middle- and upper-middle class residents (it's definitely been
skewing more upper-middle class as home prices have tripled in
the last 8 years or so; most houses now sell in the high $600K to
low $800K range). Among the newer residents with kids (who are
quickly replacing older residents who moved in decades ago and
stayed), I'd say that most are white-collar professionals, with
scientists, medical professionals, and educators making up pretty
significant subgroups, plus a smattering of writers and artists.
A lot of people here are Cal alumni.
There's an active neighborhood organization with a softball team,
a baby-todder mom's group, block emergency captains, etc., and a
really involved community at the elementary school as well.
This being Oakland, it's fairly progressive politically and
socially. There are lots of two-mom families, a fair number of
MoveOn members and Green-party voters, etc. There is the
occasional property crime (car break-ins and home burglaries
every once in awhile) -- as there is everywhere -- but all in all
the neighborhood is extremely safe. It's just a comfortable,
open, and welcoming place to live -- maybe a bit suburban in feel
but also close to all the urban stuff that Oakland, Berkeley, and
San Francisco (you can be in downtown SF in 20 minutes, barring
rush hours) have to offer.
Anyway, come on over and check it out!
Leah
I noticed that noone from Berkeley responded to your question and wanted
to chime in. In Berkeley (also Albany) there are a number of wonderful
kid-friendly neighborhoods. Our family (w/ 2 girls) looked for houses
within walking distance to parks & shops. We just bought a house in the
Thousand Oaks neighborhood (where I grew up) and loved living in Westbrae
neighborhood (for 13 years). There are jewel-like parks all over the city
- and a bay trail that is great for kite flying, bicycling, walking,
biking & dog walking. Left up to me, I would avoid areas near campus just
because they tend to be heavily studented and parking is difficult - so
the vibe is different.
Another thing that I think should be noted when looking at cities
- Berkeley has historically and consistently been a big booster of schools
& libraries. Contra Costa voters recently failed to pass bond measures
for schools - but Berkeley voters tend to pass library & school measures.
I profoundly hope we pass Measure A
and continue this trend.
As recent home buyers/ home-sellers, we can attest that the prices seem to
be lower than we've seen recently so this might be a good time to get in.
Berkeley booster
April 2003
In a year or so my husband will be taking a job in San
Fancisco. We presently live in Hawaii where I am from. We are
looking in the East Bay area for a place to live. We have
three kids- 3 year old twin boys and a 4 month old baby boy. I
know very little about the area and am very nervous about this
move because this is a decision we are making for our whole!
family. I have been trying to research areas from Berkeley all
the way to Walnut Creek.
Here is a summary of my ''dream'' place: I would love to find an
area that is progressive with natural living/organic living
resources. An active community would be nice. I am looking
for a place with easy access to outdoor activities such as
hiking, biking, running, parks, playgrounds and open space to
run loose. I want a place that is kid friendly and close to
good schools- public and/or private. Other places (ie:
children's museums etc... are a plus too). My husband will be
commuting to San Francisco so it needs to be within a
reasonable distance to the city (I hear BART is very easy). I
realize that the cost of living is outrageous- even compared to
Hawaii, so I am prepared for that, but are some areas more
expensive than others? I guess that covers the aspects that I
consider most important. I have seen the other postings on the
website but I was hoping for more information about some of the
specific qualities that I mentioned. Any input would be very
appreciated!
Thank you
Courtney
If you are looking for a great East Bay neighborhood, I would
pick our neighborhood -- Upper Rockridge between Broadway
Terrace and Moraga Avenue. This is a very diverse neighborhood
and is close to everything (nature and modern conveniences).
It also has a terrific K-8 public elementary school,
Hillcrest. (You may need to send your kids to private high
school though.) We really love it here -- there are tons of
kids on our street that are the same age as yours (my twins and
baby are separated by the same time as yours are but are about
a year older). As far as commuting to the city, my husband
takes the bus from about a block away. It is an express bus
and he is at his desk 35 minutes after walking out the door.
Of course, BART is always an option but the bus is generally
faster for him given the location of his office. The commute
is a huge benefit to being here. Also, the weather is not
nearly as hot as the cities further east.
Shannon
you are describing berkeley and oakland. consider these
neighborhoods: rockridge (upper and lower), montclair, crocker
highlands, berkeley hills, elmwood, and north berkeley.
a happy oakland resident
Hi Courtney,
We've been really happy in Albany, and it has all the things
you're looking for:
1) A small-town atmosphere with lots of families, walkable
neighborhoods and easy access to natural groceries &
pharmacies.
2) Several nice local parks, quick access to large parks like
Tilden, easy access to a bayside beach and a quick hop
across the bay to Marin County and Point Reyes
3) A great school system with motivated kids, good teachers
and lots of parent involvement
4) Walking (or easy biking) access to BART
Yes, it's expensive. And the school budgets are getting
slashed, just like most in California. But it works pretty well
for us. Good luck!
Jeff
Hi.
Since you are from Hawaii, you should be aware that the Berkeley
area, basically from North Oakland to north berkeley/albany/so.
el cerrito gets A LOT of fog in the summer. I live in No.
Berkeley. Our nicest time of year is the spring. Lots of blue
sky. From June through August there is a lot of fog. Some
times it's just in the morning, some times it lasts all day.
Because this area is located directly across from the ''open''
area spanned by the Golden gate bridge, the coastal fog rolls
through, across the bay in a tube, and sits nestled in the
Berkeley hills. I love sun and still love this area despite
this, but it CAN be a drag on summer days that are warm
everywhere but here. The good thing is that even when we have
hot days, eventually the fog rolls in and cools things off just
aorund the time you are tired of the heat.
For summer hot weather, you'd need to live ''through the tunnel''
in Orinda, Concord, Walnut Creak, Pleasonton area.
For this side of the tunnel, the best public schools are found
in Piedmont. You trade good schools (v. Berkeley) for a fairly
conservative population.
Berkeley has tons of diversity, poor/mediocre public schools,
great access to the outdoors (literally out your door, if you
live high in the hills, adjacent to Tilden Park), tons of arts
and restuarants...in fact, Berkeley is all about food, whether
its the abundance of fresh everything at the markets or tons of
choices for excellent dining out. Lots of theaters, movies, art
shows, music. This is why we live here.
There is good access to Rockridge Bart station in North
Oakland/Rockridge area, or at North Berkeley Bart, central
Berkeley BART or even El Cerrito Bart.
Berkeley distinguishes itself from other areas nearbye in that
most of the houses are old and have a lot of architectural
charm, and the neighborhoods have lots of trees.
There are tons of excellent private schools to choose from.
Let me know if you have any specific questions.
Dana
Alameda is a wonderful place to live! flat, so biking/stroller
stuff is easy. easy bus ride to the city, 35-40 min. schools
pretty good i think (we homeschool). lots of scouts, soccer,
little league, churches, etc. trader joe's and a new
marketplace (organic stuff, fish, bakery, niman ranch meat) in
town. quick to get just about anywhere in the bay area from
here. good luck!
peggy
Hi Courtney.
I currently live in Oakland, but if I had my choice (maybe in a
couple of years) I would live in Orinda. It is exactly what you
described in your message, and it is west of Walnut creek.
Orinda also has a BART station so commuting to SF is a breeze.
Actually, most towns around Walnut Creek are pretty nice, but I
have heard that Walnut Creek schools are not as nice as they used
to be. You could look at Lafayette and Pleasant Hill, both
between Orinda and Walnut Creek. Other towns out that direction
will just put you even farther from SF. Best advice though is
come take a look, and maybe rent for a year before putting down
roots. The real estate prices will really make you gasp.
Also, be sure to find directions and drive by Orinda Public
Library. It is huge and new, beautifully set next to new
community center and very large playground/public tennis courts.
I have three kids (3yr, 6yr, 11 yr.) and we will go spend 3
hours or so doing various activities around the library & playground.
Good Luck!
Tiffany
You didn't mention whether you would be buying or renting a home
when you arrive, but either way you can get a good sense of the
cost of housing in the various East Bay cities by going to
www.realtyadvocates.com. Just click on Home Search (East Bay),
then select the different cities you are looking at, and conduct
a search with broad parameters (2+ bedrooms, 200,000-800,000
dollars...). This will give you a pretty good sense of how much
most homes are going for in that area.
Most of your desires can be met in most of the communities in
the Berkeley-Oakland area. As far as schools go, some districts
are better than others, but California's budget is in a shambles
and our schools are taking the brunt of the blow. All the
districts, even the ''good'' ones, are scrambling to maintain
decent class size and enrichment programs in the coming years.
Good luck to you,
ehens
I took an interest in your request b/c I too am from Hawaii
(Honolulu), and I understand what your leaving behind to move to
the Bay Area.
My husband also commutes to the city on BART and we've lived in
different East Bay neighborhoods over the past 10+ years. I've
found the following to be really nice, kid friendly, good parks,
easy commute to city etc.: Piedmont, Rockridge(Oakland), Elmwood
(Berkeley), West Brae neighborhood near the N Berkeley BART
station/Monteray Mkt all to be great. Living on the
Berkeley/Oakland side of the East Bay puts you within easy
access of great restaurants, food shopping at farmer's markets,
Berkeley Bowl/Monteray Mkt, museums both in the East Bay and the
City and close to the neighborhood parks and regional parks
(Tilden).
I've also heard that living in Lafayette, Orinda and Moraga can
be very nice too! So many choices, good luck!
Maya
We live in and really like Castro Valley. It's family friendly,
there are community groups, I hear (my child is only 2 1/2) that
the schools are good, it's small-ish but with all the
essentials, well situated for either a BART or car commute to
SF, also well situated for access to other cities such as
Hayward/Union City, Oakland and Dublin/Pleasanton (I work in
Oakland and my husband works in Dublin). Lake Chabot, which has
hiking, biking, horseback riding, picnicing and fishing, is just
minutes from downtown. Feel free to e-mail me if you have any
questions I might be able to answer. We're also relocating this
coming June, but it has nothing to do with Castro Valley!
Jennifer
I have been looking into buying a house in the east bay (mainly
oakland). And unless you are willing to pay exta ordinarily
expensive prices for your home I would NOT look in piedmont,
rockridge (oakland), and most places through the tunnell
(orinda, lafayette). Although I'm sure these are great places
to live they come with great big price tags, and are somewhat
exclusive.
Although berkeley is a great place to live, my only complaint
is that many parts of it are a pain to get out of, because
there is only one freeway 80, and it is often congested. (also
the property taxes are more than oakland). But still there are
MANY nice neighborhoods in berkeley, & some good schools, and
lots of parks/family oriented stuff. But I do not know berkeley
as well as oakland.
Some neighborhoods in oakland that have good schools, and nice
family neighborhoods are: oakmore, montclair, trestle glen, &
crocker highlands, to name a few.
If you are interested in getting a general idea of the
price/location of homes check out
www.Realtor.com
Oakland school district finder
http://mapstacker.ousd.k12.ca.us
For school ratings (bear in mind that it is always best to get
opinions of parents/and even better teachers on how a school
is, also this does not list the correct school districts in
oakland, that is why you have to use the other school finder)
www.greatschools.net
some general info on oakland
http://www.oaklandlibrary.org/RemoteRefFiles/form/current_info_bayarea.html
Also besides this site (impressive you found it!)For local
jobs, etc.
www.craigslist.org
Also, Alameda has really started to grow on me. It is has a
small town feel, but is close to oakland/berkeley, and not to
hard to get to san francisco. I love the old victorians (it is
also slightly less expensive than oakland & berkeley). Also
though coming from hawaii it will surley be a huge
dissapointment, there is a beach there (with a nice view of
S.F.- Hey you can't get that in Hawaii). But some of it is land
fill, and Bay farm (part of alameda) which has great schools I
believe is all Landfill, and it has a gated community feel
which I personally do not like (and it's farther out).
Hope this helps, the bay area is a great place to live, it's
just everyone seems to want to live here, so housing is out of
control, and so is traffic during commute hours. But once you
adjust to the few negatives you will fall in love with the
diversity,& open mindedness of the residents, and the beauty of
the surrounding reginal parks.
signed: an oakland resident for 13 years
I was just reading the last set of recommendations and was taken
aback by the description of Berkeley for the family from Hawaii
seeking a nice neighborhood in the East Bay. ''Berkeley has tons
of diversity, poor/mediocre public schools..'' There it is,
casually tossed out as if a given, ''poor/mediocre public
schools.'' Excuse me? Says who? I have had four children in the
Berkeley Public Schools. Currently my oldest is teaching at
Berkeley High School and my youngest is a sophomore there. My
children attended Cragmont, Columbus (now Rosa Parks), Franklin,
King and the high school. They had wonderful teachers. They
learned to read and write, to help others and enjoy life. They
went on field trips to Chinatown, Alcatraz, Ano Nuevo, Pt.
Reyes, and Monterey. They had chicks in the classroom, visits
from the Bat lady, music lessons in the fourth grade. They
worked on the Award-Winning Berkeley High Jacket, played
lacrosse, field hockey, water polo. They took AP Chemistry, AP
Biology, French, Latin, and Calculus BC (not offered at many
schools.) The three that graduated went on to Ivy League
schools. But the best part is they made wonderful friends--kids
who were resilient, caring, and thoughtful. And I have been
lucky enough to make friends with their parents--people who work
hard at supporting public education in their community.
It is NOT a given that the Berkeley schools are either poor or
mediocre.
Janet
I second the recommendation that Castro Valley is a nice place
to live. I've lived in the Bay Area all my life, and as an
adult bought my 1st and 2nd house in Castro Valley. CV is a
smaller community and has a small town feel which is something I
like. I understand public schools here are excellent. (Our CV
renter tells us the CV public schools aren't affected by the
budget cuts as much as other schools because CV is considered a
Distinguished school. Someone correct me if this is wrong).
Also, I've been told there is afterschool daycare/activities at
the CV schools. There is a BART station in CV, and also close
by in San Leandro where parking isn't a problem until about 9am
(?). There are many hiking + bike trails and parks, such as at
Lake Chabot. Horse stables are nearby too, and campsites at Lake
Chabot. CV is centrally located to the freeways. If you are
considering buying a house, you get more for your money in CV
than say Albany or Berkeley. Same with renting. Feel free to
email me if you have questions. hana
Feb 2003
We are going to move soon and would love to find housing in a
neighborhood that has other small children and is community-
oriented. We would comsider cohousing but we can't afford that
right now as we are renters. The next best thing would be to
live in a neighborhood where people know each other and there
are other small children. These days it seems that most
neighborhoods are somewhat anonymous, but I have heard that
there are some special ones out there that have a communal
atmostphere. I haven't lived in one myself, though.
We could go almost anywhere in the East Bay, if we found the
right place (we live in Oakland right now and my husband works
in Concord). If you know of or live in such a neighborhood,
could you drop me a line or post a response to let me know about
it? You don't have to know of any rentals available there. I am
just wanting to find out where such neighborhoods might be in
order to guide our search for housing and to give me hope for
the future. (When I say neighborhood, by the way, I mean a small
area within a town. Towns can vary a lot depending on what block
you live on, in my experience.)
Thanks!
We have been living in the Glenview area of Oakland for 3 years
now and really love it. There are lots of small children around
us for our 3-year old daughter to play with, and for the first
time in my life, I can say that I know and am friendly with all
my immediate neighbors. There is a very strong sense of
community in Glenview.
Within walking distance, we have a great park(Dimond) with
activities for kids and a pool, as well as a small commerce area
(Park Blvd.) which has a neighborhood market, a cafe, and couple
of restaurants. I sometimes see rentals available in the
neighborhood. For more info on the area, you can check out the
Glenview Neighborhood's Association website at
http://www.glenviewneighborhood.org
Angelica
You can't beat Albany for what you're looking for -- the good
schools mean there are a lot of families with kids here. Our
neighborhood (the area behind the Mallard bar) is full of kids.
On our block there are 11 kids on our side of the street, and 6
on the other. Granted there are neighbors I've never met, but
those with kids all know each other, our kids play together,
when someone needs a hand we take care of each others kids, and
when I'm short an egg when baking a cake I can always run over
to my neighbor. When we were interested in buying our house we
talked to the neighbors and asked about the ages of kids in the
neighborhood, and we drove by at different times of day and saw
all the kids in the area. Good luck in your search.
anon
Hi, We live in the San Pablo Park area of Berkeley on Carleton
Street (the 1200 block). We find the neighborhood to be very kid
friendly and in the 3 years that we have lived here we have
gotten to know pretty much all the families with kids around the
ages of ours (2 and 4). The neighborhood is no paradise mind
you, but it has a lot of very nice qualities. There is a very
nice and active park near by (San Pablo Park). The area is
pretty diverse ethnically (primarily a mix of African-American
and Caucasion families). And it is very centrally located
(perhaps too much so) close to freeways and major streets. There
are a number of rentals in the area, though our street (which I
am most familiar with) is mostly owner occupied. One more note,
neighborhoods in this area are really different, street by
street, so check them out pretty thoroughly.
Good luck,
Cherene
Hi. In response to your message about finding a friendly
neighborhood with children - we live near Poinsette Park, off
Barnett in El Cerrito. Our block on Mono Ave. in particular is
very close knit - most of the neighbors know each other and we
have holiday parties (Halloween, Christmas, and progressive
dinner parties). It's a true gift. I've never lived anywhere
like it, and it easily is one of the best things about our home
(which we love). There are several families with small children
on our block, and I see lots of children when I drive through
the neighborhood, and when we go to Poinsett Park (on Poinsette
St. or Dr. - up the hill from Home Depot and the San Pablo
Safeway). Hope you find something comparable. Best wishes.
debora
We recently moved to Alameda, because we wanted to be in a
neighborhood that's good for raising children. In our
neighborhood at the East End of Alameda, there are lots and lots
of children, friendly families who all know one another, quiet
pretty streets with kids playing on the sidewalks, lots of kid
activities and parks, relatively less crime than most other
parts of the bay area, good public schools, several nearby at-
home daycare places that are less expensive than those in
Berkeley or Oakland, good preschools nearby. It's a nice place
to be raising our children, and is very convenient to many other
parts of the Bay Area (10-20 minutes to many parts of Oakland or
Berkeley; not too bad a commute to San Francisco or other places
east or south of here). There are lots of rentals as well as
owner-occupied houses, and when I was looking for a house I
found prices for both to be somewhat less than in Berkeley,
Albany, or Oakland. I think most of Alameda is very family
oriented. It feels like a small town hidden in the Bay Area.
Alexandra
My sister lives in the Glenview area of Oakland and her street
(Randolph Ave) is very neighborhoody - in fact, I take my son
over there almost every weekend as he has so much fun with all
the kids playing outside. I have noticed this on some other
blocks in the area, so you might want to check it out.
anon
Jan 2003
We are looking to move to a family friendly, safe and especially
multiracial neighborhood somewhere between Alameda and San
Leandro. Can anyone recommend such an area? Thanks a lot.
a mom
We live in the Redwood Heights area of Oakland (technically, we're
actually Leona Heights). We have a really diverse neighborhood --
not only multiracial but queer-friendly too. Lots of families and
kids and a good elementary school. For me, our neighborhood
represents the best Oakland has to offer: diversity, good weather,
and a family-friendly feeling.
You didn't say whether you were looking to rent or buy, but I
think there are a few rentals in our neighborhood, although most
houses are owner-occupied.
Ilana
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