N1cky

The Bay Area is wonderful, however it's crazy expensive, so if you don't need to be based here I wouldn't choose it as a base. Sounds like you'll be travelling a lot so you'll get plenty of opportunities to visit the area and enjoy the restaurants... without paying the premium to live here. If you decided you did want to be out this way, as a single person with no kids I'd look at the Santana Row area of San Jose. It's got good restaurants, is fairly lively, and is a decent base for beaches at Santa Cruz/Monterey, San Francisco, and places like Tahoe/Yosemite... It's not as 'burby as places like Palo Alto, and doesn't have the price tag of these areas that are driven up by school catchment areas, it's not as expensive as SF and you don't have to live in the fog. Plus flying out of San Jose Airport is a great option.

Gillymonkey

I live in San Diego and I personally love it. However, one thing I will say is that it does not feel 'city'. Part of what I love about it is the ability to live life outdoors. Beaches, hiking, fishing, snow sports etc all within easy access.

ThatKidKyle

This is my first time on here, so have no idea how to quote previous posts Hi Sally, If I move to California I will be flying out mostly due to the large distance been California, Nevada and Arizona. Airport access under an hour away would be ideal, but not the be all and end all.

MarylandNed, the things you have described about DC are what I also really enjoy about it! Having the option of having those cities close by (I have friends in WV and Pittsburgh) is a real plus, and also the time difference/flight time to the UK is a lot less stressful.

I will try and have an extended stay of some sorts in California if I can, it just depends on when I can get out there! Also the first place I find may not be where I end up. Thanks for the info N1cky, my general feeling would be to see how much time I would actually need to spend in the Bay Area and then if needed always move up (or move up if I really liked it), so I will definitely look into Santana Row. Being single I have the luxury to just get up and go somewhere else after a few months if I find its not for me, however I would like to get it 'sort of' right first time around!

My only experience with Pasadena is that it was the area portrayed in the Big Bang Theory. So I'm guessing good Thai Food?!

Thank you for all the help so far, it really is appreciated.

MMcD

Don't know how often you'd be wanting to go back to UK for visits - or have visitors from there....but keep in mind the additional travel time if you opt for CA.

Also, you say:
" DC is the most 'like England' place i have been to so far. Really enjoyed staying up there visiting some real nice bars and restaurants. Apart from the traffic, I loved the area around Georgetown University and Arlington. Also really like the fact they have a working Metro system
So far it seems like public transport in the US is non existent."

If these things are important to you - then perhaps (Southern) California - won't be your cup of tea (so to speak )
As for public transport, that blanket statement isn't true....New Yorkers, for example are dependent on it (or their feet ). Totally.

It's good that you'll be coming here to suss it out.....in the end, once one weighs the practicalities - which are what they are - these feelings about places are entirely subjective - and often, not at all predictable.

hungryhorace

Having visited both areas a fair bit since I've lived here, I would chose San Fran without even a seconds thought. DC is just a Government centre, there is nothing else going on (I don't think at any rate). San Fran is in a beautiful location, and has so many beautiful areas within a short drive. There is no contest.

N1cky

To quote, look to the bottom right of the post and you'll see a blue box with the word 'quote' wrote in it, click it and it quotes. To multi quote, use the bottom to the right of that (when you hover your mouse over it will say 'multi-quote')

Sally Redux

Click on the blue box under their post that says QUOTE. If you want to do a few at once, click the little square to the right of it, which will turn red, and this will put however many you've done that to into the same reply box when you hit 'quote' or 'new reply'..

Manhattan Beach would be convenient for the airport of course. Nicky flies from Burbank to San Jose I think, not sure where else you can fly from there. Pasadena has nice architecture and more of a 'proper' town feel. Not sure about getting to the airport from there though.

San Diego as mentioned would also be worth a look. I assume they have clubs etc, I'm out of the loop on that I'm afraid.

scrubbedexpat091

Depends where you live, if you live in the older parts feels very city like, but if your in the newer developments your not really in the city, more suburban.

I'd pick SD if I were the poster, nicer then the LA area, good beaches, nice museums (one of the largest collections of museums on the west coast, and all in the same general area including one of the best zoos in the world.)

Southwest has near hourly service to the bay area, so its easy peasy to fly there.

N1cky

Having lived in LA and The Bay Area, I'd pick San Diego too. It has such a lovely relaxed vibe, lots to do, and wonderful weather. Similar to where I am now, but around 40% cheaper to live there.

MMcD

Nah....
If he comes to CA - one of the attractions for him are the beaches... surf and sea....that being said, Pasadena? .... Don't think so

Sally Redux

True dat.

MarylandNed

Absolute nonsense.

S Folinsky

Pasadena is quite convenient to Burbank Airport. When I can and if the price is right, I try and fly out of Burbank as opposed to LAX.

BTW, the LaCanada/Montrose area above Glendale is kind of neat -- and short driving distance from Glendale or Pasadena.

hungryhorace

What else is going on then? I've yet to experience anything other than Government in DC.

FinnDiego

On San Diego: The airport is very convenient to get to if you live downtown or in the uptown neighborhoods (which you would if you're a city person). The downside is there aren't nearly as many direct flights as you'd get from a bigger hub, so you'll end up connecting more and/or paying more. Only one direct flight to Europe (BA to LHR), and it's a much longer trek than from the east coast.

As a city, I'm with Gilly in that San Diego really doesn't feel like one, certainly not a big city. That's not necessarily a bad thing (I'm househunting at the moment so do like it here), but there doesn't seem to be quite as much going on as you'd expect in USA's eighth-largest [edit] city. Having said that the weather is just about perfect, the beer is great, beaches beautiful if you're into that, and the traffic while bad not quite as hopeless as the Bay Area or LA. Expensive though! (see: househunting)

We're also overdue for a meetup, but that belongs in another forum...