I’m seriously considering relocating to San Francisco. My girlfriend and I will be there for the next week and would like to check out some paces while we are there. We would most likely want to rent for the first year before deciding where to settle down permanently. What neighborhoods would be best with regards to proximity to great training? My company is located right Downtown at 210 3rd ST near the ballpark so something with easy transit access would be cool but not necessarily a must since I will most likely have to drive a fair bit for my job (sales). Looking for something “reasonable” which obviously has to be considered in S.F. terms. I looked at a neighborhood called Dogpatch that seemed pretty cool but didn’t have a lot of hustle-n-bustle that I really like about most San Fran neighborhoods. So what neighborhoods should I check out and what makes them good for a triathlete? Thanks!!!
Probably most triathletes live on the north side (Marina/Cow Hollow/Russian Hill/Presidio/North Beach) or in the Aves (Sunset or Richmond). North side is easier commute to your job. Potrero Hill or south (which would include Dogpatch) doesn’t seem too conducive to cycling.
I live in Russian Hill and can ride to the Bridge in about 12 minutes. The Alcatraz transition area is exactly 2 miles from my front door. If I were going to move within SF, I’d probably move to the Presidio.
clm
Marin!
If you HAVE to live in the city, then Cow Hollow, Marina (bonus: try to find a retrofitted building, for earthquake peace of mind). Presidio Heights and Pacific Heights are much nicer, but you said “reasonable”. Best bang for the buck is the Marina.
My duaghter has an apartment near the Arguello entrance to the Presidio. It looks a like a nice place to be. She’s a few blocks from GG park as well. The Jewish community center is a few blocks away and has a pretty decent pool and other workout facilities. We don’t happen to be Jewish and neither is she, but we are welcome there whenever we go to visit her. And, there are several espresso places besides the requisite Starchucks around there.
I don’t have a clue about the rest of town, however.
Sunset baby!
The east side of town absolutely sucks for running. The best place for a triathlete to live in SF is hands down the inner Richmond between Golden Gate Park and the Presidio; you have miles of soft trails to run on, you have easy access to the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin for cycling, and you have USF Natatorium, a great 50M pool and gym.
And there are two Gordos.
What is the Inner Richmond area like as a neighborhood? Are prices reasonable for rent? Seems like rents in the Marina / Presidio area are doable but don’t give me much space. Where am I supposed to keep all of my bikes??? 
You need to define “reasonable”.
Bikes go in the hallway or the living room!
clm
If you’re not used to city living (bikes in the hallway per trackie clm) consider something near a Bart station, like Walnut Creek, Lafayette or even Concord where the same money that gets you a studio in SF can get you 3 & 2 with a garage and a peaceful night’s sleep…
The 'burbs kind of defeat his whole purpose…
but didn’t have a lot of hustle-n-bustle that I really like about most San Fran neighborhoods.<<
clm
“The 'burbs kind of defeat his whole purpose…”
-
- Hey, Walnut Creek is a happening town. We don’t roll up the sidewalks until after the sun goes down.
I currently have a loft in downtown Atlanta. I love city living and realize that I will be sacrificing space for a “better” urban experience. I just want to be close to training opportunities. I already keep my bike in the living room (reminds me to ride if nothing else). I’ve been checking out CraigsList for some of the neighborhoods mentioned. Not as much to choose from as I would have thought.
I would love an explanation of what makes these neighborhoods good places for triathletes to live. What training opportunities make them desirable? So far the explanation about Inner Richmond seems to bump it up my list but there was very limited stock on CraigList in particular for this neighborhood. Are there other close neighborhoods to Golden Gate Park that offer good transportation to the Financial District while also retaining some charm?
Other questions that CraigList brought up…
Do most rentals not have washer and dryers in the units? My sweaty clothes like regular washings.
How is parking typically for places that don’t offer it? Where would I leave my car and how much would monthly parking typically run? Is most parking via a meter or do people typically park in lots?
Does USF allow non students / non alum use of their facility? What do they charge monthly or per visit?
I saw some people swimming in the Bay? Is it safe to do this regularly? My friend who lives in the area seems to think the Bay is too polluted to swim in regularly.
What areas should I check out while I’m in town to give me a better feel for the training opportunities? What are “must have” and “nice to have” ammenities I should look for in a retal?
Thanks!!!
I would love an explanation of what makes these neighborhoods good places for triathletes to live. What training opportunities make them desirable? So far the explanation about Inner Richmond seems to bump it up my list but there was very limited stock on CraigList in particular for this neighborhood. Are there other close neighborhoods to Golden Gate Park that offer good transportation to the Financial District while also retaining some charm?<<
See, here’s your problem. Ask 5 people and you’ll get 5 different answers. I would never live in the Sunset or Richmond (or anywhere near GGP). I actually have a hard time going west of Van Ness Avenue, except to run or ride to the Bridge. I hate fog and crappy weather and they have both. I find the training (bike/run) perfectly fine from Russian Hill. I can ride to the Bridge as fast or faster than the Aves and run along the waterfront and over the Bridge or in the Presidio. I also have a faster commute.
Other questions that CraigList brought up…
Do most rentals not have washer and dryers in the units? My sweaty clothes like regular washings.
In the actual unit? Usually no. Some of the buildings may have it in the building. I live in a flat and we don’t. Wash and fold is my friend for jeans, tshirts and towels. For workout stuff, I wash at the laundry and hang to dry at home.
How is parking typically for places that don’t offer it? Where would I leave my car and how much would monthly parking typically run? Is most parking via a meter or do people typically park in lots?<<
HA! Again, depends on the place and the neighborhood. I park on the street and it’s not too bad. In my hood, you can rent a parking spot for $300/month. Not worth it for me. I actually went without a car for about 4 years. There are no lots in the neighborhoods generally. In the way far out Aves, there is street parking, but again, I would never live out there.
Does USF allow non students / non alum use of their facility? What do they charge monthly or per visit?<<
Yes, for limited hours. They used to have a good Masters swim program. Not sure what the situation is now. Check their website.
I saw some people swimming in the Bay? Is it safe to do this regularly? My friend who lives in the area seems to think the Bay is too polluted to swim in regularly.<<
People swim every single day of the year in the Bay. The tri clubs have regular swims (GGTC.org) and there is the Dolphin Club and SERC (South End Rowing Club) with clubhouses right at Aquatic Park. Your friend is feeding you some erroneous information.
What areas should I check out while I’m in town to give me a better feel for the training opportunities? What are “must have” and “nice to have” ammenities I should look for in a retal?<<
San Francisco is not that big, so you can check most of it out pretty easily. Define “training opportunities”. I’d venture to guess that there are triathletes living in nearly every neighborhood of the City. I’d go for a decent commute (you won’t want to be driving your car that much) in a nice neighborhood. I can run and ride right out of my front door with no problem. I swim downtown near work, so it’s all covered.
clm
I lived in Potrero Hill for years and loved it. Best things are:
- Proximity to the highway
- Close to the Embarcadero for running/riding
- CalTrain and Muni goes right through - esp good if you work near the ball park
- UCSF supposedly has a nice 50m pool which is right in Potero Hill
- Best part is always plenty of parking! May sound like a simple thing but you will come to appreciate it
And some good restaurants in Potrero Hill!
clm
If running 100% on concrete is your thing then I third Potrero Hill.
the inner Richmond is probaby about 65-75% the rent of the Marina. Over the years I have lived on 7th and Clement, 22nd and Clement, 16th and Lake and 36th and Fulton…which is a bit further out there. In the inner richmond you are never more than 3 blocks from soft pine needle trails, either in the Presidio or Golden Gate park. You also have Kezar Stadium for track workouts. There are great restaurants, great pubs, AWESOME burritos, a couple of beaches…when the weather is nice, Baker Beach is the place to be! there are pools and open water swimming close by and you have easy access to open roads for cycling.
Yup if you love the sun you’ll not like the fog, but like I said, the sun is only 3 miles away if you need a daily fix.
I miss the Richmond.
when the weather is nice, Baker Beach is the place to be!<<
That’s one day a year!!!
Check out the Rockridge neighborhood in Oakland.
Commute from Rockridge on BART to downtown SF is 20 minutes. Shorter than from many of the SF neighborhoods. And BART is a cushier, on-time commute as compared to SF’s muni streetcars and buses.
It is SUNNY here!
Several pools within walking/biking distance, and endless trail running and cycling route opportunities.
I’ve had triathlete friends move away from here to SF and move BACK because they find the training preferable here.
The vibe is less urban than in SF. You’d have to wander around and see if you like it.
A smaller neighborhood where I used to live was called Laurel Heights. This is basically the USF area and when I lived there USF offered a gym membership for those who lived in the neighborhood. That was pretty reasonable IIRC. That pool was simply amazing and they had nightly basketball pick-up games, very competitive! I used to ride a lot with the group from City Cycles, but if you live in the city you’ll find that you’ll do most of your rides outside the city, IMHO. I used to ride my bike to work from there and it was usually faster than taking the express buses… Laurel Heights was just before the fog line too and it was at the top of a hill so you got some really fantastic weather. A quick ride down the hill to the presidio or if you went the other way you could be at GGP pretty quick…
I now live in Walnut Creek and to second what CousinElwood said, walnut creek is a great place to live if you still want “some” downtown appeal, but I often miss living in the city.
SF is a great place to live and as long as you stay away from the crappy neighborhoods I doubt you’d be dissapointed in any of the SF neighborhood options that have been thrown out.
One thing to note is that if you’re young and single the Marina/Cow Hollow district is a hot spot…
Potrero Hill looks like it gets some bigger living space from what I have seen on CraigsList. One concern is that there seems to be a lot of 3 bedrooms but fewer 1’s and 2’s meaning my girlfriend and I would need to get a roomate. Not sure if we are down with that. Another good thing about Potero Hill is that one of my buddies is about to move from Napa and is considering buying in Dogpatch which would be very close.
For Potero Hill, how do I get access to the UCSF facilities? Are there good places to swim in the Bay nearby or is the Aquatic Park the only safe place for that?
So my best options as I see them are Inner Richmond (or something near the Presidio) if I want easier access to “nature”. Also seems to have more/better training options. But I would pay more for less living space.
Or Potrero Hill… seems more industrial but has access to the Embarcadero which gives me access to the other areas of the city for training but is a little less convienient. On the plus side it would be closer to my office and I would get more for my money space wise but would sacrafice some of the “hustle-n-bustle” that I like about San Fran. Also I hear that it gets the most sun in the city.
Any other plusses/minuses for these areas or others that I should consider? I’m going to check out the neighborhoods today and tomorrow and hopefully look at some places this week just to get an idea of what we can get for our money. Do people typically use a rental agent to locate a propert or is Craigslist my best option? I’m still surprised at how little rental stock is actually available.