The San Francisco Bay Area is an excellent choice for anyone who is searching for a new place to call their home. For one, the weather here is absolutely fantastic – there’s lots of sunshine, and residents enjoy moderate temperatures all throughout the year. The Bay Area also offers a plethora of career opportunities in some of the world’s major corporations, including Tesla, Apple, Yahoo, Facebook, Google, and Netflix.
Relocating to San Francisco Bay Area also means that you’ll be just a short drive away from a lot of wonderful places. To the north of the Bay Area, you’ll find the massive redwood forests and Napa Valley. To the south and southeast –Los Angeles, San Diego, Mexico, Death Valley, the vast sand dunes, the giant Sequoias and the Yosemite Park. And to the east are numerous ski resorts, including the ones in Lake Tahoe.
If you are considering moving to San Francisco Bay Area, you’re in for an amazing ride. But first, get to know more about your next new home.
Weather in San Francisco Bay Area
The Bay Area has a very distinct yet varied set of weather patterns.
- The San Francisco Bay Area is considered to have a Mediterranean climate: hot, dry summers and cool, rainy winters.
- Winter in the Bay Area is a season of rain, with December having the most storms which consist of rain and wind.
- The storied fog starts to roll in through the Golden Gate in spring.
- San Francisco is known for its fog, which is lovingly nicknamed Karl by the locals.
- Summer is a bit unusual in the Bay Area, with the southern portions like San Jose, Sunnyvale and Fremont experiencing nearly unbroken sunshine, while San Francisco residents are experiencing chilly fog during the morning and evening.
- If you prefer sunnier weather, you might want to consider moving to Hayward, over in the East Bay, which has more than 250 sunny days in a year.
- The autumn season is the calmest month in the Bay Area, and residents enjoy the soothing and warm air.
Things to Do in the Bay Area
There’s never a dull moment in the Bay Area. There are so many things you can do and so many places to go to. Let’s explore.
- The Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival, which takes place in the middle of April, is the perfect way to welcome spring, with performances, tea ceremonies, calligraphy lessons, and a grand parade on the last day.
- Summer is baseball season and sports fans can show support and watch the Giants’ game at Oracle Park.
- Other ways to enjoy the beautiful summer weather in the Bay Area: visit the California Shakespeare Theater in Orinda, go to the San Francisco Jazz Festival, watch a movie in a park, or catch an outdoor concert at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley.
- Called the “Indian Summer,” the weather in the Bay Area remains pleasantly warm throughout the fall while temperatures are drop pretty much everywhere else.
- Some of the favorite fall music festivals in the Bay Area are the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival and the Treasure Island Music Festival, which both take place in October.
- The Muir Woods located North of San Francisco is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area and is a great place to hike, enjoy nature, and to marvel at the gentle giants of the west coasts, redwoods.
- The Castro District, the Rainbow Flag neighborhood of San Francisco, is known for its lively nightlife, excellent restaurants, and scenic walking areas.
- Oakland’s Chinatown is one of the oldest Chinatowns in the country and offers an authentic Asian experience, with over 45 restaurants and 9 tea shops.
- Sit on Hawk Hill with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge and watch the fog roll by as the lights of San Francisco glow in the background.
Where to Eat in the Bay Area
The Bay Area boasts a bustling culinary scene. Check out these top places to try once you’ve settled in your new home.
Berkeley’s Chez Panisse
Berkeley’s Chez Panisse is the restaurant that introduced slow food and the farm-to-table movement in the United States when it opened in 1971. Some of the best picks from their restaurant menu include:
- Mendocino smoked black cod with Little Gems and horseradish salsa
- Grilled Monterey Bay squid and leeks with Meyer lemon salsa and frisée
- Becker Lane Farm pork loin spit-roasted with sage and rosemary; with apricot mostarda, fried spring onions, and turnips
The Progress
The Progress is a destination restaurant in San Francisco awarded with one Michelin star. The menu is constantly changing with the seasons, but some of the restaurant’s most popular dishes include:
- Lamb tartare
- Tempura artichoke
- Brown butter seaweed noodles
Drake’s Dealership
Drake’s Dealership is the restaurant and bar of Drake’s Brewing Company, a craft beer company based in Oakland. This laidback food venue is known for its open-air beer garden and wood-fired pizza. Here are some of the crowd favorites:
- Old School
- Uptown
- Broadway
Miss Ollie’s
Miss Ollie’s is Oakland’s “down-home delight.” This Caribbean restaurant is popular for their brunch menu:
- Chicken and Waffles
- Buttermilk Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
- Big bowl of Seafood Gumbo
Lois the Pie Queen
Lois the Pie Queen has been serving scrumptious Southern style food for three decades. This classic diner prepares everything from scratch, making every meal such a delightful experience. Some of their popular menu choices are:
- Reggie Jackson Special
- Southern Fried Chicken
- Salmon Croquettes
The San Francisco Bay Area is truly an amazing place to live in. The perfect beach weather, amazing location, thriving economy, so many fun activities and events to go to, and so many wonderful restaurants to try – everything you’re looking for is practically in this location! If you are currently looking for a residential property, I’ll be happy to show you all the best options in the area. Please give me a call at (510) 746-8240 or email at gk@grahamking.com if you have any questions or if you would like to schedule an appointment.
