Deciding between Walnut Creek and San Ramon (San Francisco, Concord: rentals, motel)

[katatjuta]

Hi all

My husband, two children, and I are moving from Rocklin to the Bay Area this summer. We have narrowed down our search to Walnut Creek and San Ramon/Danville area. Schools are important but API of 950 is not crucial! Any experience with Mt. Diablo Unified anyone? Husband works from home when he is not traveling. I am looking for employment as a teacher.

I would appreciate any opinions/pros/cons regarding any of the above areas. Also, help with cost of living and realistic expectations of what we can afford, etc. We will rent initially and would like to keep below $3000, closer to $2500 if possible.

Thanks!

[sav858]

Walnut Creek. More character, more amenities, more things to do, and a better location with 2 freeways and a BART station. I really like the large walkable downtown in WC and the access BART provides, San Ramon is too cookie cutter and generic to me.

Mt Diablo USD generally sucks as most of it is in Concord BUT the schools in Walnut Creek that are part of that school district are very good. WCUSD and Acalanes UHSD are better and the areas those districts cover I like more too in WC.

[capoeira]

Originally Posted by katatjuta

Hi all

My husband, two children, and I are moving from Rocklin to the Bay Area this summer. We have narrowed down our search to Walnut Creek and San Ramon/Danville area. Schools are important but API of 950 is not crucial! Any experience with Mt. Diablo Unified anyone? Husband works from home when he is not traveling. I am looking for employment as a teacher.

I would appreciate any opinions/pros/cons regarding any of the above areas. Also, help with cost of living and realistic expectations of what we can afford, etc. We will rent initially and would like to keep below $3000, closer to $2500 if possible.

Thanks!

I prefer San Ramon. With Walnut Creek you have to deal with the traffic jams going through the Caldecott tunnel and on the Bay Bridge if you are going to SFO. In San Ramon you can use Crow Canyon Rd. which is a fantastic shortcut. You would use the San Mateo Bridge and go north to the airport.

Compare:

Driving Directions from Walnut Creek to SFO

Driving Directions from San Ramon to SFO

[clongirl]

Originally Posted by sav858

Walnut Creek. More character, more amenities, more things to do, and a better location with 2 freeways and a BART station. I really like the large walkable downtown in WC and the access BART provides, San Ramon is too cookie cutter and generic to me.

Mt Diablo USD generally sucks as most of it is in Concord BUT the schools in Walnut Creek that are part of that school district are very good. WCUSD and Acalanes UHSD are better and the areas those districts cover I like more too in WC.

I agree..San Ramon is very bland- a homogenous town full of new sprawling sameness, imo...

I think Walnut Creek's got a lot more going on including a BART station.

[Ceece]

I would rather live in San Ramon and play in Walnut Creek

[clongirl]

Originally Posted by Ceece

I would rather live in San Ramon and play in Walnut Creek

When I moved from Ireland back to the Bay Area my husband and I drove around San Ramon looking at rentals since it was closer to his job. I had never been out that way prior to leaving San Francisco.

Ever see the show "Weeds"? Ever listen to the opening song "Little Boxes" by Malvina Reynolds? Not knowing that it was an old song, it described San Ramon to the "T". I actually thought the show was filmed there. In total culture shock I cried as I drove through , missing Ireland and San Francisco ... it really takes a certain kind of person. Okay if you are...

BMW, Mercedes, Hummer..all pulling into the driveways of houses that all looked exactly the same all built at the same time..children being huddled into the houses but no children out playing on the streets on a beautiful Saturday morning. Ugh, that might be just me, though.. My reaction might have been extreme at that time.

Little boxes on the hillside, Little boxes made of ticky-tacky mp3 midi free download beach motel Sechelt bed breakfast ...this describes San Ramon from my perspective.

[Mr. Ozo]

Walnut Creek

[sav858]

Originally Posted by capoeira

I prefer San Ramon. With Walnut Creek you have to deal with the traffic jams going through the Caldecott tunnel and on the Bay Bridge if you are going to SFO. In San Ramon you can use Crow Canyon Rd. which is a fantastic shortcut. You would use the San Mateo Bridge and go north to the airport.

Compare:

Driving Directions from Walnut Creek to SFO

Driving Directions from San Ramon to SFO

45 minutes vs 42 minutes, not exactly a big difference there or even worth mentioning. San Ramon and the San Mateo bridge aren't exactly congestion free either and neither is that stretch of 101 to get up to the city. That is not any sort of quicker alternative at all. And you have the option of not having to sit in traffic with a BART station nearby in WC.

[capoeira]

Originally Posted by clongirl

Ever see the show "Weeds"? Ever listen to the opening song "Little Boxes" by Malvina Reynolds? Not knowing that it was an old song, it described San Ramon to the "T". I actually thought the show was filmed there. In total culture shock I cried as I drove through , missing Ireland and San Francisco ... it really takes a certain kind of person.

The song "Little Boxes" was written to describe the little houses in Daly City.

Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitors sites is not allowed

For San Ramon maybe the title can be changed to big boxes.

[feenom98]

San Ramon, if you're looking for the better school district. I went to schools in the Mt. Diablo district my entire life and it is not something I would ever want to deal with as a parent! There are definitely good schools in the district and teachers and administrators who care, but San Ramon far surpasses. I also know teachers and counselors who have worked in both districts and preferred San Ramon. They have a bigger budget, newer facilities, and access to newer and better technology and supplies. All of California's school districts are hurting right now, but San Ramon is hurting less.

I agree that the city is pretty bland, but there are some nice restaurants, and I find it surprisingly diverse for such an upscale area. The drive into Walnut Creek could hardly be any shorter, so all that it has to offer would still be available to you, and your budget for a home seems do-able. Hope this helped!