Moving from Europe to the Bay Area
Parent Q&A
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Questions
Moving from Spain - which neighborhood for city people?
Oct 2011
We will be moving from Barcelona, Spain to the Bay Area in June 2012. We are city people, we like the buzz and diversity of cities ( I grew up in Buenos Aires and my husband in Madrid). We have two kids, who will be ages 7 and 5. We were originally thinking of Noe Valley, but have heard such awful things about the public schools in SF and can't afford private school. We would like some advice on Berkeley. Is it urban enough? Are the public schools significantly better than the ones in SF? Which neighborhood should we look into? I would like somewhere where I don't have to drive all the time, and can walk to cafes, markets, etc. My husband will probably be working either in SF or somewhere in Sil Valley, so close to Bart would be important. Thanks for your advice, we are very much in need of it! Camila
I haven't lived in Barcelona or Buenos Aires, but grew up in Sydney and England -- and when I moved to the Bay Area it took some time to adjust to the sometimes 'pokey' feel of this region. You won't replicate the feeling of a major metropolis here (no matter what any native will say :)) and while many Bay Area communities are wonderfully walkable, there is nothing here like New York or the big European cities.
With that said, it's still a great place to live! If you like the sound of Berkeley and want to feel the constant buzz of people around most of the time, I would go for North Berkeley or Rockridge , an Oakland neighborhood adjoining Berkeley. I lived in Berkeley for five years and it not a particularly urban place, but because of the student population it feels fairly densely populated. The most urban shopping/strolling strips are Shattuck Ave, College Ave, San Pablo Ave, and University Ave but all are rather sleepy. Obviously the food scene in Berkeley and Oakland is really vibrant and that lends a buzz to both neighborhoods. There are two BART stations in Berkeley; Rockridge also has BART. Berkeley elementary schools are, my friends there tell me, generally great. Not sure about middle and high schools. It does seem a lot of Berkeley/Oakland families who can afford it send their kids private once middle school rolls around. Both areas have broad ethnic and economic diversity.
I also lived in Noe Valley and actually wouldn't recommend it for an urban feel. Better San Francisco neighborhoods would be North Beach, Eureka Valley (the larger neighborhood above and behind the Castro, adjoining Noe Valley) or Potrero Hill. I believe there are some good public elementary schools in North Beach; Potrero Hill's SFUSD schools are fine to iffy (at the moment; these things can change fast too); not sure about which schools are in Eureka Valley. Yes, public schools in San Francisco are not uniformly great, but neither are they all dreadful. We left the city because of the unpredictable school assignment system -- you don't get to go to the school closest to your home. This has been remedied somewhat but neighborhood schools are still not the rule there. Be aware that San Francisco is, sadly, a city of extremes: among families, there are many people at each extreme of very poor and very well-off. It also has one of the lowest percentages in the U.S. of households with children. San Francisco is no major metropolis, but it's going to have the most urban buzz of all the cities in the Bay Area.
Hopefully someone from the San Jose area will respond too. I don't know that area well, but San Jose is a large city with a great climate, and you can always commute up to Silicon Valley rather than down from the East Bay or San Francisco. There are a good number of strong public schools in Santa Clara County, too.
Don't move to the Peninsula (San Mateo County/heart of Silicon Valley.) It has fabulous weather and some very good public schools, but is a chain of sleepy-to-moderately lively towns strung along a major highway and a smaller, minor highway. Not urban. At all.
We ended up moving to Piedmont , a small town nested in Oakland. We are 15-20 minutes by foot from two BART stations and close to two major shopping/strolling streets. There is incredible family involvement in the public schools, which are excellent. Still, it's also not particularly urban here, e.g., we have a backyard; people have chickens, gardens, etc. Contrary to what you may hear, Piedmont is actually ethnically quite diverse; it is also for the most part a middle to upper middle class community.
I hope this helps! Miss the big, big city!
I hope you enjoy your move to the US, no matter where you end up. From your post seems like you are searching for urban vibe, good schools, and good public transport. You'll find some of that in many East Bay neighborhoods, definitely Berkeley , but I can't imagine that any urban vibe, even SF, will come close to the vibrancy of Barcelona. So as long as your expectations are that it will be a 'different' kind of urban feel, then you will find entertainment (plenty of music and theatre venues) within walking distance of most of Berkeley. Berkeley public schools are generally seen as good but you will find detractors-- most CA public schools are underfunded so you may want to do more research to see if curriculum and class size are what you want for your kids. Berkeley school system is like SF-- lottery system-- so even though you live in one part of Berkeley, your kids could end up going to school in another part of Berkeley-- meant to increase diversity and level the socioeconomic playing field, but not to everyone's liking. As for desirable neighborhoods, my preference is for North Berkeley area, but you'll soon see that most of Berkeley, except downtown, looks like a suburb, not an urban center. If you live anywhere in Berkeley, you will probably be near a BART station -- there are 3-4 to choose from, and if going to SF there are also trans-Bay buses. Good luck with your transition-- and I wish I could move to Barcelona! anon
Moving from London - I have no idea where to live
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
Welcome to Berkeley!
You are correct, childcare works very different here than in most European countries. For example, Kindergarten is a specific term only for the year before kids start 1st grade and it is part of the school system. Your daughter being 2.5 means she falls in the age range for preschool.
Where are you moving from? I am originally from Europe too and would be happy to help you navigate all the options. Feel free to message me and good luck with the move, Heike.
There are some state-funded child care options, but they tend to be reserved for low-income (and especially homeless) families, or those who qualify due to a disability. Mostly, you are on your own.
If you will be in Berkeley, the child care referral agency for our area is Bananas. You can find a lot of information (but not "recommendations") there. https://bananasbunch.org/
Let’s sort out the vocabulary first. In the USA kindergarten is part of elementary school. It’s the grade before first grade. What you are looking for, is called preschool.
If you are looking for a German-speaking preschool, there is Bay Area Kinderstube (BAKS) in Albany and the preschool of EBGIS in Emeryville.