Santa Cruz, CA. Would you live there and commute to Silicon Valley?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you posting on DCUM about California?
Surely there is somewhere more appropriate.

Great point.

OP, are you black? If not, why not?

lol

[Anonymous]

I'm from Santa Cruz-lots of family and friends still live there. Yes, many work "over the hill"...
After living here in hard charging DC, I don't think I could transition back. Very different pace.

[Anonymous]

I have friends there and have been to visit. Sometimes got the feeling that people I met there were trying to convince others they are hippies, like the hippy vibe was a bit forced in some cases.

[Anonymous]

Beautiful, expensive, very family friendly. Commute totally depends on where in SV. Netflix is in Los Gatos, so it's easy. If further up the peninsula, it can be hard but doable. If you are lucky enough to work for Netflix, apple, or FB (and maybe Google), you can ride company shuttles from SC and work during your commute. IMO Netflix is most ideal due to location/compensation/corporate culture.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Beautiful, expensive, very family friendly. Commute totally depends on where in SV. Netflix is in Los Gatos, so it's easy. If further up the peninsula, it can be hard but doable. If you are lucky enough to work for Netflix, apple, or FB (and maybe Google), you can ride company shuttles from SC and work during your commute. IMO Netflix is most ideal due to location/compensation/corporate culture.

Thanks! This helps a lot. Job is in Mountain View, and we're confirming about the shuttle to SC.

[Anonymous]

I live in SF. That's too far a commute plus Santa Cruz is very meth lab-ish. Lots of young homeless. Not good schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Beautiful, expensive, very family friendly. Commute totally depends on where in SV. Netflix is in Los Gatos, so it's easy. If further up the peninsula, it can be hard but doable. If you are lucky enough to work for Netflix, apple, or FB (and maybe Google), you can ride company shuttles from SC and work during your commute. IMO Netflix is most ideal due to location/compensation/corporate culture.

Thanks! This helps a lot. Job is in Mountain View, and we're confirming about the shuttle to SC.

Shuttle confirmed. I think this makes a difference as it turns a commute into somewhat productive time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Beautiful, expensive, very family friendly. Commute totally depends on where in SV. Netflix is in Los Gatos, so it's easy. If further up the peninsula, it can be hard but doable. If you are lucky enough to work for Netflix, apple, or FB (and maybe Google), you can ride company shuttles from SC and work during your commute. IMO Netflix is most ideal due to location/compensation/corporate culture.

Thanks! This helps a lot. Job is in Mountain View, and we're confirming about the shuttle to SC.

Shuttle confirmed. I think this makes a difference as it turns a commute into somewhat productive time.

PP who lived there 4 years: In that case, go for it! But: I do think SC can be a really hard place to grow up for some reason. I loved living there for my college years. But my cousins, who actually grew up there, got really messed up for a while. So did a LOT of their friends. That combination of economic privilege and easy access to serious drugs, plus the beach and all that comes with it--I dunno. It makes for some rough teenagers.

[Anonymous]

Op, what is the length of time you would be on the shuttle? And what is your current commute? Take it from someone who did the baltimore to DC commute by train, a long commute will drain the life from you in ways you would not expect, even if you are not driving. I would not set myself up for that type of pain is it could be avoided.

[Anonymous]

Current commute 25 minutes. SC commute 60 minutes + depending on the day. We're just having a hard time finding somewhere actually in Silicon Valley that we could both afford and be excited about calling home. Santa Cruz seems idyllic from afar but I get what other PPs are saying, an isolated beach town with money can often fall prey to darker temptations and out of whack realities. But being that close to the beach would be so very soul satisfying.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Current commute 25 minutes. SC commute 60 minutes + depending on the day. We're just having a hard time finding somewhere actually in Silicon Valley that we could both afford and be excited about calling home. Santa Cruz seems idyllic from afar but I get what other PPs are saying, an isolated beach town with money can often fall prey to darker temptations and out of whack realities. But being that close to the beach would be so very soul satisfying.

But the commute will be soul crushing. Is renting for a year an option?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People do it. I had a friend that did it, but it can be painful. The 17 hwy up from SC to SV is very twisty, 2 lanes, often backed up and/or has accidents.

Personally, I feel SC is very isolated from everywhere.

On the whole, SC is *very* liberal. So be prepared.

This a thousand times.