San Francisco Bay Area Apartments Rentals Houses

BAY AREA CITIES

ABOUT THE BAY AREA

San Francisco is known as the City By the Bay, but by no means is it the only city! The Bay Area offers great diversity, mild climate and beautiful vistas both natural and urban. From high-tech Silicon Valley cities to quiet costal communities, many of our cities and towns have their own unique personalities. If you're new to the area, you might not know Redwood City from Vallejo, but RentalGuide.com can help you find what's best for you among the five basic regions: the Peninsula, the South Bay, Marin County, Solano County, Sonoma County and the East Bay. For the many districts and neighborhoods within the city of San Francisco, please see our SF Neighborhoods page.

MARIN COUNTY

Sunny Marin County is located just 15 minutes north of San Francisco over the world-famous Golden Gate Bridge. One of California's most affluent counties, Marin offers many rental options, all in high demand. Rents in Southern and Central Marin are comparable to San Francisco while northern Marin cities tend to be less expensive but a longer commute. Many apartments in Marin offer views of the bay, city, mountains, and woodlands; private decks; pools and saunas; spacious floor plans; fireplaces; nearby hiking/biking trails; and garden settings. Most communities are conveniently located near shopping areas and have easy access to Highway 101 and public transportation.

Highway 101 is the main roadway through Marin. The drive to San Francisco is famous for the views of Marin Headlands, sailboats on the bay, and the beautiful San Francisco skyline from the Golden Gate Bridge. Golden Gate Transit buses serve Marin and San Francisco, with daily schedules and express buses for commuters. Golden Gate Transit Ferry, Blue & Gold Fleet, and the Red & White Fleet offer ferry service between San Francisco and Marin. The Marin Airporter provides hourly service to the San Francisco International Airport.

Marin also offers beautiful parklands. Point Reyes National Seashore, Muir Woods Redwood Forest, Angel Island, China Camp, Mt. Tamalpais, Samuel P. Taylor and Tomales Bay are only a few of them.

• Marin County City Halls and Chambers of Commerce

PENINSULA

South of San Francisco and north of San Jose, the upper Peninsula attracts many apartment seekers to its ocean views, scenic coastal hamlets, growing cities and chic modern suburbs. The mid-peninsula offers quiet sunny residential living with over twenty park and recreation areas nearby. Many apartment communities have expansive floor plans, pools, saunas, workout facilities, club houses for parties, extra storage, off street parking, other luxuries and amenities and also offer affordable rents - relatively speaking!

South San Francisco, Daly City, San Mateo, San Bruno, Burlingame, and other surrounding areas are minutes from downtown San Francisco. Pacifica overlooks the Pacific Ocean with breathtaking views and lies about 15 minutes from San Francisco! Shopping, restaurants and local entertainment are convenient to most Peninsula apartment communities. Public transportation and freeways are convenient for commuters traveling from most areas of the Peninsula.

• Peninsula City Halls and Chambers of Commerce

EAST BAY

A short drive across the Bay Bridge, the East Bay encompasses a huge geographical area with perhaps the most diverse rental options in the Bay Area.

East Bay cities such as Oakland offer many of the amenities of city living: charming shops, gourmet restaurants and lively entertainment. Combine that with affordable rents, a great commute to San Francisco for work or play and excellent access to public transportation and it's understandable why there's been a renewed interest in Oakland.

The further east from San Francisco that you travel, you'll encounter a more suburban landscape complete with shopping malls. Many of the rental properties in the East Bay offer beautiful views of the Bay and lush open hillsides. Modern apartment communities offer spacious units with great amenities including swimming pools, spas, exercise facilities and assigned or covered parking. Public transportation via BART is excellent, though you may need a car to drive to the station where parking is available.

Like Marin County, the East Bay is known for its regional parklands and preserves where outdoor enthusiasts can hike, fish or mountain bike.

• East Bay City Halls and Chambers of Commerce

SOUTH BAY / SILICON VALLEY

As the Silicon Valley has seen dramatic growth in the past few years, rentals have become increasingly difficult to find and more costly. While high-tech and the Silicon Valley have been synonymous for decades, it's no secret that sky-high rents in Bay Area are a negative result of the most recent economic boom in the Silicon Valley.

San Jose is California's third largest city and today it is ranked as one of Fortune Magazine's ten best U.S. cities for business. The area offers much to do, from renowned museums, professional sports teams, restaurants, shopping and entertainment.

The cities that surround San Jose are more typically suburban. Rental housing options include modern apartment communities with all the popular amenities including swimming pools, exercise facilities and assigned parking.

Public transportation to and from San Francisco is available via Caltrain but hours of operation are limited.

• South Bay & Silicon Valley City Halls & Chambers of Commerce

SOLANO COUNTY

Northeast of San Francisco is Solano County, California's third fastest- growing county. Affordable housing and a reasonable commute time by major freeways or commuter ferries make Solano County one of the Bay Area's best-kept secrets. Located close to San Francisco, Oakland, Sacramento and the wine countries of Napa and Sonoma, Vallejo has something to offer adults and families with children of all ages.

A prime location to live for those who want to experience some of the treasures of northern California, Vallejo offers all the comforts and amusements of a large city, set in a relaxed, small-town atmosphere. Attention commuters to and from San Francisco! Travel between Vallejo and San Francisco is easy and comfortable when taking the express commuter ferries. The entire trip between Vallejo and San Francisco takes approximately one hour.

• Solano County City Halls and Chambers of Commerce

SONOMA & NAPA COUNTIES

Sleepy hillsides studded with shady oaks, lush valleys laden with some of America's finest vineyards, hot air balloons passing silently overhead- these are all familiar sights in Sonoma County.

Santa Rosa, Rohnert Park, Petaluma and the surrounding communities in Sonoma County offer: good schools for young families, a country setting with many conveniences, nice weather, quality homes, a variety of rental options at affordable rates and a good central location for commuters to both Marin County and the Wine Country. Commute times to San Francisco will vary but on average expect about a 40 to 60 minute drive by car. Public transportation is available but routes and hours of operation are limited.

Rohnert Park is nestled between Santa Rosa, the county seat, and historic Petaluma. With a population of 40,000, Rohnert Park is a collection of well-planned neighborhoods, each with its own park and schools, Sonoma State University is located here and, for the sports-minded, there are golf courses, community tennis courts and jogging/bike paths that run along the city's many creeks. Rohnert Park is within 40 minutes of San Francisco.

In Santa Rosa, you will find a junior college, historical landmarks-including the home and private gardens of Luther Burbank, the famous horticulturist-the Luther Burbank Center for the Arts, where many cultural events take place, and a group of city, county and state parks. Affordable housing (both for sale and for rent) draws many to this northern community.

Petaluma, located just over the Marin/Somoma County border, is filled with old-world charm. Among the most popular housing options are the area's many restored Victorian homes.

• Sonoma & Napa County City Halls and Chambers of Commerce