San Francisco

Flaker4!

Heading to San Fran for the summer!.
I need somewhere good to stay and somewhere thats cheap

Anyway does anyone know of somewhere cheap?
Ive heard a good bit about San Fran Berkeley College Accommodation.
Any good? Is it cheap?
Any one know anything about it??
Id Love to get as much info as I can before just picking some crap hole!
Thanks X:D

Zaph

Moved from Forums forum

Flaker4!

Yeah I have been but Im not getting anything good! Just thought Id put up my own and see what people have to ay to me

rovers2001

Hi Flaker4.

I was in San Francisco last june and although it was just a holiday it was without doubt one of the best places i ever visited.A lot to do and see but did find it quite expensive.Anyway to answer your question go onto Tripadvisor and go to the San Francisco link there you will find locals who will help you.Trust me they really do help especially with accomodation.

Flaker4!

Thanks X

D-Generate

Although on a map it looks like Berkeley is close to SF city, it is actually quite a trip. Basically if you decide to stay out in Berkeley then going to SF will not be something you do daily and it would be more likely that you would work in Berkeley than SF. The best way to get to SF from Berkeley is by using the BART but that stops running at around midnight or even before and the only way to get back after that is Taxi's and that would be well expensive.
Nonetheless Berkeley is a cracking spot for a J1 since it is a very young college town. A good amount of pubs and cafes and bookshops to find work in and the accommodation is plentiful in frat houses although the actual living conditions are not the nicest. If you are U-21 you will also find plenty of house parties in the event that you don't get in to pubs.

If you decide to live in SF then of course there will be a wider variety of activities to do and I have found that I don't get ID'd as much there as I do in Berkeley even though I am 23 now. I figure it is because they don't immediately think that everyone is going to UC Berkeley and might be under-age. You can find accommodation that will be fairly priced for SF down near Mission or Castro but if you are anyway homophobic then maybe Castro won't be best!

Eitherway I think that Bay Area is a great place for a J1. It is easier to find jobs and accommodation than other places in CA and also it is not really visited by Irish J1 students so you have low competition for those type of things and are a bit more of a novelty which all works in your favour. There is tonnes to do all the time and the people are very friendly and laid back there. It is my favourite city on the West Coast by a country mile.

Oh also if you are planning on getting sun and going to the beach then SF ain't the best. Expect a lot of foggy mornings and bring a sweater!

Flaker4!

I dont mind having to travel in the mornings or evenings if I work in SF and am staying a bit out. I am from Dublin, and make a 35 min bus trip into the city Every day here, for college.

I dont mind where I am staying once its cheap. I would like somewhere that came with beds, tables and chairs and the likes but its not the end of the world if it doesnt! ha ha ha
There will be 2 of us to start with then more will arrive in June so somewhere that will have lots of room should be good. . .

Ill look into them places ya said. Thanks
X

Hey I spent 2 months in San Francisco last summer, kind of a J1 but without the work part! It was the best experience of my life! Hope the following helps...

We lived in a Berkeley, which is around 20 minutes from San Francisco by BART. It costs around $7 return to ride and it's very reliable and comfy. It's not too expensive to ride a couple of times a week to do your sightseeing and shopping. We knew people who got it no bother to go to work in SF.

We rented a room in a frat house which cost us $550 each (there was 4 of us) for the whole summer, so cheap enough. I had to buy sheets, a blanket and a pillow for my bed. There was Americans living in the house aswell as 2 other groups of J1ers so made plenty of friends there. There are loads of frat houses in Berkeley and you generally just have to knock on the doors in early June to see what is available.

Nightlife is great in Berkeley. It's mainly house parties numerous times a week at the frats. We never got tired of them. Works well if your under 21. There's also some good clubs and bars around Berkeley.

There is much to do and see in San Francisco that I'll be going back another time to do what I missed. However there are no great beaches. The nearest sunny beach is 1hour south in Santa Cruz.

Flaker4!

Dont mind about the beaches!

tell me more about the acc you stayed in. Ya got any details about it? like contact info or anything?

I dont mind having to travel for work if Im lucky and get a job ! Fingers crossed!
I just need somewhere cheap to stay and what you said sounds GREAT!
Soooo Cheap!
Would love more info on it!
Thanks X

Homesick Alien

Dude check out the sub-lets for San Fran on Craigslist. Generally a place will only be furnished if it is sub-let. Summer we were there we ended up with a unreal apartment in the Mission. I guess if you're a student and more likely to be going to parties than bars then Berkeley is the way to go. Personally I think you're much better off in the city - there's so many cool bars there.

Don't know if you can pre-arrange to live in a frat. You basically just have to knock on their doors to see if there taking in any Irish J1ers, there is loads of frats around the streets near the university.

Whether you decide to live in SF or Berkeley, you are going to have one awesome summer.

blow69

Flaker4! wrote: »

Dont mind about the beaches!

tell me more about the acc you stayed in. Ya got any details about it? like contact info or anything?

I dont mind having to travel for work if Im lucky and get a job ! Fingers crossed!
I just need somewhere cheap to stay and what you said sounds GREAT!
Soooo Cheap!
Would love more info on it!
Thanks X

What age are you Flaker4?
Are you travelling with others or alone?
The frats in Berkeley have ads posted on their doors and windows renting accommodation so just knock on those doors. You can pre-arrange a room i've been told but I hear it's difficult. Just be there for early June and you should be fine. Channing/Piedmont/Bancroft streets are very central locations and the best frats are located there. These are usually the main party frats and the International House is located around here. The 'I' House is for Berkeley students from abroad. They have keg parties now and again.

Deleted User wrote: »

Don't know if you can pre-arrange to live in a frat. You basically just have to knock on their doors to see if there taking in any Irish J1ers, there is loads of frats around the streets near the university.

Whether you decide to live in SF or Berkeley, you are going to have one awesome summer.

I was with roberttt this year in Berkeley. Hi Robert!

semajnayr

do j1'ers stay in the big block of apartments in filmore anymore?

filmore&eddy if i remember correctly!

ahobbsy

3 of us are heading to San francisco this summer.
Trying to find accomodation for 3 months wondering best place to stay.
Trying to keep away from Irish town and bekerley!
Anyone have any advice?