You might also consider Pinole. Far enough up I-80 to be close to Travis, but also not a bad run to SF either. I wouldn't want to live in Vaccaville or Fairfield unless I had too. It's far enough from SF that you'll consider it a hassle to go there. Then consider having to drive all the way back home after a night of dinner/drinks. Split the difference and you'll be happier.

ok, now I'm getting really split)
Fairfield or vacaville or concord/pleasant hill??? Help!!
I don't want the daily commutes to be a hassle...so If concord/pleasant hill are > 30-40 minutes drive during peak hours...I would consider vacaville or fairfield. Loveitaly, U have me confused now. West fairfield or vacaville?

I also agree that living in Vacaville/Fairfield is better than Concord, Walnut Creek, etc.

Look at your current daily life activities. Are you going out and hitting dance clubs, etc. during the week? Are you maybe taking in a movie and dinner? Are you stopping off at a bar for a couple drinks and a game?

You can get a sports bar, movies and restaurants anywhere. The dance clubs maybe not, but if you normally do those things on the weekends, then you can still do that while living closer to work.

Also, Travis AFB is quite large and there are a lot of folks working there who live in Vacaville and Fairfield who are out doing things after work. If you live in Vacaville or Fairfield, you will meet up with these folks and make friends, visiting at each others' places, etc. If you live off in Concord, etc., you will always be the one who travels to get togethers, etc. You will also likely spend more time local to Travis getting together with folks after work because they all live locally.

The last reason is that living in Vacaville or Fairfield, you will be spending less money on rent and commuting than if you live in Concord, etc. That leaves you more money to go out and have fun with then you'd have otherwise.

Oh, and you're closer to other recreational areas: Lake Tahoe, Lake Berryessa, Napa, Folsom Lake, Apple Hill, Bodega Bay, Point Reyes, etc. If you live in the middle of the Bay Area, you will always have to add Bay Area traffic to anywhere you go. With Vacaville and Fairfield, you can get around that traffic or even skip it altogether.

Liketravel, you are indeed confused. Getting to and from Travis AFB when living in Concord or Pleasant Hill takes a lot longer then 30 to 40 minutes each way especially during the commute hours.

I still have no idea what your your idea is of "Is there any area close by that is happening". If you mean a big city excitement the answer is NO.

If I had to work at Travis AFB I would obtain an apartment in Vacaville. One can go down Peabody Rd., in Vacaville to Fairfield and Travis AFB without ever having to deal with the commute traffic on I-80. A lot of Travis AFB people live in Vacaville..military and civilian employees.

You will not be able to find housing that is within 30 minutes of Travis AFB and close to a BART station.

Personally, especially since you don't want a long commute I would live close by to Travis AFB and spend a bit more time getting to SF or whereever on the weekends. I don't know what else to offer suggetion wise. Best regards.

Well said toedtoes. Liketravel, Toedtoes has lived in the SF/BayArea and the Sacramento Valley all of her life as I have. She too is as familar with the various cities, the commute traffic etc as I am. So I would encourage you to take her comments into serious consideration. And best wishes to you.

Thanks Loveitaly and I do love what toedtoes has suggested. So I'm going to look for places in and around fairfiled/vacaville then.
By happening, I meant a small downtown kinda place, where I could just step outside of my house and go to a quaint coffee shop to just read or something, with hustle and bustle of people at least until 9:00-10:00 pm, where there is a salsa/meringue dance classes that I can attend, yoga classes, racquetball club.. heh heh...I know I'm asking for too much now
y'all can tell I was in NYC for a while!!!!

Hi liketravel, I think you are making a good decision, at least let me say it is the decision I would make.

I think you would find downtown "old" Vacaville more desirable then downtown Fairfield (which is the county seat for Solano County).

You probably will not be able to find a rental where you can walk out your door and be at a coffee shop etc., but there are so many upscale apartments around that are within say ten minutes by car to downtown.

There is a Gold Gym downtown also.

Now NYC it isn't, lol..but think you already know that, right?

Anything else I can help with please post back. And again best wishes to you.

Good luck Liketravel.

I agree with LoveItaly that Vacaville will be a better choice than Fairfield. I've been downtown on a Saturday night (with LoveItaly, in fact) and it was more alive than most places in Sacramento I've been to.

ok y'all...one last bother.. which part of vacaville. I am looking at condos and some are available in north vacaville (alamo??) Would that be an ok location? If not, what location is best.
I can't tell you how much i appreciate your help!!!

Hi liketravel, just to let you know, I-80 cuts through Vacaville. So when coming from say Contra Costa County (the Benicia-Martinez Bridge) or from San Francisco and up to and over the Carquinez Bridge and onward the left side of the freeway when you get to Vacaville (first turnoff is Alamo (going to the right) and Merchant St. (going to the left) is rather known as south and southeast and north and northeast Vacaville. Not to confuse you but if you take Merchant St., (going to the left) you will be on Alamo also. It really doesn't matter to much where you rent except for rentals along East Monte Vista, that is shall we say not the best area.

If you would like to give me your email address..you could post it as some do here using "at" versus "@" I would be glad to email you. Basically liketravel there is a very lovely complex next to where I live which I understand has a lot of Travis people. Also along Allison Dr. Everything is quite close to downtown. Again, Vacaville is not NYC, lol, but I think you could find you would be happy and content for a year here.
Anyway, yes Alamo Dr., north portion (left side of I-80 going toward Sacramento) would be quite suitable.

Thanks Loveitaly. Do you know of any good townhomes in that area?

Hi liketravel, personally I do not. Do you have to have a condo or would an apartment work for you? There are a lot of apartment complexes in Vacaville.

But anyway here is from todays local newspaper website rental section for your review.
http://www2.thereporter.com/classifi...b&main=Rentals