Planning a move from the Sunshine State of Florida to the vibrant city of San Francisco? Before you make the cross-country journey, make sure you take a little time to prepare yourself by learning more about the area, knowing what to look for in a long-distance moving company, and understanding what to expect along the way. Moving from Florida to San Francisco can be easy, but only if you know what you are doing. Eager to get started now? Get a free interstate moving quote.
Getting to know San Francisco
San Francisco is a city unlike any other. It’s rich cultural diversity, a booming economy, ample opportunities for education and business, and exciting nightlife make it one of the most desired places to live. However, there are a few things about the City by the Bay that Floridians may want to prepare for.
Climate
San Francisco’s climate is quite different than that of Florida’s. Where Florida is known for its heat and humidity, San Francisco’s Mediterranean climate is mostly characterized by moist winters and dry summers. Because it is a city surrounded by water on three sides, San Francisco’s climate is heavily influenced by the currents of the Pacific Ocean, which typically provides a mild year-round climate with little variation in seasonal temperatures.
The average daily high temperature in San Francisco in December is 57.1 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas the average high in July is 66.4. That’s less than 10 degrees difference in five months, so as you can see, the seasons in San Fran are pretty similar.
Compare that to Miami’s average high temps, and you can see there is a big difference from season to season. Miami’s average high for December is 77.9 degrees Fahrenheit, and 90.0 degrees Fahrenheit for July. That’s a difference of more than 20 degrees in five months!
As for rain, Miami sees an average of 135.2 rainy days throughout the year. Orlando sees an average of 117.1 and Tampa sees an average of 104.6. San Francisco, on the other hand, sees an average of only 73 rainy days a year.
Cost of living
It’s true that San Francisco is a more expensive place to live when compared to Florida’s cities. In fact, it’s considered one of the most expensive places to live in the U.S. CBS News recently named San Fran as the 4th priciest urban area in the nation, with the average rent hitting nearly $3,000.
The good news, however, is that income levels are much more favorable in San Francisco and can definitely help offset the higher cost of living. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income in San Francisco County for 2009-2013 was $75,604. In Miami-Dade County, the median household income for the same time period was $43,100.
Transportation
Because San Francisco is a compact city, parking is at a premium and traffic can become quite congested. That’s why many residents of San Fran rely on public transportation instead of using their own private vehicles.
The San Francisco Bay area doesn’t have a single integrated public transportation system, but rather has several agencies that provide transportation services. Here are a few of those services:
- San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) – From buses to cable cars to light rails and more, the SFMTA offers residents and visitors plenty of options for fast, reliable public transportation.
- Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) – Real-time departures and simple route planning are available on their easy-to-navigate website. BART’s extensive network of trains connects San Fran with Peninsula and East Bay cities as well as area airports.
- Caltrain– Caltrain is a popular option for people traveling from the Peninsula and San Jose, as it has a network of trains that extend to those areas. Caltrain also connects with BART at the Millbrae station, making it possible to reach San Fran.
In addition to the agencies listed above, San Francisco also has several ferries, taxis, and buses to help you get where you need to go.
Make a plan when moving from Florida to San Francisco
Moving from Florida to San Francisco will be a multipart process. And only a good plan can help you to go through this process successfully. Every error on your side is going to cost you much. So, you got to be well prepared and organized. Naturally, that should not be a problem for a for someone who has moved before. But if you are lucky enough that this long-distance trip is your first relocation, you should learn a little bit about the moving process, so you could make a good moving plan. But in short, here is what your plan should look like.
- Identify all the items that you are planning to move. Simultaneously, decide upon the things that you would like to get rid of before moving from Florida to San Francisco.
- Form a moving inventory list
- Decide about using different moving services
- Identify and hire a professional and reliable interstate moving company
- Prepare packing supplies, if you are planning to pack on your own
- Pack your belongings
- Inspect your items upon arrival
Identify all items to pack and items to get rid of
The first thing that you have to do when you are starting with your relocation is to identify all the items that you are planning to move. On the other hand, you should simultaneously identify items that you don’t plan to carry with you to San Francisco. There are many benefits to doing so.
- Depending on what you do with your excess items, you can even earn some money. If you organize a garage sale, the gain here is obvious. But you could also earn on tax deductions if you decide to donate. If your items are not in a condition to be sold or donated, you should get rid of them properly by recycling. Find a recycling center in your vicinity and get rid of your items the right way.
- Another of the benefits of removing your excess items is that you will have fewer items to pack, and therefore you will need less packing materials.
- The last but maybe most important benefit of removing excess items is that your move will cost you less because you have fewer items to move.
Create a moving inventory list before moving from Florida to San Francisco
While you are deciding upon the items that you are planning to move there is one more thing you could do to ease your process of moving from Florida to San Francisco. And that is to create a moving inventory list. Of course, this is not obligatory, and you could go through a moving process without a moving inventory list, but it proved to be useful in some situations. Simply, while you are thinking about your excess items, write on a piece of paper all the items that will go on a moving truck. If the pen and paper sound boring to you, you can always find a phone app that will help you to form your moving inventory list.
Think about using additional moving services
When you are moving to San Francisco from Florida, think about packing your items. Are you sure that you are going to do it properly and on time? There is a long journey ahead, and your items need to be appropriately packed if you want them to withstand the trip. If you think that it will be too difficult for you, hire professional packing services and relieve yourself from that obligation. Besides packing and unpacking there are few additional Florida moving services that could be useful to hire. This is all-important to decide before you start searching for a suitable long-distance moving company.
Hire professional long distance moving company when you are moving from Florida to San Francisco
With interstate relocations, having a professional and reliable moving company by your side is crucial. That is if you want to move successfully and without stress. And to have your items undamaged. Of course, in today’s market, to fund such a company can be a challenge. Luckily, you already found one, and your need for searching for reliable Miami movers could end here. However, if you would still like to have a few other options available, you can search online. It is always good to have few options to compare prices and included services. However, you should always put reliability before affordability and available services. Especially in such long and difficult relocations.
Prepare packing supplies
If you decided to move with the help of cheap movers Miami, that means that you could afford to hire packing services. Hiring packing services will greatly ease your move. But most importantly your items will be professionally packed and ready for a long journey to San Francisco. Moreover, with the prices of packing materials and supplies, you would not save much packing alone, anyway. However, if you still want to pack on your own, you should gather some packing and moving supplies. But how to know how much boxes to prepare. Well if you were clever enough to prepare a moving inventory list while you were purging belongings, you can now easily calculate how much packing supplies to prepare.
Packing your belongings properly before moving from Florida to San Francisco
If you have prepared enough moving boxes and wraps, it is time to pack your belongings. Since this is not a short local move, your items will have to be packed accordingly. Pack your items in sturdier boxes. Make sure that your boxes are filled so your items cannot move while they are inside. And don’t forget to add enough padding, especially around fragile items. Pay close attention to how your movers load the truck. Warn them not to put heavy loads on boxes with fragile and sensitive items. Also if the truck is not full, make sure that the boxes are secured from moving and that everything is tucked in safely.
Inspect your items
The last important thing to do is to inspect your boxes and items upon arrival. Again, if you have a moving inventory list, you will have no problems in doing so. First pay attention to the number of boxes, and to their individual state. If you find that some boxes look damaged, inform the head of the moving crew about it. Make sure that he is present when you start opening the damaged box. If you find that some of your items are damaged, inform your movers immediately.
The cost of moving from FL to San Francisco
Moving to another state can be a fairly big expense, but you may be surprised to learn how affordable it can be if you hire the right moving company. At Orange Movers, our interstate and long-distance moving rates are some of the most competitive in the business. And with our current interstate promotion, you can save 15% on interstate moves, helping you save even more money!
Use our Online Moving Calculator to get an idea of what your FL to L.A. move will cost.
How long will the move take?
The distance from the Miami area to San Francisco is approximately 3,038 miles. That’s a long way! In driving terms, that translates to about 44 hours on the road. Of course, it’s practically impossible to say for sure how long a move will take. Many factors can influence the timeframe, including weather and traffic conditions, etc.
Naturally, any cross-country move is going to take some time, but with professional, reliable movers, the journey can go as smoothly as possible.
More than just competitive rates!
At Orange Movers, we do what we can to help keep costs low for our clients. But even more importantly, we do whatever we can to ensure your move is successful, pleasant and as smooth as possible. We take the time to talk to you before your move to make sure everyone is on the same page, and to ensure the journey goes smoothly for you, your family, your business and for us, too.
Testimonials
Want to learn more about our company and hear what some of our past and repeat clients have to say? Read some of our customer testimonials. Remember, you can request a free long distance moving quote online in minutes