San Francisco Third Spaces, Bay Area Third Places
Third places San Francisco, Marin, Oakland. Bay Area third spaces to build community, meet people & make friends. Bars, cafes, classes, public spaces. SF third places, Bay Area third spaces
Third Places San Francisco Bay Area
A lot has been written above third places recently. Ever since the pandemic, people have become more lonely, have lost friends, or regressed in social skills.
Third places are not a new thing - they have always been around but people like to invent jargon to make themselves feel smarter or use fewer words and talk to people less.
Below are some of my favorite third places in/around San Francisco and some more in the surrounding areas.
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What is a Third Space/Place?
A third space is defined as a place that is not home nor place of work. It’s a place where people come to gather whether:
informally/on their own i.e. cafe, brewery
set days/times i.e. classes
through an organizer ad-hoc i.e. meetups, pop-ups
or in a general area i.e. bar seats at restaurants
In most cases, people gather to find like-minded folks with similar values, interests personalities. These are places where people become a regular i.e. people know your name, strike up conversations, know your order or feel more comfortable talking to you than they would a stranger off the street.
Third Spaces In The San Francisco Bay Area
Thanks to WFH, relying on phones for everything (dates, food ordering, taxis) etc. people are craving these third places now more than ever. These third places won’t solve your problems (you still need social skills, friends, and things to discuss and share). You don't understand the concept if you are merely looking to take and not give back.
Similarly, you can’t just show up once and expect to make BFF’s automatically. Sure, it can happen but likely not. You have to have life experience and hobbies to draw from so you have things to talk about. You have to like yourself. You have to learn to read people (know when to approach them, know how to talk enough but not too much, know how to move on, etc.)
If you want to meet people, you don’t have to find this mythical third place. Third places are more about vibe, what you bring to the table and who shows up that particular day. You can make any place a third place if you want.
Related reads:
Details, links and more will be added over time. Mostly San Francisco with some recommendations for Marin, Oakland/East Bay & Peninsula/South Bay.