High level advice:
- If you want a place that's walking distance, stick to the lowered number streets in that area. The Mid-Market area (5th and Market to 9th and Market) is not so great at night. That's why SF has given tax breaks for companies to move there.
- SoMa is not too far a walk from there. It's all newer developments, so they tend to be more expensive, especially as you move closer to the Caltrain station. But they're nicer apartments with amenities like an in building gym and if you're near Caltrain you can get down to San Mateo or Palo Alto on a train. Palo Alto + Stanford may be a fun day trip.
- You're very close to bart and muni there, so really the entire city and east bay are only a 15 minute commute away. If you're in the city for a summer, the Mission and Dolores Park area are awesome if you can snag a place. Great character, cheap food, some higher end food, and a neighborhood feel to lots of it.
- SoMa is not too far a walk from there. It's all newer developments, so they tend to be more expensive, especially as you move closer to the Caltrain station. But they're nicer apartments with amenities like an in building gym and if you're near Caltrain you can get down to San Mateo or Palo Alto on a train. Palo Alto + Stanford may be a fun day trip.
- You're very close to bart and muni there, so really the entire city and east bay are only a 15 minute commute away. If you're in the city for a summer, the Mission and Dolores Park area are awesome if you can snag a place. Great character, cheap food, some higher end food, and a neighborhood feel to lots of it.