What are great alternative neighborhoods in the Bay Area?

Noe Valley is SF's best kept secret. Great restaurants, funky unique shops, great parks and views, good bars. Great cultural diversity.

@GD: Shhhh! How do you think it stayed a secret =)

Alameda is a surprisingly cool little place. It's definitely the place for people looking for the suburban-ish lifestyle (e.g., Walnut Creek), but without the 45-minute commute into the city. (I'm 25 minutes to the financial district, and--I've timed it-- 26 minutes from my door to the furthest gate in the Oakland Airport.)

Some ideas...

Lafayette..check out Lafayette Resivour and eat at Chow's afterwards.

Walnut Creek..a nice stroll downtown (Broadway Plaza) also Ironhorse trail near downtown.

Tiberon..can eat at Guymas" and soak in views of Angel Island, and SF. You can take a ferry there from SF.

Rockridge in Oakland has a very charming strip of shops and restaurants on Telegraph.

My lady and I started an urban hiking club to explore this very question. Would love to have more bay area people join in:
http://urbanhike.pbwiki.com/FrontPage

i had an amazing walk one day starting the the financial district and walking through china town, but not the touristy spot. i felt like i was in another country. lots of clothes drying in the wind.... so just pick the skirts of the neighborhood and then walk all the way down to the marina and along crissy field. its a great walk!

If you’ve never been to Bolinas, you should go. A little hard to find, but bring a map because there usually aren’t signs.