As someone who lived in the Bay area and moved away, I can affirm to that. There is a vibe in the Bay area that you don't get in other places. I sort of felt it in a few areas of Manhattan (near NYU and DUMBO). But outside of these parts, I don't feel it. I moved out of NYC ... I'm less than an hour away. The scene feels DEAD.
That said, I'm not planning on moving to SF/SV any time soon. I'm a bit older now ... getting ready to nest, buy a house, etc. I have friends who have bought starter homes in the Bay for the price of mansions in other parts of the US. I might be making a mistake but that's my plan too.
I can't see how you would be making a mistake. To each their own. I love the Bay not just for the business environment, but for the cultural environment, which is just about as unique as the entrepreneurial environment.
I feel confident that I could meet dozens of new cool and interesting people a month if I wanted to. I don't know if I would click as much with people in other locales (not even NYC - too neurotic for me).
That said, I'm not planning on moving to SF/SV any time soon. I'm a bit older now ... getting ready to nest, buy a house, etc. I have friends who have bought starter homes in the Bay for the price of mansions in other parts of the US. I might be making a mistake but that's my plan too.