@drblack. Many students frequent San Francisco with dorm-mates by carpooling with upper classmen (many have cars) or taking the public transportation…and many go on dates/restaurant hopping with their significant other. It takes about an hour each way by public transportation (due to stops along the way) and much quicker in a car. And don’t forget…depending on your techy vibe you may want to hang out in San Jose which is south of Stanford…or if you have the Bohemian/peace to the world vibe you may want to hang out with the Berkeley crowd in Oakland’s Temescal row of hopping restaurants/pubs…
http://visit.stanford.edu/plan/public_transit.html