Things to do in Berkeley
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La Note
A good spot to fuel up before exploring, La Note serves a French-cafe menu of omelettes and pancakes at breakfast, and croques monsieurs, Niçoise salads and baguette sandwiches at lunch.
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Berkeley Bowl
A Berkeley institution since 1977, the Berkeley Bowl got its name from its original location in a former bowling alley. Its narrow aisles offer the absolute best and worst of Berkeley: produce, deli goods, wines and organic dry goods of the very highest quality threaten to topple off the shelves, while incredibly cranky and arrogant shoppers try to navigate oversize carts through the gridlock.
The self-centered rudeness amidst piles of celery and bulk granola bins can be exasperating and at times downright laughable. (Yoga, so popular in Berkeley, doesn't seem to put people in a positive mindset for the Bowl.) Get a picnic lunch here (weekdays, well ahead of the dinner…
reviewed
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People's Park
Just east of Telegraph Ave, between Haste St and Dwight Way, is the site of People's Park, a marker in local history as a political battleground between residents and city government in the late '60s. The park has since served mostly as an unofficial residence for Berkeley's homeless. A publicly funded restoration spruced it up a bit, and occasional festivals do still happen here, but on the surface it's still just a mangy patch of trampled grass.
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Albatross
A block north of University Ave, Albatross is one of the most inviting and friendly pubs in the entire Bay Area. Some serious darts are played here, and poker games and Trivial Pursuit will be going on around many of the worn out tables.
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Café Intermezzo
Mammoth salads draw a constant crowd, and we're not talking about delicate little rabbit food plates. Bring a friend, or you might drown while trying to polish one off yourself.
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Telegraph Ave
Telegraph Ave is undeniably the throbbing heart of studentville in Berkeley, pumping out a sidewalk-flow of students and shoppers, vagrants and vendors, brisk walkers and sluggish strollers, those trying to squeeze their way out and those who never seem to leave. The frenetic energy buzzing from the university's Sather Gate on any given day is a mix of youthful post-hippies reminiscing about days before their time and young hipsters who sneer at tie-dyed nostalgia.
Ponytailed panhandlers press you for change, and street stalls hawk everything from crystals to bumper stickers to self-published books. It's all very interesting, but the street is also immensely useful to…
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North Berkeley
Just north of campus is a neighborhood filled with lovely homes, parks and some of the best restaurants in California. The popular Gourmet Ghetto stretches along Shattuck Ave north of University Ave for several blocks, anchored by Chez Panisse. Northwest of here, Solano Ave, which crosses from Berkeley into Albany, is lined with lots of funky shops, more good restaurants and a couple of movie theaters.
North Berkeley, heading up into the hills, is also chock-full of magnificent homes. You can see many examples of Bernard Maybeck's superb architecture, including 1515 La Loma Ave and at 2704, 2711, 2733, 2751, 2754 and 2780 Buena Vista Way. Wander these and other streets to…
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University of California, Berkeley
'Cal' is one of the country's top universities and home to 35,000 diverse, politically conscious students. The Visitor Services Center has info and leads free campus tours (reservations required). Cal's landmark is the 1914 Sather Tower (also called the Campanile), with elevator rides ($2) to the top. The Bancroft Library displays the small gold nugget that started the California gold rush in 1848.
Leading to the campus's south gate, Tele-graph Avenue is as youthful and gritty as San Francisco's Haight St, packed with cafes, cheap eats, record stores and bookstores.
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Berkeley Marina
At the west end of University Ave is the Berkeley Marina, frequented by squawking seagulls, silent types fishing from the pier, unleashed dogs and, especially on windy weekends, lots of colorful kites. Construction of the marina began in 1936, though the pier has much older origins. It was originally built in the 1870s, then replaced by a 3 mile-long ferry pier in 1920 (its length was dictated by the extreme shallowness of the bay). Part of the original pier is now rebuilt, affording visitors sweeping bay views.
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Downtown Berkeley
Berkeley's downtown, which centers on Shattuck Ave between University Ave and Dwight Way, has far fewer traces of the city's tie-dyed reputation. The area has emerged as a bustling area with numerous shops and restaurants, restored public buildings and a burgeoning arts district. At the center of that district are the acclaimed thespian stomping grounds of the Berkeley Repertory Theatre and the Aurora Theatre Company; nearby are several good movie houses.
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Campanile
The Campanile, officially named Sather Tower, was modeled on St Mark’s Basilica in Venice. The 328ft spire offers knockout views of the Bay Area, and at the top you can stare into the carillon of 61 bells, ranging from the size of a cereal bowl to that of a Volkswagen. Recitals take place daily at 7:50am, noon and 6pm, with a longer piece performed on Sunday at 2pm.
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Buildings
North Berkeley, heading up into the hills, is also chock-full of magnificent homes. You can see many examples of Bernard Maybeck's superb architecture, including 1515 La Loma Ave and at 2704, 2711, 2733, 2751, 2754 and 2780 Buena Vista Way. Wander these and other streets to examine the elaborate gardens and Asian-influenced front gates that are a feature of this neighborhood.
reviewed
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Shopping Strips
Shopping Strips offers everything for the urban hippie, from handmade sidewalk-vendor jewelry to head-shop paraphernalia. Most appealing are, irrefutably, its terrific book and music stores.
Another strip of shops is along College Ave in the Elmwood District.
On 4th St, north of University Ave, you'll find upscale clothing, kitchen supply, book and gift stores.
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Gregoire
The best takeaway by the bay offers classic French. The weekly menu features what's in season locally, maybe grilled artichoke with aioli, impeccably fresh salad, steak in a wine reduction and always, the ethereal potato puffs. Just a few blocks from the park-like UC campus or the Berkeley Rose Garden (on Euclid at Rose), this is a perfect place to outfit a picnic.
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San Pablo Ave
San Pablo Ave was formerly US Rte 40, the main thoroughfare from the east before I-80 came along. The area north of University Ave is still lined with a few older motels, diners and atmospheric dive bars with neon signs. South of University Ave are pockets of trendiness, such as the short stretch of gift shops and cafés around Dwight Way.
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Berkeley Rose Garden
On Euclid Ave just south of Eunice St is the Berkeley Rose Garden and its eight terraces of Technicolor explosions. Here you'll find quiet benches and a plethora of almost perpetually blooming roses. Across the street is a picturesque park with a children's playground (including a fun concrete slide about 100ft long).
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Chez Panisse
Genuflect at the temple of Alice Waters: the birthplace of California cuisine remains at the pinnacle of Bay Area dining. Book one month ahead for its legendary prix-fixe meals (no substitutions); or book upstairs at the less-expensive, à la carte cafe.
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César
This airy tapas bar recalls a rustic Andalucían taverna with its heavy wooden benches and tables and open hearth. It turns out simple and delicious small dishes that change with the season. It's jammed at mealtimes, but is a perfect spot for an impromptu snack or a lazy afternoon beer.
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Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology
In Kroeber Hall, the Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology showcases the diversity of human cultures from around the world, with artifacts from ancient Peru, Egypt and Africa, among others. There’s also a large collection highlighting native California cultures.
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4th St Shopping District
Hidden within an industrial area near I-80 lies a three-block area known as the 4th St Shopping District, offering shaded sidewalks for upscale shopping, or just strolling, and a few good restaurants too. Take heed, it's often very hard to park in this area, especially on weekends.
reviewed
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Zatar
Zatar’s mishmash Mediterranean–Middle Eastern cooking spans Morocco to Iran. We like the bold spicing, homemade Iranian bread and fresh ingredients – many from the restaurant’s own organic garden – but the food’s pricey and a tad precious.
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Julia Morgan Theatre
To the southeast of People's Park is the beautifully understated, redwood-infused 1910 Julia Morgan Theatre, a performance space (formerly a church) created by Bay Area architect Julia Morgan, who designed numerous Bay Area buildings and, most famously, the Hearst Castle.
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UC Berkeley Art Museum
A campus highlight with 11 galleries showcasing a wide range of works, from ancient Chinese to cutting-edge contempor-ary. Across the street, its world-renowned Pacific Film Archivescreens little-known independent and avant-garde films. Both are scheduled to move to a new Oxford St location by 2014.
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Museum of Paleontology
The Museum of Paleontology, in the ornate Valley Life Sciences Building, is a research museum. It's mostly closed to the public, but you can see a few exhibits in the atrium, including a Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton.
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Pacific Film Archive
The PFA is internationally renowned for daily screenings that explore the art of film-making, including rare, new and historic prints from around the globe. The box office (11am-5pm) is at 2621 Durant Ave.
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