We always love a college town for its youthful energy, creative thinking, and fun-loving vibes, but Berkeley, California, is next level. They are the activists who started the Free Speech Movement of the 1960s, the locavores who defined farm-to-table and California Cuisine in the 70s, and today, they are the creatives, movers, and shakers who make Berkeley one of a kind.
We’ve always been curious about this spunky Bay Area city, so it was finally time we made it across the Golden Gate Bridge to see what it’s all about. We spent four awesome days exploring its 10 distinct neighborhoods. Between their historic Telegraph Avenue, legendary food scene, ultra-biodiverse botanical garden, cutting-edge music venues, and the largest regional park district in the country, there is so much to explore!
Whether you’re going to San Francisco for a city break or on your way to California wine country, this dynamic city is too close and too good to miss. To make the most of your time in the East Bay, follow our travel guide on the best things to do in Berkeley.
Explore Cal Campus’ Hidden Gems
Considering the university was established before the town of Berkeley, the campus is a great place to start your trip. Founded in 1868, California’s first university boasts some beautiful historic buildings and redwood groves that evoke the early days and its path to being consistently ranked the #1 public university in the country. Of course, you can’t just saunter into a Poly Sci class, but there are many interesting attractions open to the public.
Morrison Library
This is one of the coolest libraries we’ve ever visited, thanks to its architecture and ambiance. Built in 1928 as a traditional library reading room, it transports you back to the pre-digital era with a no-electronics policy, and an incredible collection of indie magazines, travel books, poetry collections, and a record player to listen to their LPs. Open to the public weekdays from 10am-5pm, plan accordingly and prepare to unplug.
Campanile Vistas
Head to Sather Tower (also known as the Campanile) and take the elevator to the view deck for an incredible panorama of the city, bay, campus, and the century-old bells overhead. At 307 feet, it is the world’s second-tallest freestanding clock and bell tower! Try to time your visit with the Carrion recitals, where the 61 bells ring in harmony for daily shows at 7:50am, 12pm, and 6pm, with a full 45-minute concert on Sundays at 2pm.
Sproul Plaza & The Free Speech Monument
This plaza is the epicenter of Berkeley’s political activism, past and present. The stairs of Sproul Hall are where student Mario Savio started the Free Speech Movement in 1964. Pay homage to Savio and exercise your voice by standing in the wonderfully quirky, Free Speech Monument: a 6-foot-diameter granite circle and the invisible 60,000-foot column of air above it, extending beyond the limit of US-controlled airspace. The inscription reads, “This soil and the air space extending above it shall not be part of any nation and shall not be subject to any entity’s jurisdiction,” and invites the chance to say whatever the heck you want!
Get (or Give) Hippy Vibes in Telegraph District
Telegraph Avenue begins at campus and extends 4.5 miles to the neighboring city of Oakland, but its hippie heart lies within the first five blocks in Berkeley. During the 1960s, when Civil rights protests were in full effect, students would move from Sproul Plaza down Telegraph to People’s Park. Businesses like Moe’s Books and Rasputin Records have stood strong ever since, serving as creative resources, gathering places, and symbols of free expression.
In addition to those two shops, be sure to stop in the legendary Amoeba Music (one of the world’s largest independent record stores) and linger outside to analyze their mural of Berkeley’s political history. Hungry? Durant Food Court offers a vast array of ethnic foods at student-friendly prices. Even if you’re not hungry, find some room for one of the best donuts at King’s.
Dine at the OG Farm-to-Table Restaurant, Chez Panisse
While this might be the most obvious place to eat in Berkeley, Chez Panisse is where the farm-to-table movement and California cuisine originated, and it deserves all the acclaim it has received (including a Green Michelin Star and recognition as one of the world’s Top 50 Restaurants) since its founding in 1971.
One tip to make this fine dining experience more affordable and easier to snag a reservation is to eat upstairs at Chez Panisse Cafe. Their à la carte menu was also a better option for us vegans than the pre-fixe menu. With such fresh local ingredients (sourced within 50 miles), our simple pasta dish with roasted eggplant, tomato, and basil was bursting with flavor. Plus, the open kitchen, full of busy chefs committed to their craft, added to the thrill of the meal.
Kayak the Berkeley Marina
@honeytrek You might not think of Berkeley, California as a kayaking destination, but sitting pretty along the San Francisco Bay, with sheltered coves, a lush shoreline, and big city views…we had an epic day of paddling! Making it even better, my best friend from college joined me for this girl-powered adventure! To have your own SF Bay paddling excursion, head to the Berkeley marina and rent a tandem kayak or SUP for just $20 bucks/2 hours with the UC Berkeley Recreation & Wellbeing Department. @visitberkeley #partner @UC Berkeley #kayaking #visitberkeley ♬ Sunset Reflections – Cosmo Kuma
You might not think of Berkeley as a kayaking destination, but sitting pretty along the San Francisco Bay, with sheltered coves, a lush shoreline, and big city views…we had an epic day of paddling! Making it even better, one of my best friends from college lives in the East Bay, and she joined me for a girls’ adventure! In addition to the joy of paddling and gabbing, we enjoyed watching the sailors, windsurfers, and birdlife revel in the breeze.
To have your own San Francisco Bay paddling adventure, head to the Berkeley Marina and rent a kayak or SUP from Cal Adventures for just $20 bucks/2 hours! The UC Berkeley Recreation & Wellbeing Department runs this highly subsidized operation on weekends from April to November and recommends booking your watercraft online 3-5 days in advance.
Get Your Probiotic Fix
The mother of all California pickle shops, Cultured has been specializing in fermented foods for 28 years–from kimchi to kombucha. With huge jars lining the floor-to-ceiling shelves and a big open kitchen, this place feels like a science experiment in the best way. Come on a weekend to catch the husband-and-wife team’s “Rice & Pickles” three-course tasting event, where they talk through the process of the dozen lacto-fermented delicacies that will top your bowl. The only regret from our entire Berkeley trip is that we just missed this lunch offering, but we still had a fascinating chat with the founders, Alex & Kevin, and came away with some seaweed kimchi as a tasty souvenir.
Go Around The World in One Garden
In the hills high atop Cal’s campus is the living laboratory and wonderland of the University of California Botanical Garden. With 10,000 species on just 34 acres, it has some of the most intense biodiversity of any garden in the country. Divided into regions of the world, the plants gave us the feeling of strolling the mountains of South America, the deserts of Australia, and the tropics of Asia. We also loved their Crops of the World Garden, giving a glimpse into the staples of different nations’ cuisines.
Travel Tip: The gorgeous Mather redwood grove and exotic greenhouses (nurturing many of the 1,214 rare and endangered species) close an hour earlier than the rest of the garden, so don’t be late!
Gilman Wine Block & First Fridays
Sonoma and Napa may be just 45 minutes from Berkeley, but you don’t need to leave town to get world-class winemaking. Donkey & Goat pioneered the natural wine scene here in 2004, and this slice of West Berkeley is now home to eight stellar wineries. The Gilman wine block is fun any afternoon, but try to make it to their First Friday Wine Block Party. This is when these back-to-back wineries throw open their doors and fill the courtyard with food trucks, live music stages, and picnic tables for an extra happy crowd.
Travel Tip: If you’re more of a beer drinker, the Gilman District also has three craft breweries. We adored the convivial vibe and live music at Fieldworks, and Gilman Brewing offers Sunday beer yoga if that makes you want to namaste.
Live Music at The Freight
We love everything about this music venue – from its scrappy 1960s beginnings, when the building’s “Freight & Salvage” furniture sign was repurposed, to its commitment to music education for Bay Area Schools. Forget cover bands; The Freight is committed to creative expression from all corners of the world, fostering cross-cultural connection.
A perfect example is the band we caught, “Mireya Ramos & The Poor Choices.” A celebration of the 5,525-mile Mexican-American border and its shared musical traditions across ranchera, jarocho, bluegrass, jazz, and country genres. Mireya has a voice that can shake your soul and your tailfeather. Not to mention, the freshly renovated venue is gorgeous, and the audience is fully engaged, clapping, dancing, and enlivening the vibe of this arts non-profit and community space.
Travel Tip: Within a five-minute walk from Freight are two great pre-show dinner options. Jupiter’s patio, anchored by a massive redwood tree and cafe lights, is a delight, and they serve fantastic wood-fired pizza and craft beer. It’s also a great place for post-show drinks. We swung by again, and there was a full house enjoying their live music. Revival Bar & Kitchen prides itself on California fare crafted with local and sustainable ingredients. Highly recommend their craft cocktails and mezze platter!
Graze The Country’s First Zero Waste Farmers’ Market
Being the birthplace of the farm-to-table movement, Berkeley is serious about their farmers’ markets. Hosted by the awe-inspiring Ecology Center in Downtown, North, and South Berkeley, they are committed to supporting small-scale farmers practicing sustainable agriculture and making sure none of their produce goes to waste! From accepting every type of food stamp to working with Food Not Bombs to turn unsold produce into meals for those in need, it’s an inclusive and mindful market.
Berkeley’s farmers’ market was the first in the country to ban single-use plastic bags and packaging, plus they recycle and compost everything possible. Come prepared, like a good Berkeleyite, with your tote, reusable cutlery, and tupperware, and eat up! To provision for your sunset picnic (see below), Obour Foods has fabulous Middle Eastern dips, and Kashiwase Farms has the sweetest peaches!
Travel Tip: The Ecology Store also runs a fantastic zero-waste shop, where you can refill most any household product and get a variety of hip recycled goods.
Shop Elmwood Neighborhood
When we biked to the Elmwood neighborhood, I got the feeling…I could live here. Walking their section of College Ave, popping into charming boutiques, passing bustling cafes, checking the old-school Rialto cinema’s lineup, and trying to decide which cuisine of the world to choose for lunch, we felt the vibrancy of this community and wanted to be part of it. Be sure to check out Elmwood Stationers for local souvenirs, Old Salt Merchants for culinary delights, Cousin Home for chic decor and uniquely Cal clothing, and Casa de Chocolate for handmade Mexicana treats.
Japanese Date Night: Sake Distillery & Vegan Sushi
This was total serendipity. We were biking to a Japanese restaurant, and we came across a massive sake distillery. The Kyoto-based Takara Sake has one US distillery, and it happens to be in Berkeley! Unlike most industrial buildings, this one had murals of samurai and a zen garden out front, and it lured us in. Their tasting room was decorated in old Nippon-fashion, as were their bartenders. We ordered a flight and thoroughly enjoyed the array of offerings and the self-guided museum.
From there, our Japanese date night continued to Tane Vegan Izakaya. We bellied up to the sushi bar to see the chefs slice, dice, ignite, and garnish our plant-based rolls. It was quite the show, and this meal brought us back to our raw fish-eating days, without harming a single Nemo.
Hike The Gem of The East Bay Regional Parks
Berkeley is part of the largest regional park district in the nation, with 65 parks encompassing 120,000 acres and 1,250 miles of trails…and their very own Tilden Park is said to be the crown jewel. When we asked the staff which hike would give the best diversity of terrain and vistas, they mapped us a route from Laurel Canyon to Wildcat Cat Peak, returning via the Jewel Lake Trail.
Wild Cat Peak yielded a spectacular 360-degree view of Mount Diablo, the SF Bay, and San Pablo Reservoir. To make it an even more fitting Berkeley experience, this peak is also home to the International Peace Monument. If you have kids, they’ll love Tilden’s farm petting zoo, carousel, and Lake Anza swimming area.
Thai Temple Sunday Brunch
You can get Thai food in every city in the US, but not like this. The monks of Wat Mongkolratanaram devote three days of their week to preparing dozens of traditional Thai dishes for a Sunday-fundraising feast. Running for 45 years, the monks and their army of volunteers are well prepared to feed 300-500 guests in just a few hours (10am-1pm), with a token system and buffet-style servings.
In the courtyard of their beautiful temple garden, there were different lines for meat dishes, veg dishes, soups, Thai Tea, and dessert. We scored a towering plate of eggplant and tofu stir fry, plus Pad Thai for $10, and joined the hundreds of people happily picnicking together on the lawn.
Travel Tip: If you come towards the end of the bunch, fresh foods, like summer rolls and papaya salad, go on fire sale.
Sunset Panorama Picnic
Berkeley faces west toward the bay, Golden Gate Bridge, and San Francisco skyline, making for incredible sunsets. To soak this up, we had two separate picnic dates during our trip. We ordered dinner to go from the farm-to-table Gather restaurant and brought it to the top of Cal’s campus. At Lawrence Hall of Science, there is an odd tower of concrete that makes for a perfect perch for sunset.
Another spot for epic vistas and unique geological features is Indian Rock Park. Tucked among the houses of posh North Berkeley, this hunk of rock’s hand-carved stairs has enough space for 20 sunset-seekers. Rather than feeling crowded, it felt like a delightful community experience as we opened a bottle of wine, nibbled on apps, and let out a soft sigh as the sun dipped behind the bay.
Travel Tip: Indian Rock Park is also a popular bouldering spot if you want to try your climbing skills or just watch these Spidermen in action before the sun goes down.
Where to Stay in Berkeley
The Graduate
The concept of Graduate Hotels is brilliant. This boutique hotel chain is exclusively located in university towns, capturing the unique spirit of each institution. In Berkeley, that means your suite might be decorated with designer bong lamps, streaking hippy photos in the bathroom, and a Golden Bear with crib notes on your desk. Set in the 1928 Hotel Durant, the lobby features high ceilings, expansive windows, and a bar from a bygone era, serving craft cocktails and solid food.
Berkeley City Club
Architecture buffs will go ga-ga for this 1930 landmark hotel by Julia Morgan, the visionary California architect behind Hearst Castle. Blending Moorish and Gothic influences, it has vaulted ceilings, carved archways, leaded glass, and manicured courtyards. Even if you don’t stay at this hotel (getting access to their stunning indoor swimming pool is almost reason enough), make a reservation at Julia’s restaurant for an excellent meal and a reason to poke around.
Getting Around Berkeley
Not only is this city highly walkable, but it’s also very bike-friendly and well-connected by public transit. We used the Graduate’s complimentary bicycles to get around, following the Bike Boulevard signs for the best routes and added Cesar Chavez Park to enjoy the bayside paths. Berkeley is also connected to SF by the BART light rail, so you can easily pop into the city if you want to use it as your Bay Area base. Get a Clipper Card, it works for both BART and local buses.
More Things to Do in Berkeley
For more tips, photos, and videos from our Berkeley trip, check out our Instagram highlights and Visit Berkeley’s Calendar of Events; you’ll find block parties, movies in the park, flea markets, gallery openings, art workshops, wine tastings, and a myriad of ways Berkeley is celebrating its diverse community and helping visitors have a great time.
Not gonna lie, we didn’t really think of Berkeley as a vacation destination, but between its legacy of social good, sustainable cuisine, and everyone-is-welcome ethos, it’s exactly where we wanted to be!
Many thanks to Visit Berkeley for inviting us to explore their city and supporting our work. To show our gratitude to the community, we’ve donated to these incredible local nonprofits: The Ecology Center, The Freight, and Girls Garage.
