College Avenue stretches from deep within Berkeley to Oakland, and along this bustling boulevard numerous restaurants, boutiques, cafes, and much more are waiting for your enjoyment. Near the Rockridge end of the street you will find many eclectic restaurants serving an enormous variety of cuisines, as well as other small boutique shops selling anything from yoga mats to antique brass bedposts. Near the University, College Avenue takes on a funkier spirit, and incense shops allure you with their intriguing scents. Shopping is a major attraction of this East Bay hot spot, yet there are not many chain stores. Rather, locals prefer to support local businesses instead of national chains. However certain stores, such as Urban Outfitters, American Apparel, and Hot Topic, can still be found conveniently nearby. Great for a Sunday walk where you can leisurely stroll down this beautiful avenue - stop and have a coffee at one of many cafes, or buy a unique present for a special someone!
University of California Botanical Garden is located within the campus of University of California Berkeley. Open to the public since 1890, this is no less than an outdoor living museum that boasts over 12,000 species of flora and fauna. The garden can be rented for private events, wedding receptions, twilight tours, summer walks and concerts.
This East Bay woodland canyon offers great panoramic views of the Bay Area. The 205-acre park sits next to UC Berkeley and has trails accessible from the city. There are no facilities such as picnic tables, just wilderness to enjoy. Several trails are available for hiking, from easy, family-friendly walks to challenging, steep climbs, there's something for everyone. The Stonewall-Panoramic Trail is one of the most popular trails here. Whether you're looking for a peaceful escape into nature, a place to explore and hike, or simply a spot to soak in some of the Bay Area's most iconic views, Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve is the place to be.
This park in the Berkeley Hills features nearly every plant and flower species native to California in one skillfully landscaped, 10-acre masterpiece. The garden is divided into sections and subsections with labels that represent each region in California, from Southern California deserts to the Pacific Rainforest. Come in March to see the California poppy and wallflowers, or in September to see California fuchsias, hibiscus, and sunflowers. The Visitor Center offers lectures and slide shows on Saturdays from November through February and hosts a plant sale in the spring.
Occupying a massive 3.64 acres, the Berkeley Rose Garden boasts over 3000 rose bushes and 250 unique rose varieties. This fragrant city park features six luscious terraces, four tennis courts, and a spectacular sunset view of the Golden Gate Bridge. Historians and architecture enthusiasts will appreciate the New Deal roots of the park's Depression-era construction, as well as the charming First Bay Tradition-styled design of the park and the surrounding residential neighborhood. The garden blooms most dramatically in mid-May.
This museum has been bringing culture, diversity, fine art and more to Berkeley since 1970. BAM houses an impressive and ever-changing collection of fine art, sculpture and artifacts that span ages and cultures, countries and places. Find the masterpieces from from Impressionists to Surrealists to Post-modernists. Past exhibits have included a collection of mandolins from Tibet from the 15th Century, as well as the paintings of famed lesbian artist Romaine Brooks. There's always something here that captures the imagination, challenges thought and establishment, and entertains as much as it intrigues.
Gain a deeper insight into San Francisco and its heritage and discover all that the city has to offer by embarking on tours offered by San Francisco City Guides. Sponsored by the San Francisco Public Library, the organization conducts several diverse tours which focus on different aspects of the city's culture, including its history and architecture. Tours include a walking tour of the Mission District, where you can admire striking murals, and an Art Deco tour of the Marina. All tours are free, though donations to benefit the library are requested. Departure locations and times vary.
College Avenue stretches from deep within Berkeley to Oakland, and along this bustling boulevard numerous restaurants, boutiques, cafes, and much more are waiting for your enjoyment. Near the Rockridge end of the street you will find many eclectic restaurants serving an enormous variety of cuisines, as well as other small boutique shops selling anything from yoga mats to antique brass bedposts. Near the University, College Avenue takes on a funkier spirit, and incense shops allure you with their intriguing scents. Shopping is a major attraction of this East Bay hot spot, yet there are not many chain stores. Rather, locals prefer to support local businesses instead of national chains. However certain stores, such as Urban Outfitters, American Apparel, and Hot Topic, can still be found conveniently nearby. Great for a Sunday walk where you can leisurely stroll down this beautiful avenue - stop and have a coffee at one of many cafes, or buy a unique present for a special someone!
Roscoe Ceramic Gallery is one of the many galleries dotted throughout Uptown's Arts District. Roscoe is dedicated to giving up-and-coming Bay Area ceramics artists a venue to exhibit their work. Exhibits change monthly, each one opening the first Friday of the month for Oakland's Art Murmur. Shows here will range from sculpture to pottery and flatware to masks and pretty much anything you can make out of clay.
The Museum of Vision aims at highlighting the importance of one of our sensory organs, the eye. From humble beginnings, with just one exhibition in 1982, this museum has come a long way to being a prominent establishment as the Museum of Vision. The exhibits at this museum captures the science of ophthalmology, right from its inception and also includes advancements in the field. Ancient surgical instruments, eye amulets, spectacles, eye masks and much more are part of the collection on display. Booking an appointment before your visit is highly recommended.
Located within the Russian Center of San Francisco, the Museum of Russian Culture, San Francisco showcases the Russian culture and exhibits items that influenced the American Culture. The 1948 museum was incorporated as an independent corporation in 1953 and preserved materials from Russian descendants who are now American citizens.
On the north end of Berkeley's fabulous Tilden Regional Park lies this 740-acre (299-hectare) preserve, where adults and children can visit the Environmental Education Center. The EEC is the ecology education headquarters of Tilden Park. Here, visitors can learn about wildlife and nature through a variety of displays, literature, and programs. Amid this haven of enlightenment, an enchanting highlight emerges the Little Farm. This cherished addition transforms Tilden into an idyllic playground, introducing children to the joys of interaction with farm animals in a safe and welcoming setting.