Located at the Berkeley Art Museum, the Pacific Film Archive is the pre-eminent showplace in the Bay Area for serious fans of film and film history. The archive itself contains 7,000 titles, including the largest collection of Japanese films outside of that country. The year-round programming includes films from around the world, from the silent era to the latest in experimental film and video. The library is recognized worldwide as an important resource for film study. The theater is newly refurbished and is designed for the optimum viewing experience, including careful attention to lines of sight and comfortable seats. Once you've visited this place, the local multiplex will never seem quite the same again.

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.

Welcome to one of the largest collections of Jewish and Jewish-American art, artifacts, books and archives in California. Find an amazing wealth of information, history and little known facts here, making it a perfect place for both adults and children, Jewish and non-Jewish alike. Some of the permanent collections include painting and sculpture from the 18th Century to the present, rare works by Marc Chagall and Chana Orloff, an extensive film and photography exhibit and an incredible library and archive collection that specializes in Jewish history in the Western States since the mid 19th Century.

North of downtown Berkeley, this area features some of the best in fine cuisine and gourmet shopping in the city. Locals looking for food that is a cut above head here for the best in ethnic and local dining. The keystone is definitely Chez Panisse, known throughout the world as the place to eat in the Bay Area. You will also find that some of the best tapas can be found at Cesar and authentic Thai at Cha Am. There are also several vegetarian options.

This Berkeley museum doubles as a research center at the University of California at Berkeley. Its evolutionary history collections and exhibits include invertebrates, microfossils and paleobotany. The free museum is also known for its accomplishments in technologies such as environmental scanning electron microscopy and molecular paleontology. You will find the latest cutting edge research here. After a trip to the museum, take a walk through the university's beautiful campus.

Perennially ranked among the top universities in the world, this 1,232-acre (499-hectare) campus is embellished with iconic museums, historic libraries, architectural marvels and immaculate lawns. In addition to being educated and enlightened by Nobel laureates, the university also encourages its bright young minds to excel at sports NCAA sports, molding them into well-rounded individuals. Founded in 1868, UC Berkeley is the oldest educational institution in the University of California system. Campus life centers on Sproul Plaza and Sather Gate where you can find a reminder of Berkeley's place in American social history. The site also includes the plaque marking the spot where Mario Savio launched the Free Speech movement in 1964. Steve Wozniak, Chris Pine, Eric Schmidt and Gordon Moore are some of the university's most notable alumni.

A gallery exhibiting various artworks, the Berkeley Art Center is a slice of vibrant, colorful art in the northern area of the city of Berkeley. Apart from art exhibitions, the center also plays host to numerous live music and literary events. Entrance to the gallery is free of charge, however donations are accepted and encouraged.

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 is a hands-on science museum. Walk in past a full-scale fiberglass model of a fin whale and indulge in earthquake simulations, dice-rolling games of probability, a planetarium and hundreds of other exhibits for both kids and adults. The younger set will particularly appreciate the Wizard Lab. The view from here (day or night) is about the best you will get in the Bay Area.

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!

This state park, which spans the shorelines of several cities, features a landscape characterized by wetlands, sandy shores, landfills, and marshes. The park offers plenty of recreational opportunities for nature and outdoor enthusiasts and serves as an ideal outdoor destination for all ages. Trails winding across the expanse enable visitors to admire the picturesque environs of the area, and vantage points scattered along the paths afford splendid views of the San Francisco Bay. Those inclined to wildlife viewing and hiking will relish a visit to this scenic state park.

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.