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Things to do in Berkeley

Looking for things to do while your partner is Drupaling?

Cesar Chavez Park
A bike and pedestrian path runs around the water's edge to the bay side from the back of the peninsula this 90 acre park shares with the Marina and Pier, revealing an incredible view of the bay, the city, Alcatraz, the GG Bridge, and Mt. Tamalpais. With steady winds coming off the bay, a large field, and low hills, this is a kite flying Mecca. There is also a kite shop in a truck that parks here most afternoons that sells kites and parts. The park also has picnic areas with BBQ pits, an off-leash dog area, a wetland and wildlife sanctuary.
http://www.yelp.com/biz/cesar-chavez-park-berkeley

Berkeley Rose Garden, on Euclid Avenue
A half-hour's walk north of the UC Berkeley campus. Especially nice for watching the sunset, with a view of the bay.
http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/contentdisplay.aspx?id=12048

Indian Rock Park, Indian Rock Ave.
Indian Rock Park is a 1.18-acre public park located in the northeast part of the city, about one block north of the Arlington/Marin Circle, and straddles Indian Rock Avenue. The central feature of the park is a large rock outcropping on the west side of Indian Rock Ave. You can climb up the rocks on the carved out stairs and gaze at the great vista from the top. Highly recommended for sunsets.
http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/ContentDisplay.aspx?id=12614

People's Park
While not visually spectacular, this is a landmark of the 1960's Free Speech Movement. 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.
http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/contentdisplay.aspx?id=12760

Tilden Park
Offers several inexpensive activities for families with children. Many kilometers of hiking trails of various difficulties are available for free hiking, and include vistas of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge. Home to a 5-inch scale, narrow-gauge working steam train. $8 gets five rides through the woods atop the Berkeley hills, including a tunnel and trestle bridge.
http://www.ebparks.org/Page158.aspx

UC Berkeley Botanical Garden, on Centennial Drive (in the hills above the UC campus).
Open daily 9AM-5PM; closed first Tuesdays of each month and on certain holidays. Part outdoor museum, park, and biological research facility for the University of California, the 34-acre garden hosts over 12,000 different species of plant life. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors and $1 for children.
http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/

Alternative Music Foundation, 924 Gilman St (8th & Gilman)
North Berkeley is home to one of the world's most famous punk rock clubs, known simply as Gilman, after the street it located on. Shows are Friday and Saturday evenings, and sometimes Sunday afternoons.
http://www.924gilman.org/

Berkeley Repertory Theater (Berkeley Rep)
2025 Addison Street (near Shattuck; 2 blocks north of Berkeley BART station), Hours vary, normally Tu-Su 8PM-11PM, Sa-Su 2PM-4PM (matinee). With its consistently high-quality productions of contemporary and historical plays, the Berkeley Rep is one of the primary centers of theater on the West Coast. The theater is also very pleasant, in a modern way. $35-$55 (varies by night; half-price students and seniors, $20 under 30).
http://www.berkeleyrep.org/

Cal Bears Football-Memorial Stadium
The stadium plays host in the fall season to UC Berkeley football games. But if you want to watch a game for free, head above the canyon to Tightwad Hill, a hill where students and the public gather to watch games. It's also an ideal location for spectacular views of the Bay Area when there's not a game going on. Anyone is free to come as long as they pick up their own trash and don't wear the colors of Stanford University (red).
http://www.calbears.com/facilities/memorial-stadium.html

Long Haul Infoshop
3124 Shattuck Ave (near Ashby BART) is an anarchist library and community space. there is a wide range of books and magazines collected over the years for folks to read, as well as free coffee. on the weekends you may also find political and counter cultural events.
http://thelonghaul.org/

Takara Sake Co. tasting room and museum
708 Addison St. (4th St.). Noon-6 PM daily. Sample flights of Sho Chiku Bai sake and plum wines in a gorgeous tasting room within the brewery. Afterwards, check out the displays of traditional sake-making gear in the sake museum.
http://www.takarasake.com/

Strawberry Cannon
Strawberry Canyon is the most frequented tramp in Berkeley, perhaps because one may stroll along the upper creek bed and lose sight of all that reminds him of a town—forget, for a little while, streets, and houses, and gardens...and books. Running between the walls of the hill, over a tumbled bed of boulders, and through regular tunnels of oak and laurel and willow, and tangled disorder of creeper and fern, Strawberry Creek has an untamed beauty and waywardness that pleases as no garden or park-land can.
http://berkeleyheritage.com/berkeley_landmarks/strawbcanyon.html

Laurence Hall of Science
The Lawrence Hall of Science, UC Berkeley's public science center, has been providing parents, kids, and educators with opportunities to engage with science since 1968. Located at One Centennial Drive, about half a mile from Grizzly Peak Boulevard in the hills above the UC Berkeley campus. They are open 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. every day and most holidays.$12.00 adults (ages 19–61). $9.00 students/seniors/disabled (ages 7–18; 62-plus). $6.00 children (ages three to six; children under three are admitted free). Free for members, UC Berkeley students and staff.
http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/

Berkeley Fire Trails
Awesome trail that will give you a great workout and an AMAZING view once you get to the top. Trust us...the hard work will be worth it once you lay your eyes on the beautiful bay area skyline! The 7 mile trail has some steady gradual inclines with a few steep inclines. Wear a hat especially if you plan to hike this in the heat and make sure you bring plenty of water! It takes about 2.5 hrs round trip, with quite a few pit stops to enjoy the view!
http://www.yelp.com/biz/berkeley-fire-trails-berkeley

Little Farm in Tilden
One of the District's three oldest parks, Tilden has been called the jewel of the system, and its recreational activities have become a happy tradition for generations of East Bay youngsters. From a carousel ride and a picnic to a swim at Lake Anza and a stroll through the Botanic Garden, Tilden has variety to delight everyone. Yet there are plenty of quiet places in Tilden's 2,079 acres to shelter the wildlife and preserve natural beauty. Tilden was named for Charles Lee Tilden, first president of the Park District Board of Directors. The park is reached via Canon Drive, Shasta Road, or South Park Drive, all off Grizzly Peak Boulevard in Berkeley.
http://www.ebparks.org/parks/tilden

Adventure Playground
The Adventure Playground at the Berkeley Marina is a wonderfully unique outdoor facility where staff encourage children to play and build creatively. Come climb on the many unusual kid designed and built forts, boats, and towers. Ride the zip line or hammer, saw, and paint. By providing these low risk activities Adventure Playground creates opportunities for children to learn cooperation, meet physical challenges and gain self confidence.
http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/adventureplayground/

Berkeley Pier
Berkeley Marina and Pier is a big area covered by the Bay Area Bay Trail. Though the trail takes you around the areas of the park, it is up to you to search and discover what each part has hidden. The Marina is a small place where you can watch boats enter and leave. The Pier is a great place to go to fish or watch boats or surfers battle the waves.
http://www.abag.ca.gov/bayarea/baytrail/vtour/map5/access/bmarinapier/bm...

Walking Tours
Berkeley will fill your itinerary with activities to engage your senses, revive your spirit, and exercise your imagination. This is a city where you can tour a brewery or botanical garden, savor the sunset or a foodie feast, explore a 1,000-acre regional park or a fun science museum. Time to tour!
http://visitberkeley.com/what-to-do/sightseeing-tours