11 Things You May Not Know About Visiting Berkeley

By Kathy Condon

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit the Presidio in San Francisco and decided to detour to Berkeley, a city I’ve heard about for years but never explored. It became clear right away that, though living in the shadows of San Francisco, Berkeley has definitely charted its own path filled with surprising explorations. As I allowed the city to reveal itself on my journey, it didn’t take me long to realize that one day was not enough to explore this city fully.

My first stop was the Berkeley Marina. Pretty amazed about the number of boats docked and the stellar view of San Francisco on this cloudless day.

Next stop: Urban wine district. I thought I knew quite a bit about wineries, however, I was not familiar with the term “urban winery.” If I’m not the only one who doesn’t know, it means the wine is made within a city. The grapes used in creating their wines come from nearby vineyards.

By chance, Vinca Minor Wine had its door open, so I wandered in. Jason Charles, the owner, was still beaming from being named one of the “Top 25 Wineries to Visit During the Summer of 2021” by the San Francisco Chronicle.

Then on to the Ed Roberts Campus. Seven organizations within the Campus focus on people and structures to help people with disabilities navigate our world.  In the tour I learned about innovative ways our streets and pathways are marked to enable people with disabilities to lead a more independent life. The Campus has become a national research center that offers consulting services for new buildings and developing communities.

If you thought Berkeley would only have small local businesses, you would be wrong. On Fourth Street, major brands, including Amazon-4 Store, Lululemon, and Sephora, welcome you on this beautiful tree-lined street. It is a mecca for shoppers.

Next, I passed the University of Berkeley Campus and headed up into the Berkeley Hills. As a resident of Palm Springs, I marveled at the variety of trees and the views around the various curves. With lunch picked up at Standard Fare, I parked the car and approached the fountain at The Lawrence, a University of Berkeley technology center perched high above the city.

While The Lawrence remains closed, the drive to this space is worth it for the view and proved to be the perfect place to relax while eating my delicious organic lunch. The enormous area around the central fountain serves as a large outside event venue. The architecture of the building is futuristic with gorgeous landscaping. I am looking forward to learning about its research in the future.

As I wound my way down the mountain, I stopped to see Tilden Park with a public golf course and miles of hiking trails. Redwood trees scattered throughout the park make it a special place to visit without the trek to Northern California.

Who would have ever thought one of the last remaining antique merry-go-rounds in the United States would be in Berkeley Hills? It welcomes people of all ages during normal times. However, this writer longed to get on that realistic ostrich waiting for a passenger.

Located in the Berkeley Hills is also the University of Berkeley Botanical Gardens. This space has plants from all over the world and is under the watchful eyes of scientists who observe the best conditions for plants to retain their health in our ever-changing climate. 

While providing much scientific information to scholars, it also is the place for people to walk the paths, enjoy the fauna, and relax on the many benches providing the ideal space for meditation or planning a wedding. Who wouldn’t want to get married under a canopy of redwood trees?

As the day ended, this travel writer’s brain was just about on overload. So, stopping at Jupiter’s, downtown Berkeley, for refreshments with Dan Marengo, Communications Director of Visit California, was just the right stop at the end of the day. I sincerely appreciated him taking the time to meet with me, for it was the perfect place to regroup and ask questions that were swirling in my head.

The new Aiden Hotel on University Avenue in Berkeley proved to be the perfect choice for location, accommodations, and most of all for the staff ready to meet this weary traveler’s needs. I am already planning my trip back to explore so much more in this complex community. Find more information on visiting Berkeley here.

Cover photo courtesy of TravMedia/Visit Berkeley

Guest contributor Kathy Condon is a freelance journalist and travel writer living in Palm Springs, California. She is the Founder of the Palm Springs Insider Guide. Her book It Doesn’t Hurt to Ask: It’s All About Communication was named Best Book Finalist By USA Book News.  Kathy@kathycondon.net