Activities and Attractions in Berkeley, California
Being a town which is highly influenced by the college that it hosts, UC Berkeley, it is no surprise that the city has a kind of intellectual atmosphere when it comes to its entertainment. One of the best places to check out in the city is the Hearst Greek Theater, which is home to UC Berkeley ceremonies, music concerts, and famous speaker events. The Greek Theater has some interesting and rather important history as it has hosted all kinds of famous people ranging from musical acts like Bob Marley and Radiohead to Presidents such as John F. Kennedy and Theodore Roosevelt.
Another interesting attraction found in Berkeley is the Judah L. Magnes Museum. This museum focuses on the Jewish community’s history in the western part of the United States. It is the third largest Jewish museum in the entire United States and is known to be rather avant garde. If that isn’t your cup of tea, you might be interested in the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology. The museum is home to many various objects ranging from baskets to arrows that came from past civilizations.
If you’re looking for a more diverse museum, look no farther than the UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. With many different kinds of art pieces and interesting film exhibits, this museum is great for really understanding what the Berkeley vibe is all about. Once you’re done with checking out this museum, you might want to check out a popular street right next to the UC Berkeley campus: Telegraph Avenue.
Telegraph Avenue is essentially the spot where most UC Berkeley students hang out. With some fantastic music stores and vintage fashion, this street is constantly bustling with diverse traffic. However, perhaps the best thing about this street is the wonderful restaurants that it is home to. With everything from Korean to Mexican to Italian food, the eateries are all quite different. However, they do share one thing in common: they are all relatively cheap and very tasty. Mario’s La Fiesta is one of my personal favorite restaurants on the street, which has some of the best Mexican food I’ve ever had for a really cheap price.
When you’re finished eating some of the best food in Berkeley, you might want to go relax and go for a swim in Lake Anza. Although the lake is rather small, it is quite clean and perfect for some small water sport activities. Another peaceful attraction in Berkeley is the Tilden Regional Park. With everything from a golf course to horseback riding to hiking to the Regional Parks Botanic Garden, the park is gorgeous and almost all green. It’s the perfect place to go when it comes to resting in Berkeley.
Berkeley provides a very unique atmosphere that I personally have not really experienced in any other city. With a very lively vibe and some fantastic food, Berkeley is a great place to check out for anyone planning on taking a trip to northern California. Even if you’re vacationing in San Francisco, it’s worth taking a small trip by the BART to visit this wonderful little city.
