21 Things To Do in Berkeley Before You Graduate
February 2021
For my former classmates of the Class of ‘21, here are 21 of my favorite things to in Berkeley. There’s a lot in here and not all of it is feasible given covid, but regardless of where you are in the world, I hope that it will give you a few ideas for the next time you’re here, or, at the least, bring back a few memories. Suggestions always appreciated (:
Things To Do
Go thrifting at Urban Ore This place has more doors than Monsters Inc. It has even more toilets than it has doors, and all of those toilets are terrible, but checking them out is always the highlight of my visit. There’s a cat that hangs out among the bins full of paintings. Beware of Urban Ore if you have a rust-related phobia.
Observe the Pier at the Berkeley Marina While I’ve visited many times, I’ve yet to jump the fence. You probably shouldn’t either. The pier was originally built as a ferry dock to San Francisco, and on Big Game days traffic would be backed all the way up University as a result. The pier itself is massively long (originally 3.5 miles) and stretches towards Alcatraz. It’s mostly rotting now, but I think that the city council is considering rebuilding it, so fingers crossed that we’ll be able to set foot on it someday. In terms of things that you can appreciate more legally, consider throwing a barbecue or visiting the turkeys. On the way out you’ll notice how terrible the road is. My Uber driver once told me that this is because so many people would drag race up and down that they just stopped repairing it, and now driving it is an awful experience for everyone.
Eat Tacos While Watching a Rose Garden Sunset This one feels pretty basic, but it’s remarkable how many people I know who haven’t ever given it a visit. One of Berkeley’s best civic installations, I think. Roses bloom between March and graduation, so get out there!!!
Smell at corpse flower at the Botanical Gardens Depressingly few Berkeley students take advantage of the fact that admission is free for them. You probably won’t be able to see the corpse flower since it only blooms every seven years (though you can see the plant in its non-flowering state--the entire thing is just one leaf that looks like a tree), but you’ll still be able to appreciate the Chinese Medicinal Herb Garden and the extremely specific ailments that each plant soothes. Pretend to get married under the trellis in the Garden of Old Roses. Resist the temptation to steal a vegetable from the edible garden. Buy me a succulent at the garden store (or look for the pencils I designed that are carried there!) Read Paradise Lost on a bench at the top overlooking all of Berkeley. Look for salamanders in the Japanese pond. Find the petrified tree log. Appreciate how well-kept the Bamboo Path is. And if you find pineapple sage, please bring me some.
Save Hundreds While Shopping for Spices in the Sari District I don’t think that anybody calls it the Sari District beyond me and my friends. If you’ve ever taken the 51B down University though, you’ll probably have noticed that there are like three sari stores and three Indian grocery stores all clustered together. There is no better place to buy spices in all of Berkeley. If shopping is a social experience for you, as it is for me, it can be fun spending 30 minutes appreciating the massive selection that these stores offer, and if you plan on celebrating Diwali, also pick up some rangoli powder and candles!
Spend a day in Tilden That there are some fantastic hikes up here is a given--I’ll let you find those on your own. There are several other things to try out up here though:
• Walk the rim of Lake Anza
• Hunt for mushrooms
• Visit the Little Farm (it’s a petting zoo I think?)
• Ride the Carousel
Find the Weirdest Artifact in Elmwood There are some strange stores up here. Foremost is Tail of the Yak, David Sedaris’ favorite shop in Berkeley, which has several live birds in cages. There’s also a very cool Ohlone art gallery, some famous bookstores, and usually way too many kids. While you’re here, grab a chocolate sample from Casa de Chocolates and find the weirdest ice cream flavor at Humphrey Slocombe (my favorite so far is candy cap mushroom brownie). Also check out the indie comic book store and Star Grocery on Claremont Avenue.
Fly a kite at Caesar Chavez Park
Allow a Monitor Lizard to Inspect your Soul at the East Bay Vivarium And while you’re there, explore 4th street.
he probably knows you better than you know yourself Find an Unusual Fruit at Berkeley Bowl I love their pomelos. Quinces boiled in sugar and cinnamon are also excellent, and, if you haven’t ever tried cactus fruit, consider a prickly pear. Or a buddha’s hand. Don’t get cherimoya fruit though—I accidentally dropped $11 on a single one the other week, not realizing exactly what I was getting into. I exchanged it for a bag of roasted peanuts and an $8 return. They also have an impressive selection of roots that I can’t even begin to appreciate (though I did once try their Taiwanese burdock just because it was so absurdly long), and their quick-sell rack has produce for less than $1. If it’s the right time of year you can also find Turkish delight.
that’s a lot of fruit for $0.89 Contemplate the Economics of BioFuel Oasis One of the Bay Area’s fabled biodiesel stations, located on Ashby west of campus. My professor had a story about a guy who would drive here all the way from Menlo Park, and use up half of the gas he bought each time just driving there and back.
Crash an End-of-Year Barbecue at Bowles I don’t think their parties are exclusive? I’ve never asked. It’s a tradition though, and they’d probably be happy to have you.
Or even better: Attend Dinner at Cloyne Court. Sign Your Soul Over to the BSC. And Then Escape. Green Day, No Doubt, and Elliott Smith all played here, back when the punk scene in Berkeley was alive and well, and back when Cloyne wasn’t substance-free. This repurposed hotel, which I have written about many times before, was designed by John Galen Howard (the guy who designed the Campanile and many other buildings on campus--note the resemblance to North Gate Hall!) and named for Cloyne, Ireland, the town from which Bishop George Berkeley (!!!) hailed. They have a sauna and ghost stories and some of the strangest culture you’ll find anywhere in Berkeley. Read literally anything that I wrote in Spring 2020 because there’s no way I can even begin to scratch the history of the building here.
Witness 4/20 on Memorial Glade Whatever your relationship with weed, it’s a sight to behold. I was on Bechtel Terrace, attending English 165, on 4/20/20 at 4:20. I observed that a national pandemic didn’t stop them. The year prior, Cal Day would have fallen on 4/20, but there was no way they’d let parents onto campus that day so they changed it back to 4/13.
Peruse the film archive at the BAMPFA This is another opportunity that woefully few students take advantage of. They have both rotating and stationary exhibits, and at the start of each school year they give out free pizza and posters. Visiting the library is fun regardless of how much you know about film (for instance, who isn’t interested in at least the *idea* of Soviet animation), and you can also go to artsy film screenings put on by the BAMPFA student committee.
Watch the moon rise over the Berkeley Hills Sunrises are overrated, and our view is blocked by the hills anyway. Moonrises are, in my opinion, just as beautiful, though they’re much more difficult to catch because the moon 1) goes through phrases and 2) rises an hour later each night, so it takes a lot of planning to catch it. On the right night, the tendrils of clouds in the hills will appear to catch fire, and it’s surreal to see an orb appear to melt in reverse, warped by the shape of the hills. To catch the moon rising, look up the day’s moonrise, and expect to see it rise above IHouse. When you’re further from the hills, it will appear to rise sooner (because the hills will be comparatively closer to the horizon)--at the Berkeley Marina for instance, a 7:22 moonrise might actually occur around 7:30. If you’re trying to catch it across from Kroeber, expect to have to wait 40 more minutes.
Buy something you didn’t need at the Berkeley Flea Market, or any one of the farmer’s markets You’ve probably stumbled into one of these by accident at least once. There’s a craft fair on Telegraph most weekends in December, a permanent flea market on Ashby each Saturday, and three farmers markets scattered across Berkeley throughout the week. At the very least, try some cheese samples.
Spend a memorable Halloween or Valentine’s Day participating in the Rocky Horror Picture Show at the UC Theater If you’re looking for a more mellow event, go to a concert at Cornerstone. I saw Summer Salt, Motel Radio, and Kid Bloom for $15 total. This is one of my favorite Berkeley venues.
Befriend a cat a Sleepy Cat Books They only want to be your friend. The owner is also really nice. And look for the rest of Berkeley’s indie bookstores:
• Revolution Books You might have seen their iconic corner signs on Telegraph. Here, the counterculture is alive and well.
• Moe’s If you’re looking for other locations featured in The Graduate, there’s also Sproul, Theta Delta Chi, and that boarding house on Dana and Channing
• Pegasus
• Mrs. Dalloway’s
• Half-Price Books
• Eastwind Books
Stop into a store you’ve never visited on Shattuck or Telegraph At the least, every Berkeley resident should be able to say they’ve set foot inside of Amoeba or Games of Berkeley. J-town is good for snacks. If you’re closer to Northside, Victory Point Cafe is an acceptable substitution.
Hang out with Meg It’s true, I am here, and I have never said no to anybody asking me to join them on their walk.
Weird Berkeley History and Rabbit Holes To Explore & Visit
Because of the nature of rabbit holes, I’m going to keep this section light so that you can discover each story for yourself.
What Was Formerly Barrington Hall Okay the stories about this place are WILD. Barrington (located near the Academy of Psychic Studies) used to be one of the houses in the Berkeley Student Cooperative. Steve Wozniak was a resident. Among other things, it was significant to the Berkeley punk rock scene, and maybe the heart of Berkeley counter culture itself. The cooperative was notorious for its non-stop partying and general lack of personal accountability (it was hard to say who was and wasn’t a resident) and eventually was shut down. There are stories of a python that escaped in the house, the “Hell Summer” that ensued when the BSC tried to crack down on the cooperative, and it birthed my favorite quote, “the poetry reading is out of control,” uttered by a police officer as Barrington residents took their last stand against eviction. Here’s where I’d begin, though as with all good research, the real facts are in the footnotes. Also be sure to read the response. It’s hard to say how things really were, since Barrington is often used as a scapegoat for counter-culture itself, but we can be certain that it was a wild ride. Some of its legacy lives on in Casa Zimbabwe (and for a while, in Cloyne, although since the university owns the building they were able to crack down on the drug culture and it’s now substance and punk rock-free) and at 924 Gilman.
2603 Benvenue #4, or, more famously, the apartment from which Patty Hearst was kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army This is a private residence, so if you visit please just glance at it before moving on. I make an annual pilgrimage here while listening to American Heiress by Jeffrey Toobin. I think a lot of my generation is unfamiliar with the story (I only came across it while listening to an interview with Terry Gross), but it was one of the most high-profile kidnappings in California history. To begin, I recommend the aforementioned book--it’s good audio for walking around Berkeley, though I think that Tobin held a certain amount of disdain for his subject--or even just Wikipedia. There’s a lot to dig into.
Unabomber’s Cottage (2628-A Regent Street) He only taught here for two uneventful years, but somehow he’s inextricable from the Berkeley Identity. You can find your own way to this rabbit hole. While you can’t walk up to the cottage itself, you can catch a glimpse of it behind a gate. I’m unsure of whether they ever let strangers visit.
Or if you’re looking for something wholesome, this Cal student’s blog from 1999 This is truly a gem. This student wrote about his insecurities and friendships candidly. As a student who also writes, it’s so fun and strange to see many of my own thoughts written out two decades before I ever thought them. His photos are also excellent--there are a few shots of parts of campus that don’t exist anymore. Aashna and I did some sleuthing and found his LinkedIn profile today, and it seems that he’s accomplished all of his dreams and more. In a time of uncertainty--both in my life and in my country’s history--it really meant a lot that I was able to read his story and see that things turned out alright for him.
Trips By Bus
El Cerrito--Sunset View Mortuary Find the oldest headstone. Spend 20 minutes at the Mausoleum at the top of the hill--inside it’s spacious and light-filled--and see how much you can learn about local history just by reading the names and symbols that appear on the memorial plaques. On Sundays they give sermons, and it’s haunting to hear the words echoing through the halls. You don’t need to listen closely.
Oakland—Mountain View Cemetery This was designed by Frederick Law Olmstead--the same guy responsible for Central Park and, unfortunately, the Stanford University campus. Ghirardelli was buried here! Unfortunately the Cemetery itself is closed to the public, and I have some… mixed feelings about that, but the Mausoleum is open and it’s worth the trip. It’s a Julia Morgan building (she was buried behind it, and so was Bernard Maybeck) and I can’t believe that some of the rooms are indoors--they’re filled with plants and mosaics and water installations. It’s gothic, but it’s also uniquely Californian.
Albany—Albany Bulb This is one of my favorite trips I’ve ever taken--I’ve been thrice now. This former landfill was home to an art community for several decades. You can still go visit their installations if you’re willing to do a little bit of exploration. There’s a labyrinth, dragons made of driftwood, and giant sculptures made of twisted metal. It’s a quiet place. Definitely read up on its history before you go.
Albany—TEPCO Beach This Albany beach is littered with porcelain. It was the former dumping ground for a ceramics company. When I went I was only able to find four different colors of porcelain (the periwinkle is beautiful), not including algae-stained shards and sea glass, but maybe you can do better? The shards with the Tepco logo printed on them are highly collectible.
Katherine and I caught the sunset here. there were some fishermen nearby Oakland—Lake Merritt Surrounded by interesting things on all sides. There’s a bonsai garden, tropical garden, community garden, and creepy Children’s Playland.
Oakland—Phap Duyen Tu This place has one of the most interesting origins of any of the sites I’m mentioning here. Some guy was tired of neighbors dumping trash on his cul de sac, so he put out a statue of Buddha hoping it would commend some respect for his corner. While he himself was non-religious, the local Buddhist community adopted the statue and gradually began building a shrine around it. What started out as weekly offerings slowly became more elaborate, and today the shrine draws worshippers every morning.
Oakland—Jack London Square I’d sometimes find myself here after shows at the Fox Theater. There are lots of great plaques to read, if you’re into that. There’s also a fantastic Thai restaurant--at the least, try one of their desserts--a replica of Jack London’s Alaskan cabin, and plenty of quiet docks to watch the water from.
Scenic Walks
Codornices back trails Find the fence covered in paintings on the northern end of the park. There’s also a beautiful glade of wild onion flowers that gets trampled every year by seniors taking photos, don’t be like them.
Ohlone Park & Berkeley Greenway; bike it to Solano or Richmond You’ll pass community gardens, dog parks, and street art.
Albany Hill
Blake Gardens
Orchard Lane
Berkeley Poetry Garden Ginsburg was here. Kerouac too. Maybe you someday. Probably not.
Big C & fire trails. If you’re lucky, you might encounter some goats in the hills.
Wander the neighborhoods of North Berkeley I usually start on Euclid to the Rose Walk (which was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps) and from there take as many staircases as possible. There’s a Monastery with a fantastic view of the Bay if you can find it, and Grizzly Peak Blvd, not to be confused with Grizzly Peak Overlook, is one of my favorite places to catch the sunset. If earthquakes and finances weren’t an issue, would you live here?
Berkeley Rock Parks I like grabbing a chicken sandwich and potato puffs from Gregoire’s before embarking on a journey to any one of these:
Live Oak Park (good for lunch dates since it’s near Gourmet Ghetto)
Indian Rock
The vastly underrated Mortar Rock Park
Grotto Rock
Cragmont Rock (good for rappelling if you have the equipment)
Remillard
Great Stoneface Park (explore Thousand Oaks--look for the urns designating the turn-of-the-century boundaries, as well as the indentations in the rock where Ohlone people would grind acorns) & all of the natural boulders worked into the neighborhood nearby
John Hinkel Park (sometimes an outdoor music venue; pretty, ivy-covered walkways. I’d call it romantic.)
Architecturally Interesting
Even if you don’t find architecture interesting, Berkeley has a really rich architectural history, and it’s worth it to spend an afternoon trying to hit as many of these buildings as possible. They’re beautiful. And if you can take a tour, even better.
West Berkeley Macaroni Factory I just like that we have a historic macaroni factory.
Normandy Village I want to live here so badly. Originally Thornburg Village, the collections of homes were designed by a guy who was inspired by his time in Europe during World War I. Its cobblestones and thatched roofs really do feel like something out of a storybook. Normandy Village is like 200 feet off campus; there’s no reason not to at least walk by it.
Hillside Improvements If you want some 20th-century drama, boy have I got an article for you.
Fox Cottage, Fox Court, and Fox Common These buildings also feel like something out of a storybook. They’re done in the Romantic Tudor Revival style, and it’s really surprising to encounter them nestled between alleys on University. UC literally lifted up Fox Cottage and moved it to its current location to make room for Crossroads.
Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd I just think it’s cool and unexpected. It’s the oldest church in Berkeley! We don’t get a lot of Gothic Revival architecture out here. Check out its stained-glass windows!
Tupper and Reed Building I think it was designed by the guy behind Normandy Village, you can see the resemblance!
The Fountain Walk & Traffic Circle This was to be the site of the California state capital, if Berkeley got its way. Unfortunately, since Berkeley was a dry city, alcohol lobbyists made sure this didn’t happen. See all of the roads named for California cities in this area--Berkeley’s attempt to ingratiate itself with the rest of California. Nearby, the Fountain Walk is short but pretty. If you’re looking for a scenic drive, go up or down Marin after dusk. The entire Bay glitters. If you’re not able to view it from a rooftop, this drive is the next best thing.
California Arts and Crafts Movement
Berkeley is home to one of my favorite architectural movements--the Arts and Crafts Movement. Julia Morgan and Benard Maybeck, both of whose fingerprints are all over the University campus, played a significant role in defining this movement, which was a bit of a retaliation against the flourishes and intricacy of more classical schools of thought. Arts and Crafts had an emphasis on traditional craftsmanship and natural materials. One of its surviving legacies is the California bungalow-style home—Northside is rife with them—though you can also walk around Berkeley downtown and see some of the notable civic buildings designed in this style.
First Unitarian Church
Thorsen House You can literally knock on their door and get a tour of this weird artist cooperative on Frat Row
The Graduate Hotel
First Church of Christ, Scientist Berkeley’s only National Landmark, designed by Bernard Maybeck. Considered his masterpiece. JUST LOOK AT THE PHOTOS OF IT
First Congregational Church Berkeley
Berkeley City Club A romanesque castle designed by Julia Morgan, similar to her Hearst Castle!!! Following the theme of Morgan’s other significant contributions to Berkeley such as the Hearst Gymnasium and Senior Women’s Hall, this building was financed by and dedicated to women. I want to go inside so badly. Its pool--known as The Plunge Room--and courtyard gardens look unreal. It’s one of Berkeley’s three California historic landmarks (the other two being the classical core of the University, and Piedmont Way, which was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, designer of Central Park).
Anna Head School for Girls
Berkeley Library North Branch
Post Office on Shattuck and Vine
Civic Center Historic District
City Hall/Civic Center This is the second City Hall Berkeley’s had. The first burnt down in the early 1900s. One of the proposals for the original building location was on top of Grizzly Peak, but it was eventually placed at University and Sacramento. Back then, as it is now, this wasn’t an area convenient to anywhere, so the building was literally lifted off of its foundation and carried to where it is now. It took eight days to move it all the way up the hill, and burnt down completely a year later. When the foundation for the second building was dedicated Benjamin Ide Wheeler gave the keynote, and he christened City Hall by saying, “flay the politicians”.
Berkeley Community Theater
Federal Bank Building
Hotel Shattuck One of the concierges saw me looking through the window and asked if I wanted to come in. I did. They have an impressive ballroom.
Berkeley High As you might be able to guess from the exterior, much of this was built by New Deal agencies. John Muir planted a Giant Sequoia here, and the school is famous for being the first public high school with an African American studies department.
Post Office Technically Beaux-Arts, but it has a New Deal mural inside of it. The entire building is enormous, and I wish that I could see more of it.
Berkeley Public Library One of the first tool-lending libraries. Check out the New Deal reliefs outside, and find the rams.