What to Do in Berkeley CA for First Timers

Looking for what to do in Berkeley California? These are our favorites.

The University of California, Berkeley is now part of the ACC, so we headed to a game to check out the new competition (we’re both GaTech alums). The rest of the weekend, we hung out with friends, explored the local scene, and ate good food, including Chez Panisse, which has been on my bucket list for over ten years!

We had a fantastic time. Even though it’s my fifth time visiting, we know we’ll be back again. These were our favorites from our most recent weekend spent in Berkeley.

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Last Updated: November 22, 2024

What to Do in Berkeley California

I love how walkable Berkeley is, and it’s easy to get to and from the OAK or SFO airports on BART. Once you get to town, you can explore on foot or short ride-share rides. You probably already know that Berkeley is best known for the UC Berkeley campus, but don’t miss the great food, music venues, and, if you rock climb, the climbing scene.

1. UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley

200 Centennial Dr, Berkeley, CA 94720, map

The UC Botanical Garden spans 34 acres and houses more than 10,000 species of plants. We especially loved the Redwood Grove, which is easy to miss. It’s next to the parking lot, across the street from the main entrance. You need to ask for a gate code.

The rest of the botanical gardens had peaceful trails and bay views with the iconic Golden Gate Bridge.

Local Tip: If you plan on using ride-share to get here, schedule your ride home since the service can be spotty. You can also take the bus to and from town.

See More: The Ultimate SF Bucket List

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2. Have Brunch at The Thai Temple, Wat Mongkolratanaram

1911 Russell St, Berkeley, CA 94703, map

I’m so glad the Visit Berkeley team suggested we go here; otherwise, we would have missed out. Wat Mongkolratanaram is a Thai Temple that serves a cash-only brunch every Sunday from 10 am to 1 pm to the public.

When you arrive, exchange cash for tokens at the token booth ($1 = 1 token). Don’t worry about getting too many tokens; you can exchange unused tokens back to cash. Afterward, you line up for food.

Dishes range from $11-13, and drinks are $1-3. We tried the pad thai, pumpkin basil, pork basil, mango sticky rice, and Thai tea. Everything we tried was delicious! If we lived near here, we would be visiting every Sunday. We need to come back to try the beef noodle soup.

Local Tip: Get here by 10 am if you want to avoid long lines, and maybe even before, if you’re getting in the beef noodle soup line (it was the longest).

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3. See a Show at The Greek Theatre →

Hearst Greek Theatre, 2001 Gayley Rd, Berkeley, CA 94720, map

The Greek Theatre is one of our favorite venues for a show. It’s an outdoor amphitheater on the UC Berkeley campus, and we saw the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs here. We especially liked hanging out on the lawn.

Berkeley has great venues for music acts and live theater. During our recent visit, we were introduced to the world of psychedelic Cumbia at Freight and Salvage. They also host open mics and other community events.

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4. Dine at Chez Panisse

1517 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, CA 94709, map

Chez Panisse is arguably the most famous restaurant in the Bay. Alice Waters, who opened Chez Panisse, is responsible for the farm-to-table movement and what we now know as California cuisine.

I’ve been dreaming about eating here for a while, and we secured a spot at the Cafe upstairs for a 9:45 dinner.

The Cafe serves from an a la carte menu, and the Restaurant downstairs has a pre-fixe menu with two seatings (5:30 PM and 8 PM).

Local Tip: Reservations are a must at Chez Panisse. It’s easier to find openings at the Cafe and during late hours.

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5. See the Art at BAMPFA (& Make your Own Art)

2155 Center St, Berkeley, CA 94720, map

BAMPFA, or the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive, is one of the nation’s leading university museums. They have multiple exhibits featuring works from the 20th and 21st centuries.

Since I’m in my art era, I have spent most of my time downstairs in the BAMPFA Art Lab. It’s open Friday through Sunday and the first Thursday of the Month. They provide paper, collage materials, glue, scissors, colored pencils, markers, and more.

Local Tip: Every first Thursday of the month, BAMPFA is free to visit.

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6. Visit the Local Urban Wineries

1350 Fifth St, Berkeley, CA 94710, map

In West Berkeley, you’ll find a one-block radius of warehouses taken over by urban winemakers. They also have a nice outdoor area to enjoy wine and beautiful weather.

Since I love bubbles, we started at Hammerling Wines, which specializes in sparkling wine. We then went over to Donkey & Goat to try their natural wine..

Local Tip: On the First Friday of each month, Berkeley Wine Block throws a block party from 3-9 PM. They also bring food trucks, music, and local art.

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7. Climb at The Oaks

1875 Solano Ave, Berkeley, CA 94707, map

The Oaks is the newest climbing gym in Berkeley. We knew we had to check out the gym built inside a historic theater. They preserved portions of the theater, including the stage frame and arch. It makes the space truly special.

When you arrive, you’ll see the marquee with climbing puns (James and the Giant Boulder on one side and Backflag to the Future on the other). Let us know if you see something different when you go.

It’s part of the Touchstone family, so the setting is fun and on par with their other gyms.

We also love the setting at Benchmark Berkeley, where we usually climb when we’re in the area. Next, we need to climb at Indian Rock, the local crag. It also has nice views if you’re not a climber.

See More: 5 Best San Francisco Climbing Gyms + Bay Area

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Map of the Best Things to Do in Berkeley

What to Eat in Berkeley

• Artis Coffee (💰💰, Coffee & Tea) – Cute and spacious coffee spot. Try their cold brew.
• Cafenated (💰💰, Breakfast & Brunch) – Delicious breakfast/brunch foods and drinks. The back patio is beautiful and has a lot of seating.
• Chez Panisse (💰💰💰💰, New American) – put California cuisine on the map. Click here to see our tips on how to get a reservation.
• Henry’s Bar & Restaurant (💰💰, Burgers) – This is a popular spot to tailgate before a Cal game. Try the Golden Bear.
• Iyasare (💰💰💰, Japanese) – Great Japanese spot. We loved the bento. It was massive and could have fed both of us.
• Jupiter (💰💰, Pizza) – A local favorite. They have a special pizza and salad each month, which we enjoyed.
• Peet’s Coffee, The Original Location (💰💰, Coffee & Tea) – This is the original Peet’s Coffee. Don’t miss the small museum in the back. Did you know Peet’s is responsible for the second wave of coffee in the US?
• Pizzeria da Laura (💰💰, Pizza) – you can choose New York style, Sicilian, or Grandma.
• Zino (💰💰, Mediterranean) – in the historic Hotel Shattuck, where we stayed. It’s a beautiful space that serves Mediterranean-inspired food.

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Where to Stay in Berkeley California

We stayed at the historic Hotel Shattuck during our visit to Berkeley. It’s the perfect location, only two blocks from the Berkeley campus and steps away from great restaurants. Plus, it was right next to a BART station, which made it a breeze to get to and from the airport. We stayed in the Bay Suite, which had beautiful bay views.

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Getting To and Around Berkeley

Berkeley is easy to explore without a car. For our visit, we flew into Oakland International Airport and hopped on BART, which took us to Downtown Berkeley (and our hotel).

AIRPORTS: There are three international airports to fly into.

• Oakland International Airport (OAK) is the easiest and closest to fly into. You can hop on BART and get off at one of three stations in Berkeley.
• San Francisco International Airport (SFO) – Another good option if flights are more accessible from your home. BART will also take you to town.
• San Jose International Airport (SJC) – You won’t be able to make it to Berkeley via BART, but it’s another option if you rent a car.

BART, or the Bay Area Rapid Transit, has three stations in Berkeley: Downtown Berkeley, North Berkeley, and Ashby Stations. If you’re flying into OAK or SFO, it’s a great option since you can ride it to town. It’s also a great way to get to and from San Francisco, Oakland, Walnut Creek, and Concord.

We didn’t use it once we arrived in town, but it made transferring to and from the airport easy. PRO TIP – If you have an iPhone, add the Clipper card to your wallet to quickly reload your card.

GETTING AROUND BERKELEY: Berkeley is a walkable city. Once we arrived, we mainly explored on foot and used ride-share for a couple of further away places.

Essential Tips For Your First Visit

• Stop by the Berkeley Visitors Center (2030 Addison St, Berkeley, CA 94704, map) to pick up maps and get tips from the locals.
• If you use BART during your visit and have an iPhone, add the Clipper card to your wallet so it’s easy to scan in and out of public transit, and you can quickly reload the card.
• Pack layers! It can be warm during the day and cold in the evening.
• Pay attention to the university schedule. Hotel prices are much higher during move-in, graduation, and home games, and the area is crowded.

Planning Checklist

Are there any things to do in Berkeley that we missed? What other spots do we need to check out?

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