DebitNM

We are having dinner in Berkeley next week. We would like to go early and spend the day exploring the city. We will be taking BART, so we will need to rely on public transit once we are there IF we need to go places beyond walking distance.

Any and all suggestions [except shopping ] welcomed. Thanks!

cferrb

The UC Berkeley campus is a lovely place to explore. You should be able to go up the campanile (the big white clock tower in the middle of campus). From there you will have an incredible view of the Bay Area. The Doe Library, which is the graduate library, is a wonderful old building. Don't confuse it with the newer Moffett Library, which isn't much architecturally. Further up the hill you will find the Hearst Mining Building, which also has some nice architecture. The university has an art museum on Bancroft Ave. right across the street from campus which has some interesting art. I haven't been there in years so I don't know exactly what is there.

Underhill

Go up in the Campanile on the U. C. campus. Walk along Strawberry Creek, then just wander through the campus buildings and along the adjacent streets. Have a burger at Kip's.

Dayenu

Another vote for university. Beautiful grounds. I think they have free shuttles if you get tired.

Underhill

There's a shuttle from the BART station, I think. At one time it was called Humphrey GoBART.

Surfergirl

I don't recall there being a shuttle from the BART station -- at least not the downtown Berkeley station on Shattuck. Bus service to the campus, yes.

Also agree with touring the campus -- and take a campus free tour. They generally start at the Campanile (which is a worthwhile $3 trip up). Although the campus tour is geared towards high school seniors interested in attending the school, it does provide you with some outstanding information about not only the campus, but the buildings, the number of bear statues, including the location of the smallest bear on campus (for those interested, it is located above the entrance of South Hall, which is the oldest still-standing building).

Since they are currently doing a complete overhall of Memorial Stadium (where the Golden Bears usually play), there will probably be a lot of construction noise in that general location.

For an unusual spot for an on-campus lunch, I'd personally head over to the Faculty Club, an historical building designed by the famed Berkeley architect, Bernard Maybeck. The food is okay, but you are sitting in the midst of some wonderful history, gorgeous surroundings, and can listen in to a lot of the professors who go there for lunch (yes, you can dine there and drink there -- don't have to be on the faculty!) -- sometimes fascinating conversations, sometimes grumbling about some student driving them crazy.

If that doesn't sway you, there's 2 places in north Berkeley (a relatively short walk up Shattuck from the station or even shorter bus ride) I'd recommend -- Bistro Liaison (for French), and the Cheeseboard Collective -- best pizza in town.

I wouldn't go to the Art Museum across the street. I did that once -- maybe it was the exhibit, I don't know, but it seemed pretty weak.

Chris_Brown

We went up to the roof of a math building on campus (??Evans Hall??) and the view was outstanding. This was 10 years ago. Not sure if you can still do this.

Dayenu

http://visitors.berkeley.edu/gethere..._transit.shtml

scroll to the bottom - the last entry is Berkeley Shuttle, but it says "access denied" - maybe it's for students only?

http://visitors.berkeley.edu/tour/self.shtml
self-guided tours

SAB

If your husband (and you of course) wants a good ride on his motorcycle whilst in Berkeley, you might try Grizzily Peak up in the Berkeley hills. Great views of the Bay for you, riding around and up and down curves for him. If you are leaving the bike in the City, do the campus thing that others have mentioned.

charnees

Or you could go to the Rockridge BART station, and browse in the Market Hall foods store on the corner across the street. (To me food shopping is different from other shopping! And that store is amazing!)

Then you can take the 51 bus to campus ( north-bound) along College Ave. and do your touring of the campus.