With a sparkling setting on San Francisco Bay, Berkeley is a spirited Northern California city with counter-culture roots that has grown to become a hub of intellectual vim and cultural vigor. Berkeley’s vibrant arts and cultural scene and starry culinary credentials make it shine. Free speech and flower power are forever in the Berkeley genome, and the city continually reinvents itself as a celebrated place to dine, listen to live music, take in a play, and feel an authentic (if endearingly off-beat) college town vibe.
Berkeley flashes with everyday discoveries ranging from vibrant street art and public galleries to major performing arts venues. A culinary wonderland, the food scene in Berkeley is contemporary and legendary. Independent shops and merchants thrive in Berkeley’s tree-lined, walkable districts. And along with all the cultural and culinary experiences to savor, Berkeley offers at least as many ways to enjoy the great outdoors, from city parks to botanical gardens that overlook the Golden Gate Bridge.
Travel is about the details and detours that make a place memorable. People from around the world come to Berkeley seeking acclaimed restaurants, museums, shopping and arts. Along the way, they discover fabulous diversions, and a bit of themselves. The city’s charming neighborhoods invite visitors to mix flavors, change tempos, explore, and get lost – in the best way.
Travel tip: make Berkeley your Bay Area basecamp. From here, you’re day-trip close to San Francisco and California’s fabled wine country, with national park destinations just over the horizon. Then again, with Berkeley’s college-town vibe, celebrated food and arts, local-find shops, and outdoor escapes – you may not want to venture too far with all there is to do right here. Plan to play accordingly!
Martin Luther King Jr. called Berkeley “our nation’s conscience” during a 1967 speech here, and the city continues to embrace its role as the heart and soul of the Free Speech Movement and a progressive future. Yes, today Berkeley still wears tie-dye on its sleeve, but a closer look reveals a diverse, multi-faceted city where everyone is welcome. Like the UC Berkeley motto, Fiat Lux (Let there be light), Berkeley shines as a beacon by the bay.
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