University of California Berkeley
add photosHighlights of the UC Campus
• Sather Tower, central campus, visible from Sather Gate on Bancroft; (510) 642–5215. A campus landmark built in 1914 as a replica of St. Mark’s campanile in Venice. Take a heart-stopping ride to the top for 360-degree views of the Bay Area. The last elevator of the day leaves
at 3:00 P.M.; on Sunday, at 1:30 P.M. $.
• Lawrence Hall of Science, Centennial Drive near Grizzly Peak Boulevard; (510) 642–5132. Get involved in interactive displays of lasers, computers, medicine, dinosaurs, and outer space; pretend to be a doctor,
an archaeologist, and an astronaut. Planetarium shows and physics and biology labs are here too. The littlest kids like “OK-to-touch” frogs, tarantulas, rabbits, and other animals. Outside, kids love the earthquake simulator and the boulders for climbing, while parents
love the bay views. Call for a schedule of special weekend events. Adults and students $$; ages 3 to 4 $.
• UC Botanical Garden, 200 Centennial Drive; (510) 643–2755; http://botanicalgarden.berkleley.edu. Wander redwood-lined trails past old roses and a Chinese medicinal herb garden, a Japanese lily pond, and
more plant displays; take a walk or a bike ride, bring a picnic. Adults $$; seniors and children ages 3 to 18 $; under 3 free. Free to all the first Thursday of every month.
• Valley Life Sciences Building/Museum of Paleontology, (510) 642–1821. A huge collection of fossils are laid out in the hallways, and a triceratops skull awaits in the library. A two-story-high Tyrannosaurus rex presides in the atrium, while a pterosaur flies overhead. Cool! Free.
• Phoebe Hearst Museum of Anthropology, Kroeber Hall on Bancroft at College Avenue; (510) 643–7648. California Native Americans are featured, plus ancient artifacts from all over the world. Adults and students $; ages 12 and under free; everyone free on Thursday.
• International House, 2299 Piedmont Avenue; (510) 642–9460; www.ihouse.berkeley.edu. A chance to have a meal in the company of students from all over the world. Good, basic international cuisine is served from a buffet in a unique Spanish/Moorish–style restaurant, indoors or on the garden patio. $.
6 Reviews for University of California Berkeley
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00 families found this helpful
"Lots of politics and homeless"
Cal is a great place to visit as a teenager but can be scary for young children. The neighboring major streets including Telegraph and College are not really kid friendly. For instance when working on Telegraph I saw multiple bare breasted activist. There are some great restaurants but not worth the potential trauma to a child. Go to LHS instead.
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"Pleasant"
Berkeley University is very different from Stanford University, less charming. But it is definitely worth a visit. Go up the Campanile Tower on a beautiful day and you will have a wonderful view of the San Francisco Bay. And do not miss CAL Day, the university, its classes, museums etc are open for all. It happens in April every year.
1 family found this helpful
"Exploring high learning"
Cal's campus is beautiful and filled with a rich history well worth visiting. There are always thing to do, even if its a non-sporting weekend. Depending on the age of your children, hiking is fun and there are lots of places to see on foot, but if you want to get around the entire campus get on two wheels...or a tandem and ride the campus. Lots of places to go without having to worry about cars. Open fields, wonderful libraries, and downtown has a lot of things to see and do as well. Catch a game or a show and have a great time at Cal. Go Bears!
2 families found this helpful
"An oasis"
My first visit to the Berkeley campus was when I helped my son move into his dorm there. Berkeley town is like any other, mostly concrete and asphalt, until - bang! - you cross the street into woods and rolling hills and bubbling brooks, crisscrossed by sidewalks and studded with the buildings of the university. Lots of opportunity for strolling, but count on climbing some hills in the process. The campus is definitely not horizontal. You can buy souvenir stickers, mugs, sweatshirts, etc. at the campus bookstore (and also, books).
I agree about the hotels on University Ave. -- not exactly luxury, and not much cheaper than across the bay in San Francisco. If you're planning to just visit, I'd stay in the city and take the BART over -- there's a station on Shattuck Ave. only a couple of blocks from campus. Be aware that there are a fair number of street people around (not so much on campus itself) and some of the shops around carry merchandise which is, to be polite, not exactly family-friendly.
1 family found this helpful
"Beautiful Campus"
This campus is large and lush, easily beating out many UC campuses on atmosphere due to its straddling of the city and hills of Berkeley. The western edge is more flat, with lots of groves and large stretches of grass perfect for a picnic. The grass here is sharp so crawlers and wrestlers beware. It can get cold as the ocean wind seems to just blow past the Golden Gate Bridge straight up University Ave to hit the campus. There are many stair cases and flat concrete areas for early walking or climbing practice though sometimes a stroller will get complicated but not impossible -- most spaces have had some handicap access shoehorned into the century old structures. The university schedule will dictate crowd levels on and off campus, so expect a traffic nightmare in surrounding streets at the beginning and end of each semester (August, December, January and May) and a lot of students studying or playing during the bulk of the school year. Summer is less busy though never as warm as you might expect.
Area: There are a few hotels on the south side near iconic Telegraph Ave aimed towards visiting parents and alumni. I've never had a good experience with any of the hotels on University Ave. Cheap food of all types are easily found in any of the surrounding neighborhoods, with an obvious focus on pizza.
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"Fun with the Family"
Budding scientists in your family will find a plethora of fascinating museums, as well as the world-famous Lawrence Hall of Science, on the campus. Student-led campus tours are offered daily, and you can get maps for a self-guided tour at the visitor ceter. Maps are also posted at the campus entrance, or you can get one by mail by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to 2200 University Information Center, 2200 University Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94720. Call ahead for tour reservations.I went to school here and now find the campus a little more crowded with build-ings and students yet still a great place to spend an afternoon, wandering the garden pathways and having a picnic beneath one of the century-old redwoods or oak trees. The oldest of the UC campuses, established in 1868, this one has a fascinating variety of architectural styles. Delicatessens and casual cafes are clustered on the streets near each campus entrance.
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