Are you a new or prospective student to UC Berkeley? Or are you a returning student who needs new travel ideas around the Bay Area? Either way, this travel guide will give you a sense of how many options Berkeley really has to offer…I will feature my all time FAVORITE places to hike/visit, restaurants to indulge at, and more!
As an incoming student at Berkeley, you may have done your research on the Internet regarding places to visit. But you might have also wanted an opinion from a fellow golden bear. This is what I’m here for! I’m currently a junior at UC Berkeley who has lived here for 3 years…! Let’s go ahead and start with the TOP 5 PLACES YOU CAN TRAVEL TO IN BERKELEY (WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE):
FIRST UP, WE HAVE:
- The Berkeley Marina
The Berkeley Marina is the home to Cal Adventures, an “Outdoor Experiential Education Program at UC Berkeley. [They] offer instructional sailing, paddleboarding, windsurfing, sea kayaking, rock climbing and rappelling classes, as well as, various custom designed trips and day programs.” You can find all these activities being held at Berkeley Marina.
This place is also perfect for viewing both the Bay Bridge and the Golden Gate Bridge. It provides a nice getaway from the city whenever you want to change up your environment and destress from your studies. The best part about the marina is that you get these amazing views by only needing to travel approximately 3 miles from the UC Berkeley campus. I always do a quick 3 mile run and stop to look at the beautiful scenery. The best time to visit Berkeley Marina is during sunsets hours (so around 5:20 pm during Fall/Winter and 7:20 pm during Spring seasons)! This way you can see the Bay Bridge light up brightly while the sun goes down.
P.S. The Bay Bridge is my favorite bridge when all the lights are turned on after sunset.
2) Emeryville Marina
The twin to Berkeley Marina is…you guessed it: Emeryville Marina! Although the distance is a little longer, 5 miles instead of 3, you will get to see Emeryville’s very own unique views. If you love to run or just get in a little exercise, then I recommend going on the San Francisco Bay Trail. The jog from Berkeley Marina to Emeryvillle Marina is so refreshing! You will feel the cool wind brush upon your skin as you go around the coastline and beach. Often times, you can also find many seagulls flying above your head. Before you reach Emeryville Marina, you will pass by Point Emery—another sightseeing spot that many tourists love to stop by and just relax. After hitting the intersection between Powell Street and Frontage Road, you should know that you are now at the entrance of Emeryville Marina. If you keep walking inwards, then you will eventually hit the Marina Park after passing by the nearby hotels and markets.
The Emeryville Marina is the best place to capture photos of the Bay Bridge. In terms of proximity, it’s the closest you can get to capture a full sized shot of the bridge as well as viewing San Francisco from Berkeley. Now that we’ve covered the two best locations for sightseeing by the ocean, we will look at other ones by the mountain and lakes of Berkeley in the next blog post…
If you enjoyed this blog post, then please check out my 1st post here as I give you a glimpse of my Cal YouTuber life. If you want to know how I became a YouTuber or how you can become a YouTuber, then this is the blog for you. Please connect with me if you have any questions or additional resources that you would like!
YouTube video of Vincent's 1st day at UC Berkeley (Golden Bear Orientation) (link is external)
Youtube video of Vincent's Life at the College Dorms(link is external)
Youtube video of Vincent at Calapalooza: UC Berkeley Club Day