Downtown Berkeley, the heart of this eclectic city, is a blend of business, scholastic, and throwback hippie personalities. Surrounded on all sides by extreme cultural diversity, downtown Berkeley is the perfect balance of urban meets suburban with unique eats, artisan gift shops, and plenty of night and day entertainment options.
Make the 15-minute journey and exit the station to meet a motley crew of eccentric Berkeley street-performers—and a whole world of unique fun.
1. Feel free to splurge at Half Price Books, the bibliophile’s heaven. (2036 Shattuck Avenue, halfpricebooks.com)
2. Splurge (you just saved on books!) at Viv&Ingrid, a treasure trove of all things girly. (2142 Oxford Street, viv&ingrid.com)
3. Cool off with a mid-day snack at Gelateria Naia. (2106 Shattuck Avenue, gelaterianaia.com)
4. Get your culture fix at the Berkeley Art Museum and the Pacific Film Archive. (2626 Bancroft Way, or 2621 Durrant Avenue, bampfa.berkeley.edu)
5. Gather the gang at this restaurant together at Gather, one of the Bay Area’s most innovative and thoughtful restaurants. (2200 Oxford Street, gatherrestaurant.com)
Directions
Take BART to the Downtown Berkeley stop.
