Bay Area
Printable Versions Hotels | Shopping | Dining | Visiting UC Berkeley
Where can I go Shopping?
San Francisco
If you’re looking to shop while in the Bay Area, there’s no better destination than San Francisco. This internationally renowned shopping center is just a BART or bus ride away from the UC Berkeley campus. If its high-fashion shops you’re looking for, Union Square and the surrounding area is your best bet. From traditional staples like a 9-story Nordstrom’s and 7-story Macy’s to newer hip shops like H & M, this is shopping at its best! This fall, a whole new wing of the San Francisco Shopping Centre opened up, so be sure to check it out.
If you are looking for a truly unique shopping experience, be sure to make a stop in the Haight-Ashbury district. Once the center of the anti-war movement of the 1960s, this area was revitalized into a posh shopping district in the late 90s. Shops here feature an eclectic mix of vintage and contemporary styles.
For those of you itching to get San Francisco souvenirs, Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39 is your destination. It is a fun and exciting tourist spot and the many affordable shops are great.
For another fun and exceptionally San Franciscan experience, check out Chinatown. This area has a personality all its own. Affordable and outof- the-ordinary, you could spend days browsing the shops in here.
Emeryville
For those of you staying in Emeryville, it is worthwhile to take advantage of the shopping the city provides. The recently renovated Bay Street shopping area has shops including Abercrombie & Fitch, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Coach. For more info, check out http://www.baystreetemeryville.com/.
Berkeley
While in Berkeley, we highly recommend checking out our unique shopping selections. For UC Berkeley “Bear Wear,” your best bets are the Student Store, Ned’s Bookstore, and Bear Basics. All of these locations are located either on campus or within two blocks.
Be sure to take a walk down our historic Telegraph Avenue and browse the street vendors. If you’re looking for something that’s truly a “Berkeley souvenir,” the street vendors will give you a diversity of choices.
For the more traditional shopper trying to find something in Berkeley, we have an Urban Outfitters, Wet Seal, Adidas, and American Apparel, all located on or near Bancroft Street. Other places to check out are Buffalo Exchange, Bancroft Clothing Co., and Sway (above Bear Basics on Telegraph).
Other great shopping areas are College Avenue, which has lots of cute little shops, and 4th street. 4th street is closer to the Marina and a little out of the way, but it has many fun independent shops as well as an Anthropologie, MAC, Bear Essentials, and a North Face outlet.
Where can I go TO EAT?
Berkeley
Looking for a unique eating experience? Berkeley has a myriad of food choices that is as diverse as our population. For a quick morning breakfast before committee, Café Strada (on Bancroft), Café Milano (also on Bancroft), or the Golden Bear Café (on campus – in the center of Sproul Plaza) are great options. For a special breakfast, try Crepes A Go-Go on Telegraph – their crepes are amazing!
Want great Indian? Try Naan & Curry on Telegraph. Craving pizza? Blondie’s on Telegraph is not only convenient, but delicious! Of course, if its hot dogs you want, look no further than our famous Top Dog on Durant. For Mexican, try La Burrita, located right next to Top Dog. For the health conscious student,
Café Intermezzo (off Telegraph) and the Free Speech Movement Café (on campus), or Smart Alec’s (on Telegraph) offer great salad selections. For dinner, nice options include Jupiter, Beckett’s, and Mel’s Original Diner, all located in downtown Berkeley.
And for dessert, you can try any one of Berkeley’s gelato shops (the Naia Lounge is conveniently located on campus!), or Carvel (on Bancroft) or Coldstone (on Shattuck) for ice cream. But any true Cal student will tell you to bypass all other desserts and head straight for Yogurt Park on Durant for the best yogurt known to man. Want to know more? Check out the “Best of Berkeley”: http://www.dailycal.org/BoB/dishes.html
Emeryville
For those of you staying in Emeryville, there are a lot of great dining options if you are looking to eat closer to your hotel. Bay Street, Emeryville’s main shopping destination, also has great
restaurants. For classic American BBQ, the Buckhorn Grill is a must! Other good lunch options are California Pizza Kitchen (try any of their untraditional pizzas), Pizza My Heart, or Rubio’s. For a fancy dinner experience, try Pasta Pomodoro or the Elephant Bar. There are other dining options at Bay Street, check them out at
http://www.baystreetemeryville.com/.
San Francisco
If you’ve decided to visit San Francisco while attending our conference, you will definitely want to experience some San Francisco cuisine!
For lunch, the Boudin Bakery is a must. Try a sandwich or a salad and have a piece of sourdough bread! These bakeries are scattered all over San Francisco and are uniquely San Franciscan – in fact San Francisco’s famous (and delicious) sourdough bread was invented in the original Boudin Bakery. There are just so many affordable dining options – try Chinese food in Chinatown (Yank Sing Restaurant and House of Nanking are two recommended restaurants), fish if you’re at the Wharf, Italian if you’re in North Beach (when in North Beach be sure to go to Z.
Cioccolato, “the sweetest spot in North Beach” for all the free taffy and fudge you like!). If you’re shopping in Union Square, there are lots of affordable options in the basement of the San Francisco Shopping Centre.
For a nice dinner, Fior d’Italia (in North Beach) is highly recommended – but make reservations! It is one of San Francisco’s most popular dining destinations.
If you’re in Union Square, the Cheesecake Factory atop Macy’s is a great choice. Another amazing restaurant is Scala’s Bistro, across from the Chancellor Hotel (try the Chocolate IV dessert – pure bliss!). Kuleto’s is another good option for an upscale night on the town. Want a nice seafood dinner near the Wharf? Try Scoma’s, A. Sabella’s, or Alioto’s.
In a large city like San Francisco, there just isn’t enough space to ever write about all the wonderful dining experiences available. But we suggest you do some research before hitting “the city” so that you will be ensured a great dining experience. Try one of the places we mentioned, or if you are planning on going to an area we didn’t focus on, check out Zagat ratings or San Francisco Citysearch restaurant ratings.
Visiting University of California, Berkeley
UC Berkeley is not only a center for top-notch academic programs and the number one public university in the nation, but also houses a diverse and lively student population which creates a vibrant social environment on and off campus. For those arriving early, leaving late, or even with free time on their hands, opportunities are in plentiful supply for entertainment.
For the athletically inclined, the University of California, Berkeley is home to athletic teams ranging from badminton to water polo, including many top-ranked teams such as varsity football and men’s rugby. Athletic events take place virtually every night of the week; times can be found at www.berkeley.edu/sports.
Berkeley is also home to fourteen academic colleges, housing over 130 academic departments, many of which are among the top in the nation. Worldrenowned faculty such as recently named Nobel Laureate George Smoot often give talks in addition to regularly scheduled lectures. Campus tours are also given by undergraduate students Monday through Saturday at 10:00 a.m. and Sunday at 1:00 p.m. Tours leave from the visitor center on the corner of University and Oxford on the west side of campus.
UC Berkeley is also home to world-class museums such as the Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology, the Berkeley Art Museum, the Pacific Film Archives, the UC Botanical Gardens, and many more. Information about hours and guided tours can be found at http://www.berkeley.edu/libraries/#museums.
For those interested in the fine arts, Zellerbach Hall on campus plays host to an array of musicians from students to worldrenowned artists such as Yo-yo Ma, who will be performing Friday and Saturday (March 16-17). Consult www.calperfs.berkeley.edu for more information on performances.