Berkeley Travel and Tourism Guide

Berkeley although begun well before, was incorporated back in 1878 and has grown along with the area, especially due to the University of California at Berkeley. It is widely known as a liberal refuge for crazy hippies, but it also has much more to offer. The University of California at Berkeley is the top public university in the United States and was the birthplace of the Free Speech Movement.

Berkeley is also the birthplace of "California Cuisine", which places an emphasis on fresh, locally grown and raised ingredients. As such, it has some of the best restaurants in the country, including Chez Panisse, which was named the best restaurant in America in 2001 by Gourmet Magazine.

South Berkeley is mainly inhabited by university students and has a grittier, urban feel. North Berkeley and the Berkeley hills are more upscale in comparison, and mainly inhabited by graduate students, professors, and long-term residents.

It’s proximity to San Francisco, Oakland, and Silicon Valley make it an ideal location.