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Solano Magazine /  Travel /  Berkeley Bound

Berkeley Bound

With such as history as it has, one might think that a trip to Berkeley would need to include a walk across the 150-plus-year-old campus and a stroll down infamous Telegraph Avenue. While there is certainly much to be seen in that area, there are many other pockets of town worth exploring. Be forewarned: With all the great shopping, you can easily empty your own pockets even if you have but one day to spend.

► 4th Street. Start out at Bette's Diner for their famous buttermilk pancakes, drool over the gourmet kitchen ingredients at the Pasta Shop, find great deals at the Crate & Barrel outlet, browse the shelves at Cody's, or explore the various boutiques for interesting lamps, earth-friendly linens, clothing or home accessories.

► Gourmet Ghetto: home of Alice Waters’ world-renowned Chez Panisse—a must-visit at least once or five times in your life—and the Cheese Board, this stretch of Shattuck Avenue, north of Hearst Avenue, includes many fine restaurants with delicious food. Sit at Café de la Paz or Poulet for a hearty meal, and then trot over to Virginia Bakery for dessert.

► If you’d rather keep your wallet closed and your feet moving, head up the hill to the Lawrence Hall of Science, or go to Tilden Park and do some hiking or scary dangerous biking. But even walking across the 150-plus-year-old campus and up through the Claremont area can be a spirited haunt—and during the spring, considering Berkeley’s perfect climate, an absolutely gorgeous one.

► Other places to see: a factory tour at Sharffen Berger (914 Heinz Ave.) followed by a decadent chocolate cookie at Café Cacao; a visit to Magic Gardens (729 Heinz Ave.) for the gardener and the garden-lover; a quick trip through the cafes, bookstores and shops of College Avenue, up to the Rockridge area (technically in Oakland.)

Of Note:

Bette’s Oceanview Diner
1807 Fourth St.
worldpantry.com/bettes/home.html

Poulet Deli
1685 Shattuck Ave.
pouletdeli.com

Lawrence Hall of Science
Centennial Drive
Lawrencehallofscience.org

Magic Gardens
Virtual tours at magicgardens.com.

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