Berkeley, CA is a vibrant city located in the East Bay region of Northern California. It is known for being an academic hub and cultural destination, boasting a diverse population and eclectic array of activities and attractions. Berkeley has something to offer everyone, from outdoor adventures like hiking trails, beaches and lakes to indoor attractions such as museums, art galleries and theaters. The city also features plenty of public parks and green spaces, making it a beautiful place to spend time outdoors. In addition, it is known for its world-class dining scene with many unique restaurants serving up delicious fare from all around the world.
Reviews of Berkeley are overwhelmingly positive. Many visitors appreciate its mix of culture, entertainment, food, outdoor activities and educational opportunities. Visitors also rave about the friendly locals who make the city a welcoming place to explore. Those visiting for work or study often comment on how inspiring the environment is that helps them focus their minds on their projects with ease. Ultimately, Berkeley appears to be one of those rare cities that meets all expectations: it offers something for everyone while still creating an inviting atmosphere where anyone can feel right at home.
based on 14 ReviewsGet to know Berkeley with the latest comments and reviews from people who live in or have visited Berkeley
Everything you wanted to know about Berkeley - 9/19/2021
Have lived in Berkeley for about 35 years now.
Housing/Real Estate: If you're looking to move here, $1,000,000 will get you a small cottage in the "flats". Most of the flats have mild levels of crime. No murder or anything, but petty stuff like people rifling through your car at night, the occasional catalytic converter theft, and stuff like that. To live a nice life in the hills, you'll need a minimum of $1.5M for a small house. Yes, it's nut.
Family: Almost definitely not a great family town. Playgrounds and such are fairly beat up, there are extreme bum issues (see below), and just plain old weirdness. I'd say great if you're starting in life or the kids are gone and you want a nice quiet life in the hills.
Health: My opinion is that the population is more fit than anywhere else I know. In the hills at least, it's not uncommon to see 80-90 year olds hiking around all the great paths and stairs. And there are tons of bicycles in this town.
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No more hippie love here - 4/23/2011
The 60's have left Berkeley and now it is about MONEY...and the people there have plenty of it and nice hybrid cars (looks like 2 per household) and with a great bicycle community there...people should be bicycling more not driving in this small area town. They are so sick of the poor people they are getting ready to implement a "sit/lie ordinance" to cite or jail homeless people!! NICE!!!! (sarcasm). The UC Berkeley students are not much better...growing numbers of out-of-state spoiled rich students who don't care about rising tuition fees (a regressive tax on the working & poor class) and are indifferent to local mom & pop
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Berkeley, California is wonderful - 10/4/2010
The climate in the Bay Area, Berkeley, California is wonderful.
You get the ocean breeze coming through the Golden Gate Bridge and in over the bay and right through my kitchen window.
The hills behind the city offer a get view of the bay and surronding
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Berkeley is awesome - 6/17/2009
Berkeley is a great place to live. It is culturally diverse and the schools are great. There's lots of people here from the East Coast which is a plus for me, since I'm from New
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I love the People's Republic! - 5/7/2008
While it ain't perfect here, there seem to be more than a token few in Berkeley who appreciate and embrace this community's diversity - a diversity beyond the Bay Area-norm [well, mostly] of ethnic diversity. Think big-city urbanism in a small-city package: a big university (that expanded to many other campuses up & down the state); a distinct architectural style (thank you, Bernard Maybeck & your peers); a tradition of fighting for people's rights (and not just for free speech or disabled access), and even a different way with food - the same town with the Gourmet Ghetto (& all the foodie lore that started there) has a history of helping out with the coffee-chaining of America/world.
Old hippies, young Goths. Campus Greeks, gaming geeks. Pink ribbons & green fabrics. Saris & Crocs. Picket lines & drumming circles. Electric cars, biodiesel garbage trucks, & cyclists of every stripe. I don't necessarily love 'em all, but I love the fabric of the community they strengthen
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Many choices - 2/8/2008
Berkeley has changed in my thirty years since going to the famous university here. And it's stayed the same.
How it's the same: there are still all kinds of people here, everyone you'd meet anywhere else. And there are more of the people who are in some ways unusual, yet still healthy and productive citizens. The unusual part of our town has become less about alternative politics and more about a rainbow of interests in yoga, buddhism - and being widely informed. (Or maybe that's a sign of my gray hairs and who I know best.)
How it's different: it feels wealthier, more mainstream, and safer year by year. The military ROTC training on campus is less hidden and has grown much larger, and the business school is much loved and has grown too. There are more students wearing interview clothes all day long (and fewer are wearing everyday clothes to meet interviewers).
One key thing that has stayed the same: My saying to friends from out of town is "We tolerate everything
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I Really Liked It While I Was There - 5/29/2007
Hi, I've lived in Berkeley for 14 years, attended the University there but never graduated. I worked as a waiter there. What can I say about it? Well it's very liberal, intellectual, and international place. Plenty of things to do, if not in Berkeley then within 8 miles away in San Francisco, and neighboring Oakland (3 miles away). The weather is very good (not humid at all) but the only downside is the winds at night which tend to be brisk. Berkeley itself is also much more laid back then San Francisco. What I didn't like about it, and why I would not go back, is the cost of living. It is VERY EXPENSIVE, especially for me as a waiter. If you're not a professional making at least $60,000 a year, or if you're not a student attending UC Berkeley, do not move there, or Oakland, or San Francisco. There are less expensive places to move to in the
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Berkeley weather - 5/8/2007
Berkeley has lovely mild weather year round. Most of the time is like late spring else where! Tons of flowers blooming, warm sun and cool air punctuated by an often short rainy season. Not
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