Sick of how when people mention the city of Berkeley everyone only thinks of UC Berkeley? The city has interesting sights and is well-known for its political activism, but it appears that those aspects evolve around UC Berkeley. Maybe you’ve been to the city dozens of time and keep touring UCB despite no longer caring that the university has a reserved parking spot for Nobel Laureates. Or perhaps you’re just not in the mood to visit a college campus and try to walk through crowds of stressed-out undergrads. Well, have no fear – this article will describe what you can do in a day that doesn’t involve setting foot onto campus.

Start the day off right by eating a balanced meal and by being as far away from the campus as you can possibly get without leaving the city. The distant Rick and Ann’s  is an amazing breakfast spot, but usually has a long wait.  Or head in the opposite direction and go to Jimmy Bean’s which offers scrumptious Silver-Dollar Pancakes.

If you decide to go to Jimmy Bean’s you’re roughly near the Berkeley Marina (and by roughly I mean you’ll still have to drive or take the bus) so…why not see the marina?

Photo by D.H. Parks. CC by 2.0

There you can admire a breath-taking view of the Golden Gate Bridge. This spot is well-known for being a great place to fly a kite, so on a sunny day don’t be surprised if you see the sky filled with brightly colored kites. Continue reading →