Thorsen House

My classmates and I finally crossed one thing off our bucket list - traveling to the top of the…read morecampanile for one of the best views in the Bay! As students, we were able to visit for free; non-student tickets are only $6. Upon arrival, we waited in line for about 5 minutes for the elevator ride. Once inside the elevator, a friendly student gave us a quick history of the Campanile - all within the span of the 60 second elevator ride. We took a few short flights of stairs up to the top and were met with 360 degrees of breathtaking views. It was a clear day, and we could see as far as the Golden Gate Bridge. If you time your visit right, you can maybe catch one of the music performances. After we'd enjoyed the view for about 15 minutes, we took the elevator back down. I'd highly recommend a trip to the Campanile - it's the second tallest free-standing clock tower in the world!

I stopped by on a Saturday afternoon. The place was not crowded. Up from the tower views were good,…read moreespecially the golden gate bridge. There were a lot of bells, and the whole mechanism looked cool.

Bells

Just outside da tower

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Da lobby

Thornburg Village / Normandy Village

3.2

(11 reviews)

0.9 mi

This place has a few beautiful structures. There is hardly any parking. Can be troubling to walk…read moreuphill at this age.

Ok so the houses you see are cool but that's the thing...it's literally just like 2 pretty houses??…read moreDon't believe all the tiktoks/reels calling this one of the most beautiful/magical places because all it is is a house that looks really cool and unique so we def felt v awkward taking pics in front of it because people literally live in there?? Like if you wanna go for a quick Instagram pic go for it I guess?? But def don't expect to make a whole trip of it

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Mare Island Historic Park Foundation

(5 reviews)

15.6 mi

Lots of details about this interesting corner of the Bay Area provided by our guide Dan G. He was a…read morewealth of information, pretty funny and as a local was able to share a lot of perspective on the islands changes. Great day trip and I wish we had more time to poke around.

Wonderful tour led by Jim. History + nature! A great morning spent on the island…read more For people who are looking to visit the Naval Museum on the island, it is no longer open, but this tour is operative and you get to see the naval chapel and walk around the area. I was originally looking for information about the museum and arrived at this page: https://www.mihpf.org/tours. I hope this will help you find their tour options and dates! All digitalized, no fuss. And it turns out I was the only who signed up for today's tour, and they did not cancel on me because of that. I really really appreciated it. One last thing, the money you spend on the tour goes into helping this foundation : ) Yay!

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Valley Vacay Limo & Wine Tours

(6 reviews)

30.5 mi

Best experience ever! I had 8 relatives from Japan come to visit my mother who is in Memory Care…read more Valley Vacay was responsive and bent over backwards to accommodate us. From picking us up at the airport, to driving us all over the Silicon Valley and San Francisco, the service was amazing. Edward, the owner, was our driver on the longest day 6:30am to 11pm, and he kept the group happy and met their every request--even a visit to Home Depot!? I cannot rave enough about Valley Vacay's services.

Edward is amazing and couldn't more highly recommend valley limo…read more We had a trip from SF to Sonoma for the day and the crew was on time, helpful, and so easy to work with. The car was new, had Bluetooth for music, and they had no problem getting to our favorite spots, even if they were off the beaten path. Will be booking again soon :)

12 Passenger Sprinter - $185hr

12 Passenger Sprinter Limo Bus - $195hr Our rates are all inclusive, no hidden fees with the exception of a 7% tax.

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14 Passenger Sprinter Limo Bus - $200hr Our rates are all inclusive, no hidden fees with the exception of a 7% tax.

Bayview Eagles

4.6

(10 reviews)

3.6 mi

Thanks for responding to my request but your services are no longer needed at this timeread more

I went to the Bayview Eagles performance space, adjacent to the bar for a fabulous Cajun/Zydeco…read moreperformance by a new friend of mine, Andrew Carriere and his group of extremely talented musicians. He comes from a storied Louisiana family of Cajun and Zydeco musicians. He is versatile, sings, plays the triangle, the harmonica and the washboard. and in my little experience of watching him play with various groups, he lets everyone shine. His band's music was made for dancing and I have two left or right feet. The regular fans know what they are coming for - to dance. One of these days I'll earn without upsetting a partner. But then someone has to pay the price for teaching a newbie. A great place to visit for affordable beer and some wine. If Andre performs there, I'll be prepped to dance :)

Crab Feed

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Quincenera

ACCI Gallery Arts and Crafts Cooperative

Acci Gallery in Berkeley is a light filled space. It's our first visit, although it's been here for…read more65 years, housed in a brick building near the Gourmet Ghetto that feels like a throwback to an earlier Bay Area art scene. The gallery is a good place to find ceramics, jewelry, and canvases by local artists. I noticed a collection of precise woodblock prints featuring mushrooms and fungi, and a small collection of arresting portraits by local artist, Stephen Maffin, reminiscent of Italian frescoes but also unmistakably contemporary. I miss seeing genuinely authentic, quirky art venues like this around the Bay Area.

Easily one of my favorite places in Berkeley. Lots of beautiful art and well arranged!read more

Inside the Gallery!

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Artistic Picture Framing

This review is long overdue. Thank you Artistic Picture Framing for your care, precision, time, and…read moreattention to detail. Rodolfo truly is a joy to work with and is so knowledgable about his craft. Couldn't have pictured (love a good pun) working with anyone else for the first framed piece in our son's nursery. While at a community holiday fare, we bought a super cool piece of art from a local vendor of a map of El Cerrito which includes my husband's work site. It's playful, colorful, and full of joy. After utilizing the Yelp app to find a framing company close by, we found Artistic Picture Framing. After meeting the crew in-person, we knew we were in the right hands. We worked with Rodolfo on choosing the right colors for the piece and chatted about becoming parents, the nursery we were building, and the magic we were hoping to encompass and build around from this staple piece. He captured truly what we were looking for at an affordable rate. Looking forward to utilizing this service for future art, so happy with the outcome!

I had a framed artwork that broke when it fell and hit the ground. It was a fairly clean break,…read morealong the side joints, but some of the wood framing had chipped. I called four framing shops but none would touch a repair. It was a very large piece and I didn't want to spend $1-2K on a redo. Artistic Picture Framing agreed. It took 3 days, just over $100, and it looks good as new. Amazing!

The face of the frame complements the earthy tones of the art pieces with its distressed, coppery undertones. Museum glass

This late 19th- to early 20th-century Tibetan temple artifact depicts a "Citipati," a common subject in Tibetan Buddhism

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This piece of a Kimono is enclosed by an elaborate, metallic gold outer frame, neutral green silk mat, fillet and museum glass

Sather Gate

4.4

(5 reviews)

I've never heard of Sather Gate until Saturday. We had some free time in Berkeley, so we took some…read moretime to tour the Berkeley. The Sather Gate is a very nice arch on the Berkeley campus. Soon as you get on Campus you will see the student store, keep walking towards the center of campus, then you will see the student center and the Amazon center where you can pick up and return packages. To the left you will see Strawberry Creek and the little waterfall and the trickling creek. Now look up and you will see Sather Gate. We got some nice pictures under it. It's a real tourist attractions. It seemed that 50% of the people walking under it on a Saturday in June were talking selfies. School is out of session so there isn't many people on campus. There may be summer school going on. We also see several parents with their kids on campus taking tours.

When I was foot commuting to Sprout Hall for work in the Graduate Division while attending the…read moreUniversity of California, Berkeley the Sather Gate was on one of my two main routes when going to Sproul from my office in McCone Hall. I liked the green of the gate, it helped capture my attention and was more of a sea green, so not as far away from the school colors, blue and yellow, as a rainforest green. Depending on the time of day and the season, traffic thru the gate could be quite high. It could be quite the picture-taking hotspot. Sproul Plaza could have booths and performers/demonstrators/protestors. So, depending on the happenings in the plaza I might physically pivot and take a different path for approach to the building. I gauged whether I would be turning by the end of bridge before the gate (approaching from the north), so in that sense Sather Gate became a reminder to myself to check my surroundings and physical safety.

Sather Gate on a cloudy day in 2017/2018.

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I Sail SF

(4 reviews)

11.2 mi

Amazing experience on the bay today! Captain Chris listens to what you want to do on the water and…read morecreates the best plan so you see and do what you want. Would highly recommend I Sail SF!

We had such a great time with Captain Chris! He was such a great tour guide and taught us so much…read moreabout the city! Would recommend for any group looking to see SF from the water!

Happy Bride and Groom on the bow of Carmelita

Yes, we have blankets if needed.

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Happy day on the water

Berkeley Public Library

4.0

(46 reviews)

1.7 mi

I luv this library--small, just big enough for me to easily find the latest novels, classics, bios,…read moremysteries, history, travel, some nonfiction. Also, the librarians are very nice. I hardly expect to be treated like best friends, but I will always be polite. I've read this diatribe and I can see why this person was banned. If you don't like the library there are many others to visit--Albany, Berkeley Main, Oakland, El Cerrito. And this is just one opinion and nasty at that. If I didn't like it, I would just go elsewhere.

Awesome branch of the Berkeley Library system. Friendly staff work here. Smart book selection…read more Beautiful architecture. What is there not to like? Even the grounds it is on is beautiful with big trees. Recommended!

Wifi speed at Berkeley Public Library North Branch this morning.

Self Serve DVD Section

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Morning sun!

Albany Bulb

4.5

(247 reviews)

4.2 mi

My daughter and decided to go for a beautiful walk. We both love any bodies of water! This was the…read moreperfect place. Everyone walking their dogs . We got sad bc we didn't have our pup. Always a next time. As we walked we saw so many fun and beautiful sights. Check out my pic for more details. We can't wait to go back.

Come for a walk, a hike and adventure. Take I. The hidden treasures of art upcycled cast away…read moreitems. Enjoy trails with your dogs, kids, and friends. With each twist and turn you discover art. Carpool with friends parking g is tight.

Albany Bulb

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Albany Bulb

The Campanile

4.6

(95 reviews)

My classmates and I finally crossed one thing off our bucket list - traveling to the top of the…read morecampanile for one of the best views in the Bay! As students, we were able to visit for free; non-student tickets are only $6. Upon arrival, we waited in line for about 5 minutes for the elevator ride. Once inside the elevator, a friendly student gave us a quick history of the Campanile - all within the span of the 60 second elevator ride. We took a few short flights of stairs up to the top and were met with 360 degrees of breathtaking views. It was a clear day, and we could see as far as the Golden Gate Bridge. If you time your visit right, you can maybe catch one of the music performances. After we'd enjoyed the view for about 15 minutes, we took the elevator back down. I'd highly recommend a trip to the Campanile - it's the second tallest free-standing clock tower in the world!

I stopped by on a Saturday afternoon. The place was not crowded. Up from the tower views were good,…read moreespecially the golden gate bridge. There were a lot of bells, and the whole mechanism looked cool.

Bells

Just outside da tower

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Da lobby

Nimitz House

(3 reviews)

7.2 mi

When crossing the eastern span of the San Francisco Bridge, few people realize the history of the…read moremilitary in the area. One specifically, the Nimitz House, hidden just under the freeway on the east side of Yerba Buena island, has an incredible story and history! This house was the final residence of General Chester Nimitz, the leader and architect of WWII Pacific Theater. Simply said, the man whose leadership and strategy was used to win the war and allowed the Allies to proclaim victory. This house is a three story mansion and shows its unique architectural splendor as you approach it. It contains large windows which enabled views of the east bay and if you search the internet, you will see the elegant interior - a fitting home for its resident and his family. Gen Nimitz past away in this home at the age of 81 from a stroke. Unfortunately, California is not maintaining the residence and it has been falling in disrepair. Paint, windows, and the structure are all showing signs of neglect. Don't let its condition stop you from visiting though. Although you can't enter, you can appreciate its history and marvel of the fantastic area and views it provided.

Have you ever fallen into a rabbit hole of discovery on the Internet, only to find yourself, at…read more3am, looking at pictures of seemingly abandoned buildings on islands off the coasts of California or Mexico, which you found by zooming into said islands on Google maps and looking through the posted photos, then wondering who the hell this random guy named Christian is who posted the photos not even five months ago? What is Christian's story, you wonder, as you continue to look through the other attractions of the island, which does not include residential or commercial buildings, only to discover a few hiking trails that lead seemingly to nowhere...but what's this? A campsite with no electricity, running water, or bathrooms? Just a field on an island designated as a campsite, reached by some trail made by a dude with a machete, or something? But despite the lack of these amenities...there are picnic tables! Who decided first that it should be a campsite? Who brought the tables? What are the backstories? I've found some neat places online using this exact technique, and I've been fortunate enough to visit such places. It's cool to stand in the location of such a place after seeing all the pictures online and building it up in your head, and honestly, what makes these places better is when there aren't a ton of people crowding around when you get there, trying to take a picture for their Instagram. Sometimes, like in the case of this house, I do the reverse and come upon a neat building, art piece, or other landmark as I'm out doing other things, then furiously search the Internet for more info on the history. For me, the places that are a bit mysterious are the coolest finds. We came across this spot accidentally; we had gone to see the mission in downtown and stopped to check out Treasure Island on the way back. We drove around a bit looking for a good place to see the skyline, and came upon this very unique bit of Yerba Buena, which is somewhat hidden on the side and requires you take some twists and turns down a side road. Although there is an informational board in front of this house that suggests many people visit this place, the houses are surprisingly well-kept, with all windows intact and walls free of graffiti tags, and things are generally not trashed by garbage human beings. Looking into and around each of the houses, I got the sense that this is an area that is largely unvisited, especially compared to the neighboring areas of San Francisco, and now even Treasure Island. I wanted to do my own digging to see how well-known this weird circle of Victorian-style houses, juxtaposed beneath the modern industrial backdrop of the various overpass-bridges, are to people my age online. The results were interesting. One Reddit post with someone claiming you can rent these out for events. Quite a few articles discussing some cool historical facts, like how the Navy wouldn't let the developers of the overpass build over the house if it would block the sunshine (this house was where Admiral Chester W. Nimitz lived the last years of his life). You can easily see the curve of the overpass, as if someone nudged it out of the way. Not a whole lot more on it, other than apparently Willie Brown (past SF mayor) trying to make it the mayor's ceremonial mansion (god, please don't). Overall, despite not being able to go inside any of these houses, they're kept in beautiful condition by someone I'm assuming to be a groundskeeper, and a stop here is worth it for the view alone. Just don't mind the whizzing and whirring of the cars commuting from above.

Senior Officer Quarters beside the mansion.

Swing in the yard

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Senior Officers housing still stand beside the mansion.

Berkeley Pier

4.1

(60 reviews)

3.5 mi

Do you long for world class walks along the Bay? Are picnics by the SF Bay romantic enough for you?…read moreWhat about a very long walk down an endless pier? Sadly the pier itself is closed, but the shoreline is timeless and gorgeous. And let's not forget fishing on a perfect day. Along the Bay Trail, you will find happy visitors and families. There is history here with free knowledge Mon-Sun, bring your own container.

The Berkeley Pier has been closed for several years now!! No doubt they either need to retrofit it…read moreor tear it down altogether and build another one. The 4 stars is for when it was open, and you could walk all the way out to what felt like the middle of the Bay. A great way to walk off the dinner and/or drinks that you had at Skates which is right next to it. People would be out here all day and night fishing, or just hanging out. I really miss walking on this Pier, I really hope they repair or replace it, if not, I'll always be glad I got to experience it when it was open!!

The Sundial

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Sather Gate

4.4

(5 reviews)

I've never heard of Sather Gate until Saturday. We had some free time in Berkeley, so we took some…read moretime to tour the Berkeley. The Sather Gate is a very nice arch on the Berkeley campus. Soon as you get on Campus you will see the student store, keep walking towards the center of campus, then you will see the student center and the Amazon center where you can pick up and return packages. To the left you will see Strawberry Creek and the little waterfall and the trickling creek. Now look up and you will see Sather Gate. We got some nice pictures under it. It's a real tourist attractions. It seemed that 50% of the people walking under it on a Saturday in June were talking selfies. School is out of session so there isn't many people on campus. There may be summer school going on. We also see several parents with their kids on campus taking tours.

When I was foot commuting to Sprout Hall for work in the Graduate Division while attending the…read moreUniversity of California, Berkeley the Sather Gate was on one of my two main routes when going to Sproul from my office in McCone Hall. I liked the green of the gate, it helped capture my attention and was more of a sea green, so not as far away from the school colors, blue and yellow, as a rainforest green. Depending on the time of day and the season, traffic thru the gate could be quite high. It could be quite the picture-taking hotspot. Sproul Plaza could have booths and performers/demonstrators/protestors. So, depending on the happenings in the plaza I might physically pivot and take a different path for approach to the building. I gauged whether I would be turning by the end of bridge before the gate (approaching from the north), so in that sense Sather Gate became a reminder to myself to check my surroundings and physical safety.