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Photo: Burkhard Mücke, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Part outdoor museum, park, and biological research facility for the University of California, the garden hosts over 12,000 different species of plant life.
The University of California Botanical Garden is a 34-acre botanical garden located on the University of California, Berkeley campus, in Strawberry Canyon. The garden is in the Berkeley Hills, inside the city boundary of Oakland, with views overlooking the San Francisco Bay. It is one of the most diverse plant collections in the United States, and famous for its large number of rare and endangered species.
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The Lawrence
Offers many hands-on science exhibits, especially good for children. Since 1968, the Lawrence has been dedicated to creating innovative science learning experiences. The outdoor plaza (free) is popular for its whale and DNA sculptures to climb on, and features a panoramic view of the Bay Area: San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, Oakland and the Bay Bridge. The science center includes a planetarium, a 3D theater, an Animal Discovery Zone, Outdoor Nature Lab, and an area for young explorers.
Above the Berkeley campus, Memorial Stadium plays host in the fall season to UC Berkeley football games. But if you want to watch a game for free, head above the canyon to Tightwad Hill, a hill where students and the public gather to watch games. It's also an ideal location for spectacular views of the Bay Area when there's not a game going on. Anyone is free to come as long as they pick up their own trash and don't wear the colors of Stanford University (red).
Amphitheater that mostly hosts musical performances by well-known artists.
Enjoy the 3-level driving range and rolling 18-hole public course.
UC Berkeley, or "Cal"
90-minute student-led walking tours are offered seven days a week. (M-Sa at 10AM, Su at 1PM). Be prepared to climb the hilly campus terrain. For a break, take a seat in the Doe Library's reading room (but don't bring the kids or bother the students). If you're touring alone, the main attraction is a ride up the Campanile/Sather Tower ($5 adults, $4 seniors and children < 18, free for Cal students with ID), which offers sweeping views of the Bay Area.
Offers several inexpensive activities for families with children. Many kilometers of hiking trails of various difficulties are available for free hiking, and include vistas of San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge. Home to a scale, narrow-gauge working steam train. $8 gets five rides through the woods atop the Berkeley hills, including a tunnel and trestle bridge. Right next door is the Golden Gate Live Steamers Club, maintained and operated by 275 members. This is an entire miniature railroad for hand-built steam engines. Bus 67 from Berkeley BART goes through the park on weekends. Also in the park, Lake Anza is a popular swimming destination for families and summer camps. There is a wonderful Botanical Garden with a very diverse terrain and a great collection of manzanitas and other California native plants. Be sure to check website for updates concerning weather effects, construction and so on. Check website for amenities and trail closures as well.