Berkeley travel guide
Berkeley Tourism | Berkeley Guide
You're Going to Love Berkeley
With a population of 112,580, Berkeley is a must-see destination in California, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Berkeley deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.
Activities & attractions in Berkeley
Where to Eat in Berkeley
If you’re looking for affordable options, Chez Panisse Cafe (1517 Shattuck Avenue) and Rivoli Restaurant (1539 Solano Ave) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Angeline's Louisiana Kitchen (2261 Shattuck Ave) and Eat @ Thai (1181 University Ave) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Berkeley.
Most popular restaurants in Berkeley
When to visit Berkeley
Looking for warm weather? Then head to Berkeley in July, when the average temperature is 62.6 °F, and the highest can go up to 69.8 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 42.8 °F, with an average temperature of 50 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in January, when precipitation is around 5″. In contrast, July is usually the driest month of the year in Berkeley, with an average rainfall of 0″.
How to Get to Berkeley
Plane
When flying to Berkeley, you’ll arrive at Oakland Airport (OAK), which is located 18 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Berkeley include Air France, ITA Airways and Delta. The shortest domestic flight to Berkeley departs from Ontario and takes around 1h 20m.
Train
Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Berkeley. The train journey from Berkeley to Los Angeles takes 0h 38m and costs around $16 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Sacramento, expect to pay about $17 for a 1h 41m trip. The train station in Berkeley is called Berkeley, and is located 2.5 km from the city center.
Car
Another option to get to Berkeley is to pick up a car rental from San Francisco, which is about 15 km from Berkeley. You’ll find branches of Kyte and Fox, among others, in San Francisco.
Bus
Several bus lines operate bus routes to Berkeley, including FlixBus, Busbud and Greyhound. From Los Angeles, the bus ride to Berkeley takes 113 km and will cost you around $13. From Sacramento, the ticket costs about $28 for a journey of 201 km.
Airlines serving Berkeley
Where to stay in Berkeley
Average rates range from around $290 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $398 and up for a 5-star experience.
Where to stay in popular areas of Berkeley
Most booked hotels in Berkeley
Renting a car in Berkeley
Renting a car in Berkeley costs $48 per day, on average, or $96 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Budget, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Hertz are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Berkeley is the Hertz branch at 1061 San Pablo Ave., which is 3 km from the city center.
It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 29% cheaper than airport locations in Berkeley.
Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Berkeley (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. The most frequently booked car type in Berkeley is Compact (Nissan Rogue or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Toyota Yaris or similar) are, on average, 68% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.