If filling your brain with information leaves your body saying, “Hey, what about me?,” you’ve come to the right place!
Campus Recreational Sports Facilities
Day passes that get you into any of the recreational sports facilities on the Cal campus (except the Memorial Stadium fitness center) are $20. Swim-only day passes are $10. Facilities include the Golden Bear Rec Center at Clark Kerr Campus; a comprehensive gym on Bancroft Way near the southwest corner of the campus, and the outdoor pool in Strawberry Canyon.
Take a Hike
Berkeley, especially the campus area, is a great place to discover on foot.
One favorite destination is the University’s Botanical Garden, on Centennial Drive adjacent to LBNL’s Strawberry Gate and just uphill from Memorial Stadium. Both a research and teaching facility and a beauty spot open to the public, the 34-acre (18-hectare) garden has something to see in every season. IDSM01 is being held in the spring after a rainy “El Niño” winter, so many of their 12,000 kinds of plants ought to be putting on a show. Check their calendar for any special events.
A walking tour of the campus is another classic. The widely varied architectural styles, along with the layout and horticulture, represent a living history of their disciplines, from Frederick Law Olmstead’s original vision through John Galen Howard and Thomas Church, a history still being written.
You can sign up individually for a guided walking tour (available daily at 10 a.m.; registration required). Or take a self-guided tour at your convenience.
Tilden Park: Uphill From Us, the Jewel of the Easy Bay Parks District
Adjacent to the bustling city is a little something wild: Tilden Park, east of the ridgeline in the hills above the campus. There you’ll find everything from a golf course, to a native-plants garden, to children’s favorites such as a rideable steam train and a merry-go-round, to beautiful, hikeable open space and lots of it. The AC Transit #67 bus line provides public-transit access to Tilden’s central features from downtown Berkeley, though a car is a more practical way to get to other parts of this extensive park.