Making my 1st trip to California for the Auburn game. Excited to meet some fans and experience all Cal has to offer. Any info or suggestions appreciated. Would love to find a place to watch some football during the day before the Cal/AU game, places to eat etc.
Auburn fan here
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Last: 1 yr ago by calumnus
Someone else started a thread yesterday. Check it out: https://bearinsider.com/forums/2/topics/116003
I would recommend Raleigh's on Telegraph and Henry's at the Graduate Hotel for a good place to grab drinks and watch some games during the day.
I would recommend Raleigh's on Telegraph and Henry's at the Graduate Hotel for a good place to grab drinks and watch some games during the day.
Top dog, enjoy walking through campus and most of us are pretty normal. Enjoy Berkeley and Memorial Stadium!
Go Bears!
Go Bears!
Welcome to Pac-4 country. Berkeley is a small, walkable town. Just follow the other Auburn fans gathered around near campus.
BGoodBear04 said:
Someone else started a thread yesterday. Check it out: https://bearinsider.com/forums/2/topics/116003
I would recommend Raleigh's on Telegraph and Henry's at the Graduate Hotel for a good place to grab drinks and watch some games during the day.
I think there was another thread a few months earlier.
Really should be pinned or it's own topic board.
I enjoy the Faculty Club on campus. Great setting, tge Band comes through on their way to the stadium. The International House cafe right next to the stadium is fun too. Too bad Pappy's is gone.
Visiting California for the first time? Yosemite, Big Sur, San Francisco, Muir Woods, Napa, Sonoma….
I like the Faculty Club on campus. Beer, food, and TVs with other games. Great company too!
If you are traveling in the area by car, avoid commute hours on the overcrowded freeways. Just don't even try.
Welcome Atbkkj,
Agree with Golden One. I have always enjoyed catching other games and eating before the Cal game, at the Faculty Club (https://www.berkeleyfacultyclub.com/). It is a 10 minute walk from the stadium. The facility has plenty of room, several televisions, burgers being grilled, etc., and visitors are welcome.
Agree with Golden One. I have always enjoyed catching other games and eating before the Cal game, at the Faculty Club (https://www.berkeleyfacultyclub.com/). It is a 10 minute walk from the stadium. The facility has plenty of room, several televisions, burgers being grilled, etc., and visitors are welcome.
As mentioned in the other thread: a few pointers…
1.) don't exit university ave or Ashby ave and expect to get near stadium and/or park in anything less than 1.5-2 hours within 4 hours of kickoff or you're going to be banging your steering wheel. Better option is try to get to the north end of campus and walk imho.
2.) on that note bring your walking shoes because you are going to walk and it's hilly to the uninitiated.
3.) all the watch and drink spots are good if you're only their for afternoon and don't have that much time to spend. If however you're there earlier in the day I would suggest hitting up the breweries aka down closer to the marina. Trumer Pils doesn't disappoint. And if you're down their augies poutine is a personal favorite. Other stuff to experience would be acme bread co, telegraph ave if you're not squeamish.
4.) this is perhaps the most important one… don't wear anything solid red. I know you have a reddish hue of orange in your colors and that'll probably pass but if you're thinking of wearing a shirt with red as the primary color be prepared to be accosted with shouts of "take off that red shirt" all the way up Bancroft. Or you could try it for ****s and giggles
1.) don't exit university ave or Ashby ave and expect to get near stadium and/or park in anything less than 1.5-2 hours within 4 hours of kickoff or you're going to be banging your steering wheel. Better option is try to get to the north end of campus and walk imho.
2.) on that note bring your walking shoes because you are going to walk and it's hilly to the uninitiated.
3.) all the watch and drink spots are good if you're only their for afternoon and don't have that much time to spend. If however you're there earlier in the day I would suggest hitting up the breweries aka down closer to the marina. Trumer Pils doesn't disappoint. And if you're down their augies poutine is a personal favorite. Other stuff to experience would be acme bread co, telegraph ave if you're not squeamish.
4.) this is perhaps the most important one… don't wear anything solid red. I know you have a reddish hue of orange in your colors and that'll probably pass but if you're thinking of wearing a shirt with red as the primary color be prepared to be accosted with shouts of "take off that red shirt" all the way up Bancroft. Or you could try it for ****s and giggles
As someone said Raleigh's or Henry's are good for pre-gaming in Berkeley. If you are here for a few days and want to roam around, drive about 65-70 minutes west via I-580 West ~ the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge to Limatour Split Beach at Point Reyes via Sir Francis Drake Rd. Google it! You will not be disappointed, it's absolutely gorgeous out there and the whole drive is intensely beautiful from Marin county onward. You will also go by Samuel P. Taylor Park which has a lot of redwoods. Hit the Good Earth Market in Fairfax for the prototypical, California healthy granola kids experience. Great produce there and prepared food.
Once you are at that point, a couple of hours more driving in either direction will be a bucket list item. There are so many things to do in California it's mind-boggling. Drive north from Marin up Hwy. 1 and check out the Sonoma Coast. Drive south on Hwy. 1 and check out Santa Cruz and Monterey.
One caveat about SF/Berkeley/Oakland is be careful about parking. There has been an epidemic of car break-ins and you don't want to leave anything on your seats - just put it in the trunk even if it's a bag of groceries.
Once you are at that point, a couple of hours more driving in either direction will be a bucket list item. There are so many things to do in California it's mind-boggling. Drive north from Marin up Hwy. 1 and check out the Sonoma Coast. Drive south on Hwy. 1 and check out Santa Cruz and Monterey.
One caveat about SF/Berkeley/Oakland is be careful about parking. There has been an epidemic of car break-ins and you don't want to leave anything on your seats - just put it in the trunk even if it's a bag of groceries.
If you really want to enjoy the game,
about hour before stop me on
Telegraph and you can smoke a free
joint with me!
If you want to be extra careful, put all items in the trunk before you get there and park.Cal Junkie said:
One caveat about SF/Berkeley/Oakland is be careful about parking. There has been an epidemic of car break-ins and you don't want to leave anything on your seats - just put it in the trunk even if it's a bag of groceries.
3.) all the watch and drink spots are good if you're only their for afternoon and don't have that much time to spend. If however you're there earlier in the day I would suggest hitting up the breweries aka down closer to the marina. Trumer Pils doesn't disappoint. And if you're down their augies poutine is a personal favorite. Other stuff to experience would be acme bread co, telegraph ave if you're not squeamish.
If you go to the marina how do you get to the stadium if roads are packed? It's kind of a long walk
If you go to the marina how do you get to the stadium if roads are packed? It's kind of a long walk
GoldenB said:
3.) all the watch and drink spots are good if you're only their for afternoon and don't have that much time to spend. If however you're there earlier in the day I would suggest hitting up the breweries aka down closer to the marina. Trumer Pils doesn't disappoint. And if you're down their augies poutine is a personal favorite. Other stuff to experience would be acme bread co, telegraph ave if you're not squeamish.
If you go to the marina how do you get to the stadium if roads are packed? It's kind of a long walk
Didn't Trumer Pils used to offer shuttles?
park in some other town, bart in, and do some walking up to the stadium. Berkeley is *not* a city well designed for parking 60-70k people for a football game
I'd love to be wrong, but I am pretty sure Augie's closed.CNHTH said:
And if you're down their augies poutine is a personal favorite.
Yep, CNHTH's advice is perfect for 2018.Go!Bears said:I'd love to be wrong, but I am pretty sure Augie's closed.CNHTH said:
And if you're down their augies poutine is a personal favorite.
if a visitor is driving...Cal Junkie said:
One caveat about SF/Berkeley/Oakland is be careful about parking. There has been an epidemic of car break-ins and you don't want to leave anything on your seats - just put it in the trunk even if it's a bag of groceries.
they shouldn't t leave any electronics in a vehicle. don't leave luggage, don't leave anything in a vehicle, not even the trunk.
Bippers have gadgets that let them hone in on electronic signals, which is why they hit only specific cars. I've seen them pop trunks to get computers.
it will be hard to do when looking for parking, but have a passenger watch for anyone following you. Bippers will wait for someone to pull into a stop and they got you covered in broken glass before you realizing whats happening.
Blueblood said:
If you really want to enjoy the game,
about hour before stop me on
Telegraph and you can smoke a free
joint with me!
I hope some Auburn fans take you up on your offer. For visitors who have not experienced legal recreational weed, there is also a pretty high end dispensary on Telegraph in the first block from campus.
That dispensary made the loss to Nevada in 2021 much more palatable.calumnus said:Blueblood said:
If you really want to enjoy the game,
about hour before stop me on
Telegraph and you can smoke a free
joint with me!
I hope some Auburn fans take you up on your offer. For visitors who have not experienced legal recreational weed, there is also a pretty high end dispensary on Telegraph in the first block from campus.
My recommendation would be Raleigh's. Ourdoor garden like patio with TV's, a huge beer list and good food. We used to spend hours there pre-game, and the weather in Berkeley is almost always perfect so ideal to be outside. Just get there early so you get an outdoor table.
The key takeaway is that Memorial Stadium is on campus, and the campus area is tight and congested, so there is no huge parking lot/tailgating scene, except in some of the scattered parking lots. That's why Raleigh's and Henry's are desireable spots to hunker down.
One more note that many opposing fans are surprised by. The stadium is on a hill above campus, so its a significant hike up the hill to get there. When you live in Berkeley or San Francisco you're used to it but people from other palces are not.
The key takeaway is that Memorial Stadium is on campus, and the campus area is tight and congested, so there is no huge parking lot/tailgating scene, except in some of the scattered parking lots. That's why Raleigh's and Henry's are desireable spots to hunker down.
One more note that many opposing fans are surprised by. The stadium is on a hill above campus, so its a significant hike up the hill to get there. When you live in Berkeley or San Francisco you're used to it but people from other palces are not.
If driving in I would enter Berkeley from the southeast (Oakland), 13 turns into Ashby, drive past the Clairmont hotel (great place to stay if you want to stay local), park in the Alta Bates Hospital paid parking lot. Small charge, your car is safe. This will avoid the awful game day traffic if you exit on Ashby or University from the 80. From the hospital, walk north on Telegraph avenue to the campus. About a 25 minute walk from hospital to the stadium but you'll pass some places to imbibe/watch other games (Raleighs, Hotel Durant, pub under the student union). These places get incredibly crowded about 1 1/2 hours before game time so if you go then it will be tough to get served. Hit the local watering holes early and stake out your spot.
Plus, if you happen to score some fentanyl laced weed from the junkies inhabiting People's Park, the hospital is well equipped to bring you back to life.cubzwin said:
If driving in I would enter Berkeley from the southeast (Oakland), 13 turns into Ashby, drive past the Clairmont hotel (great place to stay if you want to stay local), park in the Alta Bates Hospital paid parking lot. Small charge, your car is safe. This will avoid the awful game day traffic if you exit on Ashby or University from the 80. From the hospital, walk north on Telegraph avenue to the campus. About a 25 minute walk from hospital to the stadium but you'll pass some places to imbibe/watch other games (Raleighs, Hotel Durant, pub under the student union). These places get incredibly crowded about 1 1/2 hours before game time so if you go then it will be tough to get served. Hit the local watering holes early and stake out your spot.
Avoid People's Park at all costs.Bobodeluxe said:Plus, if you happen to score some fentanyl laced weed from the junkies inhabiting People's Park, the hospital is well equipped to bring you back to life.cubzwin said:
If driving in I would enter Berkeley from the southeast (Oakland), 13 turns into Ashby, drive past the Clairmont hotel (great place to stay if you want to stay local), park in the Alta Bates Hospital paid parking lot. Small charge, your car is safe. This will avoid the awful game day traffic if you exit on Ashby or University from the 80. From the hospital, walk north on Telegraph avenue to the campus. About a 25 minute walk from hospital to the stadium but you'll pass some places to imbibe/watch other games (Raleighs, Hotel Durant, pub under the student union). These places get incredibly crowded about 1 1/2 hours before game time so if you go then it will be tough to get served. Hit the local watering holes early and stake out your spot.
When Juarez Bear is telling you to avoid a sketchy area… take notice!
Also **** on Augies closing i had no idea.
That poutine was the stuff foodgasmz are made of
That poutine was the stuff foodgasmz are made of
If you have time, I'd definitely recommend checking out a Giants game at Oracle Park on Friday night or Sunday afternoon. Best ballpark in baseball, IMO.
If you go across the Golden Gate Bridge, drive to the west side of the bridge up in the hills. You will get what i consider the most spectacular view in the world toward The City.
Ditto that. I park at the El Cerrito Plaza Bart station, only a mile from where I live, and then ride the Bart two stops south to the Downtown Berkeley station. The trains run every 15 minutes or so. If you're driving in on I-80, exit at Central Ave in El Cerrito (3 exits north of University Ave), then turn right and Central takes you right to the El Cerrito Bart (maybe 3/4 mile). Getting out at the Downtown Berkeley Station, just head uphill through the middle of the rectangular campus. The stadium is at the top. Lots of eating options. The best (it's all fans) is the faculty club about 3/4 of the way up and a bit to the left of the big Campanille tower. It's a nice walk with great views. Or veer off to the right near the top of the rectangle to go through the frats and sororities.bencgilmore said:
park in some other town, bart in, and do some walking up to the stadium. Berkeley is *not* a city well designed for parking 60-70k people for a football game
Parking at the El Cerrito Bart is free on Saturday as opposed to whatever ($30? $50?) the locals will charge you for a spot on their lawn closer to the stadium, and Bart the fare is only $3 something each way Best of all, this gambit will totally avoid all the traffic jams before and after the game, and save you boatloads of time and aggravation, getting from the campus area to the highway.
Looking forward to meeting some Auburn fans, especially those who are flying out here for the event.
It all depends on what you like to do, who is with you and how much you have to spend. The appeal of the SF Bay Area (besides the weather), is that you can do literally anything you want - as long as you can pay for it. You want scenery? We've got some of the best hiking routes you'll ever see. Sports? Every pro sport in the country. Debauchery? We've got places that exceed Bangkok. Culture? World class museums aplenty. Cuisine? We frickin' INVENTED foodie-ism, paired it with the world's best wine and put it on display. And yeah our enlightened local leaders have also cultivated anti-social behavior/crime to a world class level as well. This then is beauty and beast that is extreme California, aka the Bay Area. Ignore that metropolis to the south called El-Lay. That is conventional California. It's the beginners introduction to California-ism. Up here for better or worse, everything is done at a higher level. From money generation to education, from depravity to inane policy responses to poverty, we just do it....not better per se, but at a higher level. This is something you gotta see...
Cal84 said:
It all depends on what you like to do, who is with you and how much you have to spend. The appeal of the SF Bay Area (besides the weather), is that you can do literally anything you want - as long as you can pay for it. You want scenery? We've got some of the best hiking routes you'll ever see. Sports? Every pro sport in the country. Debauchery? We've got places that exceed Bangkok. Culture? World class museums aplenty. Cuisine? We frickin' INVENTED foodie-ism, paired it with the world's best wine and put it on display. And yeah our enlightened local leaders have also cultivated anti-social behavior/crime to a world class level as well. This then is beauty and beast that is extreme California, aka the Bay Area. Ignore that metropolis to the south called El-Lay. That is conventional California. It's the beginners introduction to California-ism. Up here for better or worse, everything is done at a higher level. From money generation to education, from depravity to inane policy responses to poverty, we just do it....not better per se, but at a higher level. This is something you gotta see...
Personally, I appreciate your love for the Bay Area, but some French and Italian people just might be STHs on the food/wine thing.
/EDIT/ Just reread your post and maybe you were playing 4D chess with the sarcastic humor. I struggle enough with 2D!
A lot depends on what you like. As an example, for very local flavor (pun only partially intended), I'd walk east on Bancroft and stop at the Campus Hotel (is that what it's called now? Used to be the Hotel Durant. Someone will surely correct me). The bar inside there is excellent. The urinal in the men's room near the bar is classic (hint: Our arch rival is Stanford and their color is red). A stone's throw from the hotel is Top Dog. Hot dogs as you've never seen or tasted. (Warning, their hot brots are really hot!!!)
If you enjoy the pageantry of college football, then I'd plan to go to Sproul Plaza before the game (60 minutes before?........Cal Band people, please advise) to see Cal Band's pregame concert/rally. Cal Band marches WAY different than the SEC bands and you''l enjoy the pace of their activities on the field as well as the many Cal songs. (Cal has more songs associated with it than any university in the world).
However, if you just want to chill, recommendations of the Faculty Club or Henry's are excellent choices.
But whatever you do, be in the stadium about 15-30 minutes before kickoff to see Cal Band's entrance. Enjoy the setting of the stadium, the architecture, and the view looking west when you get up to your seats (from the concession area). It is glorious.
If you get to campus with enough time, you might also enjoy a ride to the top of the Campanille. The view of the Bay Area is breathtaking.
After the game, day after or day before, you don't have to go far to relive some early childhood experiences. Tilden Park has a miniature train that you can ride which will also give you some occasional spectacular views. And there is the Tilden Park Merry-Go-Round....hand carved from the early 1920s, with the perfect popcorn to go with it. And even without those wonderful attractions, the park is beautiful.
In any case, enjoy!
The Hotel Durant is now called the Graduate Berkeley. It's a 4-star hotel at 2600 Durant Avenue. The Cal band pre-game performance in Sproul Plaza begins 90 minutes before kickoff.
Is there a tailgate town this year? Not that that's a real attraction but it is a good meet up place before the game if trying to coordinate with otherss.
I do like getting to the game early and having a beer in the beer garden overlooking a great view of the bay.
I do like getting to the game early and having a beer in the beer garden overlooking a great view of the bay.
Also wondering if tailgate town is happening for a last pregame beer? Also - the stadium has beer sales during the first half and halftime yes?
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