Internationally known for its intellectual richness, cultural diversity, and progressive values, Berkeley is a model California city that its residents are proud to call home. With an abundance of restaurants, cafes, museums, bookstores, art galleries, movie theaters, and performance venues befitting a university town, Berkeley has no shortage of activities to stimulate the senses. It’s also an incredibly picturesque city, with tree-lined streets, beautiful gardens, ample parks, and hidden walkways and staircases.

Berkeley’s distinct neighborhoods have a range of architectural styles, including charming Victorians, Craftsman bungalows, California cottages, wooded hillside retreats, and magnificent period revival homes. Much of Berkeley’s real estate is notable for its singular architectural styles, some of which were designed by famed architects Bernard Maybeck, John Hudson Thomas and Julia Morgan.

In addition to being in close proximity to the prestigious University of California at Berkeley, residents also enjoy convenient freeway access to San Francisco, Oakland, and Silicon Valley. Three BART stations (Ashby, Downtown Berkeley, and North Berkeley), as well as the AC Transit bus system, serve the city. If you’re looking for an escape, Tilden Regional Park offers 2,065 acres of trails, meadows and forests, just minutes from downtown. You’ll also find biking trails, a botanical garden, picnic areas, an 18-hole golf course, and a lake for swimming. For kids, there’s a carousel ride, petting zoo, steam train, pony rides, and an environmental education center.