BERKELEY RESTAURANT WEEK IS BACK (TO GO)! 

Back by popular demand, an encore of Berkeley Restaurant Week To Go is on now through September 30.  This time, "TOGO" also stands for Taste Our Great Outdoors as 60+ local restaurants have pulled out the stops to offer special value $15, $20 and $25 menus for enjoying at your favorite Berkeley park or restaurant outdoor dining area.  Visit Berkeley produces Berkeley Restaurant Week every January, and in 2020 we have extended the campaign to include summer and fall editions in our evolving role as a dedicated supporter of the city's restaurant community. Bon Appétit Berkeley! #BRWTOGO

NEW GUIDE TO BERKELEY'S GREAT OUTDOORS

Berkeley offers a rich and surprising realm of outdoor options for hiking, biking, playing tennis and golf, and enjoying the fresh Pacific breeze off San Francisco Bay. Exploring the city''s outdoor parks, trails, bay front, and hills just got easier with Visit Berkeley's new Explore Berkeley Outside micro guide produced by Bravo Your City! Available in both digital  and printed formats, Explore Berkeley Outside includes more than 20 locations for escaping the Zooms from the home office or  distance learning lessons, and getting under the blue sky.  Some of our favorites include the UC Botanical Garden at Berkeley, Tilden Park Golf Course, and Tilden Botanic Garden.  Pro tip: get the guide, order some food from #BRWTOGO, and let the picnic begin!

CALIFORNIA WINE MONTH POPS BY THE BERKELEY WINE BLOCK

September is California Wine Month - a time for wine lovers to soak up the last days of summer with trips to local wineries. Throughout the state, wineries are providing socially distanced outdoor seating, virtual tastings and online ordering to sip and swirl Cali's unofficial state libation. Featured in California Wine Month, and considered pioneers in Berkeley’s natural winemaking movement, Donkey & Goat Winery’s stunning natural wines  stem from organic and biodynamically farmed vineyards in the Sierra, Mendocino and the Napa Valley. Donkey & Goat’s safe socialization program ensures guests have an enjoyable time in their hip West Berkeley backyard.

HOTEL SHATTUCK PLAZA EARNS TOP RANK FROM TRIPADVISOR

Kudos to downtown Berkeley's Hotel Shattuck Plaza for earning the prestigious Travelers' Choice award from TripAdvisor as Berkeley's top rated property.  Once a year, TripAdvisor pulls together all of their reviews and ratings across the globe and gives Travelers’ Choice awards to select accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and that are ranked within the top 10% of properties.  

TILDEN PARK GOLF CLUB SCORES NICE NORCAL NOTICE; CONGRATS COLLIN MORIKAWA, GO BEARS!

The Northern California Golf Association's quarterly magazine, NCGA Golf, featured Berkeley and Tilden Park GC in its Summer 2020 issue.  The timing could not have been more perfect, as it was published at precisely the time that a golfer who played and practiced many rounds at Tilden Park GC won one of professional golf's major championships. Collin Morikawa made history this summer when he became the first Cal Bear player to win a major golf championship with a victory at the 102nd PGA Championship. Morikawa played four seasons at Cal from 2015-19 and is the only four-time All-American and three-time first-team All-American in school history. He was also the Pac-12 Men's Golf Player of the Year and won the conference title as a senior in 2018-19. Go Bears and way to go, Collin!

NEW LIVE CHAT FEATURE ON VISITBERKELEY.COM 

Within crisis, there is the need to engage, innovate and connect.  Since mid-March, the global pandemic has caused Visit Berkeley to temporarily close our downtown Visitor Information Center (VIC).  Visit Berkeley's response to a closed VIC is a new website feature, Live Chat, providing information and advice to future travelers as well as update-seeking locals.  Miss Berkeley? Check the feature out M-F, 10 to 4 on VisitBerkeley.com and chat live with Visit Berkeley staff!

Photo: BAMPFA

BERKELEY STANDS UNITED

Our hearts go out to every victim of racial injustice. Freedom of speech is in Berkeley's DNA, and the right to protest is a fundamental human right. We stand united. #blacklivesmatter