Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the late 1960s. The park has since served mostly as a gathering spot for Berkeley's home-
less. A publicly funded restoration spruced it up a bit, and occasional festivals do still hap-
pen here, but it's rather run-down.
Elmwood District
DISTRICT
South along College Ave is the Elmwood District, a charming nook of shops and restaur-
ants that offers a calming alternative to the frenetic buzz around Telegraph Ave. Continue
further south and you'll be in Rockridge.
First Church of Christ Scientist
CHURCH
Bernard Maybeck's impressive 1910 church uses concrete and wood in its blend of Arts
and Crafts, Asian and Gothic influences. Maybeck was a professor of architecture at UC
Berkeley and designed San Francisco's Palace of Fine Arts, plus many landmark homes in
the Berkeley Hills. Free tours happen the first Sunday of every month at 12:15pm.
Julia Morgan Theatre
THEATER
To the southeast of People's Park is this beautifully understated, redwood-infused 1910
theater, a performance space (formerly a church) created by Bay Area architect Julia Mor-
gan. She designed numerous Bay Area buildings and, most famously, the Hearst Castle.
Downtown
Berkeley's downtown, centered on Shattuck Ave between University Ave and Dwight
Way, has far fewer traces of the city's tie-dyed reputation. The area has emerged as an ex-
citing arts district with numerous shops and restaurants and restored public buildings. At
the center are the acclaimed thespian stomping grounds of the Berkeley Repertory Theatre
and the Aurora Theatre Company and live music at the Freight & Salvage Coffeehouse; a
few good movie houses are also nearby.
