Walk to the famous Gourmet Ghetto of Berkeley

Our chef's kitchen was totally remodeled in 2015. It's light, used locally sourced woods and is a joy to cook in or to just hang out. We have 2 decks, a patio, cedar hot tub, redwood garden, 3 fireplaces, and views of trees and the San Francisco Bay beyond. You can walk to the Gourmet Ghetto, world famous Chez Panisse restaurant where the California cuisine movement was started by Alice Waters, the Cheese Board, wine stores, a weekly organic farmers market, shops and more. A few more blocks away is the University of California with it's spectacular campus, Zellerbach Hall for concerts, sporting events, and campus life. We are also a 15 min walk from downtown Berkeley, the brand new Berkeley Museum and Pacific Film Archives, many great restaurants, live theater at several venues, live music, more movie theaters, shops and more. We are close to two BART stops (Berkeley and North Berkeley) for the 20 minute ride to San Francisco and all it has to offer. 2 blocks up the street is Cordonices Park with the worlds greatest slide for kids, a stream, ball field and trails. Also next to the park is the Rose Garden where you can watch the sunset over the Golden Gate Bridge and two public tennis courts. There are hidden stairways all around that make for a fun walking adventure (we have a special map). Tilden Regional Park is an 8 min drive with miles of hiking and running trails (many with views of the Golden Gate Bridge). Tilden has a swimming lake, a petting zoo for the kids, steam trains, and a carousel. We are within an hour by car of the Marin Headlands, Point Reyes Station, beaches and trails with Tule Elk and other wildlife. Also within an hour is Napa and the Sonoma wine country. Sebastopol is an hour with wine and apples, the Russian River is about 1.5 hours. We are close to Mendocino, to the Gold County, Silicon Valley, Monterey, and so much more. Our house has 3 bedrooms (the master with a brand new Brooklyn Bedding memory foam queen mattress as of 2020; one with a double bed; and one with a new sofa bed as of 2019) so comfortably sleeps 6. We also have a fold out bed and a double air mattress that allows for more people. We have lots of nieces and nephews and often have big slumber parties for the whole family. We would be happy to help you plan any adventures in Northern California. We often trade cars during home swaps and have a smaller Honda Fit great for bopping around town and easy to park. We also have a larger Subaru Outback SUV. Both cars seat 5 people. We love home exchanges and have done over 50. We will take care of your house as if it were our own. We have a comprehensive house book that makes recommendations for places to eat and shop in the neighborhood and farther afield. Don't hesitate to ask us any questions about our place, the area, or anything we can do to help you plan your trip.

Let me know if you're coming to the area and I would be happy to help with any questions etc.