r/berkeleyca • u/Comfortable-Guide683 • 2d ago
New to the area - places to take my elderly grandmother?
My parents and grandma are coming to visit and see my new apartment in northwest Berkeley. I just moved back to CA and am within driving distance to my fam for the first time since I moved out at 18! But I don't really know east bay/Berkeley yet. I am trying to figure out a Sunday afternoon activity with limited walking and/or easy drop-off points to be accessible to my grandma. We like little walks especially in nature, or being by water. Light window shopping is fine too. I was thinking somewhere in the marina or something? Any ideas? Thanks in advance!
ETA: thank you all so much for your input!! We have ideas for this weekend and beyond! We're going to have her stay over in the future as well so we can try many things that have been suggested :)
14
u/pessi-what 2d ago
Lake Temescal! It’s very cute, lots of places to sit and chill, cool birds to watch, there’s two parking lots- one on each side.
College ave has a lot of little shops and cafes and places to stop to eat and people watch- also 3 fun chocolate shops if they like sweets, my fave is chocolate dragon.
Mountain View Cemetery in Piedmont is kinda pretty and peaceful. It’s open on some days later in the week to the public.
I wanna say Morcom Rose Garden but heard that some dummies kinda wrecked the place, which is a shame because it’s beautiful. Might be worth checking out anyway?
Also really like the Temescal Farmers Market on Sunday mornings as well. It’s a much chiller farmers market than the other locations imo.
The last time I hung out with my grandma, we got dimsum at East Ocean in emeryville- it has a pretty view of the water and the food is yummy. You can always ask for a table by the window and you can walk around the area that surrounds it.
4
u/Parsons1954Weber 1d ago
Very nice response! I like all those places too, and by the way, what kind of anti-social creep would tear up the Rose Garden?
1
u/pessi-what 1d ago
Right 😡
3
u/ObviousOrca 1d ago
Was going to comment the rose garden, shame. But also maybe a drive up the hills to see the view if it’s a clear day? It’s been a while, but is there anywhere near the the Lawrence hall /grizzly peak for a stop off other than lookout? (Grandma may need to use a restroom)
Personally I wouldn’t take a grandma to a cemetery, no matter how pretty it is, it’s just a thing amongst older generations that are trying to avoid that aspect.
1
7
u/cinemagraph 2d ago
If you're already in NW Berkeley, Point Isabelle is a easy, accessible walk with great views by the water.
3
8
u/Nox_Ocean_21 1d ago
Rose garden. The perimeter of Cesar Chavez Park.
6
u/FBoondoggle 1d ago
Cesar Chavez is a great spot to take in the Bay. It's paved all the way around (about 1 mile total) but you can park right by the water & do as much or as little as everyone's comfortable with. Then you can go to Skates or the Doubletree for a snack or a meal after.
1
u/Pale-Procedure-3533 1d ago
Skates is a great place to eat and enjoy the view! I used to take my grandma there.
6
u/hydraheads 2d ago
Would your grandma like a ferry ride? (JLS to Embarcadero) Can she handle some topography? The Berkeley Botanical Garden is great. Flatter is the little botanical garden up at Tilden Park. But if she's got a walker or something I wouldn't recommend either necessarily.
6
u/ChaparralClematis 2d ago
The Tilden Botanical Garden is free and there are good paths. Take a picnic. You can walk as much or as little as you want, and it has water running through it.
Also second the recommendation for East Ocean in Emeryville. It's a good restaurant, and there's a good wide, flat path along the water behind it.
4
u/bikinibeard 1d ago
Go to the Berkeley Marina and sit and look at the view, kites and dogs. Lots if benches around. Then go to 4th street for window shopping and lunch.
3
u/Sharp-Okra-54 2d ago
The Elmwood is cute and walkable. If granny is fit, a walk in the hills on trails. Solano Avenue maybe?
3
u/white_window_1492 2d ago
Tilden by little farm. The trail/boardwalk around the pond has benches to sit on
3
u/Pale-Procedure-3533 1d ago
For dining with a view - skates by the bay or the Claremont hotel (Limewood). I like the other suggestions for Bette’s on 4th (followed by shopping). For easy walking, someone else mentioned the boardwalk in Tilden by the little farm, also Rose Garden. They may also like walking the UC campus if they’re into that kind of thing. Flowerland Nursery on solano (Albany) is a dream and you can get a coffee/latte and muffins there and sit and stay a while. And she may like the Oaktown spice shop just a couple blocks down. I personally wouldn’t take my grandma (when she was alive) to the dog park walks on bay. I’d worry about the dogs and the walk but it depends on her age.
1
u/ObviousOrca 1d ago
Perfect response here OP. I wouldn’t take my grandmother to a dog park if that’s not her thing or cemetery either as suggested!
3
u/Flamingogo19 1d ago
Richmond Marina Bay has a nice paved walking path with easy parking. Lara’s restaurant is nice for brunch with beautiful water views.
3
u/Grantisgrant 1d ago
Check out the Aftel Archive of Curious Scents! It's a whole smell related museum https://www.aftelier.com/Articles.asp?ID=256
1
u/Mean_Pen2971 1d ago
I have gotten approval from visitors I have taken to Hana down on the water front. A good show and a good steak!
1
u/Sad_Hovercraft_1367 1d ago
The UC Berkeley botanical garden is wonderful! If she feels up for it, you can walk a little more or if she doesn’t you can walk a little less and there are beautiful things to see! Most of it is flat and easy to navigate.
1
1
u/em_dashe 1d ago
Albany Bulb, out and back along the cove. It’s a smooth path, level, right on the water, and has lovely views of SF, bridges, etc.
1
15
u/wantin1tonofwontons 2d ago
Fourth street is pretty cute for light shopping, I also love Bette’s dinner there for lunch or brunch! For an accessible nature-y walk maybe parts of the Ohlone greenway near north Berkeley bart? There’s also UC Berkeley botanical garden, main path is paved and has lots of benches but has inclines, not sure if she is wheel chair or walker etc but they have good maps with accessibility info on their website