Downtown Berkeley, California

Upon check-in, slip the desk agent a tip and ask for the best room they can find at your current booked rate. Often times a quick $10 or $20 bill can go a long way towards the mood of the person who directly decides where you lay your head for the night.

Always find a reason to email the front desk manager in hotels that you plan to visit again. Tell them what they did right and express your plans to stay again and ask what opportunities there might be for frequent discounts or upgrades on your next visits. If you become friends with the manager, you just might get the friends and family rate some day.

Not all online booking systems are fully integrated with hotel reservations systems so there is a chance that smaller hotels are hand entering your stay from a fax machine which leaves room for errors. Book directly with hotel to avoid any problems and ask for a price match if you find a better price online.

Berkeley is a great place to rent a bike and take it for a ride around downtown. There are many bike shops that sell bike and accessories as well as provide service and tuning on your ride. Don't forget your helmet and other protective gear such as reflective gear, headlight and horn.

Berkeley brings the farming community under one marketplace to offer an assortment of locally grown fruit and vegetables. Traditionally, markets are restricted to anything grown so you can expect to see natural whole foods that are sure to please those working on their plant-based diets!

Berkeley makes shopping for wine and other spirits easy by bringing an incredible collection sourced from local, regional well-known producers from around the World. Hit the wine tasting events and stock up on your favorite choice to be shipped home for your convenience.