While exploring Oakland, visit the Greek Theatre, part of the University of California, Berkeley. Inaugurated in 1903, this amphitheater of classical design seats 8,500 spectators and hosts festivals, concerts and important ceremonies. Admire the Greek Revival architecture of the bowl and imagine you’re in Ancient Greece.
Check the schedule on the official website and purchase tickets to a play or concert. Take your seat in one of the rows of the amphitheater and study the imposing pediment and columns of the structure at the rear of the stage. Among the most iconic artists who have performed on this stage are Bob Dylan, R.E.M. and Radiohead.
Have a snack, lunch or dinner at the food and drink vendors dotted around the arena. From the North Plaza & Terrace, appreciate the stunning views of San Francisco Bay and the rest of Berkeley. Chat with some of the students and professors about the theater and learn about how President Theodore Roosevelt addressed the audience at a graduation ceremony in 1903.
The site is also known as the William Randolph Hearst Greek Theatre. It was a gift from its namesake 20th-century American business magnate. The architect John Galen Howard constructed the theater on top of an outdoor bowl that had already been in use since 1894. Buy tickets on site or go to either the Greek Theatre’s box office on performance days or the Oakland Fox Theater’s box office on show days and Fridays.
Find the Greek Theatre on the eastern side of the University of California, Berkeley. Walk east up a slope from the center of Berkeley for 1 mile (1.6 kilometers) to get here in less than half an hour. While you’re in the area, consider visiting surrounding attractions such as the Grizzly Peak Vista Point, the University of California Botanical Garden and the Lawrence Hall of Science.
