Berkeley: the home of the Free Speech Movement, Kip’s and our wonderful campus. It’s funk, food and friendly street community create a great college town for all us Bears. Despite the geographical and population difference between the two cities, the funky vibes and local art of Berkeley strike an astounding similarity to NYC’s Greenwich Village.

Both Berkeley and Greenwich hold important histories of protests, hippies, artists and good coffee. Around every corner of both cities, one may find a beautiful mural or an original coffee shop. In Berkeley, we have Peet’s, Cafe Milano and Cafe Blue Door. In NYC, there are too many to name.

Ingestible originality doesn’t stop with countless coffee shops – both cities have great local and unique restaurants. Long story short, delectable delights aren’t difficult to find in either place.

The cities also run rampant with funky stores. Any stroll down Telegraph Avenue will reveal numerous thrift, trinket and smoke shops. Needless to say, Greenwich Village also offers an assortment of special shops.

In addition to their shopping opportunities and rich histories, both cities are indirectly centered around tourism. One fun fact is that Berkeley was initially developed with the idea of potential tourist circulation, while New York City is probably the most touristy city in the world.

Overall, both places hold a magical quality stemming from a combination of history and interesting people.