I lived near downtown Berkeley, within walking distance of the University of California at Berkeley (or just "Cal", as people here call it).
Sather Gate and Sather Tower are a couple landmarks on campus:
Inside Sather Tower:
The view from the top of Sather Tower:
César E. Chávez Park, on the edge of San Francisco Bay:
Berkeley Pier stretches far into the Bay, offering a nice view of San Francisco and the Bay Bridge: