Hearst Gym
Hearst Gym, where most of our classes are held, is on the south side of the Berkeley campus at the corner of Bancroft and Bowditch. It’s across from the Berkeley Art Museum, just west of the Hearst parking structure and tennis courts, and about 100 meters east of Sproul Plaza.
The entrance to Hearst Gym is at the north-east corner of the building, facing the parking structure and tennis courts. If you’re asked for a student ID at the door to Hearst Gym, just tell them you’re here for the ballroom dance class. Hearst 237 is located at the Southwest end of Hearst Gym. Take the stairs by the main door (east side of gym) to the second floor, walk west, and pass the pool. Room 237 is at the end of that walkway.
Driving directions
From San Francisco: Take 80 East. Merge onto 580 East toward CA-24/Downtown Oakland. Merge onto CA-24 East toward Walnut Creek. Take the Claremont Avenue exit, then turn left onto Claremont Avenue. Make a slight left onto College Avenue. Turn right onto Durant Avenue, then make a left onto Piedmont Avenue. Go one block and make a left on Bancroft Way. Hearst Gym will be on the right, next to the parking garage with the tennis courts on top and across the street from the Berkeley Art Museum.
From San Jose: Take 880 North. Merge onto 980 East toward CA-24/Walnut Creek. Take CA-24 East toward Berkeley/Walnut Creek. Take the Claremont Avenue exit, then turn left onto Claremont Avenue. Make a slight left onto College Avenue. Turn right onto Durant Avenue, then make a left onto Piedmont Avenue. Go one block and make a left on Bancroft Way. Hearst Gym will be on the right, next to the parking garage with the tennis courts on top and across the street from the Berkeley Art Museum.
From Oakland: Take 980 East toward CA-24/Walnut Creek/San Francisco/Hayward. Take CA-24 East toward Berkeley/Walnut Creek. Take the Claremont Avenue exit, then turn left onto Claremont Avenue. Make a slight left onto College Avenue. Turn right onto Durant Avenue, then make a left onto Piedmont Avenue. Go one block and make a left on Bancroft Way. Hearst Gym will be on the right, next to the parking garage with the tennis courts on top and across the street from the Berkeley Art Museum.
Pauley Ballroom
The Berkeley Classic Competition will be held in Pauley Ballroom in MLK Student Union building. The building is on the south side of the Berkeley campus at the corner of Bancroft and Telegraph. The entrance is at the east end of the building, facing Upper Sproul Plaza.
Driving directions:
From I-80, take the University Avenue exit in Berkeley and follow University until it ends at Oxford and meanders into campus. Turn right onto Oxford and follow it about 6 blocks south to Durant Avenue. Turn left on Durant and follow it 6 blocks east to College Avenue. Turn left on College, then left again onto Bancroft Way. Go two blocks west to MLK Student Union building, which will be on the north side of Bancroft Way (on your right), just after Upper Sproul Plaza.
From Highway 24 west, take the College exit, and turn left on College. Go north on College for several miles, until it ends at Bancroft. Turn left onto Bancroft, and go two blocks west to MLK Student Union building, which will be on the north side of Bancroft Way (on your right), just after Upper Sproul Plaza.
From Highway 24 east, take the Claremont exit, and turn left onto Claremont Avenue. Go northeast on Claremont for .7 miles, until it intersects with College. Turn left on College. Go north on College for 1.4 miles until it ends at Bancroft. Turn left onto Bancroft, and go two blocks west to MLK Student Union building, which will be on the north side of Bancroft Way (on your right), just after Upper Sproul Plaza.
From San Francisco: Take 80 East. Merge onto 580 East toward CA-24/Downtown Oakland. Merge onto CA-24 East toward Walnut Creek. Take the Claremont Avenue exit, then turn left onto Claremont Avenue. Make a slight left onto College Avenue. Go north on College for 1.4 miles until it ends at Bancroft. Turn left onto Bancroft, and go two blocks west to MLK Student Union building, which will be on the north side of Bancroft Way (on your right), just after Upper Sproul Plaza.
From San Jose: Take 880 North. Merge onto 980 East toward CA-24/Walnut Creek. Take CA-24 East toward Berkeley/Walnut Creek. Take the Claremont Avenue exit, then turn left onto Claremont Avenue. Make a slight left onto College Avenue. Go north on College for 1.4 miles until it ends at Bancroft. Turn left onto Bancroft, and go two blocks west to MLK Student Union building, which will be on the north side of Bancroft Way (on your right), just after Upper Sproul Plaza.
From Oakland: Take 980 East toward CA-24/Walnut Creek/San Francisco/Hayward. Take CA-24 East toward Berkeley/Walnut Creek. Take the Claremont Avenue exit, then turn left onto Claremont Avenue. Make a slight left onto College Avenue. Go north on College for 1.4 miles until it ends at Bancroft. Turn left onto Bancroft, and go two blocks west to MLK Student Union building, which will be on the north side of Bancroft Way (on your right), just after Upper Sproul Plaza.
Public Transit
Many bus lines stop at the corner of Bancroft and Telegraph in front of MLK Student Union building, including 51B, F, 52, 1, 1R, 49, and campus perimeter line “P”. AC Transit bus service can be limited after 8pm. To find more information about which bus line to take, you can use Transitinfo’s trip planner, entering “Bancroft and Telegraph” as the destination. You can also take BART to the downtown Berkeley station and bus or walk about 0.4 mile to the venue (see below for walking instructions).
Walking from downtown Berkeley and Berkeley BART
To walk from downtown Berkeley BART, go south on Shattuck (the street that you exit onto when exiting the BART), past Allston and Kitteridge, until you reach Bancroft. Turn left on Bancroft, and go east on Bancroft for 0.4 mile until Telegraph. At the corner of Bancroft and Telegraph, you’ll see a large building on your left. The building is MLK Student Union, and the entrance is at the east end of the building, facing Upper Sproul Plaza.
Parking in Berkeley
Parking in Berkeley is notoriously difficult. If you are willing to circle the block a few times or park a few blocks from the gym, you can usually find a spot on Southside, as long as there are no football games or other special events that day. The parking meters are active and parking is limited to 1-2 hours (depending on the place you park) from 8 am to 6 pm Mondays – Saturdays.
If you are willing to pay for closer parking that is not time-limited, there is a lot right next to the gym that charges a $7 flat rate for parking. This lot is available for public parking weekends and after 6 pm on weekdays.
There are also several public parking lots nearby, including one on Bancroft between Bowditch and Telegraph (one block from Hearst Gym), and one on Durant between Telegraph and Dana (three blocks from Hearst Gym).
