Students come for the academics but often discover the vast resources that nature has to offer in and around Berkeley.
Students in the full-time MBA program at the University of California, Berkeley come from all over the world to prepare for careers as business leaders. The rigors of an MBA program can be demanding, but Berkeley Haas students don’t have to go far to connect with nature to reset their minds. Within minutes, they can be on trails for a short hike or bike ride to clear their thoughts, find inspiration, or simply breathe in fresh air.
Nestled in the hills overlooking the San Francisco Bay, the Berkeley Haas campus provides Haas MBA students with a unique setting that seamlessly blends rigorous academia with rejuvenating nature. The location provides easy access to a variety of outdoor destinations and activities that support personal well-being and academic success.
The close proximity to hiking trails, beaches, and national parks allows students to take strategic breaks from the intensive coursework, helping them maintain balance while reaping well-documented benefits: research shows that time in nature reduces stress, improves concentration, and enhances creative problem-solving—all critical advantages for MBA candidates.
Campus is a Perfect Backdrop for Learning and Growth
The Berkeley campus itself provides a tranquil natural environment for students. Students can take a break from classes to stroll through the Eucalyptus Grove, planted over 100 years ago and home to blue gum eucalyptus trees reaching nearly 200 feet high. They can also spend quiet moments in the Mather Redwood Grove, an area that creates an illusion of an enchanted forest.
The Redwood Grove is part of the Botanical Garden, a 34-acre living museum. It features one of the world’s most diverse plant collections, with over 10,000 plants, including rare and endangered species.The garden serves an academic purpose where students and faculty in related programs work to preserve biodiversity, sustain nature, and conduct research that could benefit humans and the planet. The Garden is open to the public and is free for current Berkeley students with their ID.
One of the most popular outdoor study areas on campus is Faculty Glade. This natural amphitheater may once have been the site of an Ohlone Native American settlement that harvested fresh water and fish from adjoining Strawberry Creek. The creek is a major landscape feature running through the heart of campus. It’s said to be a primary reason the site was chosen as the school’s location in the 1860s.
Every year, Haas Student Ambassadors (HSA) put together a visitors guide of recommendations for things to see and do. The Berkeley Rose Garden is one of the locations on the list. Located north of campus, this hidden gem is a public park situated on the side of a hill. It’s a quiet place where students can sit at a picnic table or in the amphitheater to study or meditate.
Building Resilience Through Outdoor Pursuits
Haas Student Ambassadors also recommend areas where students can get more active. Thanks to California’s mild climate, they can take part in outdoor activities during almost every season.
Hiking is a popular activity that many Haas students regularly enjoy. Maurizio Asperti, MBA 19, says that it can be challenging in the hills around campus, “Berkeley has world class hiking. It’s no joke! You’ve got some steep gradients up there,” he remarked. “It’s really cool, it’s really beautiful.”
Near the Botanical Garden at the edge of campus are the Berkeley Fire Trails. This is a group of trails that extend for miles into the Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve. These trails offer a great workout with beautiful views of the Bay Area.
The Big C is part of a short hike that has become a part of school tradition. The trail elevates 1,000 feet uphill and takes most people just 15 minutes to complete. At the top of the hill, there’s a rope swing dangling from a tree where hikers can rest and enjoy looking down at campus and other stunning views of the Bay Area. The thing that gives the hill its name is a big yellow “C” for Cal. It’s a concrete structure made by Berkeley students over a century ago.
Tilden Regional Park, located in the Berkeley Hills, is another location that’s easily accessible to students. The park has over 2000 acres of wilderness and demonstrates the area’s commitment to environmental sustainability. With as many as 59 available trails, hiking is a popular activity. The park is packed with other things to do like biking, horseback riding, and an old fashioned merry-go-round.
Students who prefer water over land for their activities also have plenty to do in the Berkeley area. Tilden Regional Park is the home to Lake Anza, where activities include swimming and fishing. At the Berkeley Marina there is kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, windsurfing, open-water swimming, and kiteboarding.
The UC Aquatic Center is located at the marina where they have an adventure program that allows students and the community to go kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing, windsurfing, and more. Some of these activities are new to students from other geographical areas, “It’s that whole Cali vibe,” says Stephen Collins, MBA 20. “As far as hobbies to pick up, I have tried kitesurfing and rock climbing.”
Maurizio adds, “There’s a whole crew that goes every morning at 4 am. They go to Pacifica and they surf and kitesurf.”
Leveraging Nature for Mental Performance
The Berkeley Marina is also a hot spot for students who prefer to exercise their bodies and their minds. The Bay Area offers a diverse range of outdoor yoga spots for both beginners and experienced yogi. Some of the top outdoor yoga spots in and around Berkeley include Golden Gate Park, Crissy Field, and Alameda Beach. These locations provide the perfect backdrop for many yoga practices.
Research shows that time in nature reduces stress, improves concentration, and enhances creative problem-solving, all critical benefits for MBA students taking rigorous coursework. Some students who have embraced mindfulness practices, use the hills, the bay, and serene outdoor spaces as places for meditation and stress relief. In and around campus, students can find quiet retreats to step away. Places like Grizzly Peak off-campus and Observatory Hill on-campus offer peaceful settings where students practice meditation and reflection.
Building Community Through Outdoor Adventures
“Haasies” have an incredible mindset and a strong work ethic but they also know that it’s important to have a little fun from time to time. With so many natural wonders so close to school, students use what’s around them to work in outdoor social activities.
Beyond the local trails and beaches, Berkeley’s central location makes it easy to plan weekend trips to some of the most iconic national parks in the country. Yosemite National Park, Point Reyes National Seashore, and Big Sur are all within a few hours’ drive, offering students opportunities for more immersive outdoor experiences.
Student group getaways are common, “We all go and have this weekend on Lake Shasta and live on a “HaasBoat” for the weekend,” says Stephen, referring to the popular HaasBoat tradition. The event allows MBA students to form connections in an informal environment.
“You spend Labor Day weekend living on houseboats with your assigned crews, docking the boats next to each other for endless sunny days on the lake with the serene mountain backdrop,” says Aditi Bhandari, MBA 21. “The friendships and memories made at HaasBoats really sets up the Haas experience to be more than I could have imagined.”
HaasBoats isn’t the only outdoor getaway, “Haasemite” is an annual camping trip at Yosemite National Park. The trip can be a highlight for students to experience, especially for those who are new to the area, “My favorite memory is camping for the first time in my life at Yosemite during Haasemite,” says Yael Shavitt, MBA 26. “Making smores at the campfire under a sky full of stars, after a day of amazing hikes and views, all of that with the company of other Haasies was truly a memory for life!”
A Transformative Element of the MBA Experience
Time in nature can provide adventure and inspiration for MBA students at Berkeley Haas. Navigating trails, planning group outings, and pushing personal boundaries in nature mirror the resilience and adaptability needed in the business world. In some ways, the landscape around Berkeley is a natural fit for Haas students. For many, Berkeley’s natural setting becomes an unexpected but significant part of their MBA experience and personal growth.
Molly Zeins, MBA 20, who grew up in a densely populated urban atmosphere, made the outdoors a priority during her time at Berkeley, “I had felt pretty established in New York City. Access to nature had never been a huge part of my life.” Now, remaining in the Bay Area post-graduation, she adds, “I’m grateful to be able to enjoy the outdoors which is really different for me.”
Stephen sums up the holistic experience, “You have to experience it to believe it. The weather, the culture, the restaurants, the outdoor activities, the nearby snowboarding, the innumerable day and weekend trips. The list goes on and on.”
Discover how the natural beauty in and around Berkeley could enhance your MBA experience. Contact us today to learn more about our top-ranked programs.
