Solano Avenue facts for kids
| Length | 2 mi (3 km) |
|---|---|
| Location | Albany and Berkeley, California |
| Coordinates | 37°53′26.33″N 122°17′32.49″W / 37.8906472°N 122.2923583°W |
| West end | Cleveland Avenue on the southern slope of Albany Hill in Albany |
| Major junctions |
 SR 123 / San Pablo Avenue in Albany |
| East end | Del Norte and El Dorado Streets near the Northbrae Tunnel in Berkeley |
Solano Avenue is a lively street that stretches for about two miles (3.2 km) through the cities of Berkeley and Albany in California. It's known as a major shopping area, offering lots of different stores and places to eat. You can find everything from grocery stores and coffee shops to bookstores, antique shops, clothing stores, and restaurants serving food from all over the world. There's even a movie theater!
Contents
Exploring Solano Avenue
Solano Avenue starts on the western side, on a hill called Albany Hill. This part of the street is mostly homes and goes uphill quite a bit. It's close to big highways like I-80 and I-580, and also near train tracks.
The Shopping Heart of Solano
When Solano Avenue reaches San Pablo Avenue, it curves a little south, and that's where the main shopping area begins. This part of Solano Avenue is like the "Main Street" for the city of Albany. In fact, it used to be called Main Street in Albany!
As you go along, Solano Avenue passes under the elevated BART train tracks. For a few blocks, one side of the street (the north side) is in Berkeley, while the other side (the south side) and the street itself are in Albany. This area is the main shopping spot for Berkeley's Thousand Oaks neighborhood.
Some famous places here include:
- The Oaks Theater: This old movie theater was built in 1925. It has recently closed down.
- The first Andronico's grocery store: It was once known as "Andronico's Park and Shop."
The Solano Avenue Tunnel
After crossing a street called The Alameda, Solano Avenue enters a special path that used to be for electric trains. These trains ran here until 1958. After that, the path was changed for cars and opened in 1962.
Because of this, Solano Avenue goes through the Northbrae Tunnel. This tunnel was built in 1911 and is sometimes called the "Solano Ave. Tunnel." It curves south. Solano Avenue ends just after this tunnel, where it meets Del Norte and El Dorado Streets.
The Solano Avenue Stroll
Every year, on the second Sunday of September, Solano Avenue becomes a huge street party! It's called the Solano Avenue Stroll.
What is the Stroll?
The Stroll started in 1974 or 1975. It began as an "open house" for stores on the east side of Solano Avenue. Soon, it grew to include the entire shopping area between San Pablo Avenue in Albany and The Alameda in Berkeley.
During the Stroll, Solano Avenue and all the streets that cross it are closed to cars. This means people can walk freely everywhere! Local businesses and vendors set up booths along the street. They sell all sorts of things like:
- Clothes
- Jewelry
- Art
- Food items
In recent years, the festival has also included fun things like:
- Theatre groups performing
- Puppet shows
- Amusement rides
Many live bands play music at the Stroll, often local groups. Even famous musicians like Jay Lane (from the band RatDog) and Marc Biedermann (from Blind Illusion) have played there. School bands, including jazz, classical, and marching bands from nearby cities, have also performed for many years.
The Parade and Crowds
The event kicks off with a parade down Solano Avenue. As the parade moves along, the street slowly opens up for people to walk. It stays open for pedestrians until late in the afternoon.
The Solano Stroll is very popular! In 2005, about 120,000 to 150,000 people came to the event. By 2009, organizers said around 300,000 people attended. In 2001, the Solano Stroll was even recognized as a "National Local Legacy" by The Library of Congress.
Getting Around Solano Avenue
Solano Avenue has a history with public transportation. It used to have tracks for two different electric train lines: the Southern Pacific Railroad and the Key System.
Trains and Buses of the Past
Years ago, three electric train lines met near Solano and Colusa Avenues. This spot was called "Thousand Oaks Station." The Southern Pacific company even had a power station there to supply electricity to the trains.
After the Southern Pacific trains stopped running in 1941, the Key System took over some of the tracks, including those through the Northbrae Tunnel. These train tracks on Solano Avenue were eventually paved over.
Modern Public Transport
Today, BART trains run nearby. While there isn't a BART station directly on Solano Avenue, you can walk to the El Cerrito Plaza and North Berkeley BART stations in about 15-20 minutes.
AC Transit buses now provide service on Solano Avenue. Several bus lines connect Solano to Downtown Berkeley.
- Line 18 travels along the entire length of Solano Avenue.
- Line 7 goes through the Northbrae/Solano Avenue Tunnel.
- Line 25 makes stops at The Alameda and Colusa Avenue.
- The 72 line crosses Solano at San Pablo Avenue.
There are also AC Transit buses that connect Solano Avenue to San Francisco.
Interesting Facts About Solano Avenue
- Name Origin: Solano Avenue was named after Solano County. Many other streets nearby are also named after California counties. This was part of an idea in the early 1900s to move the state capital to Berkeley. However, the idea was voted down in 1908.
- Original Name: The part of Solano Avenue in Albany was first called "Main Street." But it was soon changed to "Solano" to match the name used in Berkeley.
- Railroad Hub: The upper part of Solano Avenue was a busy center for electric trains. Three different train lines met at Solano and Colusa Avenues. This area was called "Thousand Oaks."
- Masonic Tower: There used to be a watchman's tower called the Masonic Tower where the Santa Fe and Southern Pacific train tracks crossed. Today, a dry cleaning business is on that spot.
