Morning · UC Berkeley Commencement
8:30 AM — Depart
Leave Home
6930 Buckingham Blvd, Berkeley, CA 94705
Short drive to campus. ~10 min.
8:45 AM — Park
Upper Hearst Parking Structure
2701 Hearst Ave, Berkeley, CA 94709
Park here for the morning. Approximately 15-minute walk through campus to the stadium.
9:15 AM — Walk · Arrive
California Memorial Stadium
2227 Piedmont Ave, Berkeley, CA 94720
Gates open at 9:30 AM — arriving a few minutes early ensures smooth entry. Allow time for security screening.
10:30 AM — Begins
UC Berkeley General Commencement 🎓
California Memorial Stadium
Ceremony runs until
12:30 PM.
Commencement Speaker: Robert Reich — Former U.S. Secretary of Labor, Professor of Public Policy at UC Berkeley, and one of the most prominent voices on economics and inequality in America.
12:30 PM — Ends · Depart
Celebrate & Walk Back to Car
Stadium → Upper Hearst Structure · ~15 min walk
Allow time for photos and congratulations amid the post-ceremony crowd. Back at car ~1:00 PM.
1:15 PM — Arrive
Return Home
6930 Buckingham Blvd, Berkeley
Lunch, rest, change, and celebrate together before the evening.
Afternoon · At Home
5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Deniz's Online Exam
At Home — 6930 Buckingham Blvd
Do Not Disturb USAEBO – IEO Round 1 (online)
Deniz must complete this exam between 5:00 and 6:00 PM. Everyone stays home during this window. Depart for Walnut Creek only once the exam is complete.
6:10 PM — Depart
Drive to Walnut Creek
Berkeley → Walnut Creek · ~30 min via Hwy 24
East on Hwy 24 through the Caldecott Tunnel. Exit at Main St / Walnut Creek.
Evening · Walnut Creek
6:40 PM — Arrive
Stroll Downtown Walnut Creek
Broadway Plaza & Locust St, Walnut Creek
A relaxed walk along Locust Street and Broadway Plaza before dinner — lively, flat, and walkable.
7:00 PM — Dinner
Massimo Ristorante
1604 Locust St, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Reservation for 7. A celebratory Italian dinner to close Graduation Day.
~9:15 PM — Depart
Drive Home
Walnut Creek → Berkeley · ~30 min via Hwy 24
West on Hwy 24 back through the Caldecott Tunnel to Berkeley.
~9:45 PM — Arrive
Home
6930 Buckingham Blvd, Berkeley, CA 94705
End of Graduation Day. 🎓
Departure · Scenic Drive
1:00 PM — Depart
Leave Home for Napa
6930 Buckingham Blvd, Berkeley, CA 94705
East on I-80, then south on Hwy 37 toward Napa. Estimated drive: ~1 hr 15 min.
2:15 PM — Arrive
Enter Napa Valley · Begin Scenic Drive
Carneros Region, Napa Valley
Scenic Route ~1.5 hrs
Enter via Hwy 121 through Carneros vineyards → north on Hwy 29 through Yountville, Oakville, Rutherford → to St. Helena (turn-around point) → south on the Silverado Trail back toward Carneros. Sweeping Mayacamas Mountain views. Flat throughout. Optional stop: Oakville Grocery on Hwy 29.
Cocktail Hour
4:30 PM — Arrive
FARM Restaurant + Bar
4048 Sonoma Hwy, Napa, CA 94559 · (707) 299-4880
Outdoor covered patio with fire pits — request the fire pit terrace when calling ahead. Flat, fully accessible. Live music starts later in the evening; departing by 6:00 PM keeps you comfortably clear of it.
6:00 PM — Depart
Drive to Yountville
FARM → RH Yountville · ~25 min
North on Hwy 121 to Hwy 29 into Yountville.
Dinner
6:30 PM — Reservation
RH Restaurant at RH Yountville
6725 Washington St, Yountville, CA 94599 · (707) 339-4654
Booked via OpenTable — outdoor courtyard seating requested. Century-old olive trees, glimmering chandeliers, fountain. Upscale California cuisine, excellent Champagne and wine list. ~2.5 hours at table.
9:00 PM — Depart
Drive Home to Berkeley
RH Yountville → Berkeley · ~1 hr 15 min
South on Hwy 29 to Hwy 37, then west on I-80 to Berkeley.
10:15 PM — Arrive
Home
6930 Buckingham Blvd, Berkeley, CA 94705
End of a perfect weekend. 🥂
Morning · Engineering Ceremony
~8:15 AM — Depart
Leave Home for Greek Theatre
6930 Buckingham Blvd, Berkeley, CA 94705
Short drive to campus. ~15 min. Parking arrangements TBD — to be updated.
9:00 AM — Begins
UC Berkeley School of Engineering Commencement 🎓
Greek Theatre · 2001 Gayley Rd, Berkeley, CA 94720
Kaan's Engineering School ceremony. Runs until 11:00 AM.
11:00 AM — Ceremony Ends
Celebrations & Farewells
Greek Theatre
Photos, congratulations, and goodbyes. Idil and Deniz must depart for SFO by 11:30 AM at the latest to make their flight.
Departures · SFO Flight
11:30 AM — Uber Departs
Idil & Deniz → San Francisco Airport
Greek Theatre → SFO · ~50 min by Uber
Flight Deadline United Airlines UA 1756
San Francisco SFO → Washington Dulles IAD
Departure: 2:05 PM (local) · Arrival: 10:27 PM (local)
Confirmation: IGFSBG
Departing Greek Theatre at 11:30 AM targets SFO arrival ~12:20 PM — approximately 1 hr 45 min before departure. Sufficient for domestic check-in and security. Do not delay beyond 11:30 AM.