San Francisco Presidio: Hikes, Viewpoints, and Beaches in the Green Heart of the City

Before San Francisco developed as a city in its own right, this area was home to the Presidio, a military fort built by Spanish soldiers in 1776. The U.S. Army kept this site active as a military base until 1994 when the entire area was placed under the aegis of the National Park Service and became a national park that attracts more than 7 million visitors each year.

Location and Directions

The Presidio covers a very large area of San Francisco between the Marina District and the Golden Gate Bridge. You can reach it in many ways either by yourself or by public transportation. Here are the main solutions.

The PresidiGo Shuttle is a free shuttle service that connects the city to the most important points of the park. There are three different routes that are active every day of the week and have their terminus at the PresidiGo Transit Center near the Main Parade Ground.

• Downtown PresidiGo: it travels between Embarcadero (the stop is in the immediate vicinity of the famous Ferry Building) and the park. Please note that the shuttle usually takes about 25 minutes to complete the route. Most rides are free but some will require a PresidiGo Pass or MUNI Passport. The schedule of the Downtown PresidiGo is indicated with the red letter P in this pdf of the official website.
• PresidiGo around the park: Once you arrive at the Presidio, you can also use these free shuttles to get around the park. One line follows the route near Crissy Field and the other that of Presidio Hills. The frequency of the shuttle in the park is good. The shuttle passes every hour or 30 minutes depending on the time of day. You can find the itinerary and detailed timetables on the official website.

As far as using other public transportation to reach the Presidio, there are many MUNI lines that stop at or near the Presidio Transit Center (for example, 1, 28, 29, 41, 43, 45). When deciding which one to use, it comes down to which area of the city you are currently in or want to go to after the Presidio. For this reason, I invite you to consult MUNI’s official website to find the best solution for your needs.

If for some reason you have chosen to use a car to get around San Francisco, and you want to go to the Presidio with it, unfortunately, it will be complicated. The parking lots, although close to the main destinations, are not very large and fill up quickly, and most of them are paid every day of the week with rates up to $2.50 per hour or $11 for the whole day.

If you have the time and energy, riding a bike may be the most convenient way to visit the park and to get from one area to another (here you can find our article on how to rent a bike in San Francisco). Keep in mind that bicycles are not permitted on certain paths, so I suggest you take a look at this pdf with all the routes that can be covered.

Hours of Operation and Other Useful Information

The Presidio is always open every day of the year, 24 hours a day. It has no specific closing time (except for the attractions, visitor centers, and museums within it), so it will be easier for you to insert it into your itinerary.

The other positive news is that admission to the Presidio is free, while you will need to pay for a ticket to access some attractions.

Presidio Park: Map of Attractions

Given the size of the park and the many attractions it contains, I have grouped the points of interest at the Presidio by theme areas rather than by area. If you are interested in discovering a particular area of the park, take a look at the interactive map in this article.

Main Post

This is the central area of the park where you will find the visitor center and many other historical attractions. Let’s go see which are the main ones:

• Presidio Visitor Center: if you want to look for information material, brochures, maps, and suggestions to organize your visit this is definitely the place to start. Like most visitor centers, there is an exhibit about the history of the park and its mission.
• Presidio Officers’ Club: this is one of San Francisco’s historic buildings made with adobe. It is where the officers used to meet and today it is a terrific museum and cultural center that not only retraces the history of the Presidio but also hosts live music events and theatrical performances.
• Andy Goldsworthy’s Earth Wall and Andy Goldsworthy’s Tree Fall: two of the 4 works by the famous American artist are housed in this area. The first is located inside the Presidio Officers’ Club while the second is housed in the building that was once used as a gunpowder warehouse.
• Walt Disney Family Museum: this is perhaps the most famous attraction in the park. It is, as you can guess, a museum entirely dedicated to the legendary Walt Disney. Given the importance of this museum, we have written an in-depth article entirely about the Walt Disney Family Museum.
• Main Parade Ground: it is a large green space at the heart of the Presidio. The red buildings on one of its sides once housed the barrack. Soldiers used to come out of the barracks for military exercises and parades. This is where today the most important outdoor events take place, such as the Presidio Picnic and Presidio Twilight, both events with food, stargazing, and live music.

Viewpoints

Surely these are one of the main reasons to visit this area, if you are walking along one of the many paths in the park, you will surely have the opportunity to cross more than one of them and use them as a rest area to catch your breath as you admire the view. Many of these viewpoints also have a small parking lot or bus and shuttle stop in their immediate vicinity.

• Battery East Vista: if you are near Crissy Field, you should take the opportunity to go to Battery East Vista. This is one of the most popular viewpoints. The name of this place comes from the fact that once there was a military post here to defend San Francisco Bay.
• Golden Gate Overlook: this vantage point will offer you a unique frontal view of the Golden Gate Bridge, while most people are used to seeing it and photographing it from the side. Here you can see the two towers that support the bridge in front of each other set almost perfectly in the middle of the trees in the area. This vantage point along with the nearby Pacific Overlook were recently built to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the completion of the Golden Gate Bridge.
• Torpedo Wharf: this wharf extends for a short stretch into the San Francisco Bay in the area of Crissy Field. You will then have a practically 360° view of the surrounding area, including the San Francisco skyline. This area is particularly windy, so keep this in mind.
• Immigrant Point Overlook: visit this overlook to see a spectacular view of the Pacific Ocean. Because of its position, it will give you the opportunity to take beautiful souvenir photos, especially on sunny days. The name comes from the fact that this place has been dedicated to all those who after leaving their country of origin have crossed the Golden Gate in search of fortune. Carved in the stone of the parapet are the words of American President Woodrow Wilson: “Let all men who want to be free come to us and they will be welcome“. I recommend that you come here to watch the sunset.
• Inspiration Point Overlook: this viewpoint, unlike the previous ones mentioned, is oriented towards the interior of San Francisco Bay. From here you can see Alcatraz Island and Angel Island, and the surrounding area.
• National Cemetery Overlook: along the Bay Area Ridge Trail, which runs above the vast expanse of the San Francisco National Cemetery, where thousands of American soldiers and prominent figures related to the city rest, you will find numerous pairs of benches from which you can watch the Bay of San Francisco and the towers of the Golden Gate Bridge stand in the distance above the canopy of trees.
• Crissy Field Overlook: this is one of the most popular observatories, since it is located directly on the road to the Golden Gate Bridge. When you are there, you will get an idea of how big the area of Crissy Field really is and also see a view of the bay, Alcatraz,  and the San Francisco skyline without any kind of obstruction.

Presidio Hikes

Within the Presidio, there are 12 trails, most of which are easily accessible even though they are long. I advise you to rent a bike, which will allow you to move from one part of the park to the other and to reach most of the attractions and viewpoints. Just be careful to take the paths specially designated for cycling because some paths are only accessible on foot.

Here is a selection of the most famous trails. Of course, you can also decide to do only part of them depending on the time you have available and your level of fitness.

• Batteries to Bluffs Trail: it is just about one mile long and it is one of the best trails for those who want to reach and visit the famous beaches that overlook the west side of the park. Of course, the ideal time to undertake this trail is at sunset when you can enjoy exceptional views.
• Bay Area Ridge Trail: one of the longest trails in the park (2.5 miles) connecting the southern part of the Presidio with the Golden Gate Bridge. It crosses some of the park’s highest points and a variety of attractions along the way, such as the World War II Memorial to the Missing, Andy Goldsworthy’s Spire, and the National Cemetery Overlook.
• California Coastal Trail: this is actually part of the very long trail that runs along the California coast. The stretch inside the Presidio is almost 1.5 miles long and connects Baker Beach with the Golden Gate Bridge.
• Golden Gate Promenade: it could be considered the most famous promenade in the park that runs along the coast of Crissy Field overlooking San Francisco Bay all the way to the Golden Gate Bridge.
• Lovers’ Lane Trail: this is a 0.6-mile trail that goes from the southern part of the park to the Main Post. It is the oldest trail in the entire park, since this was the road that Spanish soldiers used to take from the Presidio to Mission Dolores, also known as Mission San Francisco de Asís, one of the many that were built along the famous Camino Real. This path runs parallel to the artwork Wood Line by Andy Goldsworthy.

Presidio Beaches

• Baker Beach: it is one of the most famous beaches in San Francisco where you can also photograph the Golden Gate Bridge and enjoy a great sunset. You can also reach it by taking the Presidio Hill park shuttle or the MUNI bus 29. If you want to stretch your legs a little, walk along the Sand Ladder to rejoin the California Coastal Trail and explore the Battery Chamberlin area (when accessible) and the other smaller but picturesque Marshall’s Beach. If you happen to be in the fog around here, don’t be disappointed because the atmosphere will be even more special.
• Marshall’s Beach: as I mentioned earlier, this is a much smaller beach than the previous one. Because it is a bit more complicated to reach than Baker Beach, it has the advantage of being less frequented (so much so that it is rumored that every now and then some nudists come here to sunbathe). It can therefore be considered the perfect spot to watch the sunset surrounded by peace and quiet.
• Crissy Field East Beach: this is the large beach overlooking San Francisco Bay and it is one of the largest and busiest in the city. Those who have already been to San Francisco will almost certainly have a photo of the Golden Gate Bridge taken from here, since it is almost obligatory for those who want to reach the famous bridge on foot or by bike to pass through here (the path that also touches this area is not called Golden Gate Promenade by chance). Given the presence of many picnic tables, it is also a perfect place to stop for refreshments in the open air and enjoy a beautiful view.

Historical Sites

Since it was previously a military base, there are many historical sites that can be visited within the Presidio.

• Fort Winfield Scott: the fort is surrounded by a beautiful forest of cypress and eucalyptus trees from which you can see in the distance the two red pylons supporting the Golden Gate Bridge. The buildings, which once housed barracks, are built in a recognizable and incredible Mission Revival style and form a sort of fence within which there is now a large green area where there is now a baseball field.
• Fort Point National Historic Site: this is yet another place that is a symbol not only of the park but of the city itself. It was built between 1853 and 1861 to protect the port of San Francisco during the years of the Gold Rush that attracted like a mirage thousands of people in search of fortune from all corners of the nation. This imposing building could accommodate up to 500 infantry soldiers but did not have the opportunity to play any kind of military role for all the years of its existence. For this reason, the fort began to be gradually abandoned until it fell into ruin. It was only in the 1970s that it was reevaluated and restored when it was designated as a National Historic Site. Here, in addition to reliving a piece of history, you can admire some really special views of the Golden Gate Bridge that will stand out above you in all its grandeur.
• Battery Chamberlin: Battery Chamberlin is located just above the well-known Baker Beach. It is useful to understand the strategic importance of this place along the Pacific Coast. Disappearing guns or 50-ton mobile cannons are still preserved here. The name derives from the fact that the weapon, while loaded or not active, was lowered, thus disappearing from view and making it less vulnerable to attack. If you’re curious to see how the deployment of these weapons worked, you can do so on the first weekend of each month from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm when the National Park Service rangers perform a demonstration. If you wish you can also visit a small museum housed in the rooms once used as ammunition storage.
• World War II Memorial to the Missing: this is a memorial dedicated to the soldiers who lost their lives in the Pacific Ocean during the Second World War. On a large curved granite slab there are the 413 names of those who were officially lost at sea because their bodies or remains have never been found or identified.
• Korean War Memorial: located in the Main Post, this memorial honors the Americans who died fighting the Korean War which was nicknamed the Forgotten War by many despite the fact that more than 40,000 U.S. soldiers perished.

Natural Attractions

• Crissy Marsh: along the promenade that will take you from Crissy Field to the Golden Gate Bridge is what at first glance may seem a simple lake. In fact, this marshy area is the natural habitat for more than 100 different species of birds. If you love birdwatching, you’ll surely have to find time to spend some time here.
• El Polín Spring: this spring was used to supply water to the military camp. There is also an interesting popular legend about this place. It is said that if a woman drinks at this spring on full moon nights she will be rewarded with a long life and numerous offspring.
• Mountain Lake: this is one of the last remaining natural lakes in the San Francisco area and is the original nucleus around which the natives of the place camped. It can therefore be said that the development of what would become one of the most important cities in California began right here. The path to get here is dedicated to Juan Bautista de Anza, the Spanish general who concluded his exploratory expedition here in 1776.

Other attractions

• Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center: it is certainly an almost obligatory stop for those who intend to walk or cycle along the Golden Gate Bridge. This visitor center is entirely dedicated to the history of the famous bridge and its construction. Moreover, if you are looking for a souvenir, this is the right place for you. There is also the Round House Café if you want to get something to eat or drink.
• Andy Goldsworthy’s Spire: the works of this artist are not limited to those housed in the Main Post. For example, one of the most famous and popular works, Southern Wilds, is located in the southern part of the park called Southern Wilds. It is a gigantic sculpture consisting of 37 trunks of the same trees that grow in the area joined together to form what looks like a spire emerging from the ground.
• Andy Goldsworthy’s Wood Line: here is the other open-air work by the famous artist. Tree trunks are also used but instead of being positioned vertically they are placed horizontally to form a sort of path that zigzags through the woods.
• Military Intelligence Service Historic Learning Center: from the outside, this building may look like a simple warehouse, since there are no features on the exterior that indicate what is hidden inside. Once inside, however, you will find yourself immersed in a museum dedicated to one of the most important, and perhaps lesser known, aspects of World War II, namely the military intelligence services. To enter this museum you will need to pay a $10 entrance fee.
• Letterman Digital Arts Center – Yoda Fountain: Star Wars fans should definitely come here. In one wing of the building (Building B), there are the offices of LucasFilm. In front of the entrance, you will find a fountain with a statue of Yoda. If you pass by here when the offices are open, you can also enter the lobby and admire a lot of memorabilia dedicated to the most famous movie series, including a life-size statue of Darth Vader and Boba Fett.

Best Restaurants at the Presidio

In the Presidio area, there are many restaurants and dining options for you to choose from. Most of these are located in the Main Post area. Here are the most important ones:

• The Commissary
• Arguello Restaurant
• Café RX
• Presidium Palms Café
• Presidio Social Club
• Sessions at the Presidium
• Starbucks

Other solutions outside of this area are the Round House Café, a characteristic circular Art Deco venue located near the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center, where you can enjoy a beautiful view of the famous bridge, and the Warming Hut Café, an ideal resting place in the area of Crissy Field and its beach.

Inside the park, there are plenty of picnic areas where you can have lunch that you have already bought, and if you are visiting the Presidio during summer on a Sunday, know that the big green space of the Main Parade Ground literally fills up with people who together form the biggest picnic in San Francisco.

Where to Stay

If you want to stay overnight inside the park there are three options. One is the Rob Hill Campground which is only open during the summer and can only be accessed via a lottery which you can enter on this page. The other two are hotels that offer all the comforts you will need.

• Inn at the Presidio: this hotel was built in an elegant building dating back to 1903 which previously housed the officers’ quarters. The rooms are well kept and cozy, some of which also offer a beautiful view of the surrounding area.
• Lodge at the Presidio: it is a “rib” of the previous hotel that was recently opened. It is also not in a new building. Instead, it is located in one of the buildings that were part of the Montgomery Street Barracks to house U.S. Army soldiers. The style of the furniture is a little more modern than the Inn at the Presidio.

If you want to stay close to the Presidio, you could consider the hotels in the Marina District and Cow Hollow mentioned in our in-depth article on where to stay in San Francisco or click on the link below.

Find accommodations in the area