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The Presidio

4.6 (273 reviews)
Open Open 24 hours

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Bit of history on this area of The Presidio
Jennifer O.

The history of The Presidio, resting place of the fallen who served, officers' quarters now residences, barracks transformed into specialized preschools, office bungalows and therapy offices. It's a unique mix of history and everyday San Francisco life. You drive through the winding roads with peekaboo views then a smashing 180 panorama like at Inspiration Point. There are different points of entry like the Lombard or Presidio Gates or off the Golden Gate Bridge past the old Letterman Hospital now home to Industrial Light & Magic. For me, all points inside The Presidio lead to different years of my son's life, from his little Montessori preschool to the aquatics center where he's now a tall and strong member of the YPAC Swim Team. The best time to visit The Presidio is early morning when the mist is hanging low, the fog horns are sounding and it feels fairy-like, Tolkienesque, like you entered a magical kingdom.

Kristine S.

It was just a perfect day to be outside. The views are spectacular. Breathtaking! Many sailboats were out that day. Can't wait to go back.

Caitlyn M.

Great park with stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge! Great place to hangout with friends or family. There's lots of areas to sit, grassy areas, picnic tables, and there's a park for children. There's also a pizza restaurant and also food trucks in the park. Check out their website for a schedule of the food trucks! Also if the weather is clear, you'll be able to see the bridge. However you might not see it if it's foggy.

Monika P.

If you do anything in San Francisco, go to the Presidio. I absolutely love this place. The history and the sights are everything. From old military buildings and historic landmarks to trails, forests, and sweeping views of the Bay and Golden Gate Bridge. It is the kind of place where you can take a quiet walk, explore museums, or just sit and soak in the scenery. There is so much variety here with beaches, overlooks, wooded paths, and wide open fields, and every corner feels meaningful. The Presidio is one of San Francisco's gems and it truly feels like stepping into both nature and history at the same time. Do not miss it.

I am so glad that there is an option to take the PresidioGo! It headed to The Presidio and has designated stops. This is so convenient since The Presidio is so vast and it is a way to check multiple areas of the park. The driver wasn't personable but the ride was fine and the views are so amazing! Great place to spend weekends, lunch and afternoons!!

Phil A.

The Presidio, which was a former United States Army post, is now called a park!! All of the buildings are the same on the outside, but they have remodeled them inside, turning them into museums, bookstores, lodging, etc!! The main area of the Presidio, with the huge grassy area, is where most people hang out, and sometimes there will be food trucks around or an event going on. There are plenty of hiking trails once you leave this area. Inspiration Point at the Presidio was a good find. You will also find the famous Yoda Fountain here along with Lucasfilm. There's also a Bowling Alley here, a transit center, and the Presidio Tunnel Tops Park. Plenty to do here!!

Karne N.

Isn't it always the case that we locals visit a site only when we have out of town guests? In any case, we took our visitors to the Presidio on an absolutely gorgeous day and we're so impressed with all they've done there. We didn't stay to eat, although we have done that once before and it was excellent, the sites are amazing. The views are incredible and I would certainly bring any other visitors here in the future.

Ashley W.

This hike is absolutely stunning! You get a beautiful view of SF's coastline, the Golden Gate Bridge, and Marin County. The hike features some steps, but I would say it's moderate/easy. Because of the different elevation changes, you see different views of the coast. I loved looking at the greenery. There are patches of green, gray, brown, pink, and yellow. Featuring all sorts of shrubbery texture!

Chuseok crowd
Eva L.

This review is for the Main Parade Lawn at the Presidio. It's the place where you can stand at one spot and have a view of the Golden Gate Bridge, the Palace of Fine Arts and the Alcatraz. Beautiful view of the ocean. Such a peaceful place even when there's a lot of people around. Clean surroundings. Clean restrooms inside a building and not a port-a-potty. Green grassy lawns to have a picnic. Dogs are allowed. Beautiful buildings. One of the buildings has the Disney Museum. Spacious. Plenty of parking both on the streets and in the parking lots. Parking lots costs $3/hour. I wish this place is not too far from the South Bay. Took about 1 hour from Palo Alto to get here on a Saturday mid-morning. Will definitely return and next time will explore the surrounding trails. A must check out place in SF.

02.03.18 Historic buildings house the Walt Disney Family Museum, eateries, homes/businesses like Lucasfilm, w/ its Yoda Fountain
May A.

Beautiful piece of History The Presidio is a former military base that is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The Walt Disney Family Museum is located at the Presidio. The old red brick military buildings have been converted to restaurants, hotels and attractions including the Walt Disney Family Museum. Also, look for the Yoda Fountain at Lucasfilm Headquarters at the Presidio. We visited the San Francisco National Cemetery, the Torpedo Wharf fishing pier, Baker Beach and we enjoyed panoramic views of the Golden Gate Bridge from Crissy Field. Fort Point National Historic Site was not to be missed... visited 3 times! Admission is FREE! The Presidio has lots of recreational area and nice trails to go hiking, jogging, cycling and do other activities. This place is an enjoyable area to visit and is not to be missed when visiting San Francisco. NOTE: some activities or places may have limited access due to COVID-19 restrictions. Review #2076

You can get more patriotic than simultaneous founding as the United States of America!
Joanna T.

The Presidio is a special place. A special arrangement with the US government allows the Presidio to operate as a self supporting property. The income from business tenants and residences help support the running of this great space. The wide open spaces allow for nature to exist in the City. What other urban environment has coyote and other wildlife roaming about? The vista of the Bay, the wetlands of Crissy Fields, the historic cemetery with Civil War veterans. The Presidio is special. Let's protect and defend this treasure...part of our nations heritage.

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Absolutely beautiful park and historic monuments. If you love all things beautiful and are a history buff? Go check it out.

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1 year ago

Amazing place near the Golden gate bridge. Take a walk around and visit the nearby Walt Disney family museum and enjoy the food trucks

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Presidio Trust

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Ask the Community - The Presidio

Is there an area with picnic benches somewhat near parking?

What's the parking situation on the Presidio? Ample spaces? Is it free or hourly?

Parking was easy during the week. They do have pay spaces available closer to the visitor center for about $2.00 an hour.

Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

Review Highlights - The Presidio

And they have a free shuttle which takes you around the Presidio and all the way down to the Golden Gate Bridge!

Mentioned in 53 reviews

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Mount Tamalpais State Park

Mount Tamalpais State Park

4.8(435 reviews)
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Just past SF this park has so many different trail options perfect for all hiking levels. The…read moredownside is this place gets PACKED! My sister and I arrived before 8am at the Watershed parking lot and barely found a space. We did the trail that took us to the West Point Inn for the pancake breakfast and round trip was close to 5 miles so it was a great workout. There's gorgeous views and well! On the way back to the 101 however it's a mess. The road on the way down is crowded with parked cars, which makes driving through challenging. That's the only thing about this park, other than that I'd love to come back in spring when everything is green and vibrant!

My first association of Mt Tam is from Cowgirl Creamery's best seller, Mt Tam Triple Cream with…read moreHeart cheese. Ever since then, I've wanted to hike this peak, today I have achieved my wish. Early June with mild coastal temp, 50s-60s. Started up Matt Davis Trail in the foggy forest, to Pantoll Campground, to West Point Inn where we can look down to the top of the fog layer, to the Fire Lookout building at the Peak. Then we came down reverse but split off to Steep Ravine and Dip Sea trail after the campground. I've also always wanted to climb that ladder. This hike provided views of the Pacific ocean on the West as well as views of Richmond-San Rafael Bridge on the East side. I thoroughly enjoyed the cool lush forest, but actually my favorite section was the single track along the slope of the open area after the Mt Tam State Park sign.

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Golden Gate Park - Shooters Shoot ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Golden Gate Park

4.7(1.4k reviews)
2.6 km

Imagine a huge rectangle. Make it a park with grass and hills, flowers, trees, some fountains... I…read moredunno, throw in a big lake, some world-class Art and Science museums, and a dome where concerts and shows perform in the Summer. Let's also close down the streets from cars one day a week in the Summer so people can ride their bikes, skate, rollerblade, play and dance in the streets! How about on some warm weekend days we put huge concerts there that fill the grass for as far as the eye can see so people can bring all their friends to enjoy food, drinks, and music together. And the lake... let's make it so people can rent boats, and if they don't or can't row, they can peddle so they, too, can enjoy the waterfall and life on the lake! Let's also have beautiful statues around the park, definitely a Shakespeare Garden, and let's throw in something for garden lovers, like a Botanical Garden (a big one) and a Conservatory of Flowers. For more culture, let's add a Japanese Tea Garden with more lakes and flowers, and even a bridge in the shape of a circle. Let's also make this accessible to everyone, so some days, the museums are free (ie, usually once a month). And some entrance fees are lower for locals. (Check the websites.) Aaaaaand this is Golden Gate Park, and this is my favorite park in California, if not the entire country.

something for everyone…read more this park is big! don't try to walk it all, just go to wherever you're interested in. whether it's the museum, japan tea garden, botanical garden, boating at the lake, or choose any picnic spot. a sunny day here is really enjoyable, so much space to spread out from others and do your own thing great for taking a stroll and dog walking.

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Lafayette Park - Lots of monkey bars at Lafayette Park!

Lafayette Park

4.5(186 reviews)
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We really enjoy coming to Lafayette Park Playground this morning for an early Easter egg hunting…read moreevent--it's quite unique compared to other playgrounds in the city. The layout is more challenging and perfect for little explorers who love to climb, balance, and stay active. My 3-year-old always finds something new to do, and it keeps them engaged for a long time. I also appreciate that babies aren't left out--there are designated areas where younger kids can safely play too. The restroom is conveniently located and clean, which is a big plus for families. That said, some of the rocky edges can be a bit risky for adventurous kids, so it's definitely a place where you'll want to keep a close eye on them at all times. The only downside is parking--it can be pretty tough to find a spot, especially during busy times. Overall, it's a fun and exciting playground that's great for kids of different ages, as long as you're prepared for a bit of supervision and a parking hunt!

What you lose in challenging elevation changes, you gain in stunning views and greenery. Lafayette…read morepark is an iconic location in San Francisco and a place that serves regular park goers, those who want to play tennis, those with kids, as well as our four legged friends. The park is beautifully maintained, with clean walking paths, manicured gardens, and enough benches and seating spaces. You can easily find a little corner to make your own for a bit. There is a rather large and modern kids playground and even more large grassy areas, both for those who want to lounge and for the dogs that want to run around. Overall, Lafayette Park is yet another gem that makes San Francisco special.

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The Presidio - parks - Updated May 2026

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