San Francisco Presidio Guide
Located on San Francisco's northwestern tip, the Presidio is perhaps San Francisco's most valuable piece of real estate. On the north, the Presidio is bounded by the San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. On the west it is bounded by the Pacific Ocean. The Presidio is a diverse mix of rugged coastal cliffs dotted with military batteries, ocean beaches, lush pine and eucalyptus forests, marsh and wetlands and bay beaches.
Part of what makes the Presidio so valuable is it's lush open space in a densely packed city. Until 1994, the Presidio was operated by the U.S. Army and as a military base didn't undergo the intense development that the rest of San Francisco saw. In 1994, the military abandoned the Presidio. The Presidio became part of the National Park Service and a trust was set up to manage and maintain the San Francisco Presidio as a self-sustaining entity.
The Presidio Trust and National Park Service have met that goal by renovating and renting out much of the military housing to San Francisco residents. Other parts of the military base were leased to corporations and businesses who were responsible for footing the renovations costs. The most famous and controversial tenant is George Lucas's Industrial Light and Magic, which built its new corporate headquarters on 23 acres that were formerly occupied by the Letterman Hospital. The Letterman Digital Arts Center opened in July of 2005.
You can get around the Presidio on the 28 and 29 Muni bus lines. You can also use the free Presidigo shuttle.
San Francisco Crissy Field
Stretching from Marina Green to the Golden Gate Bridge is Crissy Field. Crissy Field was formerly the only airstrip located within the boundaries of San Francisco. A recent $35 million renovation project has returned much of the field to it's natural wetland habitat. The restoration project also included walking and biking paths, beach access, grass playgrounds and a barbecue and picnic area. Crissy Field has become one of San Francisco's best and most beautiful places for a relaxing stroll or a more energetic jog. Dedicated walkers can walk from the parking lot all the way out to Fort Point situation under the Golden Gate Bridge. The wind can be a little brisk, so I recommend a jacket if going for a walk (even on a sunny day).
If you're one of those strollers walking along Crissy Field, you can take a break with a warm cup of coffee and a snack at the appropriately named Warming Hut . The Warming Hut is run by the National Park Service and you can also purchase a souvenir. I suggest you pick up the deck of cards, where each card contains a unique factoid about the Golden Gate Bridge and its construction. If the tables inside the hut are all in use, take your coffee outside and walk out along the pier where you may see leisure fishermen attempting to catch a bay salmon or trap a crab for their evening meal.
San Francisco Fort Point
From Crissy Field, continue along the paved road towards the Golden Gate Bridge to reach Fort Point. Fort Point was built by the U.S. Army between 1853 and 1861 to fortify the San Francisco Bay against hostile ships. The fort was used as a base of operation during the construction of the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge. The fort is only open Friday through Sunday due to retrofit construction on the Golden Gate Bridge, but it's still worth a visit to get a good look at the underbelly of the bridge. If you walk out to the very tip of the fort (where the fence prevents you from going around to the other side), you can look down into the water and see the location where Jimmy Stuart pulled Kim Novack from the San Francisco Bay's icy waters in the Alfred Hitchcock movie Vertigo.
San Francisco Baker Beach
To reach Baker Beach from downtown, you board the 38 outbound Muni bus (on Market Street) headed west. When you reach 25th Avenue, transfer to the 29 bus headed north and get off at Baker Beach. By car, drive west on Geary Boulevard, turn right at 25th Avenue, turn right onto Lincoln Boulevard, and turn left at the sign to Baker Beach.
Baker Beach is a popular beach and picnic destination for San Francisco locals, especially on the weekends. Several picnic tables with barbecue pits are located to the east of the north parking lot. The beach has strong rip-tides, so swimming can be hazardous, and I personally think the water is too cold to enjoy it. However, relaxing on the beach with a book and a picnic seems to be a popular activity. You'll also see people enjoying Frisbee tossing. A few fishermen may dot the shoreline. The north end of the beach is clothing optional, so families typically stay toward the middle and south ends of the beach. Make sure you bring a sweatshirt and jacket in addition to your swimsuit and shorts as the brisk wind can make a day at the beach rather cool.San Francisco Presidio Golf Course
Located near the Arguello Gate Boulevard Gate, the Presidio Golf Course was first opened in 1895 with nine holes. Nine more holes were added in 1910. The course is open to the public and is surrounded by eucalyptus trees and Monterey pines.
San Francisco National Cemetery
The San Francisco National Cemetery is a very rare find in San Francisco as cemeteries were outlawed within city limits in 1900. However, the Presidio was then under the control of the U.S. military and was not subject to city regulations. Soon after the U.S. military assumed control of the Presidio, a cemetery was established. The first known burial at the San Francisco National cemetery occurred in 1854. In 1884, 9.5 acres were set aside for use as the cemetery and under General Orders 133, the site became the San Francisco National Cemetery and was the first official national cemetery on the west coast. As needs increased, the San Francisco National Cemetery grew in size until it reached is current size of just over 28 acres. The main cemetery gates are located near the intersection of Lincoln Boulevard and Sheridan Avenue.
San Francisco Presidio Pet Cemetery
The city of San Francisco outlawed cemeteries in 1900, making the small pet cemetery in the Presidio an oddity. The Presidio Pet Cemetery is located on a tiny patch of land along Crissy Field Avenue under the Golden Gate Bridge on-ramp. The half-acre plot is the resting place for hundreds of military pets. The oldest markers in the pet cemetery date back to the 1950s. The majority of the animals buried at the San Francisco Presidio Pet Cemetery are dogs and cats, but there are markers for a variety of other pets including birds, rabbits, fish, lizards and mice.
