Presidio of San Francisco

Why go

Presidio of San Francisco is defined by brick barracks, forested ridges, batteries, and the Main Post. Another layer comes from trails connecting the Golden Gate, Crissy Field, and coastal bluffs. Plan Presidio of San Francisco by remembering to plan one district because the Presidio is too large for a quick loop.

What to look for

• Look closely at brick barracks, forested ridges, batteries, and the Main Post.
• Notice trails connecting the Golden Gate, Crissy Field, and coastal bluffs.

The full story

The Presidio of San Francisco is a park and former military fort on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula in San Francisco, California, and is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. It had been a fortified location since September 17, 1776, when New Spain established it to gain a foothold on Alta California and the San Francisco Bay. It passed to Mexico, which in turn passed it to the United States in 1848. As part of a 1989 military reduction program under the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process, Congress voted to end the Presidio's status as an active military installation of the U.S. Army. On October 1, 1994, it was transferred to the National Park Service, ending 219 years of military use and beginning its next phase of mixed commercial and public use. In 1996, the United States Congress created the Presidio Trust to oversee and manage the interior 80% of the park's lands, with the National Park Service managing the coastal 20%. In a first-of-its-kind structure, Congress mandated that the Presidio Trust make the Presidio financially self-sufficient by 2013, which it achieved eight years ahead of the scheduled deadline.

Useful to know

• For Presidio of San Francisco, plan one district because the Presidio is too large for a quick loop.
• Pair Presidio of San Francisco with Golden Gate Bridge or Palace of Fine Arts when the route and opening conditions align.

Your next visit

Estimated · Declared scenario and planning estimates; no live opening, weather, queue or booking service.