San Francisco
Presidio - Golden Gate Bridge
Presidio Tunnel Tops Park - Delightful park with panoramic views of the Golden Gate Bridge, large children's play area with weathered wood climbing structures, rocks & slides, sandy play, natural history field station, picnic tables, food trucks, big grassy areas to run around and fly kites.
Stop into the Field Station for interactive exhibits and activities - draw, write, smell, touch, put together, magnify - about natural world surrounding the Presidio. Discovery backpacks with maps, binoculars, sand sifter to borrow. Field Station is open daily, closed on Monday. Field Station is open daily, closed on Monday. Discovery backpacks with maps, binoculars, sand sifter to borrow.
On weekends are live music and dance performances (June through October), ranger talks.
Find food trucks daily at the park. Food trucks daily at parking lot across from Visitor Center (and restrooms).
Convenient car parking lot is next to Sports Basement, also up the hill at the Presidio. Public transportation is available, take the 30 bus, to Marina and Laguna Blvd., transfer to 43 bus which goes to the Transit Center (end of the line).
Crissy Field - Crissy Field was once a grassy landing field for land and sea planes. Today, this area is an inviting park, with stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz. The protected long sandy beach and tidal marsh is perfect for small kids - no big waves here.
Watch the boats go by in the bay - container ships, cruise boats, racing sail boats. There are picnic tables and bike paths (rent bikes at Sports Basement).
Fly kites - Buy kites at Sports Basement (Old Mason Rd., next to Crissy Field) or the Chinatown Kite Shop ( Grant St.).
Fort Point - The narrow opening to San Francisco Bay was once a key defense of San Francisco and the Pacific Coast. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Fort Point was filled wtih cannons and staffed with troops to protect San Francisco from a possible attack by the Confederates.
Today, Fort Point is a wonderful place to run around, a warren of largely empty rooms. Don't miss the Civil War era quarters for officers and privates. From the top of the fort, there is an old lighthouse, and you're right under the Golden Gate Bridge!
Golden Gate Bridge - The Golden Gate Bridge is a favorite landmark, and any bridge builders in your family will want to see it up close. Walk across the Bridge, the view is spectacular - San Francisco Bay to the east, the Pacific Ocean to the west, the San Francisco skyline looking south, the dark green headlands of Marin County stretching north.
Pedestrian sidewalk is on the east side of the Bridge (okay for strollers).
Stop at the outdoor Bridge Pavilion to find out more about how the Bridge was constructed.
Parking at the Golden Gate Bridge is very limited, use public transportation, #28 bus from Van Ness and North Point St. at Fisherman's Wharf.
Tip: Summer can be foggy, and walking on the Bridge is typically windy, bring jackets.
Tip – With older kids and teens, it's fun to rent bikes, bike along the marina and and go across the Golden Gate Bridge. Summer weekends, take the west sidewalk for bikes only. Week days, the Bridge east sidewalk is open, shared with bikes and pedestrians.
