Family Fun at Crissy Field in the San Francisco Presidio

The San Francisco Presidio's Crissy Field has undergone many changes in its lifetime, from tidal marsh to military airfield to one of the Bay Area's premier recreation areas. Crissy Field is a great place to spend the day with the family, and has a wonderful mix of outdoor attractions, amenities, and local businesses, as well as spectacular views of San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge.

Crissy Field is a fantastic destination for walking, bicycling, kite flying, or playing at the beach. It offers a waterfront promenade and trails that are popular with dog walkers, runners, and cyclists (and parents, judging from the number of strollers we usually see there), as well as a clean stretch of sand along San Francisco Bay. Kids will also love the amazing Outpost playground — San Francisco's largest — at the adjacent Presidio Tunnel Tops.

A walk along the Golden Gate Promenade trail is always a must-do for us when we visit Crissy Field. Start at East Beach, where you can park for free in the adjacent lot, then head north on this flat and easy bayside trail and enjoy stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge and a chance to see some of the Bay's wildlife along the way. End your walk at the Warming Hut and reward yourself with a hot chocolate or their signature Crissy Mocha.

The water here is perfect for wading and playing in the gently lapping waves. Lawn areas and picnic tables with charcoal grills, are available, too, so bring a picnic and your beach blanket and umbrella and spend the day. (Grill areas are reservable in advance.) Torpedo Wharf, a pier on the north end of the field, is a popular spot for fishing and crabbing. The backdrop of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Angel Island, and the Marin Headlands is simply amazing, too.

If you don't bring a picnic, don't worry. You can grab a bite to eat at the Presidio Pop Up at Tunnel Tops, which features a rotating schedule of local food trucks every day. Also, the new café Il Parco, offering pizzas, sandwiches, Italian-style pastries, and more, is scheduled to open this week at the nearby Presidio Transit Center.

Also at Crissy Field is the Greater Farallones National Marine Sanctuary Visitor Center. At this free hands-on visitor center, families can learn more about the wildlife that inhabit the Pacific Ocean off San Francisco. Check out shark teeth and blue whale baleen, meet local sea life in the center's small aquarium, and more. It's open Wednesday–Sunday from 10 am–4 pm. Another nearby attraction is the House of Air indoor trampoline park. Housed in a historic airplane hangar, the House of Air features 8,000 square feet of trampolines that allow you to jump, fly, flip, and have a blast.

If You Go

Crissy Field is located in the San Francisco Presidio near the Golden Gate Bridge. To get there, take Highway 101 south across the bridge. Stay in the far right lane, and take an immediate right onto Merchant Road after the toll plaza. Drive up the hill and turn left onto Lincoln Boulevard. Follow Lincoln Boulevard to McDowell Boulevard, where you'll turn right and follow McDowell, which becomes Crissy Field Avenue. Bear right onto Mason Street into Crissy Field.

Parking along Mason Street, at the Presidio Main Post, and in the lot at the West Bluff Picnic Area is paid, but free parking is available at the Crissy Field Beach Parking Lot near the East Beach Picnic Area off Mason Street. Crissy Field is also served by Muni buses 28 and 30 as well as the Presidio GO Shuttle, which offers free service around the park.

Restrooms are available near the Warming Hut and at the East Beach parking area, which also has changing rooms. Water bottle refill stations are located around the park. There's not a lot of shade at Crissy Field, so sunscreen and hats are a must. San Francisco weather is notoriously fickle, too, so pack sweatshirts and light jackets as well as the beach balls and sand toys.

If you find you need something, you can purchase gear at the Presidio Visitor Center shop as well as at Sports Basement, which is located off Mason Street adjacent to Tunnel Tops.

Learn more about Presidio's Crissy Field at presidio.gov/explore.