I love finding offbeat things to do in San Francisco and one can definitely find many great lesser known things to do in the Presidio. We enjoy the Presidio because it is a park-like area with lots of opportunities for hiking but it also has access to the water/beaches and some cool attractions.
What is the Presidio?
The Presidio is an area in the Northwestern corner of San Francisco, right next to the Golden Gate Bridge. The Presidio served as Spanish military garrison that was established at the end of the 18th century. It played a key role in Spain’s exploration and settlement of the New World and Mexico’s subsequent control of the region. In present day the Presidio is a National Park site.
The Presidio Itinerary
In this specific Presidio itinerary we will be exploring things to do in the Northeastern corner of the Presidio. Therefore, the best area to park your car is either next to the Palace of The Fine Arts or adjacent streets. This video gives a good overview of the amazing things we saw and you can find all the specific details in the article below, by location.
Stop 1 – Letterman Digital Art Center
Visiting Letterman Digital Art Center’s outdoor areas is a great thing to do with kids in the Presidio because it is a beautiful campus with botanical features, a man-made creek, a pond which is favored by various species of birds, and sculptures of the famous inventors that played a crucial role in the creation of cinema and television.
Stop 2 – Lucasfilm
Are there any Star Wars fans in your family? Then a stop at Lucasfilm building, that is located within the Letterman Digital Art Center is a must thing to do in the Presidio. In front of the building you can see a cool Yoda fountain and then if you peek into the lobby you can see R2D2 standing just in front of the main entrance doors. I believe it is not just an R2D2, it is THE R2D2 that starred in the movie because it looks like it has been heavily used with some scratches and grey smudges on its body.
Stop 3 – Palace of the Fine Arts
Palace of the Fine Arts is technically located in the Marina district of San Francisco but it is just across the street from the Presidio so it makes sense to visit it during this walk. I personally love the beautiful architecture of the building of the Palace and the surrounding installations but what kids will love most is a pond in front of it where they can observe various birds and turtles! While the Letterman’s Center’s pond would have mostly ducks, geese and pigeons the Palace of the Fine Arts pond also has swans, cranes and seagulls in addition to regular city birds.
Stop 4 – Chrissy Field
Chrissy Field is a nice green area with a beach and fantastic views of Golden Gate Bridge. Well, those views are there only if the weather is right. Unfortunately, when we visited, Carl the Fog decided to make an appearance, which, in turn, made the Golden Gate Bridge disappear. But even with the fog, the views were still cool, I think 😉
I put Chrissy Filed on this list of things to do in the Presidio of San Francisco with kids because it is a nice area for kids to let off steam, run around, fly a kite or, alternatively, sit down, relax and have a picnic. Also there are 2 public restrooms in the area of Chrissy Field, one near Javowits Street and one next to Yacht Road.
Stop 5 – Wave Organ
The Wave Organ is located on a jetty protruding into the San Francisco Bay to the right of Chrissy Field. I am not 100% sure whether it officially belongs to the Presidio or the Marina District, but one thing I am absolutely certain about: it is a must see. The Wave Organ is a fit of engineering, an amazing contraption and an absolute favorite with children. This is why I included it in this list of things to do in the Presidio with kids.
The best time to visit the organ is during high tide so that you can hear the waves action. Here is a chart of San Francisco Bay tides to help you to plan your trip.
We visited the Presidio during the time of high tide. You can hear organ play in the video recap of our trip that I included above. It is peculiar, to say the least. 🙂 Definitely check it out!
Stop 6 – Amazing Views of San Francisco
On the way from Chrissy Field to the Wave Organ and back you will see amazing views of Alcatraz, Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco downtown, as well as Sausalito. You can’t miss them – enjoy!
Stop 7 – The Walt Disney Family Museum
The Presidio Itinerary between Stops 1 and 6 will take you about 2 to 3 hours depending on how fast you are going to walk and how long you are going to explore at each location. So if you have some steam left in you I can recommend one more thing to do in the Presidio with kids – a visit the Disney Family Museum. It is located close to Northeastern corner of the Presidio as well and it has its own parking so it makes sense to crab your car (if you arrived by car) and drive a couple minutes to the Museum.
I have a detailed itinerary for this amazing museum in one of my earlier articles – A Day at Walt Disney Family Museum. It is definitely a must visit attraction in the Presidio of San Francisco.
Additional Tips for visiting the Presidio with kids
- Weather in the Presidio can be very unpredictable. Dress in layers, be prepared for wind, fog but also potential sunshine.
- We like to take picnics with us wherever we go. This Presidio itinerary is structured in such a way that you will never be more than 15 minutes walk from your car if you follow my parking in Presidio recommendation above. So you can always come back to the car and grab your picnic basket.
- The Presidio is best explored slowly, just wander around and enjoy the views.
- If you are a visitor in San Francisco, check the map below for the best current deals on lodging in the city:
Additional resources for visiting San Francisco
Excellent books for kids about San Francisco with great tips:
Most helpful San Francisco guidebooks for adults:
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