World Travel with Bob: San Francisco Presidio Visit

San Francisco Presidio

With a Central Valley weather forecast for 100F days, it was a perfect time to escape to San Francisco. The fog and wind were a pleasant change and we enjoyed wearing our "puffy" jackets.

This was our second annual visit to the San Francisco Presidio, where 1,5000 acres offers a variety of walks, including one over the Golden Gate Bridge.

Our first stop was the National Park Service Visitors Center. There are a variety of displays describing the military, historical and cultural importance of the Presidio to the United States, between 1776 to 1994. The presidio was an important military outpost for the Pacific Rim, including the Spanish-American War, Civil War, WWI, WWII and Vietnam War.

The Letterman Army Medical Center was located on the grounds. This center served 72,000 patients in 1945. In 2002, the Letterman Center was demolished and was replaced by the Lucasfilm Letterman Digital Arts Center.

Where to Stay

There are two hotels on the Presidio grounds, the Lodge at the Presidio and the Inn at the Presidio.

Lodge at the Presidio: This restored red brick building served as the Montgomery Street Barracks, built by the US Army in 1895-1897. Located off the Main Post, 42 rooms are available, ranging from Queen bed rooms to Suites with King bedding. We prefer the "View King" rooms that overlook the Golden Gate Bridge. The lodge provides a wonderful complementary breakfast and an evening wine and cheese reception. There is also a gas fire-pit in the rear patio.

For those driving an EV, a Chargepoint charging station can be found at the rear of the Lodge.

Inn at the Presidio: We've never stayed at this location, but the accommodations appear similar to the Lodge. The building was previously known as Pershing Hall, a residence for bachelor officers. The Inn has 22 rooms, with 17 being suites with fireplaces. The Inn also includes complementary breakfast and an evening wine and cheese reception.

The Inn also offers a historic officer's house, the Funston House, as a four room standalone building. The rooms can be reserved individually or as a four-room rental. We were told that larger groups often reserve the entire Funston House.

Where to Eat

When we visit the Presidio, we like to park the car upon arrival, walk to all of our destinations and return to the car only at the end of our stay. Thus, we seek nearby dining locations that are within walking distance from our lodging.

Sessions at the Presidio: This restaurant is about a 15 minute walk from the Lodge at the Presidio. The menu offers a variety of dishes. We enjoyed the Nicoise Salad with Tuna and the baseball cut wagyu steak.

Colibri Mexican Bistro: This restaurant recently relocated from Union Square (18 years!) to the Presidio. If you like guacamole, you need to try it here. It is made fresh at your table, with the ingredients that you select. We enjoyed the Carnitas and Camarones con Rebozo (Shrimp stuffed with cheese and wrapped with bacon).

De'Grobak Indonesian Food Truck: The Main Post area (across from the Lodge) of the Presidio offers a variety of pop-up food trucks during the day. We stopped for lunch at the De'Grobak truck and tried its delicious Bakso soup - perfect for a cool day. We carried our soup to the dining area of the Lodge at the Presidio (the dining area is only used for breakfast and evening reception).

What to Do

There are 24 miles of walking trails in the Presidio area. Just about any walk provides a glimpse of the past use of the Presidio grounds - from residences, offices, gunnery bunkers, Calvary stables, beaches, National Cemetery and airfield. Several of the trails near the Fort Point area have beautiful flowers along the path. You can also walk over the Golden Gate Bridge from the Presidio. We did this walk for the first time during our visit this year.

For children, the Tunnel Tops area provides many play structures to keep young folks entertained. There is also a free-entry Field Station for children to learn about the local Bay Area environment and try tools such as microscopes.

There is an 18 hole, 6,500 yards (Black Tee) to 5,700 yards (Blue Tee), golf course on the Presidio grounds. For non-San Francisco residents, the green fees range from $117 to $100, depending on cart use.