A sweep of woodlands, coastal bluffs and beaches in the northwest corner
of the city, the Presidio was occupied by Spanish and Mexican armies, then
the U.S. Army until 1994 when it became part of the Golden Gate National
Recreation Area. The magnificent park is threaded with quiet roads and paths
for walking and biking. Rangers leads tours of the museums and relics, from
Civil War barracks and pre-earthquake Victorians to Spanish cannons.
Once the privileged playground of the Army, the Presidio Golf Course, now public, has a new clubhouse and restored fairways and greens. Baker Beach stretches a mile along the western shore, with stunning views of the Golden Gate and the Marin Headlands.
Just south of the Presidio on Sacramento Street stands an armada of shops and small businesses servicing classy Presidio Heights, where designer-clothed residents furnish their fancy Victorians with antiques and garden ornaments from neighborhood purveyors. The Urban Pet supplies rhinestone collars and custom-made sofas and chairs for Fido and Fluffy, and croissants and baguettes are snapped up at Boulangerie Bay Bread. A block or so away, Laurel Heights on California Street caters to the elite with French pastry at Fantasia Bakery and Confections, and cookware and cooking lessons at HomeChef, owned by gastronomic guru, Judith Ets-Hokin.
| The article on this page is adapted from guidebooks written by Karen Misuraca, the author of Our San Francisco, Fun With the Family in Northern California, and other travel books. Available for purchase on Amazon. |  |