What’s New: Summer at the Presidio

San Francisco, CA (May 22, 2024) – Summer days are almost here, and it’s time to get outdoors and enjoy the Presidio’s nature, views, and many recreational features. The season also means longer hours, more daylight, and more activities to enjoy with family, friends, or solo in this national park site. Check the website calendar for updated information and Presidio businesses for what’s happening at The Walt Disney Family Museum, the Presidio Theatre, Presidio Golf Course, Presidio Bowl, restaurants, and more. Our new website itineraries and a stop at the Presidio Visitor Center will help to plan a day in the park.

Camping at Rob Hill Campground

The camping season is open from April 1 to October 31 at Rob Hill, one of only two campgrounds in the city! Imagine waking up to the sound of a foghorn or Great Horned Owl outside your tent. The four group campsites can welcome up to 30 people each and include fire pits, picnic tables, bathroom facilities, and are nestled in the forest above the Pacific Ocean. Rolling reservations are taken monthly on Recreation.gov.

Free Summer Events

The Presidio proudly announces free events this summer, co-hosted by the Partnership for the Presidio and organized in collaboration with our community partners.

• Memorial Day Commemoration – May 27, 10:30 a.m.
  The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs hosts the annual Memorial Day Commemoration at San Francisco National Cemetery in the Presidio

• Pride in the Presidio – Saturday, June 1, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  Kick off Pride Month in the Presidio! Activities include Queer history hikes, book giveaways with San Francisco Public Library, storytelling with Drag Story Hour, a Tea Dance Celebration with Music Connects Foundation, and so much more. Presidio Tunnel Tops

• Sundown Cinema in the Presidio, Bullitt – Friday, June 14, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
  The SF Park’s Alliance brings the big screen to the Presidio with a showing of Bullitt for Sundown Cinema. Civil War Parade Ground

• SUPERBLOOMS Launch Party – Sunday, July 14, 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.
  Come celebrate a new art installation, SUPERBLOOMS, and meet the artist. Enjoy colorful murals by multi-media artist Tosha Stimage, with DJ music and hands-on art activities. Presidio Tunnel Tops

• Parks4All Brewfest – Saturday, July 27, 12 p.m. to 4 p.m.
  Parks4All Brewfest features beer tastings, lawn games, live music, and food trucks. Ticket purchases support the parks. Civil War Parade Ground

• Samoan Flag Day – Saturday, August 3, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  Pacific Feats and the National Samoan Chiefs Council invite you to celebrate Samoan culture, heritage, and its impact on the Northern California region. Enjoy cultural performances, food, vendors, live entertainment, and more. Main Parade Lawn

• National Night Out – Tuesday, August 6, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
  Co-sponsored by the National Park Police, National Park Service, Golden Gate Bridge Authority, SF Fire Department, and the Presidio Trust, National Night Out is an annual community-building event promoting police-community partnerships. Enjoy demonstrations, giveaways, and learn more about fire prevention and child safety. Experience the US Park Police Horses up close. Main Parade Lawn

• Fiesta en el Parque – Sunday, August 11, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
  Fiesta en el Parque returns for a second year, featuring Aztec Dancing, Latin music, banda performances, and more, all organized in collaboration with Telemundo/NBC. Presidio Tunnel Tops

• World Arts West Dance Festival – Sunday, September 8, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.
  World Arts West 2024 Dance Festival is a three-weekend festival that showcases culture, wisdom and beauty through global dance and music, with a theme this year of “Dance as Activism.” The festival will include artist dialogues + dance workshops at Dance Mission on August 25 and September 1 and a day of performances at the Presidio Sunday, September 8th! For more information, see WorldArtsWest.org.

• Chuseok Festival – Saturday, September 14, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  Join Korean Center Inc. for their 6^th annual Chuseok Festival, or Korean Harvest Festival. This is the Bay Area’s largest public event celebrating, showcasing, and promoting Korean culture with cuisine, music, arts, and community. Main Parade Lawn

For complete information on these events and to check on last-minute updates, please visit the website calendar at www.presidio.gov/events.

Ongoing Offerings

Stop by the Presidio Visitor Center daily at 11 a.m., 12 p.m., 2 p.m., or 3 p.m. for an informative overview of park resources and recreational possibilities by the National Park Service (NPS) Rangers. Learn about the park and its history at campfire talks at Presidio Tunnel Tops, 4 p.m. daily. Museum galleries at the Presidio Officers’ Club are open to the public for free, Friday – Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Uncover the rich cultural history of the Presidio and its early inhabitants, and experience the special EXCLUSION exhibition, which examines the role the Presidio of San Francisco – then the Army’s Western Defense Command – played in the unjust incarceration of 120,000 Japanese Americans, purportedly in the name of national security.

Enjoy a family-friendly day at the Outpost playground and the Field Station – where there is no limit to play and park discoveries (for visitors of ALL ages!). Choose from a menu of free gear and park treasure hunt adventures to explore the park in fun ways, or allow a friendly Park Guide to help you connect with unique seasonal activities and experiences. Also look for a new time travel StoryWalk at the Outpost that artfully depicts scenes of Crissy Field over the last 4.6 billion years!

New Art in the Park

This summer, the Presidio reveals SUPERBLOOMS, a brand-new art installation by multi-disciplinary artist Tosha Stimage. Her colorful ground murals are on view at Presidio Tunnel Tops between the Presidio Transit Center and the Picnic Pavilion and will be celebrated in a special free public event on Sunday, July 14, from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Tosha is the third artist to activate the Presidio Tunnel Tops as part of the Ancestral Futurism project, which invites emerging and mid-career BIPOC artists to develop temporary installations there. Project mentor, artist, Presidio Activator and environmental activist Favianna Rodriguez was the first to inaugurate the Presidio Tunnel Tops, followed by Felicia Gabaldon. Their art honors the diversity and interconnectedness of all humans, land, flora, and fauna that have lived in this ecosystem throughout the centuries and provides a resonant new way to experience the park for all visitors. Funded by the Partnership for the Presidio.

Presidio Pop Up Food and DJ Series

Nothing says summer like food and music! Presidio Pop Up offers food trucks, carts, and tents that showcase the diverse cultures and cuisines of the Bay Area. Look for them at several locations on Presidio Tunnel Tops and at the Main Parade Lawn. The rotating line up of more than two dozen local vendors offers everything from morning coffee and donuts to poke, Pakistani samosas, and porchetta.

NEW: Starting June 1, Presidio Pop Up welcomes new vendors:

• Buri Buri – An AAPI women-owned business serving fresh sushi rolls and classic Japanese rice bowls, donburi. Craving Japanese curry? Hurry hurry to Buri Buri!
• Clean Bites – A health-conscious kitchen and juicery offering superfood bowls and salads, pressed juices and protein shakes. Stop for a Super Acai smoothie after your hike! @cleanbites_sf
• Miss Musubi – Inspired by the Hawaiian snack, spam musubi, this Belmont-based food truck brings nostalgic Asian flavors and beautifully cooked rice. @miss.subi
• MOMOlicious – Bringing authentic Nepali cuisine from the heart of Kathmandu to the Bay Area. Order from a variety of MOMO (dumplings) and choose your filling. @momolicious.sf
• Painted Leopard – Focusing on single-origin specialty coffee from El Salvador and roasted in Oakland. Experience the unique, vibrant flavors of Painted Leopard’s home town, ethically sourced from San Carlos Dos. @ptdleopard

Several beloved vendors return to Presidio Pop Up after a hiatus: Borsch Mobile, El Pipila, and Donut Petit. Thanks to the entire roster of delicious options, visitors will never go hungry. Just in time for extended summer daylight and outdoor fun, hours at Presidio Pop Up are extended on weekends from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays. See the list of vendors, locations, and the weekly schedule here.

The Presidio Pop Up DJ Series gets you grooving the last Saturday of the month through October, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. A lineup of local, family-friendly DJs will lay down beats, adding to the festive atmosphere on the Main Parade Lawn (May 25, June 29, July 27, August 31, September 28 and October 26).

Bring Your Own Picnic

Picnic areas in the Presidio abound, including Picnic Place with group tables and grills reservable via recreation.gov. The tables range in length from 16 to 23 feet, are wheelchair accessible, and are shaded by Torrey pines. There are many other free, first-come-first-served picnic areas at Presidio Tunnel Tops and around the park, including tables by the Presidio Transit Center, and other picnic tables, benches, grassy lawns, and moveable seating throughout the site – all featuring views of the Golden Gate and Bay. Sheltered seating in the glass Picnic Pavilion provides a get-away when the fog rolls in (open daily 9am-5pm).

Volunteering

It takes a village to help restore natural habitat or greet visitors in the Presidio and elsewhere in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. The Presidio and its partners – the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy and the National Park Service – offer weekly volunteer projects along with special days of service. It’s also possible to schedule a group project for your company or club.

NEW this summer, volunteer with the Presidio Tunnel Tops Stewards from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month. Volunteers will help care for the landscaped areas at Presidio Tunnel Tops while learning about the unique mixture of native and non-native plants growing on the site. Activities will include pruning, weeding, spreading mulch, and other general landscaping and gardening activities. Registration is required.

Visit this page to learn more about volunteering in the Presidio, where you can enjoy nature and get that special feeling that comes with making a difference.

Getting to the Park

There are many ways to get to the Presidio, car-free. The Muni 43-Masonic bus line runs to the Transit Center; the 30-Stockton stops along Mason Street and at Sports Basement, adjacent to the Tunnel Tops Outpost, and connects the Presidio to Chinatown and Union Square; the Muni 28-Fisherman’s Wharf runs to the Golden Gate Bridge Toll Plaza; and the Muni 29-Baker Beach takes visitors to Baker Beach and some of the most beautiful coastal trails in the city. The free shuttle service Presidio GO runs routes from the Salesforce Transit Center and the Embarcadero BART to the Presidio (and back), and a South Hills Route accesses various locations around the park. The Presidio’s Main Post or East Beach parking lots offer ample paid parking. Visitors can take advantage of a new rideshare drop-off zone and the Bay Wheels bike share stations as well. For details on transportation please visit https://www.presidio.gov/transportation

Hours of Operation

Presidio Pop Up (mobile food):  Daily, weekends from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Outpost Nature Play Area: 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
Field Station: Wednesday – Friday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday – Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (Closed Monday and Tuesday)
Presidio Visitor Center: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
Presidio Officers’ Club Galleries: Friday, Saturday, Sunday, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.