On a nice day, going for a walk or having a picnic here is the perfect family friendly activity…read more The waterfront views are beautiful, and the bathrooms are clean. There's also a parking lot available (paid). I've seen many people host birthdays and gatherings here, especially since there are BBQ pits. They even offer kayak rentals! I just wish the water were safe to swim in, that would make it even better.

This park is way too perfect in its imperfection, its randomness, its dangerousness, its utter…read moreseparation from contemporary San Francisco. I feel bad reviewing it. It should probably be five stars, but then Rec and Park will get ahold of it, shut it down for three years, completely and totally and utterly over-design it to the tune of millions and millions of dollars; and we'll be stuck with this shiny, utterly safe, manicured, beautiful-in-an-ugly-way park that will look like everything else new in our city. It's weird. I want it to stay weird. Keep bringing your kids here. Tell them how dangerous lots of parts of it are. Protect them from danger. Don't expect other people to and then sue those people for your failures as a parent. Grass and sand and paths and incomplete water towers and the bay, the greasy, dirty, oily, full-of-dead-animals bay. And watch out for sea lions! They bite.

This is the best hike for views of the bridge. I thought the Batteries to Bluffs trail was amazing…read morebut Golden Gate Promenade has unobstructed views the whole way and it's also less likely to be foggy. The best place to start is at the parking lot for the San Francisco Yacht club. Get a donut at Dynamo Donuts which is this really cute donut hut there and eat at the benches looking out at the ocean. From the parking lot the trail goes east and forks where you can take the beach trail or a cement paved path. The cement path is very flat, this is probably better for running or biking than hiking unless you want a really level walk. To the Warming Hut Park Store and back is about 3 miles. For something longer, you can go to Fort Point or up to the bridge which adds about half mile. Keep in mind it's always pretty windy and cold here. Even when it's sunny and other parts of the city are warmer it's always best to bring a sweater.

** The following review reflects my experience DURING the COVID-19 pandemic. **…read more Actually I didn't know this trail had an official name, but of course, what else would it be called with the iconic landmark in constant view? I have to admit of the over 300 miles that make up the San Francisco Bay Trail network, the two-mile stretch between Fort Point and the St. Francis Yacht Club is easily the most menopausally Instagrammable as it encompasses the most predictably picturesque portion of the bay with Alcatraz, Angel Island, and southern Marin making the ideal composition for a most familiar selfie backdrop. Gratefully in the age of COVID, the pavement is wide enough to allow for social distancing, but of course, enclosed spaces like the Warming Hut and Fort Point are locked up for my safety. But nothing is preventing you from walking on Torpedo Wharf to get a closer look at the bridge or rolling around on Crissy Field except perhaps the omnipresence of canine fecal matter (photo: https://bit.ly/3siOp0F). But don't let that stop you from coming here. OK, maybe the naked fat guy dancing on the East Beach, but it's a good reminder to wear a second mask. Just pull it over your eyes as you walk by. RELATED - Up for a hike? Here's a collection of trails I've walked and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2OrC8nU

** The following review reflects my experience DURING the COVID-19 pandemic. **…read more I can't be the only one who thought the Mountain Lake Trail was just the paved path around, you guessed it, Mountain Lake. Could that be my unique niche of urban ignorance as an interloper in these parts? OK, fine then. I admit I'm a Presidio Luddite. Well, as far as I can tell, Mountain Lake is mostly a marsh and a pond for various cavorting birds, all of us surrounded by the vehicular speedway known as Veterans Blvd. As it turns out, the fragmented trail itself actually consists of not only that segment but almost the entire southern perimeter of the Presidio as well as the new boardwalk extension that goes out toward Baker Beach. You could easily miss this latter part because of the blink-and-miss signage that leads you up the steps to get to the scenic area called Marine Cemetery Vista, named spookily after sailors that were buried here in the 19th century (photo: https://bit.ly/3tgUEmr). Traversing east of the lake, the path is more popular with dog owners, joggers, and golfers headed to the Presidio Golf Course. There are several short detours you can make off this part of the trail to get to sights like Inspiration Point and El Polin Spring (both via the wooded Ecology Trail) and Andy Goldsworthy's Wood Line, a cool public art display (think Lincoln Logs - review: https://bit.ly/3teb6nA). You eventually make your way to either the Broadway or Presidio Gates if you continue in this direction. RELATED - Up for a hike? Here's a collection of trails I've walked and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2OrC8nU

This trail starts at the end of Pacific Avenue at Arguello Blvd. It's a paved trail going between…read morehouses and the golf course until you get to Mountain Lake. Mountain Lake Park has a big grassy area, play structure, and bathrooms. The lake is okay, it's nice to see nature and birds but it's near a busy thoroughfare which is loud and takes away from the serene feeling. I'd probably come here more if I lived down the street but just for a lake, I think Stowe Lake is much better. The trail goes alongside the right side of the lake (the playground and park is to the left) and behind it under the overpass. From here you can make a right or left. If you turn left you'll soon see a staircase. Take 100 stairs up to a boardwalk which is called the Cemetery Overlook Path. This has views of the west part of the city and is nice during sunset. You can take this to the Lobos Creek Boardwalk which is about .7 miles. The path splits up and is not exactly clear so it's good to have a hiking app like All Trails. If not take the Cemetery Overlook Path to Wedemeyer Street make a left then you'll come across the Lobos Creek Valley path. If you make a right, this path goes up near the golf course and can loop around through Washington Blvd passing by the art installation Spire. This loop take about 2 miles.

The cherry blossom trees at Hellman Hollows are starting to bloom. When the wind blows, the pedals…read morefall like snow.

Golden Gate Park has tons of these meadows good for a festival. Hellman Hollow is just one. It has…read morea pretty good location in the middle of the park. A lot of open area. There's always crowd but it doesn't seem to get too crowded though. Always seems to be something going on here. It's got like 12 acres of open space. There's often concerts and those kinds of things. Other times people are out here playing with their dogs. This is also considered a picnic area, and it's a nice place to have one. Convenient location to get to from. It's located pretty close to the Polo Field and some other things in the park. This is a good place to have a party or just chill and whatever.

"We opened the gates to all the world and said, 'Let all men who want to be free come to us and…read morethey will be welcome." Those are the words from President Woodrow Wilson carved on the stone overlook. Show this to some narrow-minded people as a reminder. Located on the northwest side of the Presidio, Immigrant Point Overlook is named in honor of the immigrants who made the journey through the Golden Gate as their new home. Just imagine yourself on this spot of Yerba Buena as you saw ships sailing into this land. It has sweeping views of the Marine Headlands, Point Bonita, Mt. Tamalpais and even Pt. Reyes on a clear and glorious day. If you're hiking and biking around The Presidio, it's a great place to stop, rest and obviously enjoy the view. There's some picnic tables across the overlook to eat your lunch and relax before you continue on your journey. If you're driving, it's worth a stop and you might spot some whales and even dolphins swimming in the Pacific Ocean if you're lucky. The Presidio is filled with so many gems and nuggets, and this is certainly one of them. It's worth a stop and visit. You can take out-of-towners here and call it 'Undiscovered San Francisco' as it's certainly not a known tourist path and it's off the beaten path. But I like taking paths that are less traveled. This is also a good starting to take another path down towards Batteries to Bluffs Trail. Ah, but that's another adventure waiting to be written. #YelpChallenge2020 review No. 26

While some ex-Presidents build walls to feed their egos, other ex-Presidents welcome immigrants…read morewith open arms: "We opened the gates to all the world and said "Let all men who want to be free come to us and they will be welcome." What a difference a century and the advent of reality TV makes. That quote from Woodrow Wilson is carved into the stone of the overlook wall. I got there by climbing the connector trail up from the Battery to Bluffs Trail. Arriving at the outlook, I felt like I was on a balcony awaiting the Pacific to make a curtain call. It's more inspirational than Inspirational Point. RELATED - Exploring the Presidio? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/3ALAAfr

Pretty nice and unexpected view from this trail…read more Sure it is a dirt path but it's a very very short trail. You can walk it in 5 mins. Some benches and tree stumps to sit down on and enjoy a quiet moment Best when the sun is out , enjoy the colors of the flowers! You have to park further away in the residential areas and walk into there

Edgehill Mountain Park (well, technically an "Open Space"--I wonder what the difference is) is a…read morebeautiful slice of forested hillside on the southwest slope of Laguna Honda hill. There is basically just one trail running across it from Knockash to Edgehill streets, and a couple of benches. The views are limited a bit due to the trees, but it is still a very pretty place to walk through, especially at sunset. In fact, the entirety of Laguna Honda Hill is very scenic, and I highly recommend walking up to the top while you're here. Also, what is with those crazy shingled castle-mansions? Someday I gotta get me one of those. It seems that there is a very active volunteer group that works in Edgehill Park doing habitat restoration and I've also seen proposals for a staircase down to Kensington Way, which would be awesome! You can check out their website here: http://www.edgehill.net/Edgehill-Mountain.htm

One of my absolute favorite field trip spots for my students is the Wood Line in the Presidio of…read moreSan Francisco. This is a super popular place for professional photos. A quick tip: because of the way the Wood Line is designed, this stretch can turn into a full-on wind tunnel. Definitely layer up; it can get chilly even on a sunny day. What makes this area so special for young students is the natural layout. The rows of eucalyptus trees create built-in boundaries, which makes it much easier to manage a group while still giving them a sense of freedom and exploration. There are also spots nearby where kids can build and expand on makeshift shelters using fallen branches, perfect for imaginative play, teamwork, and a little hands-on engineering. There are often dogs off leash in this part of the Presidio, but we've never had any issues along this particular stretch. One especially memorable visit included spotting an owl nesting in the trees. A park ranger was stationed nearby to ensure the owl's safety, and my students even got to ask questions and learn more about the habitat. It turned into an unexpected and magical lesson in urban wildlife. If you're looking for a unique, outdoor San Francisco, add the Wood Line to your list.

Simply beautiful 1200 ft winding line of recycled eucalyptus trunks in a forest beneath eucalyptus…read moretrees. A great place for photos or taking a walk and getting fresh air. It was very quiet and tranquil when we went. I wasn't wearing the right shoes so we didn't walk through, but it was easy to access for me to just admire it.

So glad someone at our hotel recommended this gem. This is a gorgeous park--thanks Nancy…read morePelosi!!--and a great way to see the bridge and get some fresh sea air. When we were there there were lots of great food trucks, only bummed we'd eaten before we arrived. Bathrooms were clean and the park pristine.

This trail is a little confusing because All Trails, the Presidio website, and Google Maps all have…read moreslightly different versions of where the trail goes. I think the most concise is starting at the Presidio Gate then go to the bridge and back which is about 5 miles and takes about 2 hours. This is the one reflected on the Presidio's website. I like this trail because there is a lot to see and stop off at such as the newly opened welcome center and Tunnel Tops Park, Disney Museum, Battery Bluffs Park, Pet Cemetery, Crissy Field Overlook, and of course the Golden Gate Bridge. The hike is always interesting and good for taking people that get bored easily or who don't want something too strenuous. While there is an inclination at some points it's mostly a walk. Along the promenade are views of the bay and Alcatraz, Angel Island, it's definitely one of the more beautiful hikes in the city.