With a bay front panorama near the Golden Gate Bridge, the Crissy Field Beach in San Francisco, CA is a must for family picnics, a hike through a national park, a trip to the Crissy Field Center for children's art classes, or a cool swim.
The range of options is enormous, making the site ideal for the diverse population of the Bay Area. School field trips are often spotted wading a few feet out in the soft sand of the tidal estuary, only a foot or two deep, sifting with fishing nets as park guides give tours (they call the kids "Water Wizards"). Just past them the kayakers and surfers cruise by the 1.3 mile long beach. For an indoor sort of outing, the Crissy Field Warming Hut Bookstore and Cafe is at the west end in the Presidio, and it has a nice gift store. There's also the central Crissy Cafe (try the turkey and havarti!), and the Beach Hut Cafe at the east end. Restrooms are at all of the above. During the day, it's a cool place to run or walk the dog, practice photography, or have a BBQ. On Saturday nights, rangers offer moonlit tours for families. Yet with all of that going on, the beach is rarely crowded.
In addition, the beach park is known for its ecology. Conservationists reconstructed the park from an old military site with and over thirty-four million dollar investment by donors. Gentle trails allow visitors to take a 100 yard stroll or a one and a half mile trek. The children's programs at the Center aim at the scientific exploration of nature. The park hosts over 100,000 plants, including 73 native species. The tide pools are a peek into the undersea world, and an occasional seal or sea-lion stops by.
Located off the 101 highway, southeast of the Golden Gate Bridge, there is parking near the entrance of the Crissy Field Center, and the Center is handicap accessible. The beach is a short walk from the parking lot. The Center is open 9 to 5 daily.
Off the 101, take the Lombard/Downtown exit and then the first right into The Presidio. Turn right onto Gorgas Ave., which turns into Marshall. Turn right again onto Old Mason. The Crissy Field Center parking lot will be on the left.
