Presidio Tunnel Tops: San Francisco’s new park with stunning views
I am two years too late to visit Presidio Tunnel Tops, San Francisco’s latest park, which opened in July 2022. I recently got a chance to visit the park with my family in May 2024, and I was blown away by the views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco Bay from here.
Presidio Tunnel Tops is a new urban recreational park and playground in the Presidio, a National Historic Landmark area in San Francisco to the south of the Golden Gate Bridge.
The new Presidio Tunnel Tops Park is free to the public. During the weekend, it was a very relaxed, family-friendly experience, with lawn areas, food trucks, playgrounds, and, of course, spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Let’s get into the details of visiting the Presidio Tunnel Tops and what to do here.
Things to do at Presidio Tunnel Tops
The first thing that I noticed when I arrived was the magnificent Golden Gate Bridge. The most famous San Francisco landmark, I simply cannot get enough of soaking in its grandeur. If you are not a San Francisco local like me, you might not understand why we love our Golden Gate Bridge so much!
If you can ever take your eyes off the bridge long enough, you will notice other excellent features and amenities of this park. It was very clean and well-kept, with excellent viewing deck areas, lawn areas, and picnic areas for family-friendly fun.
Overlook Areas
There are several accessible overlook areas here with bright red chairs to admire the beauty of the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco Bay.
It was slightly foggy and very windy the day we visited, but the views were still great. I could see Alcatraz Island and Angel Island from here.
Outpost Playground
A very unique playground made of natural elements found in the Presidio, my teen and 5 year old nephew enjoyed the play structures here. There were several sand and water play structures as well.
There were several different play zones, labeled by age groups. There were many benches for families to watch kids play.
Presidio Field Station
The Field Station is a must-visit next to the playground. There are many hands-on activities here to learn more about the diverse plant and animal life in the Presidio.
There were art stations as well, for little ones or grown-ups like me to try their hand at creating art! The rangers are helpful in answering any questions.
Main Parade Lawn
We parked near the Main lawn, so we spent some time relaxing and enjoying the meals from the food trucks.
This is a really beautiful and well-maintained lawn area where families were enjoying picnics and lawn games. The red brick buildings surrounding the green lawn make the whole place look really upscale.
Walt Disney Family Museum
The Walt Disney Family Museum is across from the Main lawn area and a must-visit for Disney Fans to learn about the life history of Walt Disney and artifacts about Disney.
We were all spent exploring the Tunnel Tops and Crissy Field beach, and did not get a chance to explore the museum from inside.
Ticketed reservations are required to visit the museum, and can be made online at the Walt Disney Family Museum website. I believe tickets are $25 per adult, with discounted prices for kids and seniors.
Where to eat
Il Parco Cafe
This counter-service cafe was convenient, offering hot food items like pizza, assorted baked goods, drinks, and coffee. We got pizza, cookies, and coffee here. We also found vegetarian pizza options.
The Picnic Pavilion outside the cafe had a glass enclosure to keep the wind out. It got really windy later in the afternoon, and the hot drinks and food were welcoming after we came back from Crissy Beach.
Presidio Pop-up Food Trucks
The food trucks line the main Presidio lawn area and make the area very lively. When we visited, several food trucks served various cuisines, such as Pakistani, Indonesian, and Mexican. There was also a Volkswagon drinks bar and even a dessert truck.
We got samosa chaat, wraps, and chai from the Pakistani food truck and some Mexican food and fries from the Mexican food truck.
I love the idea of doing a picnic where I don’t have to carry food from home! Enjoying hot chai with Golden Gate views, now that’s something!
Facilities
The facilities here are well-planned and really well-maintained.
Parking
There are several paid parking lots near Presidio Tunnel Tops. The biggest parking lot is on Mason St. There are also parking lots near the Main lawn area on Anza Ave and street metered parking on Montgomery St.
We parked on Montgomery St., and it was around $2.50 per hour.
Restrooms
There are gender-inclusive restrooms at the Presidio Transit Center and at the Presidio Field Station near the playground. I was impressed by how clean the restrooms were; the staff continuously cleaned them.
Picnic Areas
There are several picnic areas throughout the park, the largest of which is near the Transit Center.
How to get here
Being locals, we drove here, but you can also get to Presidio Tunnel Tops using Uber/Lyft or the free Presidio Go shuttle or public transit.
The free Presidio Go shuttle is convenient for visiting Presidio Tunnel Tops from downtown San Francisco. It also has a South route to explore other attractions within the Presidio.
The Muni 43 stops at the Presidio Tunnel Tops, and Muni 30 stops at Crissy Field nearby. Check the Presidio official website for more details about taking public transit to the Presidio Tunnel Tops.
What else is nearby
Crissy Field East and South Beach—After exploring the park, we crossed Mason Street and went to Crissy Beach via a boardwalk trail over Crissy Field Marsh. It was very windy here, but the beach is beautiful and I saw several folks sailing and wind surfing here.
Other places of interest nearby:
- Fort Point National Historic Site
- Palace of Fine Arts
- Golden Gate Bridge
Final takeaways: A day at Presidio Tunnel Tops
Presidio Tunnel Tops is my new favorite place to admire the Golen Gate Bridge. I can easily see myself coming here on a sunny afternoon to relax, enjoy the food trucks, and walk along the Crissy Field beach trail. A great place to bring friends and family.
The only con I can think of is that it can occasionally be foggy and windy, but that is true for any San Francisco attraction by the bay.
More about San Francisco
- Best things to do in San Francisco
- Find out how many days in San Francisco do you need?
- Check out my San Francisco itineraries:
- Things to do in Haight Ashbury – San Francisco’s hippie neighborhood
- How to spend one day at North Beach / Little Italy neighborhood
- 25 weekend trip ideas from San Francisco
⭐ Got questions about your trip?
Join my private Facebook group – California Travel Advice & Tips! It’s the perfect spot to connect with me and other California locals, as well as past visitors. It’s a great growing community and the quickest way to get answers for your visit!
