Where to Stay and Eat at The Presidio San Francisco
Staying more than a few days in the Presidio area to make the most of your time? Here are a few suggestions on where to stay and eat near the Presidio San Francisco. These locations are within a quick walk or directly located in the Presidio so you won’t have to spend much time away from the park!
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If you like the Presidio area and want to stay within a few blocks from this National Park Site, here are a few options where to stay near the Presidio San Francisco. Some of these links may be affiliate links. Clicking on them and booking through the link helps this site at no extra cost to you.
This post is part of our San Francisco Bay Area Series. Here are a series of related posts:
Address: 105 Montgomery St, San Francisco, CA 94129
Can Use Points? No
You can’t get anything more central within the Presidio than staying at The Lodge at the Presidio. Located in a set of buildings within steps from the Walt Disney Family Museum and the Presidio Visitor Center, you’ll be staying at a prime spot at the Presidio.
The wraparound balcony is a highlight. There are lounge chairs for you to sit and hang out while looking out at the hustle and bustle of the green.
It is a bit expensive though, with rates going for around $300 a night. If you have the budget, I would recommend a stay here.
Address: 42 Moraga Ave, San Francisco, CA 94129
Can Use Points? No
The Inn at the Presidio is a boutique hotel, with only 22 rooms in total. This hotel is not part of any chain, so the only way to book this on points is by using a portal or through a travel eraser card. The room prices range from $300+, with a Disney package including accommodation for 2 plus entry to the Walt Disney Family Museum and a souvenir for $500 a night. You can’t get much closer to the Walt Disney Family Museum and the main Presidio Visitor Center than this hotel.
By choosing to stay in this property, you are staying in a historic building. The Inn at the Presidio used to be Pershing Hall, a Georgian revival building that housed unmarried soldiers, back from the military days of the Presidio. It’s also part of the National Register of Historic Places. Breakfast is available daily and is complimentary. There’s also an evening wine and cheese reception every evening from 5 pm to 7 pm which is also complimentary to guests of the hotel.
The property does not have a pool, but it more than makes up for amenities in terms of cozy furniture in the public areas, as well as rocking chairs on the wraparound balcony.
Address: 1475 Central Magazine Rd, San Francisco, CA 94129
Can Use Points? No
It is expensive for tent camping if there are 4 or fewer people in the group. It costs $92 per night from Sundays to Thursdays and $142 on weekends. At that rate, it’s cheaper to book the Travelodge below, where you will be indoors and not in a tent.
For a few dollars more, you can stay at a hotel somewhere outside the city center or in a hostel for cheaper than the price of the campground.
Address: 2755 Lombard St, San Francisco, CA 94123
Can Use Points? Yes. Part of the Wyndham Point network.
A chain hotel, this no-frills hotel gives you a place to sleep for the night. Parking is free at the Travelodge Presidio San Francisco, as well as a complimentary continental breakfast. Rooms have a refrigerator and are spacious enough for a budget hotel. There’s no pool on the property, but you are located very close to the Presidio and Golden Gate Park. Rooms are around $200+ a night, but a hotel that offers free parking in the Bay Area is already a win in our opinion.
If you are a member of Wyndham’s reward program, you can use your points to get a free night at the hotel.
Not a day goes by without thinking about food, so here’s where to eat at the Presidio San Francisco. Unless you’re buying food from the Presidio Pop-Up or higher-end places, expect cafe food and small bites. There are not a lot of options that offer a filling meal in the area, so you can alternatively pack a picnic lunch.
Address: 210 Lincoln Boulevard, San Francisco, CA 94129
Hours: 9 am to 3 pm weekdays, 9 am to 5:30 pm weekends
Cuisine: Varies, multiple food trucks cater to whatever you may be craving.
On Saturdays from 11 am to 5 pm, there are food trucks parked in the Presidio Plaza, in front of the Presidio’s Visitor Center. You can eat your way around the world if you wish. The food trucks when I visited included Singaporean, Indian, and Filipino cuisine, among others.
The prices are midrange, and affordable for the Bay Area. There are not a lot of seating options by the food truck area, so you can walk 5 minutes to picnic tables past the Visitor Center. But so far, this is the best option for food within the Presidio area. Not only are the prices affordable, the variety you’ll get is unbeatable.
Address: 104 Montgomery St, San Francisco, CA 94129
Hours: Open during museum days from 11 am to 3 pm.
On the basement floor of the Walt Disney Family Museum is a cafe. It’s only open for a few hours while the museum is operating. Not many options or variety in terms of food available. However, it is still a good option if the food trucks are not operating and you can’t leave the Presidio area to eat. Food options in the cafe are grab-and-go, except for cold dishes like sandwiches and salads.
Address: Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, CA 94129
Hours: Open Daily from 9 am to 5 pm
Close to the Golden Gate viewpoint, Equator Coffee’s Round House Cafe provides an amazing 360-degree view of the surrounding areas of the Presidio. The cafe is one of the oldest establishments in the San Francisco Bay area, with the Round House Opening a year after the Golden Gate Bridge.
If you are a fan of creative hand-crafted coffees or teas, don’t miss your chance to visit and try one of them. The Iced Cherry Blossom Matcha as well as the Strawberry Matcha is divine. Another option is the Raspberry Chocolate Cold Brew (never had a chance to try it, but it looks and sounds fabulous).
Address: 1 Letterman Drive Suite 150 – Building D, San Francisco, CA 94129
Hours: 11 am to 8 pm on weekdays, 10:30 am to 8 pm on Saturdays, and 10:30 am to 7:15 pm on Sundays.
Cuisine: American
If you’re looking for a more upscale dining option, head to the Sessions at the Presidio. This Gastropub offers American cuisine in a gorgeous setting. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner, with brunch options available on weekends. It’s a great place to meet friends for a quick drink. The restaurant also has a good mocktail menu, but expect to pay at least $35 for an entree.
The Presidio is also a great place to shop for souvenirs and other things to bring home. Here are a few notable shops to spend your hard-earned cash on. You’ll find a gift or souvenir to bring home to family or friends to help you remember your vacation at any of these places.
Address: 610 Old Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94129
Hours: Mondays to Fridays 10 AM to 8 PM, Saturdays and Sundays 9 AM to 6 PM
A sports store within walking distance of Crissy Field. There are plenty of parking spots for shoppers (some at a fee). Plenty of sports-related items are for sale and is also a go-to spot for renting camping and cycling gear. You can buy items for the whole family, as their selection includes even babies and little kids. Team USA branded items are available in-store too. You can trade your used items to the store for credit and for those looking for a deal when buying gear, used goods are also available in-store!
Address: 983 Marine Dr, San Francisco, CA 94129
Hours: Daily 9 AM to 5 PM
The Warning Hut Park store is located within walking distance of Fort Point National Historic Site. There is a small cafe inside the store where you can get water, soda, and coffee or tea. This is also a good spot to buy souvenirs. The prices are the same as the Presidio Visitor Center. They don’t have any exclusive items available in different visitor centers either. The Warming Hut is also close to the Torpedo Wharf, which also has amazing views of the Golden Gate Bridge on a non-foggy day!
Address: 210 Lincoln Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94129
Hours: 10 AM to 5 PM Daily
Like the Warming Hut and Presidio Visitor Centers operated by the National Park Service, the Golden Gate Bridge visitor center also sells souvenirs. It is also a great spot to get a souvenir stamp for your travels, which is free and available in all National Park Service sites. Whether you go
Yes, but the Presidio is also huge. Some spots are not accessible by the complimentary Go Presidio shuttle bus, so you can either rent a bicycle or a scooter to get around or hike. There are sidewalks to most of the attractions, so you won’t need to worry about getting hit.
Yes, you can! There are several places where you can rent regular bicycles and electric bicycles to help you get around the Presidio faster than just walking. Alternatively, I’ve also seen some folks going around the Presidio on electric scooters. Stay on the cycle lanes instead of the sidewalk, except when going to Fort Point. The road there is narrow and is shared between pedestrians, scooters, cyclers, and automobile traffic, so just take caution.
Other tourists I’ve seen take the elevated road that goes up to the Golden Gate Bridge. The bicycle rental companies offer a package where you can cycle through the Golden Gate Bridge, and you’ll catch a ferry from the other side and return the bicycle when you get back to San Francisco. That way, you won’t have to cycle there and back if you don’t want to.
Yes, it does! Interestingly, the Presidio is the gateway to the Golden Gate Bridge and car traffic usually passes through the area. You can even take a bus from the Presidio which can take you to the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Yes, there are plenty of roads that go through the Presidio. There are a few spots that may not have parking so you’ll have to leave your car in the nearest parking and make your way to an attraction by foot. Parking is not free on the Presidio except in certain areas like Fort Point. The parking fee is between $2 and $5 per hour, and you’ll have to pay using the kiosks in the parking lot.
If you are staying elsewhere aside from the downtown area of San Francisco, your best bet will be to make your way to the Embarcadero BART station and walk to the bus stop in front of the Hyatt. This is the most central spot you can be to take the free Go Presidio shuttle. Shuttles run only at certain times, so if you miss it, it will be a long wait for the next one.
Shuttles are usually buses with the Presidio wrapped around the side of it. Sometimes it could be just a plain white bus with a sign up front saying Go Presidio shuttle. The bus stop would also say Presidio Shuttle, so you’ll know that you’re in the right spot to catch the shuttle.
The Presidio has a free shuttle service that goes around the Presidio but it doesn’t go everywhere. You will still have to walk to go to Fort Point. The MUNI (San Francisco public buses) also stop by a few areas in Crissy Field, but the buses don’t come that often. The buses are included in your San Francisco day pass (the same pass you’ll buy if you want to take the tram multiple times). You can buy the pass on your phone if you have Google Wallet or Apple Pay installed.
Here’s our ultimate guide to where to eat, stay, or shop at the Presidio San Francisco. Partner this with our first post about Things to do at the Presidio, and you can easily spend 3 days exploring the Presidio and see what it has to offer. Let me know if you have any other suggestions for the post in the comments below. Happy exploring!
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