The Marina and the Presidio

Top 5 Reasons to Go to the Marina and the Presidio

Golden Gate Bridge: Get a good look at the iconic span from the Presidio, then bundle up and walk over the water.

Shop Cow Hollow and the Marina: Browse hip boutiques and lavish antiques shops on Union Street, Cow Hollow's main drag. Then head north to Chestnut Street.

Palace of Fine Arts: Bring a picnic to this movingly beautiful faux-Greek remnant of the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition and travel back in time to the city's post-earthquake-and-fire coming-out party.

Crissy Field: Try to spot egrets and herons from the bayside wooden boardwalk over this restored tidal marshland.

Presidio wanderings: Lace up your walking shoes and follow one of the wooded trails; the city will feel a hundred miles away. If you have a car, take a meandering drive, stopping at any and all ocean lookouts—Inspiration Point and Immigrant Point will take your breath away.