by Lisa Crovo Dion
The magical Presidio of San Francisco is my favorite corner of the city.
On a recent, very chilly Thursday evening I had the pleasure of spending a night at the Inn at the Presidio, the only hotel accommodations in the entire 1,500-acre national park.
The Inn inhabits the elegant Georgian Revival-style Pershing Hall, on the edge of the Main Post. This building is the former home to the unmarried officers. An historic bachelor pad, if you will. I can only imagine the shenanigans that went on here…
With the family in tow, I checked into our thoughtfully- appointed and spacious suite with a fireplace and separate sitting room with a pullout couch. I felt like a queen.
The plan was to have dinner at Off the Grid for Presidio Twilight, but first we availed ourselves of the wine and cheese reception in the main building. Dan and I sat in leather chairs in the stylish sitting room nibbling on Brie and sipping Pinot Grigio, while the kids wandered from the fire pit in back to the rocking chairs on the front porch.
On Thursday nights (seasonally), Off the Grid sets up on the Presidio parade grounds, located just steps from the Inn. In addition to the line-up of food trucks like Southern Comfort Kitchen, Korean Bobcha, and the Lobsta Truck, there are lantern-lit cabanas, fire pits on the lawn, and live music. When we were ready for dinner, we headed across the road, bundled up in Mexican blankets, and huddled around the fire eating clam chowder and barbecue under the stars.
The next morning, we convened with the other travelers in the dining room “mess hall” for a breakfast of coffee, juice, eggs and baked goodies, then headed out to explore the Presidio
At just shy of 1,500 acres, the former military outpost cum national park has miles of wild yet accessible coastland, a latticework of hiking trails, Andy Goldsworthy’s public art, a museum dedicated to the fascinating career of Walt Disney, a bowling alley, spa, climbing gym, outstanding restaurants, and much more.
After breakfast, we split up—the boys went bowling and Parker and I hiked the Batteries to Bluffs trail that winds around a historic gun battery and descends down a narrow staircase built into the bluff to Marshall Beach. The tiny tucked away pocket beach has magnificent views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the Marin Headlands.
If You Go:
Inn at the Presidio (415) 800-7356
42 Moraga Avenue (on Main Post)
San Francisco, California 94129
F: (415) 800-7239
Email: info@innatthepresidio.com
Photos by Lisa Dion. I was a guest at Inn at the Presidio.