Presidio Wall Playground is a much beloved part of the community. It's where toddlers get their kicks on slides, swings, and sand while school-aged kids work their motor skills on the climbing and spinning structures. Often, as their tots are busy playing, adults take the opportunity to soak in the spectacular view, which on a clear day stretches north to the Golden Gate Bridge and beyond to the Marin Headlands.
On the playground's first-come, first-served baseball diamond, basketball, and tennis courts, teens and adults are engaged, as well. And there's an open field that, while busy with soccer classes and camps throughout the year, is free for the "big kids" to use for picnics and impromptu games.
The Presidio Wall clubhouse is a hot spot for birthdays, school celebrations, and just-because parties. The shaded picnic tables outside can be reserved with the clubhouse or on their own. The building clubhouse includes public restrooms and a drinking fountain in the back.
With a new adventure just steps away on a park trail, Presidio Wall Playground is an ideal gateway to the Presidio. Start by hopping on the Mountain Lake Trail heading east to reach Andy Goldsworthy's
Wood Line
. In the other direction, the Mountain Lake Trail links up with the Ecology Trail, taking you up to the iconic Inspiration Point Overlook and on to Goldsworthy's other kid favorite,
Spire
. If bugs and birds are your thing, take a short connector path north to El Polín Spring, one of the best spots in the Presidio for wildlife viewing.
Parking can usually be found on the dirt shoulder of West Pacific Avenue. There's also pedestrian access from the Presidio Heights neighborhood at the end of Spruce Street.
While within the Presidio's boundaries, Presidio Wall Playground has been managed by the City of San Francisco since 1923 due to an agreement with a long ago Presidio commander. To make reservations for the clubhouse, athletic fields, and other facilities, contact the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department at (415) 831-5500.
