Home » City Guide » , , , , ,

SF’s Newest Park “Presidio Tunnel Tops” Opens July 17th

Built atop highway tunnels, enjoy 14 acres of new national park land with stunning views, picnic areas, walking paths, campfire circles, nature playspace and more.
By - posted 7/17/2022 No Comment

Presidio Tunnel Tops, the most anticipated visitor attraction ever planned for the Presidio of San Francisco, opens Sunday July 17, 2022. Come explore the park and enjoy free family-friendly events and activities on opening day and throughout the whole season, July through October.

Built over the tops of the Presidio Parkway highway tunnels, the Presidio Tunnel Tops site comprises 14 acres of new national park land designed by James Corner Field Operations (the firm behind New York’s High Line). The Presidio Tunnel Tops features scenic overlooks with stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the City, paths and gardens, a campfire circle, picnic grounds and an Outpost natural playscape and new Field Station.

Opening Day Activities include food trucks, DIY picnics, music and dance, art, NPS Ranger talk at the Campfire Circle and more! Kids of all ages will love the new 2-acre Outpost play area, with all natural features made of stone, wood, sand, and water! Explore the new indoor Field Station and outdoor activity centers, take in the views, paths, gardens, lawns and all the new park destination has to offer.

Opening Day Details – July 17, 2022
Come explore this new part of the Presidio beginning July 17, from 10 am to 6 pm. Opening Day festivities include Presidio Pop Up food trucks, DIY picnics, art, and an NPS Ranger talk at the Campfire Circle (4 pm – 4:30 pm). Join Community Stage Hostess and Emcee RyanNicole and a lineup of music, dance, DJs, poetry and more. Kids of all ages will love the new two-acre Outpost play area, with all natural features made of stone, wood, sand, and water. Explore the new indoor Field Station and outdoor activity centers, take in the views, paths, gardens, lawns, and all the new park destination has to offer. Co-curated by the Presidio Activator Council, and Community Experts, Hip Hop for Change, World Arts West, and Korean Center, Inc.

Live Events! Enjoy performances curated by the Presidio Activator Council, Presidio Community Experts, Hip Hop for Change, and World Arts West:

  • 9 am to 6 pm Presidio Pop Up Mobile Food + Beverage Vendors
  • 10 am to 6 pm Field Station Hosted by Park Guides; Outpost + Outpost Art + Nature Pods Hosted by Adventure Guides
  • 10 am to 12 pm DJ Saurus at Presidio Plaza
  • 10 am + 12 pm Migration Is Beautiful: A Butterfly Making Workshop for Kids Workshop, two one-hour sessions at Crissy Field Center Courtyard
  • 11 to 11:30 am Main Post Park Ranger Walk with Ranger James – Meet at Presidio Plaza first come first serve up to 35 people
  • 1 to 4 pm Live Program at Community Stage at the East Meadow, hosted and emceed by Grammy Award nominee RyanNicole.
  • 1:15 pm Poetry from bilingual poet Forced2Fly
  • 1:40 pm Music from Emcee Daylite2 pmMusic from DJ Saurus with Unlearn the World emcee set
  • 2:30 pm B-Boy Dance from Oakland Originalz
  • 3 pm Cabaret style Cuban band + dance performance from The CaliDance + Rumbache
  • 3:55 to 4 pm Closing remarks
  • 4 to 4:30 pm Ranger Campfire Talk at the Campfire Circle
  • 5 to 5:30 pm Youth drumming/dancing with Fogo Na Roupa at Golden Gate Meadow

Opening Day Performances curated by the Presidio Activator Council, Presidio Community Experts, Hip Hop for Change, and World Arts West, feature:

  • Community Stage Hostess and Emcee Ryan Nicole
  • Afro-Latin Dance by The CaliDance
  • Cuban and Salsa music by Rumbache
  • Beats by DJ Unlearn the World and DJ Saurus
  • Drum and dance processions by Fogo Na Roupa
  • Bi-lingual poetry readings by Forced2Fly
  • B-Boy Dance by Oakland Originalz
  • NPS Park Rangers Campfire Talk, 4pm-4:30pm
  • Ruth Asawa School of the Arts Choir

Art! On opening day, artist, social justice activist and Presidio Activator Favianna Rodriguez unveils a temporary mural installation—Ancestral Futurism—honoring the diversity and interconnectedness of the people, flora, and fauna that have lived in this ecosystem for centuries. The murals are located outdoors on the ground near the Visitor Center and the Outpost nature play area. Additionally, a banner with a welcome message in Ramaytush is on display at Presidio Plaza outside the Transit Center.

Check presidiotunneltops.gov for updates to weekend activities during the Sunday Afternoon series every first Sunday of the month from 1pm – 4pm and come enjoy your national park!

Getting There

PRESIDIO GO SHUTTLE

The Presidio Go Downtown Shuttle offers direct service to Presidio Transit Center at Presidio Tunnel Tops. It picks up at the Transbay Terminal, Embarcadero BART, and Van Ness/Union Street. It’s free and open to all with no pass required. It runs seven days a week, is accessible, and has bike racks. See the route and schedule >>

MUNI

Muni 43 offers direct service to Presidio Transit Center. Muni 30 offers direct service to Crissy Field near Presidio Tunnel Tops.

PARKING

Paid parking is available at large lots near the Presidio Visitor Center (210 Lincoln Boulevard, San Francisco, CA 94129). Accessible parking spaces are available. Learn more about parking in the Presidio >>

BIKE RACKS + RENTALS

Bike racks and bike lockers are located at Presidio Tunnel Tops. Bay Wheels Bike Share stations with classic bicycles are located near Presidio Visitor Center and the Outpost play area. Bay Wheels electric bikes are also available in the park. Find and rent them using the Lyft app. Bikes are also available for rent at Sports Basement at Crissy Field.

When:
Opening Day Activities: Sunday, July 17, 2022, 10am – 6pm
Presidio Pop Up (mobile food): Daily, year-round
Outpost Nature Play Area: 9:30am-6pm daily (closes at 4:30pm Nov. thru March)
Field Station: Wed-Fri 11am-4pm, Sat-Sun 10am-5pm (Closed Mon & Tues)
Presidio Visitor Center: 10am-5pm daily

Where: Start at Presidio Visitor Center, 210 Lincoln Blvd., San Francisco, CA 94129
Link: presidiotunneltops.org
Cost: Free entry

FUTURE EVENTS & FESTIVALS

The family-friendly fun continues with a regular series called First Sunday Afternoons (1 pm – 4 pm) on August 7, September 4, October 2, and November 6, and community festivals co-curated by the Presidio Activator Council and Community Experts, Hip Hop for Change, World Arts West, and Korean Center, Inc. These include Hip Hop for Change’s 6th Annual Environmental Justice Summit, adding color to the green movement, on August 20. “Being outside in fresh air, nature, getting connected to the earth is so important for people,” said Hip Hop for Change’s leader and Presidio Activator Khafre Jay. “The day when people of color can feel comfortable in every park in the city, that’s a day when we’ll be better off as a society.”

First Sunday Afternoons at Presidio Tunnel Tops

Who: Partnership for the Presidio
Dates: August 7; September 4; October 2; November 6
Time: 1 pm to 4 pm
Place: Presidio Visitor Center, 210 Lincoln Boulevard, San Francisco, 94129
Price: Free
Weblink: presidiotunneltops.org
Enjoy family-friendly fun for all ages at First Sunday Afternoons at Presidio Tunnel Tops. The event features a variety of special activities like DJs, world music, and dance performances on the Community Stage; Presidio Pop Up food vendors; public art; and more. The series is co-curated with the Presidio Activator Council and Community Experts, Hip Hop for Change, World Arts West, and Korean Center, Inc.

Ancestral Futurism: Looking Back to Repair the Future, by Favianna Rodriguez

Who: Partnership for the Presidio
Date: Opens Sunday, July 17; ongoing
Place: Field Station, 601 Mason Street, San Francisco, 94129
Price: Free
Weblink: presidiotunneltops.org
Ancestral Futurism: Looking Back to Repair the Future features outdoor temporary art installations honoring the diversity and interconnectedness of all humans, flora, and fauna that have lived on the land throughout the centuries. The work uplifts the stories, experiences, and images of BIPOC communities with an emphasis on the Ohlone Ramaytush, the original stewards of the land. Themes of justice, freedom, and belonging are woven throughout. It is created by Favianna Rodriguez, interdisciplinary contemporary artist, cultural strategist, and Presidio Activator, who seeks to create profound and lasting social change in the world through her artistic work. The art is installed at the Transit Center, the Field Station Courtyard and the sidewalk in front of the Visitor Center at Presidio Tunnel Tops.

Drop-In Presidio Nature + History Explorations

Who: Partnership for the Presidio
Date and Time: Wednesday – Friday 11 am to 4 pm; Saturday – Sunday 10 am to 5 pm (Closed Monday and Tuesday)
Place: Presidio Field Station, 601 Mason Street, San Francisco, 94129
Price: Free
Weblink: presidiotunneltops.org
The Field Station is a new indoor park facility filled with an abundance of real objects, field specimens, tools and reading resources that connect visitors with the park’s natural and cultural history. Sensory-based activities with seasonally changing content encourage curious exploration, discovery, and investigation of the real Presidio. It’s free and open to the public to drop in, five days a week and staffed by friendly Park Guides, and youth Adventure Guides from our Crissy Field Center youth programs.

NPS Park Ranger Campfire Talks

Who: National Park Service
Dates: Fridays, Saturday, Sunday, and Mondays through September 5, Labor Day
Time: 4 pm to 4:30 pm
Place: Presidio Tunnel Tops Campfire Circle, near 210 Lincoln Boulevard, San Francisco, 94129
Price: Free
Weblink: presidiotunneltops.org
Join the NPS Park Rangers for free campfire talks at Presidio Tunnel Tops every Friday – Monday at 4 pm through Labor Day. Park rangers will present histories of the diverse people who have passed through the Presidio through time – this includes indigenous history, military stories including the Buffalo Soldiers’ stories, Japanese Americans interned during WWII, and more. No reservations are required for this free 30-minute drop-in program.

6th Annual Environmental Justice Summit (8/20)

Who: Hip Hop for Change in association with San Francisco BayKeeper
Date: Saturday, August 20
Time: 12 pm to 7 pm
Place: Main Parade Lawn in the Presidio
Price: Free
Weblink: RSVP Here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/6th-annual-environmental-justice-summit-tickets-323494780597
https://www.hiphopforchange.org/
The Environmental Justice Summit is a bold platform for representation and activism that elevates and amplifies the voices and power of people of color as leaders in the environmental justice movement. Leading BIPOC environmental organizers from the Bay Area and beyond will share experiences and discuss steps to diversify the Green Movement and address the needs of our vulnerable communities. Family-friendly, all ages. In partnership with San Francisco Baykeeper.

4th Annual Chuseok (Korean Harvest) Festival (9/10)

Who: Korean Center, Inc.
Date: Saturday, September 10
Time: 11 am to 5 pm
Place: Main Parade Lawn in the Presidio
Price: Free
Weblink: https://koreancentersf.org/
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/4th-annual-bay-area-chuseok-festival-tickets-355585554967
The Korean Center, Inc.’s Annual Chuseok (Korean Harvest) Festival is the Bay Area’s largest public event celebrating, showcasing, and promoting Korean culture, cuisine, music, arts, and community. The festival’s mission is to inspire exploration and discovery of Korean culture and offer Korean Americans a way to come together for this important traditional holiday. Free to the public and back in person at the Presidio, this year’s Chuseok Festival promises to be an exciting event filled with delicious food, fun activities, raffles, and live performances!

About Presidio Tunnel Tops
Built over the tops of the Presidio Parkway highway tunnels, the Presidio Tunnel Tops site comprises 14 acres of new national park land—an iconic “must see” San Francisco destination for visitors from across the country and around the world. Thoughtfully designed by James Corner Field Operations (the firm behind New York’s High Line), shaped by community input, and funded by philanthropic gifts, the Presidio Tunnel Tops features scenic overlooks with stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the City, paths and gardens, a welcome plaza with food and visitor services, a campfire circle, picnic grounds and more. Kids and adults alike can learn about nature, explore and have fun at the Outpost natural playscape and new Field Station. Enrolled programming is planned for Bay Area youth and communities at the expanded Crissy Field Center.