Crissy Field and Fort Point

Location

Crissy Field and Fort Point are in San Francisco. I recommend parking at the Warming Hut / West Bluff Picnic Area for Crissy Field or Fort Point parking area. There is also parking at Fort Mason (East of Crissy Field) and at the Marina / East Picnic Area of Crissy Field.

To get to Crissy Field's West Bluff Picnic Area / Warming Hut, take the Downtown / Marina Blvd exit from Hwy 101 South, turn slightly to the left toward Marina, and turn left at Lyon. Almost immediately, turn left onto Mason Street. Follow Mason Street until it ends at the West Bluff Picnic Area.
To get to Fort Point, take Highway 101 North, exiting right at the Golden Gate Toll Plaza (before the bridge). Turn right onto Lincoln Blvd, then left onto Long Ave. Continue to Marine Drive, which ends at Fort Point.

Attractions:

Fort Point and Crissy Field are part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, and contain pieces of the Bay Trail (see www.strollerhikes.com/Hikes/BayTrail/BayTrail.html).
Fort Point is at the South end of the Golden Gate Bridge, so is linked hostorically to the bridge. The fort is open for exploring (three floors).
Marine Drive (leading to/from Fort Point) has a rocky coastal edge alive with crabs!
Crissy Field has it all - sandy beach, fishing pier, wetlands with a pond, grassy lawns, picnic and bbq areas, benches, bathrooms, cafe / shop, and museums.
Views of great San Francisco sites including the Golden Gate Bridge, Palace of Fine Arts, downtown, Coit Tower, Alcatraz, and Angel Island. Watch ships come and go, as well!
If you're up for a picnic, but didn't bring your grub, shop at the Warming Hut at the West end of Crissy Field, Crissy Field Center South of the center of Crissy Field, or the Marina Safeway just past the East end of Crissy Field.
The Marina District of San Francisco is just South of East and central Crissy Field - walk over for shopping or a bite to eat.
The Presidio is just South of the West end of Crissy Field - a beautiful place to bike or drive (from Crissy Field).
The large old buildings along Mason Street, on the South side of Crissy Field are beginning to become modernized and house businesses. Stop at Sports Basement for some great deals on Sports Equipment or clothes, take a class / join a fitness group, or nurse your baby at one of their many comfy couches.
Enjoy relics and modern artifacts, classes, and other educational opportunities at one of Crissy Field's museum / science centers. They include Crissy Field Center (603 Mason St.) and Marine Sanctuary Visitor Center (off of Golden Gate Promenade in the Park).
Wildlife include gulls and other ocean birds, crabs, fish, egrets and other wetland birds, dragonflies, wild flowers, and seals / sea lions on occasion.
Dogs are allowed on leash.
You can fish or crab with a permit off of the pier at the West end of Crissy Field (and there are plenty of experts there to show you how).
Bicycles and rollerblades are allowed.
With its close proximity to the ocean, the Historic Airfield at Crissy Field is a great place to fly a kite!

Limitations:

This area is breezy - dress in layers!

Season:

Crissy Field is open year-round. Fort Point is open Friday through Sunday (although you can walk to it any time).

Fees:

None.

Maps & More Information:

Maps are available at Crissy Field Center and the Warming Hut. The area is very open and clean, so most locations are quite visible and easy to navigate, without a map.
Crissy Field Website: http://www.crissyfield.org/crissy/index.html
National Park Service Website on Fort Point: http://www.nps.gov/fopo/index.htm
Crissy Field Website's Map of Crissy Field: http://www.crissyfield.org/pdfs/crissymap.pdf

Handicapped Access:

All main trails are wide and flat, constructed of fine gravel or paved, so are suitable for wheelchairs. The Warming Hut and Crissy Field Center are fully handicapped-accessible, and both have bathrooms.

Recommended routes:

Crissy Field West Bluff Picnic Area to Fort Point:
Begin at the West Bluff Picnic Area / Warming Hut and hike Northwest towards the fishing pier. Turn left and walk along Marine Drive until it ends at Fort Point. Enjoy Fort Point's interior (if it is open), then return the way you came, looking for crabs amongst the rocks along Marine Drive as you go. Total distance (round trip) about 1 mile.

Perimeter of Crissy Field:
Begin at the West Bluff Picnic Area / Warming Hut and hike East along the main path (Golden Gate Promenade) or paths that run parallel to it. Continue along Golden Gate Promenade or meander past some of the old, white buildings (like the Marine Sanctuary Visitor Center). Enjoy sights and smells of tidal marsh, beach, and grasses along the way. At the East Beach Picnic Area, take one of the many paths South, to the paved path on the South side of the field, along Mason Street. Continue along the paved path West, stopping at the Crissy Field Center (across Mason Street, from the center of the marsh) if you like. Continue West until you reach the West Bluff Picnic Area. Total distance about 3.2 miles.