In 2022, the Partnership for the Presidio announced the opening season programs at San Francisco’s most anticipated new national park destination – Presidio Tunnel Tops. The slate was co-curated with the community to include experiences that reflect our region’s cultural vibrancy and invite communities from around the Bay Area to visit the Presidio. The events, art, and food experiences will complement Presidio Tunnel Tops’ spectacular views, picnic sites, and play spaces, which will be unveiled on opening day, Sunday, July 17, 2022

The experiences were co-curated by the Presidio Activator Council, comprised of Bay Area leaders, activists, and artists representing communities historically underrepresented in national parks. The council was formed in 2021 by the Partnership for the Presidio (the Parks Conservancy, Presidio Trust, and the National Park Service). The intent was to use the same community-driven approach used to design Presidio Tunnel Tops to create experiences that welcome all. Feedback was provided through a new Community Experts program, from leaders with deep connections to neighborhoods across the city to offer feedback on how Presidio Tunnel Tops and the broader Golden Gate National Recreation Area (GGNRA) can be relevant and responsive to community needs. For Presidio Activator and Community Experts bios, visit PresidioTunnelTops.org.

“There was a lot of intentionality in having Activators at Presidio Tunnel Tops,” said Kaushik Roy, Presidio Activator and Executive Director of the Shanti Project. “There’s a difference between saying everyone is welcome and making those people feel welcome. What we can do is create programming that keeps those communities in mind and makes people feel like they’re truly wanted and they’re not an after-thought.”

Presidio Tunnel Tops was built by the community, for the community, and we're grateful to the Presidio Tunnel Tops Campaign donors and Parks Conservancy members who helped bring this vision to life. We'll see you out there for opening season!

Presidio Tunnel Tops Hours of Operation

• Presidio Pop Up (mobile food):  Daily, 9 am to 6 pm
• Outpost Nature Play Area: 9:30 am to 6 pm daily (closes at 4 pm November thru March)
• Field Station: Wednesday – Friday, 11 am to 4 pm; Saturday – Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm (Closed Monday and Tuesday)
• Presidio Visitor Center: 10 am to 5 pm daily

Art in the Park

Building on the long tradition of art in the park, Presidio Tunnel Tops will welcome new audiences through a series of temporary exhibitions. These begin with Ancestral Futurism: Looking Back to Repair the Future, an outdoor art installation by Favianna Rodriguez, social justice activist, and Presidio Activator. The installation honors the diversity and interconnectedness of all humans, land, flora, and fauna that have lived in this ecosystem for centuries. The imagery will uplift the stories, experiences, and images of BIPOC (black, indigenous, and people of color) communities with an emphasis on the Ohlone Ramaytush, the original stewards of the land. Abstract symbols will reflect plants and creatures that were once abundant in the region, and themes of justice, freedom, and belonging will weave throughout. Visitors can discover the art outdoors on the pathways near the Presidio Visitor Center and the Outpost nature play area, with breadcrumb stickers on the walkways leading to them. A third installation by the artist will include a banner at the Presidio Plaza welcoming visitors to the ancestral homeland of the Ramaytush Ohlone.

Food at Presidio Tunnel Tops

Presidio Pop Up will feature daily mobile food trucks and carts serving up delicious food that celebrates the diverse cultures and cuisines of the Bay Area, seven days a week from 9 am to 6 pm. Il Parco Pizzeria and Café will open inside Presidio Transit Center in late 2022, providing grab-and-go sandwiches and salads, wood-fired pizza, wine, beer, and Italian-inspired cocktails. Visit the Presidio Trust website for a full list of restaurants in the Presidio.

Picnic areas at Presidio Tunnel Tops abound, including the new Picnic Place with tables and grills reservable via recreation.gov. The tables range in length from 16 to 23 feet, are wheelchair accessible, and are shaded by Torrey pines. Booking begins Tuesday, July 19 for reservations beginning August 1. Reservations are available 30 days in advance. There are many first-come-first-served picnic areas at Presidio Tunnel Tops, including tables by the Presidio Transit Center, one-sided tables featuring views of the Bay, and countless benches and grassy lawns.

Getting to the Park

There are even more ways to get to the Presidio, car-free. The SFMTA has announced that the Muni 43-Masonic bus line will return to the Transit Center beginning July 9. The 30-Stockton stops along Mason Street and at Sports Basement, adjacent to the Tunnel Tops Outpost, and connects the Presidio to Chinatown and Union Square. The Presidio’s Main Post or East Beach parking lots offers ample paid parking. And the free shuttle service Presidio Go enjoys a new name and increased hours of service on the Downtown route from the Transbay Terminal and the Embarcadero BART, as of June 6. Visitors can take advantage of a new rideshare drop-off zone and the new Bay Wheels bike share stations as well. For details on transportation please visit the Presidio Trust website.