09-08-2026 Golden Gate Welcome Center, Round House Cafe, Presidio, Palace of Fine Arts, Crissy Field East Beach

Today's Route

We packed a lot into today, as you can see from the directions and map above. The weather was beautiful again today. The temps were in the 80s. There were far fewer people everywhere than on Monday.

We started out the day by parking in a lot about 1/4 mile from the Golden Gate Welcome Center. The walk was so nice, with views of the Golden Gate Bridge. The Welcome Center was awesome. We checked out all the goodies for sale, and got our Passport books stamped. The Rangers were very informative.

View from the Hiking Trail from the parking lot
to Golden Gate Welcome Center

If you're familiar with this area, you know the Round House Cafe has been next to the bridge forever. I had to Google it to see how long: 88 years, having originally opened on May 27, 1938, a year after the bridge opened. I have always wanted to get a coffee from there, and Lisa was game. Luckily, this area wasn't nearly as packed as it was yesterday. I bought two croissants to take home for tomorrow. I wasn't hungry, just wanted a coffee. It was worth it and now I've done something I have always wanted to do. The small things in life bring joy. We sat on a bench and enjoyed the magnificent view. Our walk back down the hill to the parking lot was enjoyable. Again, it's the little things. It was getting warm and the AC in the car was a relief. A few minutes to map out our next stop, the Presidio, and we were on our way.

We parked across the beautiful grassy area from the Walt Disney Family Museum. We didn't plan to visit this since it is only open Thursday through Sunday. Someday I will get back here. All along the grassy area are red chairs in different shapes. We sat at one and took selfies while a starling begged us for food.

Walt Disney Family Museum

I pulled this photo from the Presidio website. It's better than the one I took.

Sorry, no food for you, little Starling

The Tunnel Tops were our next stop. Lisa had been here before, so she led the way. The grounds are beautiful and the views of the city and the bay are incredible. We watched a large shipping container enter the bay under the Golden Gate Bridge. The view never gets old no matter where you are in the city.

We also found a covered picnic area by the Transit Center. About half a dozen ten-foot-long picnic tables sat outside in a semi-shaded area. Just past the picnic area is a building called The Mess Hall. We loved this place: a full bar, a coffee bar, a bakery, a sandwich area, and a market in the back with cold drinks, T-shirts, and picnic supplies. I bought a T-shirt here that I love.

Lisa heading for the cold drinks.
It was very warm outside.

People standing in line to order their drinks.

Nice-looking bar

There are so many little play areas for kids made out of driftwood and eucalyptus trees. There is a water area and a few kids were having a blast. Jungle gyms made of driftwood, areas to stack rocks, trees hollowed out to climb into-unbelievable. Whoever designed this area was a kid at heart. (photos at the end)

We kept walking around and found a cool teeter-totter swing in one of the kids' play areas. We played on it like we were kids again. I texted Barry a video and told him I wanted one. He responded with, "I'll add it to the list." I might hold him to that. The cool thing about this area is that no tall trees block views of the bay. I found the Tunnel Tops stunning. You have to visit if you're in San Francisco. Now off to the Visitor Center.

I want one!

The Presidio Visitor Center was at the end of the beautiful grassy area in front of all the refurbished buildings. When you enter the visitor center, you immediately see a 3D relief map in the center. It is a great map in that it gives you a better idea of how large the area is. First things first, passport stamps...done! Then explore the rest of the center. We were not disappointed. Again, knowledgeable Park Rangers. We made a few small purchases and headed back to the car.

Best quality photo I could get, but this
plaque has a lot of good information.

We left the Visitor Center and made the quick drive over to the San Francisco National Cemetery. It's a pristine spot overlooking the bay. We drove around and took photos. This cemetery is closed to new burials. There are service members buried here from all wars.

Next stop: Baker Beach, where we ate the lunches we packed for the day, even though it was way past lunchtime. Parking was easy and our spot had a wonderful view of the beach and the Golden Gate Bridge. Again, the bridge view doesn't get old. We ate in the cool comfort of the air-conditioned car, people-watching as a tanker slowly passed
beneath the bridge. There were hundreds of brown pelicans flying by in flocks at different times. It was interesting to watch them jockey for position, and according to Siri, they were flying south to Mexico for the winter. I found it fascinating and somewhat mesmerizing. I think I could have watched them for an hour. After eating, we stepped out to take a few photos, then got back in the car for air conditioning and to map our way to the Palace of Fine Arts.

Tanker under the bridge
leaving the Bay Area

I have not been to the Palace of Fine Arts in over thirty years. This is Lisa's favorite area in San Francisco. Since it's a workday, not many people were wandering around, so we were able to get some great photos. The lighting was perfect at that time of day and made the building beautiful. We walked around the buildings and the pond. I saw my first Black-crowned night heron. Talk about exciting, and I immediately added them to my Merlin app Life List. We also observed turtles, Great Blue Herons, Mallards, and a few Seagulls. (photos below)

From here, we drove across the way to Crissy Field. We walked along the boardwalk trail to the lagoon for more birdwatching. It was about 5:30 PM, and the weather was still gorgeous. I don't think I have ever experienced this type of weather in San Francisco before, especially by the beaches. I added a two more birds to my Life List in my Merlin app: Snowy Egret and Long-billed Curlew. (photos below)

As we walked back to the car, we saw a Channel 7 news reporter on the beach. Maybe she was reporting on the exceptional weather we have been experiencing. It was time to head back to the RV. Barry was waiting to go out to dinner at Hog Island in Larkspur.

Dinner at Hog Island was delicious, and I recommend it if you're in the area. Barry had linguine with clams, and I had shrimp + grits. They were both tasty, and I have to say, the best shrimp and grits ever. What a perfect way to end an absolutely beautiful day in San Francisco.