Living in Presidio Heights
San Francisco’s Presidio Heights neighborhood has stunning bay views, is family-friendly, has great shopping and dining with easy access to the Presidio.
Presidio Heights is a tree-lined area featuring many styles of high-end single-family homes.
I’ve lived in San Francisco forever. How many neighborhoods have I lived in? Four. The Inner Richmond, Russian Hill, the Marina and Presidio Heights
All my neighborhoods have been great in different ways and have suited me at different times of my life.
I’m now back in Presidio Heights and couldn’t be happier. It is a quiet neighborhood minutes away from a variety of the more ‘urban’ neighborhoods and lifestyles. The Mission, Fillmore St. and South of Market for example.
Home Ownership
Presidio Heights is a small affluent neighborhood of primarily owner-occupied houses and condos as well as rental buildings throughout the neighborhood.
For years there was little housing inventory in this neighborhood. People bought their homes, stuck around and raised their kids.
Things are changing and many new young families are moving in to continue the cycle.
Many younger singles and couples are also attracted to Presidio Heights. Maybe they’ve moved on from the Marina or the Mission lifestyles. Or it’s just because it’s not only a great walking neighborhood, it’s also popular for running.
It’s very family friendly. The Presidio Heights Playground is always busy. Dodging strollers heading for the playground could be a full time sport.
People are friendly and they may not know my name, but they definitely know my dog Oliver’s!
NEIGHBORHOOD LOCATION
Presidio Heights is located on the north side of the city, but centrally located and easy to get wherever you need to be.
There are lots of muni line stops conveniently located nearby. Did I mention it’s a great walking neighborhood? Largely flat with some nice steep hills providing stunning views of the San Francisco Bay, the Presidio, Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz.
Walk north through the Presidio you run into the Marina with lots of stores & restaurants. And not to be forgotten Chrissy Field & the Marina Green.
Walk east and you hit Pacific Heights’ Alta Plaza Park & Fillmore Street with its 11 blocks of shopping & variety of restaurants.
To the south you’ll find the Golden Gate Park’s Panhandle and all of the variety of the Haight.
Walk to the west you’ve got Clement Street in the Inner Richmond with blocks and blocks of restaurants representing many different countries, produce stands, bars and clubs.
SHOPPING
Sacramento St is the main shopping area for Presidio Heights and offers a mix of shops, restaurants and cafes. However, one block over is California St with two grocery stores CalMart and Bryan’s.
Many years ago, Sacramento St. was full of antique stores and other home furnishings stores. Well, it looks like we’re coming into a resurgence of home furnishing stores and home design services. In addition to high end clothing stores we also have two popular consignment stores.
WHERE TO EAT
As Quoted – serving organic American fare with dairy-, gluten-free, nut- and soy-free options
Ella’s American Kitchen – American comfort-food for breakfast, lunch and weekend brunch,
Magic Flute – Italian restaurant that serves its simple menu in a cottage-feeling room & on a spacious outdoor patio
Picnix Bistro Carry Out – Neighborhood deli preparing select sandwiches, soups, salads and box lunches to go.
Presidio Cafe – Relaxed American restaurant at Presidio Golf Course offering a lodgelike setting and patio seating.
Garibaldi’s – Friendly neighborhood and special occasion location for seasonal Californian-Mediterranean cuisine.
Sociale – Northern Italian restaurant serving a seasonal menu in an intimate setting.
Spruce – High-end location serving seasonal, contemporary American fare & handcrafted cocktails.
Laureate Bar & Lounge – Retro-modern lounge at the Laurel Inn serving coffee martinis & bar bites at night.
THINGS TO DO
Did I mention it’s a great place to walk? The Presidio Heights neighborhood is called a “walkers paradise” by the website Walk Score.
The Presidio is Presidio Heights backyard. It’s one of the greatest parks in the city.
You can run along the paths, make use of Julius Kahn Playground, tennis courts, soccer field, baseball field, hiking and golf or just relax among the trees.
The Jewish Community Center of San Francisco with it’s popular fitness center, pool, classes and events
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
Bus stops are conveniently located. Presidio Heights is serviced by a variety of Muni bus lines with direct service to many locations throughout the city.
QUIET SURPRISES
You can go camping in the Presidio! Rob Hill Campground is described as “Perched on four wooded acres above Baker Beach at the Presidio’s highest point”.
Tucked into the corner of the Presidio next to the Arguello Gate is this small restaurant and bar that overlooks the Presidio Golf Course.
It’s got a ‘lodgy’, club feeling with a huge fireplace. Technically it’s part of the Presidio but since it’s at the very edge and next to Presidio Terrace I’m including it.
Presidio Terrace is a “gated” community (the iron-and-stone entrance is not staffed). It was built to convince wealthy San Franciscans to stay in the city after the destruction of the 1906 quake and fire.
Prominent architects of the day were commissioned to design the large homes on large lots and are a mix of architectural styles that include Beaux-Arts, Colonial and Mission Revival, Prairie School, French Rural, Italian Renaissance, Elizabethan and Mediterranean.
Located on Sacramento St at Presidio is a small single screen neighborhood theater that runs new movies & a couple of film festivals.
I don’t know how it has lasted this long with all of the competition from multiplexes. Whatever they are doing I hope they keep on doing it.
Being a family-oriented neighborhood there is the always busy Presidio Heights Playground on Clay St where there is no need to bring your own toys. There are plenty there already. It’s also a very popular location for birthday parties.
COMMON ARCHITECTURAL STYLES IN PRESIDIO HEIGHTS
Architectural styles in Presidio Heights are eclectic. Inspirations include:
Edwardian – There are actually more Edwardian-style homes in San Francisco than the famed Victorian.
You can identify Edwardian homes most obviously in that they don’t feature the typical elaborate trim and ornate features of a typical Victorian.
Colonial Revival – Looked to follow American colonial architecture of the period around the Revolutionary War, which drew strongly from Georgian architecture of Great Britain.
Mission Revival – Architectural movement that began in the late 19th century for a colonial style’s revivalism and reinterpretation.
Italian Renaissance – Is the european architectural style that represents a revival of certain elements like columns of ancient Greek and Roman.
OVERHEAD IN PRESIDIO HEIGHTS
Mother walking her son of about 12 years old, to the school bus stop, he was telling his mother that she was ruining his life because she wasn’t letting him go into film editing. Her dog stopped to say hi to Oliver and she said at least the dog was happy.
COMMUTE TIMES
Presidio Heights is located on the southern edge of the Presidio.
Approximate Commute Times
Financial District 15 mins by car
South San Francisco 30 mins by car
Silicon Valley 55 mins by car
If you have any questions about Presidio Heights, any other neighborhood or are interested in more specific buying/selling updates, please feel free to Email or Text me at +1 415-215-7154