Page 24 - Travel Leisure - USA (February 2020)

D I S C O V E R I E S Garden by the Bay pristine swatches of nature—her dynamite
businesses help make the park one of
San Francisco’s greatest treasures.
In San Francisco, the Presidio—a park within the
At the park’s Main Post, a parade ground that
Golden Gate National Recreation Area—is just the spot
to escape the fray. JASON SHEELER finds chic hotels and
red lawn chairs. There you’ll find the Inn at the
close encounters with nature. once hosted military exercises is now dotted with
Presidio (presidio odging.com; doubles from $310)
l
and its 18-month-old sibling hotel, the Lodge at
the Presidio (from $275), in former barracks with
unparalleled views of the Golden Gate Bridge.
The Walt Disney Family Museum (walt disney.org)
tells the story of the man behind the mouse, and
the Officer’s Club (presidio.gov) exhibition space
currently features a poignant show on the
Presidio’s role in the internment of 120,000
Japanese Americans during World War II. The
Presidio Theatre (presidio theatre.org), closed for
25 years, now hosts music, film, and dance.
In the Southern Wilds, British artist Andy
Goldsworthy created four site-specific works,
including the 100-foot Spire, made up of 37 slowly
decaying cypress trees. It’s also the site of
Immigrant Point Overlook, a golf course, and
Rob Hill Campground (presidio.gov), San Francisco’s
only public camping spot. Nearby is Baker Beach,
the city’s best sliver of sand, where on a recent
The Lodge at the Presidio sits at the heart of San Francisco’s seaside park. walk, my dog, Franky, and I passed several nude
sunbathers (this is San Francisco, after all).
Across Highway 101 is Crissy Field, where
AST FALL, I MOVED to San Francisco’s Presidio Heights athletic types find places for kitesurfing and
L neighborhood, but after several months, I was indoor rock climbing before retiring to Fort Point
embarrassed to admit that I knew little about Beer Co. (fortpointbeer.com) for IPAs. Construction
the reserve next door. A decommissioned army base, the is under way on the Tunnel Tops project, a 14-acre
Presidio is home to eucalyptus groves, foggy beaches, and elevated park that will connect Crissy Field
panoramic views. “Don’t feel bad,” San Francisco chef Traci to the rest of the Presidio.
Des Jardins told me. “A lot of locals don’t know what’s going After a day of exploring, Franky and I checked
on here. It’s changed so much, even in the last five years.” in to the Inn. Later that evening, we set out for the
Five years ago, Des Jardins opened two restaurants in parade ground. A coyote emerged from behind
the reserve, the Arguello (arguellosf.com; entrŽes $21Ð$31) a chair and glared at us, his eyes making it clear
and the Commissary (thecommissarysf.com; entrŽes $28Ð$40). which of us really belonged there. Then he trotted
Along with excellent hotels and cultural institutions—and off toward the Southern Wilds, leaving no tracks.

D I S P A T C H BEN DAVIDSON/COURTESY OF PRESIDIO TRUST. ILLUSTRATIONS BY MAY PARSEY

The Hotel Meal I Can’t Stop Thinking About

“Dinner at Al Mare at the Hotel Santa Caterina, on the Amalfi Coast.
It’s a gorgeous atmosphere, with mandolins playing, and perfect
food, like the incredible pezzogna fish baked in salt. I could eat
there every night for the rest of my life.”

— T+L A-LIST TRAVEL ADVISOR DAVID LOWY (DLOWY@RENSHAWTRAVEL.COM)

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