Crissy Field, Waterfront green space in Presidio, San Francisco, US

Crissy Field is a former U.S. Army airfield turned public recreation area on the northern shore of the San Francisco Peninsula, just east of the Golden Gate Bridge. It has a broad, flat strip of mown grass edged by a dirt-and-gravel path, a white building with a red-tiled roof, and a large open field of grass and bare dirt bordered by a curved paved road and a walkway along the water. Two wooden piers extend over the shallow water, one ending in a small roofed pavilion.

The military used the site as an airfield from 1919 for early aviation missions, including transcontinental flights and formation drills. After the base closed, workers removed runways and buildings in the late 1990s to restore the shoreline.

The name comes from Major Dana H. Crissy, an Army pilot who died in an airplane crash in 1919. Today families fly kites, dogs run along the beach, and joggers use the flat paths with views toward the Golden Gate Bridge.

Wind can be strong in the afternoon, so bring warmer clothes even in summer. Paths are mostly flat and wide, making them accessible for wheelchairs and strollers.

The restored tidal marsh now holds 17 fish species, and 135 bird species have been recorded there. A boardwalk crosses the marsh, giving visitors a close view of the water and wildlife without disturbing it.