Presidio Heights: A Guide to San Francisco Neighborhoods

presidio heights neighborhood guide
Presidio Heights is a small neighborhood bordering the southeastern edge of The Presidio. It’s filled with beautiful homes, hills that afford stunning views, and is conveniently located to shopping at Laurel Village on California Street, boutiques on Sacramento Street, Trader Joes, Target, and one of the main campuses of California Pacific Medical Center (where their pediatric ER is located). Laurel Heights and Jordan Park are other small bordering neighborhoods that fill in the area between The Richmond and Pacific Heights. We polled local moms to find out what makes this neighborhood a good fit for their families. 

Want to get the scoop directly from the experts? Join our Presidio Heights/ Laurel Heights Moms Facebook group.

Why Moms Love It 

Presidio Heights and its bordering neighborhoods are true family neighborhoods. For a long time, it was rare to find a house for sale in this area because families buy and stay here until their kids are grown. We’re now seeing more turnover to new families, and it’s easy to see why.  There’s easy access to green space, kid-friendly activities, and a quiet neighborhood feel that still offers the conveniences of the city. 

Local Family Favorites

This large, enclosed playground is busy every day of the week. No need to bring your own toys to play. Parents leave at the park plastic ride on and sand toys that their children have outgrown for other children to enjoy. It’s the perfect set up for little ones who may not be ready to climb on the playground equipment.
 
This playground sits at the southeastern border of the Presidio and is a hot spot for weekend birthday parties. It was last renovated in 2003 to resemble the feel and aesthetics of Luxembourg Gardens in Paris.
 
The free baby and toddler story and rhyme times here are always packed, and the green space in front and back of the library give kids a little space to run around.
 
Located in the beautiful Presidio of San Francisco National Park, the Presidio Y has two facilities offering programs for children and adults, including swim lessons and childcare.
 
Daily drop-in kids classes, onsite daycare while you use their fitness center or get some peace and quiet at their cafe and an onsite preschool mean you can basically live here with your kids. 
 
This music studio offers several baby and toddler music classes each day, making it the perfect class to anchor your day before running errands in Laurel Village.
 
Beginning as young as 4 years old, bring the kids here for group classes. Semi-private and private lessons, batting cage rentals and birthday parties are also all available. 
 
This strip of stores and kid-friendly restaurants on California St. makes running errands fast and convenient.

Childcare and Schools

Here’s the thing about childcare and schooling: Your personal situation will determine the right fit for you, and, while there are options in this neighborhood, your best bet is to check out Winnie.com for an interactive map and comprehensive list of daycares and preschools across the city.  

Likewise, for K-12 schools, we can’t tell you whether the schools here are “good” or not because a good school is based on so many other factors besides test scores. Check out our Tips for Moving to San Francisco with Kids for more help navigating childcare and schooling and a local mom’s take on raising a family in San Francisco.

Learn More 

To get an even better feel for what it’s like to live here, scan our list of 100+ kid-friendly restaurants in the city, find the nearest branch of the public library, and check out the area’s trick-or-treating hotspots.
 

Check out the other areas featured in our San Francisco Neighborhood Guide for Families.