Crissy Field East Beach — Attraction in San Francisco

Beautiful getaway from the city noise!

Did you know that Crissy Field was the first Air Coast Defense Station on the Pacific coast? Many of you probably did, but did you know who it was named after? It was named in honor of Major Dana Crissy who was one of the pioneers of air travel in the United States and the base commander of Mather Field in Sacramento, California. He died on October 8, 1919 when their plane crashed during a landing at Salt Lake City, Utah.

Crissy Field was an airfield until the end of the Vietnam war in 1974 when the Army closed it to airplanes, but let helicopters continue to operate for a few more years. Then in 1994, as part of a national reduction in the number of functioning military bases, the Army decommissioned the Presidio and the National Park Service and the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy took control of the area. At that time Crissy Field was declared a "derelict concrete wasteland" due to environmental concerns. However, after a successful campaign led by the Parks Conservancy that started in 1998, Crissy Field was transformed into a space that all San Franciscans could enjoy and opened to public in 2001.

Crissy Field is a recreational paradise to those of us who live in the city. It offers amazing views of San Francisco Bay. There are has easy hiking routes as well as beaches and picnic areas.

The beaches offer an enjoyable recreational space for families on warm and sunny days. There are areas where dogs may go off leash and run around or even swim! It is so much fun to watch dogs chase after a stick into the bay and swim back with it in their mouths!

You can walk on the sand all the way to the end of the beach near West Bluff Picnic Area or take the trail just above the beach that leads to under the Golden...

I often bring my couples to Crissy Field East Beach for wedding photography sessions, because it has so much to offer. It's got plenty of parking, directly adjacent to the west bluff picnic area, if there is also going to be a family picnic to celebrate this is a good place to set up. Just beyond the picnic area, is an easy flat bike trail for walking and then the beach itself. This is a small crescent shaped beach without too much traffic. If you look west, you'll have an unobstructed view of the golden gate bridge, and if you turn and face east, you get a full panoramic view of the San Francisco city skyline. The waves are not large here as it's inside the bay and faces to the north. You won't be in danger if being swept out to see as you could on the west facing beaches like Baker Beach, and there is also a little less wind here. The area does have a snack shop and restrooms, and is ADU compliant. It's...

Out of all the other beaches I really love this beach. I highly recommend coming here if you want to take a good look at a Golden gate bridge and get some very awesome pictures. This is a family oriented beach and I highly recommend that you bring something to sit down on because there is very little benches available. You have easy access to a bathroom as well. If you were coming with the car and you need to find parking come early in the morning otherwise you may have to wait a few minutes. If you have alternative transportation then I would just find a good cozy spot for yourself. Overall this beach is amazing and I actually prefer this beach than Baker Beach.

If you actually want to walk on the Golden gate bridge then I highly recommend you go to the Golden gate bridge welcome center. There you would have easier access to walk on the bridge or you can get other awesome amazing pictures very close up...