5.1 Miles in Presidio Heights

In town for one day with my little sister, we squeezed in a fast 5.1 mile walk in the Laurel Heights/Presidio Heights hood.  The terrain is not the most rugged in town, but there is definitely an incline between California and Jackson Streets that we got to criss-cross EIGHT TIMES as we weaved our way east from Presidio Terrace.  Ugh.  We made it though, and the houses and views were totally worth it.

The closer you get to the Presidio, the awesomer the houses get.  They each have distinct architecture and style, but all look appropriate for the neighborhood.  This one might be my favorite.

The yards aren't huge back here, but the houses are so they stand shoulder to shoulder along these quiet roads.

Aside from the sheer size of each house, the curb appeal is intensified by the details of each entryway.  The doors are carved, the landscaping pristine, and the lions ready to pounce.

While this area is predominantly residential, there are a few places of worship, the Jewish Cultural Center, CPMC Hospital, and a tasteful collection of shops and cafes between Sacramento and California.  

My favorite to window shop as we wandered past was The Ribbonerie, a store dedicated to all things ribbon, button and snap. 

Aaaannnnd there was a Starbucks, which was such a sight for my sore, sweaty, needing-to-pee eyes.  We ran in for a bathroom break and a green juice.

As we wandered past the window of Starbucks, we spotted my friend, Bob sitting inside who graciously let us drop off our jackets in his car so we could walk the remaining 3 miles without lugging them around since the day was warming up nicely.

By about mile 4, we were both starting to feel it in our calves.  But we barrelled forward and occassionally hit some gorgeous views of the scenery.

From the intersection of  Lyon and Pacific, you get a fantastic view of the Bay to the north, downtown to the east and Presidio to the west.  It's a good vista point when you're trying to catch your breath.

Heading down Baker back to Geary, we passed a bunch of super cute Victorians.

Walking down Geary is not the most fun since it's heavily trafficked and loud.  But there are few cute spots, like Tony's Cable Car...

...and the Bridge Theater that now houses the SF Baseball Academy, which has converted the theater into a super cute indoor training facility with batting cages for kids to learn how to properly play baseball.  Check out their pictures to see how fun it is in there.

This walk crossed through two neighborhoods (Laurel Heights and Presidio Heights) which have markedly different vibes.  Laurel Heights is more commercial and the houses are smaller, if not divided into duplexes and quads.  Presidio Heights, on the other hand, is an affluent residential neighborhood with only single-family homes (that I could see) as well as a few offices for Consulate Generals like Egypt's and Korea's. Certain streets in this walk had steep inclines that would make it very challenging to push a stroller, so I'd say this is only for proficient walkers.  The streets are for the most part quiet (Geary aside) and I found myself standing in the center of intersections a few times taking in the views, without fear of getting hit by a car.