Wave Organ/Crissy Field
(scroll to bottom for photo gallery)
Location: For easy access to both Crissy Field and the Wave Organ, start at Crissy Field East Beach Parking Lot, entrance on Mason St. running along the bay between Golden Gate Bridge and Fort Mason (extending straight west from Marina Blvd. before it veers left away from the shoreline)
(Information links are sometimes changed at the source unexpectedly. We do our best to update.)
Wave Organ information:
https://www.exploratorium.edu/visit/wave-organ
Crissy Field information:
http://www.parksconservancy.org/visit/park-sites/crissy-field.html
Maps with trails:
http://www.parksconservancy.org/map/#/visit/park-sites/crissy-field.html?coords=14:37.8036:-122.4609
Distance: Between the Wave Organ and Crissy Field East Beach is only 0.6 miles. From the Wave Organ further down Crissy Field to West Bluff Beach is about 1.3 miles. For more city adventure, it’s only 0.8 miles to Aquatic Park Cove.
Considerations: Being in a popular part of San Francisco, this area is accessible by car or by public transportation. This is a popular dog walking area and local weekend walk location, so it is more populated than many other trails noted on this site. The East Beach parking lot is quite large, making it rare to find zero parking availability.
Restrooms are available at the Crissy Field East Beach parking area as well as further west at the Warming Hut.
The trail:
Walkers have the option of walking along the beach, paved sidewalk areas, or the Promenade walkway that goes between a marsh and the bay. The path to the Wave Organ is part sidewalk, part paved roadway.
Crissy Field pathways and the beach stretch quite a distance to the west from the East Beach parking lot (left when facing the bay).
To get to the Wave Organ, when facing the bay, turn right (away from the Golden Gate Bridge).
Follow the pathway past the last stretch of beach and enter a paved area heading toward the Yacht Harbor and the Yacht Club. The domed Palace of Fine Arts is visible to the right as you walk east toward the Yacht Harbor tower.
You will get to a point when you have to maneuver around a building, shifting from the sidewalk to a road going past boats in the harbor. Once past the building, walk along the waterway again, continuing east. Pass the tower and follow the narrower stretch of road all the way to the end.
The Wave Organ is part of the Exploratorium, which was once located at the Palace of Fine Arts. It no longer makes the original sounds from when it was first installed, but it makes a great sculptural spot to sit and take in the views, with the San Francisco cityscape looking eastward, Alcatraz and Angel Island in easy view, sometimes highlighted by boats racing by, and a glorious view of the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin Headlands to the west.
Keep your eyes open for seals, porpoises, and even whales in the distance. People-watching on the beach is always entertaining when the sea mammals aren’t making an appearance.
Make an easy 1.2 mile loop between the East Beach parking lot to the Wave Organ and back, or make more of a hike of it and head further down the beach.
Sunny or foggy, this is a picturesque spot right in San Francisco that doesn’t require extra energy or equipment to enjoy.
(Wave Organ - Crissy Field Hike Notes were originally paired with the “Make It Easy on Yourself” Insights post.)
Check the Home page for the broader background story. Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area page, and scroll to the bottom of each hike page to see full photo galleries.
If you’d like to support HikingAutism, check out the Support/Shop page! Check out selected articles and interviews under Media. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links. Feel free to share and follow on Facebook at HikingAutism, Twitter at @HikingAutism, Instagram at lisalouis777, and Bluesky @hikingautism.bsky.social
(scroll to bottom for photo gallery)
Location: For easy access to both Crissy Field and the Wave Organ, start at Crissy Field East Beach Parking Lot, entrance on Mason St. running along the bay between Golden Gate Bridge and Fort Mason (extending straight west from Marina Blvd. before it veers left away from the shoreline)
(Information links are sometimes changed at the source unexpectedly. We do our best to update.)
Wave Organ information:
https://www.exploratorium.edu/visit/wave-organ
Crissy Field information:
http://www.parksconservancy.org/visit/park-sites/crissy-field.html
Maps with trails:
http://www.parksconservancy.org/map/#/visit/park-sites/crissy-field.html?coords=14:37.8036:-122.4609
Distance: Between the Wave Organ and Crissy Field East Beach is only 0.6 miles. From the Wave Organ further down Crissy Field to West Bluff Beach is about 1.3 miles. For more city adventure, it’s only 0.8 miles to Aquatic Park Cove.
Considerations: Being in a popular part of San Francisco, this area is accessible by car or by public transportation. This is a popular dog walking area and local weekend walk location, so it is more populated than many other trails noted on this site. The East Beach parking lot is quite large, making it rare to find zero parking availability.
Restrooms are available at the Crissy Field East Beach parking area as well as further west at the Warming Hut.
The trail:
Walkers have the option of walking along the beach, paved sidewalk areas, or the Promenade walkway that goes between a marsh and the bay. The path to the Wave Organ is part sidewalk, part paved roadway.
Crissy Field pathways and the beach stretch quite a distance to the west from the East Beach parking lot (left when facing the bay).
To get to the Wave Organ, when facing the bay, turn right (away from the Golden Gate Bridge).
Follow the pathway past the last stretch of beach and enter a paved area heading toward the Yacht Harbor and the Yacht Club. The domed Palace of Fine Arts is visible to the right as you walk east toward the Yacht Harbor tower.
You will get to a point when you have to maneuver around a building, shifting from the sidewalk to a road going past boats in the harbor. Once past the building, walk along the waterway again, continuing east. Pass the tower and follow the narrower stretch of road all the way to the end.
The Wave Organ is part of the Exploratorium, which was once located at the Palace of Fine Arts. It no longer makes the original sounds from when it was first installed, but it makes a great sculptural spot to sit and take in the views, with the San Francisco cityscape looking eastward, Alcatraz and Angel Island in easy view, sometimes highlighted by boats racing by, and a glorious view of the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin Headlands to the west.
Keep your eyes open for seals, porpoises, and even whales in the distance. People-watching on the beach is always entertaining when the sea mammals aren’t making an appearance.
Make an easy 1.2 mile loop between the East Beach parking lot to the Wave Organ and back, or make more of a hike of it and head further down the beach.
Sunny or foggy, this is a picturesque spot right in San Francisco that doesn’t require extra energy or equipment to enjoy.
(Wave Organ - Crissy Field Hike Notes were originally paired with the “Make It Easy on Yourself” Insights post.)
Check the Home page for the broader background story. Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area page, and scroll to the bottom of each hike page to see full photo galleries.
If you’d like to support HikingAutism, check out the Support/Shop page! Check out selected articles and interviews under Media. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. The Links page lists a loose collection of helpful information links. Feel free to share and follow on Facebook at HikingAutism, Twitter at @HikingAutism, Instagram at lisalouis777, and Bluesky @hikingautism.bsky.social
