The San Francisco Marina was the site of the 1915 World’s Fair, also known as the “Pan-Pacific International Exposition.” Following the six-month long event, the land was sold to developers and by 1920, a residential neighborhood had taken shape, with streets lined with Victorian homes and apartment buildings built atop a base of landfill.
Only the Palace of Fine Arts building remains from the original Exposition, and though the area sustained damage following the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake, “The Marina’s” neighborhood charm, accessibility to the Bay, and classic landscaping make it an enduring destination for recreation as much as residency.
Though it only takes up three-quarters of a square mile, the neighborhood is home to over 20,000 residents and is bordered by the Pacific Heights, Cow Hollow, Fort Mason neighborhoods and Presidio National Park.
The gem of the neighborhood is the iconic “Marina Green,” named for its beautiful sports field abutting the Bay as much for the nearby boating marina. The park featuring expansive views reaching between the Golden Gate Bridge and Bay Bridge and is open to all. Residents and visitors alike enjoy sitting on benches gazing at sailboats passing by and the fog rolling in when they aren’t jogging, walking, strolling or rolling along the paved waterfront walkway.
Most evenings and weekends year-round, you’ll find the infamous “Green” hosting organized recreational sports teams. It is also a traditional viewing area for the Blue Angels, Fleet Week, Opening Day on the Bay, and for those who enjoy watching the sleepy progress of tugboats escorting cargo ships, creating white cap pathways across the bay.
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